How many steps is an Umrah?

To travel for the holy pilgrimage through the Umrah packages with flights is a blessing for a believer. Every Muslim desires to be able to travel for Umrah in his/her life but only a few are fortunate enough to get this opportunity. This is such a blessing of Allah Almighty that he grants to whomever he wills.

When it comes to Umrah travel, there are many steps involved in it.

Pre-departure.

If you are opting for Umrah travel soon, there are a lot of things you need to plan.

Getting a visa.

The first step is to get a valid visa for your Umrah travel. Just like any other foreign trip, traveling for the pilgrimage also requires pilgrims to obtain necessary visas from Saudi Embassy. There are two types of Umrah visas available;

1. Umrah visa i.e., specifically issued for Umrah purposes only.
   1. Valid for two weeks maximum.
   2. Pilgrims are only allowed to stay within Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, and the other areas lying in between them.
   3. The first visa of the year is free of cost. However, for the second Umrah travel in the same year, an additional tax/fee is to be paid.
2. Umrah permit of tourist vis, business visa, family visa, etc.
   1. Permits can be obtained online.
   2. Pilgrims can travel to any region in Saudia Arbia (as per permissibility).
   3. Available through e-services as well as visa-on-arrival facility.

Managing your travel and accommodation.

The next step is to manage your Umrah travel and accommodation by;

• Booking flights that are best suited for your need.
• Reserving hotel accommodation close to Haramain. In this regard, 3-star economy to 7-star luxury options are available.
• Getting travel and health insurance for your pilgrimage trip.
• Arranging for your transportation needs in Saudi Arabia.

Packaging your essentials.

It is always advised for pilgrims to travel light for Umrah. Therefore, only carry your essentials like Ihram clothing, Footwear, Medicines, Travel documents, Money, Electronics, etc.

Educating yourself on the Dos and Don’ts of Umrah.

The last step of preparation for Umrah includes getting yourself educated on the rituals of Umrah; how to perform them and what things to avoid. It is necessary because pilgrims are required to follow certain guidelines in order to make their Umrah valid.

Performance of the Holy Rituals.

When you are in Haram, the pilgrimage of Umrah comprises four necessary steps.

1.   Ihram.

Ihram is the state of absolute purity, necessary for the pilgrims to assume and proceed with the holy rituals.

• It involves wearing ceremonial clothing.
• Certain prohibitions are imposed on pilgrims after they enter Ihram.
• The state of Ihram must be kept intact until the performance of the last ritual of Umrah.
• Men and women are required to follow specific guidelines for their Ihram clothing.

2.   Tawaf.

Tawaf refers to the act of circumambulating around the Holy Kaabah for seven consecutive rounds.

• It must proceed in an anti-clockwise direction i.e., keeping Holy Kaabah on the left-hand side.
• Each round of Tawaf must begin and end at the place of Hajar-al-Aswad i.e., the Black Stone.

3.   Sayee.

Sayee is the ritual in which the pilgrims walk between the hills of Safa and Marwah inside Masjid-al-Haram seven times.

• The first round of Sayee is from Safah towards Marwah.
• From Marwah to Safah would constitute the second round.
• The 7^th round of Sayee must end at Marwah Hill.

4.   Halq.

After the performance of Sayee, pilgrims opt for Halq or Taqsir.

• Men are required to shave their heads completely i.e., Halq.
• Women are only allowed to cut a fingertip’s length of their hair i.e., Taqsir.

Returning home.

After these rituals are complete, the umrah pilgrimage is performed and a pilgrim can now remove Ihram. Travel Agency UK  includes the return indirect flights to the UK with international airlines of the gulf countries or British airlines.

If performed consecutively, umrah can be completed in a matter of a few hours. However, individual physical strengths and health limits can cause the time required to complete the Umrah pilgrimage to vary.

So, the remaining time that one has to spare in the kingdom can be spent in voluntary Ibadah, shopping, as well as doing Ziyarath of the Holy sites. Therefore, returning home as soon as your visa expires.

So, these are the steps included in Umrah travel.