Before passing the Meeqat – (the place where the Umrah starts, and one enters the state of Ihram)

• Men to get changed into their Ihram (2 pieces of white cloth), preferably after one of the 5 daily prayers
• Make niyyah (intention) for Umrah

Labbaik Allaahumma ‘Umrah
(Here I am O Allah making ‘Umraah)

• If one fears that they are likely to be subjected to illness or anything else that might obstruct their Umrah, one may add the following, by doing so if one can not complete the Umrah for whatever reason; then they simply cut their hair and do not have to pay the ransom.

Allaahumma mahillee haithu habastanee
(I come out of the state of Ihraam from the place You prevent me from continuing).

• Make the Talbiyah (men to raise their voices) and continue making the Talbiyah until you reach the Kaba and start your Tawaf

Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, innal-hamda wan-ni’mata laka wal-mulk, laa shareeka lak
(Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am. You have no partner. Here I am. Surely all praise, grace and dominion is yours, and you have no partner.)

Article by: alqamardesigns

 

UMRAH GUIDE

UMRAH GUIDE

Before setting off from home

• Make Ghusl (full body wash)
• Trim your nails, and remove your pubic hair.
• Whatever Salah is due at the time of travel, ensure it has been prayed in full before setting off
• Read 2 rakaats of Travelling Salah before setting off
• When going out of your house/hotel, say:

Bismillahi, Tawakkaltu, ‘a-lallahi, wa laa hawla wa laa quwatta illah billah
(In the name of Allaah, I place my trust in Allaah, and there is no might nor power except with Allaah)

• Read Du’aa of Travelling, before setting off in car

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Subhaa-nalathee, Sakha-ra-la-naa ha-thaa wa maa kunaa, lahu muq-ri-nee-na wa innaa ilaa rabbinaa la-mun-qa-le-boon
(Allaah is the greatest x3, How perfect He is, The One Who has place this (transport) at our service, and we ourselves would not have been capable of that, and to our Lord if our final destiny.)

• At a journey break, you may say:

A’uthoo bi-kalimaa tillaah-hitammaa ti-min sharri maa khalaq
(I take refuge in Allaah’s perfect words from the evil that He has created.)

• NB.During your journey keep yourself in the remembrance of Allah (make dhikr, make dua, read quran, read Islamic Book etc). Remember this is the start of your journey to the House of Allah, and you have been given an invitation from Málik Al-Mulk (Owner and King of all Kingdoms), so Praise and Glorify Him.
• Once you are a traveller (having left your areas of residence), and the next Salah is due, you can combine and shorten them as this is a concession from Allah.
  • Dhur (2 Rakaats) & Asr (2 Rakaats) together
  • Maghrib (3 Rakaats) & Ishaa (2 Rakaats) together
  • Read as many sunnah/nawafil as you like, there is no restriction.

 Article by: alqamardesigns

 

 

Performing Umrah with Kids

One of the biggest concerns for parents remains handling their kids when they take them along for Umrah. It is easier to manage the entire Umrah trip if the kids are above 5 years of age but if they are younger it becomes difficult deal with them. Certain factors and precautionary measures are to be taken in order to take proper care of them and avoid any sort of inconvenience during Umrah.
The very first consideration is to avoid taking more than 1 child (Under 5 years) with you on Umrah. Taking more children along is not a good idea as it may create a lot of trouble for you such as taking care and keeping an eye on them will become difficult, they might wander around and get misplaced. If you have your spouse along, if will become easier for you to handle the child.
Travel agents generally have traveling discounts offer for children. Do ask your agent to provide you with concessions for kids that are accompanying you on Umrah. The travel agencies also device certain Umrah Packages which offer discounts when you travel for Umrah with family and/ or kids.
 Tips for the visit to Madinah:
Ask your travel agent to accommodate your family near Masjid-Al-Haram.
At all times, ensure that you and your family, especially kids under 5 wear and ID card with all the information listed on it such as Name, Parents’ Name, Passport Number, Saudi Contact Details,Name of the Hotel, etc.
God forbid, if your kids get lost in Madinah, they are usually found by the security personnel of the Mosque. In case such an event happens, contact them.
Keeping an eye on kids is vital while praying, in case they run away from you.
It is not mandatory for the kids to wear Ihram, unless they attain the age of puberty. However, if you decide to make them wear it, tell them about the restrictions of Ihram. There is no penalty on the child or parents, in case if they violate any rule. If you decide to go otherwise and dress them in regular attire, ensure that you do not make them wear anything flashy or too attractive. The simpler the dress is, the better it is.
To avoid running around here and there for water, food etc, keep a baby a baby bag with you. Put all the necessary stuff in the bad such as bottles, diapers, powdered milk etc. Ensure to keep plenty of water in case if you are performing Umrah with kids in hot weather.
During summers, the weather of Makkah and Madinah is extremely hot and kids tend to get irritated in extreme conditions. Hence, when aiming to perform Umrah with kids, plan it for October, November, December or January because the weather is comparatively pleasant in these months. The interior section of both Masjid-al-Haram and Masjid-un-Nabwi are fully air-conditioned.
The prayer areas for both women and men are separate and children usually accompany their mothers. If you are traveling with your spouse or any female member of the family, it is highly advised to take children in the prayer area for women. It is easier to handle kids there because there are several other kids there as well.
Performing Tawaf and Sa’yi with Kids:
One of the most important rituals of Umrah is performing Tawaf and Sa’yi. Sa’yi is referred as to run around Mount Safaa and Marwa. If you are performing Umrah with a toddler, then carrying him/her while performing Tawaf is not going to be an issue. If you prefer, you can perform Tawaf of the second level as it is less crowded. If your child is unable to walk or run, him/herself, you can put them in the wheel chair.
Note: There are no daycare centers in Makkah for children, so you will have to watch them out on your own.
Many people are reluctant in performing Umrah with kids, but taking them along can prove to be a very wise decision. This will bring them closer to Allah and Islam and will be add numerous advantages to their future life. If handled and guided properly, performing Umrah with children can prove to be a wonderful experience.

 Article by: dawntravels.com

Saudi Arabia to broaden Hajj, Umrah services for revenue

RIYADH (Web Desk) - Saudi Arabia is planning to broaden pilgrimage services as part of a diversification strategy to reduce its dependence on falling oil revenue, reported the Saudi Gazette newspaper.
Economists consider Hajj and Umrah as vital sectors with significant growth potential and ability to create more job opportunities for young Saudi men and women.
Umrah is an extra, optional pilgrimage to Mecca and does not count as the once-in-a-lifetime Hajj pilgrimage. It can be undertaken at any time of the year, in contrast to Hajj.
The pilgrimage industry is the country’s second most important after oil and gas. Nearly two million foreign pilgrims visit the holy city of Makkah annually during Hajj while the figure is expected to reach 2.7 million by 2020.
According to the report, the tourism sector contributes $22.6 billion (85 billion Saudi riyals) to Saudi Arabia’s GDP with Hajj and Umrah providing a whopping $12 billion (45 billion Saudi riyals).
With the completion of expansion projects at the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah, the revenue from the sector is expected to double.
National Tourism Committee member Abdul Ghani Al-Ansari emphasized the need to restructure the sector to make it a major contributor to the national economy.
Economist Abdullah Katib estimates the annual revenue from the Hajj season at $5.3-6.1 billion (20-23 billion Saudi riyals) depending on the number of pilgrims.
“About 40 percent of this revenue comes from housing, 15 percent from gifts, 10 percent from food and the remainder from other services,” Katib said.
Lately, experts have been repeatedly warning that Saudi Arabia will soon run out of money.
Last month the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted years of higher taxes and low fuel subsidies for the oil-rich country. Saudi Arabia will need to stop relying so heavily on oil revenues, said the IMF.
The Kingdom is facing a budget deficit which is expected to reach $87 billion this year. The crude price crisis has had an impact on the economy as oil sales account for almost 80 percent of the country’s revenue. Saudi Arabia’s foreign reserves fell to $640 billion last year from $737 billion in 2014.
The country’s construction sector has been hit hard by spending cuts as the government wants to preserve cash.
In an effort to balance the budget Saudi Arabia’s government had already cut spending, sold bonds and tapped foreign reserves to compensate for the negative effect on the economy of the oil price plunge. It is also planning its first sale of international bonds.

Arcile by: dunyanews

Saudi center takes 22 blind men on Umrah trip

 image by: Saudi Gazette

The neighborhood centers in Jeddah organized a special trip for the blind to Makkah for Umrah in cooperation with a volunteer group at World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY). Twenty-two people participated in the trip.

The secretary-general of the Jeddah neighborhood centers, Muhammad al-Zahrani, expressed his happiness about the trip, saying it had a very positive impact on the participants.

He said he received requests from the participants to repeat such programs in the future.

"This program aims to carry out different interactive projects throughout the year to bring up underprivileged people and integrate them in mainstream society,"

Article by: saudigazette.com.sa

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