Umrah Visa Limits to 2 Weeks Only

Umrah  is a journey that a lot of Muslims look forward to and is considered to be a smaller version of Hajj with lesser rites and smaller duration. It is very different from Hajj, but since it is the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) Muslims put it in high regard. It is a dream of every Muslim to perform Hajj and Umrah. The Saudi authorities issue visas to Muslims only for Umrah and they decide the rules, regulations for issuing of visa. Usually, if you go through a travel agency, you will get your visa within a few weeks and it is generally preferred to go through an agency. One should be well aware of the latest Umrah visa limits that have been applied by the Saudi authorities.

  

For Umrah pilgrims 2014, the Umrah visa has been limited to14 days only. Your visa will be stamped allowing you to stay for a maximum of 2 weeks only. This has been done due to some construction work going on at the Mataf. The 'Mataf' is the circumambulation area around the Ka'aba and some work is being done so that more people can be accommodated in the future. Seeing the surge of Muslims coming to Mecca for Hajj and Umrah 2014, the Saudi authorities have decided to make it more spacious. For this reason, the Saudi authorities have not stopped pilgrims from coming to Mecca but have out a few Umrah visa Limits. 

Source

A lot of people have been shocked and hurt by this step because they wish to stay for more days as they are spending a lot of money. People also wish to stay in Mecca and perform as many Umrahs as they can but this limitation will not allow them to do so. However, all future pilgrims should realize that this is being done in the favor of future Hajj and Muslim pilgrims. This way, more people will be able to perform Hajj and it will also be much easier to do so. The Saudi embassies have informed the respective governments of the countries from where Muslims come to Saudi.

You should register with a reliable British hajj travel tour organizer or travel agency to be able to get all the latest news and information regarding Hajj and Umrah. This will enable you to be aware of all the happenings and know when and where to spend your money. If this is the first time you are performing Umrah or Hajj, you should go to a trustworthy and certified British Hajj and Umrah Travel agency who can guide you properly. There are many good travel agencies in United Kingdom that have an excellent repute with the Saudi authorities and can get visas quickly and easily. These certified agencies have professional tour guides who will guide and aid in you every step towards Hajj and Umrah.

Umrahs visas valid for two weeks are to be acted upon immediately so make sure you apply for yourself and your family at one time so you can travel together. You will need to make hotel bookings in advance to attaining the visa so that you can leave as soon as you get your visa.

Advice And Guide For Umrah And Hajj Pilgrims

Umrah and Hajj are both pilgrimages for Muslims, where Hajj is an obligatory one and Umrah is a smaller and non obligatory pilgrimage. Both of these events hold special place in the hearts and minds of Muslims, who wish to purify their souls and getting their sins washed away by performing this pilgrimage. All those Muslims in Britain who are wishing to perform Hajj and Umrah, should be well aware of the health hazards present. Even though it is highly recommended that you perform Hajj and Umrah, there are health precautions that every Muslim should take.

The Saudi authorities spend lots of money and energy on the health factor during Hajj and Umrah by preventing people from performing Hajj or Umrah due to medical reasons. Visas are often rejected and people feel heart broken over it, however it is done in the best interest of humanity and yourself. In a place that is concentrated with people from all over the world, it is a major responsibility of the Saudi authorities to prevent an outbreak of any disease. Once a disease like polio or hepatitis B is starts to spread among the people, they will carry the virus and germs to their own countries and spread it there. Each and every Muslim should put the health and betterment of another Muslim over their own and be responsible.

The Umrah and Hajj guide by British Hajj Travel is a perfect example of providing British Muslims with the advice of when to perform Hajj or Umrah. In this guide you will find that Muslims are not discouraged form performing Hajj or Umrah, but rather are advised and warned about the realities of the health situation. Hajj is performed through great physical exertion and if you feel you are not capable of it then you should not perform it as there is no sin for that. Allah understand your shortcomings and will accept your regret of not performing Hajj. British Hajj is especially careful of and warns those people who are above the age of 65, have chronic diseases, or anyone who suffers form a weak immune system to not travel to Saudi during Hajj.

It is advisable for all to be wary of the health issues that could result if you are not careful and stubborn about performing pilgrimage. You should not risk you children or pregnant women to any kind of dangerous environment either and that is why the Saudi authorities have prevented these two categories of people from pilgrimage as well. You should postpone your pilgrimage and God willing perform it at another time if you fall into any of the categories above.

Performing Hajj and Umrah is a difficult task as with the millions of people present in one place it becomes difficult to walk around with ease. Especially during Hajj, when you are moving from one city to another, and have to walk long distances, sometimes sleep in tents, you have to be really prepared for hardship. Allah makes easy for those whom He will and in Islam there is a lot of ease for those with pure intentions. A Muslim should be responsible towards others and be compassionate, therefore postponing your Hajj and Umrah plans will not be an issue. If you have postponed your Hajj plans for 2014, then get in touch with British Hajj companies and start booking a tour now.

Foreign Delegate Praise Hajj Arrangements & Efficiency

Hajj, a spiritual sojourn for millions of Muslims around the world, is a journey and a form of Muslim worship that is praised for it's organized discipline by people from all faiths and countries. A gathering of 2 million people belonging to all ages and nationalities is catered to and organized in a brilliant manner. It is something to be appreciated and many foreign delegates have appreciated the steps taken by the custodian of the Holy Kaaba King Abdullah for the Hajj 2013. The way that everything just falls into place and the 2 million people are not only accommodated but made comfortable as the guests of Allah.  

In the year 2013, Hajj has been performed with utmost comfort and even more discipline than ever before. Many people who had been for Hajj many years before and had gone in this year were thoroughly impressed by the arrangements made by the Saudi authorities under the supervision of King Abdullah. The delegation from Guinea, whose Minister of Religious Affairs was also performing Hajj mission in 2013 has shown his gratitude and commented that he is highly impressed by how everything went so smoothly. He has expressed his appreciation on behalf of all delegation members for the smooth performance of their Hajj.

Another 25 member delegation from Brunei Darussalam has aso expressed their appreciation for the care and warmth that the Saudi people and authorities have shown towards the pilgrims. Haji Abd Kahar bin Haji Hussain who was the head of the Brunei delegation spoke that they were highly satisfied with this years Hajj missions. There was also a foreign delegation from Togo, whose head Sanni Karimou said that he has been on Hajj many times before and this time he was happy with the development and reduction in accommodation problems.

King Abdullah presented outstanding performance awards to various journalists from around the world for their balanced and comprehensive reporting about Hajj 2013. The foreign delegates believed that this step of giving awards to journalists was a good one to encourage and promote journalism during Hajj time as it is tough job to do Hajj and at the same time do your job. Bandar Hajar, the Hajj Minister encouraged Muslims to keep up the journalistic coverage of Hajj as it is an honor for Muslims to be reporting and writing about this highly spiritual and rewarding journey.

Every year the arrangements of Hajj are getting better as is the example of Hajj 2013 where several new accommodations were built as well as the building of a lot of bathrooms. This has made it easy for more people to perform Hajj with less difficulty. They have also been very vigilant in health issues and the outbreak of any epidemic or viral disease has been successfully prevented. In a gathering of millions of people, it is an immense responsibility on the shoulders of the Saudi authorities. To find out more about future Hajj missions, you should get in touch with reliable Hajj and Umrah touring organizations. 

How Hajj Is Managed In Britain

For Hajj 2013, special plans have been made as always for the convenience and safety of guests of God. These plans include the number of pilgrims that will be allowed to come for Hajj this year, the packages that will be offered to them, how their safety will be ensured, proper training and guidance of pilgrims, accommodation for pilgrims at Makkah and Madina, transport charges from Jeddah to Makkah and others like health facilities that will be provided to them. All these things require proper planning before the time. 

A number of travel agencies are present in UK from where you can get information about Hajj 2013. In the past there was not any association in Britain that would keep the rights of Muslim minority specially in London where most of the Muslim population is present. As a result no one was there to manage the matters related to Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage and all of us are aware of the problems that pilgrims can face regarding it. So, keeping this in mind the Association of British Hajj was made in 1998. The purpose of this association was to work for the social welfare of Muslims in London and to activate the higher authorities somehow and convince them to consider Muslim rights with reference to Hajj and Umrah. The other underlying purpose was to train and guide Muslims for Hajj and Umrah and to design packages for them. 

From 1998 up till now, many other societies have also been made to ensure the safety and rights of pilgrims in UK and the government has also taken steps for British Muslim rights. Previously the British Government has made an objection on the private companies working for the purpose. However, Hajj 2013 is free from any obligation by British government. Almost 23,000 British Muslims went to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj and the number is even greater for Hajj 2013.

Although it is the ultimate wish of every Muslim to perform this 5th basic component of Islam and the Saudi government also takes care of their sacred desires, some problems should also be considered while making the decision, as for Hajj 2013 Saudi government has advised pilgrims to postpone their Hajj plans for the next 2 years, as construction is going on in the Haram and Mafat for expansion, that was the demand of increasing number of pilgrims each year. This expansion will benefit the pilgrims in the future. Apart from the advice of Saudi government still almost 2 million foreign pilgrims are expected for Hajj 2013. Therefore, avoiding any mismanagement, keeping the safety of pilgrims and controlling the whole pilgrimage along with the construction, is going to be a comparatively tough job this year.

The Other Hajj Tips That Make Your Hajj Memorable

Hajj is not just a name of a Ritual or Liturgy in Islam but it also has multiple aspects that play a vital role in modifying the human life. Undergoing the processes and steps of Hajj impart great changes in the human’s thoughts and makes him a perfect Muslim and human as prescribed by the glorious the holy Quran. There are several things that need to be observed and undertaken while one is traveling for the journey of Hajj which is the most important and perfect amongst the all for the Muslims from all over the world as it is for a sacred cause and for the fulfillment of the perfect duty in Islam. Muslims should take care of numerous factors in order to enhance the devotion in their prayers so that they can purify their souls in the perfect manner.

Pray to Allah Almighty

Fore mostly the while on Hajj the Pilgrim should devote most of the time for spirituality and seize the moments with complete devotion and attention, and pray to Allah almighty with all attention and devotion passionately just as such moments will never be again in the times to come. Such moments are always found during the times of solitude when you devotedly pray in loneliness and seek for forgiveness and blessings from God and feel His presence around you. Such moments are completely out of this world and always make you feel completely amazing. There are many other aspects that need to be pondered about and the prime most of this is the time spending while you are out to perform Hajj. Try to spend your time with the people involved in dhikr because this would help you in growing your Imaan and improve your connectivity with the creator. Plan your Hajj Ritual times appropriately as they take very little time and the remaining free time should be dedicated and devoted to dhikr. Chalk out your acts and details while performing Hajj so that you do not lose any moment of spirituality and repent after this afterwards. Retreating from the evil deeds and acts that cause damage to the spirit of Hajj and daily routine and life of an individual Muslim is the main aim of this whole practice.

Accept all that you have been blessed with and whatever you are being given by the Allah Almighty and thank him for all what you have got and thank Him for blessing you with the greatest opportunity to visit the Holy places. Hajj is the complete training program that helps us in changing our self from very basic and make us a better Muslim that can change all the major aspects of our life and guide us to the best way that is preferred by the God Almighty. Following these basics one can enhance one’s Imaan and improve upon the devotion and enthusiasm towards Islam.

Information about hajj package 2013 

Make your Hajj Unforgettable

Hajj is one of the lifetime journeys for a Muslim howsoever he be rich or a middle income source person who has saved a huge amount for only the purpose of Hajj. It takes a lot of concentration and understanding of the rituals and the basics of the Hajj in order to manage the journey and all other tasks involved in the performance of Hajj. There are several tasks that need to be undertaken during the performance of Hajj and else to them various events that we undergo during the journey and other activities that a Muslim confronts during the stay in Makkah and Madinah. Taking care of all such matters can make your Hajj journey a memorable time.

Basic knowledge of Hajj

The prime most factors that matters the most during the pilgrimage is to know the very basics of the Hajj and its requirements. Unless one knows how to perform hajj and what its basic and essential rituals are, one cannot perform a mustahib Hajj e Mabroor. Going to perform Hajj and Umrah without knowing about the basics of the two, is alike to make a person stand in the centre of the mosque and ask to pray without letting him know the details of Namaz and other basics of Namaz and Ibaadah that one has to perform in the two Holy Mosques. It needs thorough research and understanding while planning to travel for Hajj and Umrah so that one avails and gain much of the blessings that are destined for the pilgrim while performing Ibaadah in the two holy mosques in the Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

Traveling

Traveling between the destinations and from Makkah to Madinah requires long travels and during this whole process there are chances that a person can get stuck in some traffic jam or any other such problem
that requires waiting for a long time at any specific place. During this time most of the people get frustrated because of the weather condition and also because of the delay in time. This leads them to argue with the drivers and fellow pilgrims and hence cause mess during the journey. To avoid such acts it is recommended to do zikr azkaar instead of fighting with the fellow pilgrims.

Namaz-e-Janaza

 During the prayers in the Holy mosques nearly after every Salaat, a prayer for Janazah is conducted and a majority of the people does not have any particular ideas of how to offer Namaz e Janazah. In order to not to confront such situations it is advised to learn and understand the basics and the details of Namaz e Janazah so that one can gain the benefit of blessings for each Namaz.
 





Each and every moment of the time you spend there in those cities is much
more precious as compared to any other times in the life. Avail most of the time in these moments so that you can gain most blessings from this time. Most of the time you would see huge gatherings of people for Tawaaf and other rituals, it is recommended to not to get overwhelmed because of the rush hours and perform all the tasks with peace and calmness in order to gain the maximum benefits and ensure your safety and security. These are certain aspects of performance of Hajj in order to gain the maximum benefits from the rituals. Adhering to the safety and security tips can enhance your experience and benefit the organization by your feedback. Perform all the rituals according to their preference and gain maximum benefits and peace during the Hajj 2013.

Common Mistakes Done By Pilgrims of Hajj during Their Hajj Session in Makkah

Hajj is the prime most of the liturgies in Islam and is valued as the most important part of the Islamic teaching and prayers. There are a number of aspects that need to be considered while performing Hajj. 

Lack of Knowledge about Hajj 

These matters are not considered as problematic but they actually influence the performance of Hajj and can end up in nullifying the whole effort done by the pilgrims while performing the rituals of Hajj. The major aspects of these problems acts that result during the performance of Hajj is the lack of knowledge and information with the pilgrims.

Ihraam

Going into ihram is the most important and the prime most part of the performance of Hajj. Sometimes the pilgrims bypass the designated Meeqaats that are marked for the pilgrims to go into Ihraam. According to the rulings, every pilgrim has to go into Ihraam from the designated Meeqaat and if anyone not does so, he or she will be required to make expiation by the sacrifice of sheep in Makkah and feeding all its meat to the poor. 

Tawaf

Another major matter that needs to be noted is most of the times the pilgrims begin their tough from any other point is to the black stone. If the pilgrims do not go all around the Kaaba including the hijar of Ismaeil, it would be considered an incomplete circle and they need to take that part into the circle. Excluding that area would not complete the tawaaf and the performance of tawaaf and other liturgies would be void. Ramal is only required to be done in the first three of the tawaaf, while in remaining three; the pilgrim is required to walk easily. People tend to do ramal in all the seven of the tawaafs which is wrong. 

Touching the Kaaba

Some of the pilgrims tend to touch all the four corners of the Kaaba where as there is no such example from the Life of Holy Prophet and it is just a bidah and has no significant value.

Saei

While doing so, the pilgrims sometimes face towards the Kaaba and recite certain words, it is prohibited by the rulings. Throwing pebbles at the stone pillars is a part of the prime liturgy of Islam and throwing anything else to the stone towers. As doing so is the bidah and exaggeration from the basic teachings and techniques of Islam for the performance of the liturgies.

Visiting Ohd, Badar and Grave of Holy Prophet (PBUH)

Ohad Mountain

There are certain pilgrims that think that visiting the grave of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the places of Ohd and Badar and praying for the blessings and seeking help is a ritual and part of the activity all these activities come under the Bidaah and are not permitted in any way for the Pilgrims. I hope during hajj 2013, this will help you to keep the actual spirit of hajj in mind with the right way to perform your prayers.

There are many of the others; I hope I will write them too here as soon as possible.