Is Easter a Good Opportunity To Perform Umrah

Easter Festival 2020

Maybe some people are thinking that “Is Easter a Good Opportunity to perform Umrah?”  I will try to explain each aspect that Easter is the best opportunity to perform Umrah, especially for Western and European countries.

It is a Sunnah (non-compulsory) worship, but performing its rituals is a great reward that we do not find anywhere else in the world. These are only gotten in Mecca because Umrah is performed in this city. So people always need some things to do whether or not they are Saudi residents.

First of all, I am trying to describe that do residents of Saudi Arabia requires to perform Umrah.

Before starting the description, I want to explain the Umrah rituals in short.

Umrah consists of 4 rituals.

• Ihram
• Tawaf
• Sa’i
• Halq/Taqsir

The rituals of Umrah

Ihram

Ihram is a formal dress that is different for men and women. Ihram for men consists of two non-veil white sheets, while for women it is not fixed. Women can wear their local clothing, but tightness is not acceptable in any garment.

The prohibition acts and rewards after wearing this dress are equal for both sexes.

Tawaf

Tawaf is such activity in which Muslims walk seven times around the Kaaba building in anti-clockwise direction by touching and kissing the Hajre Aswad.

Sa’i

During Sai's activity, people have to walk back and forth between the Safa and Marwa hills.

Halq/Taqsir (shaving the head & trimming the hairs)

It is the last part or ritual of the umrah after which people can wear their usual clothes. There are two ways to do this. In which, shaving is preferable for men and trimming hair for women.

Let’s come back to the actual point that what are needs for residents of Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

Locals just need free time off the job. If they are successful in getting holidays, they can perform it.  Because they do not need visas, flights, accommodation, but transportation is an integral part of any movement. 

The Saudi government has specifically offered a train service for transportation to Madinah to Mecca. Residents can travel by bus, Uber, taxi and other transportation services.

Now we describe the main title of this article “Is Easter a Good Opportunity to perform Umrah?”

We again say yes it is the best chance for Umrah but how?

There are 4 necessary points which are mentioned below.

• Holidays
• Weather
• Umrah Visa
• Umrah Package

Holidays

The celebration of Easter Holidays

As everyone knows that Saturday and Sunday both are weekend holiday’s days in the Western and European countries but it does not occur in Asian and African countries but some places are valid. Two holidays are not enough to perform the Umrah. While Umrah rituals can be done in only 4 to 5 hours but departing and arriving, and performing Umrah rituals and visiting the Ziyarah places can take more days than 2 days.

There is no doubt that the Christian community exists in great numbers than the other religious community in these countries. Therefore most rulers of these areas are Christians. These people celebrate two religious holidays Christmas and Easter.

Christmas comes on 25th December whereas Easter does not come to a fixed date but most of the time it comes between March and April.

But now Easter is coming on Sunday, 12th April. The Celebration of this religious event will continue for four days of April which will start on Friday, 10th April.

I think four holidays are enough to complete the Umrah trip.

Weather

The temperature of Saudi Arabia 

The choice of weather is very important to go on any journey. We cannot say April is a winter month because summer vacations to children start this month and this time it will begin on 14th April. The climate of Saudi Arabia has not matched the climate of Europe and the West because its climate is desert. 

The temperature of daytime is high (hot) but in the night, the temperature is cold. It may be a little bit difficult due to heat excessive. But don’t worry, all rituals of Umrah are performed in the Masjid al-Haram except the Ihram because it is worn at the Miqat places. For your information, the whole area of Masjid Al- Haram is air-conditioned.

Umrah Visa

Visa for Saudi Arabia

Visa is a very important document to enter in any country, you can say that it is a permit. For Umrah, you have needed it otherwise you are unable to perform it. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has changed the old process of visa by Umrah e visa.

Most people know that what Umrah e visa is. But it is not possible before implement of electronic visa method. While in the past, you require an agent. Now anyone can apply and get it at home, office, and anywhere.

 I don’t select this point for Umrah e visa rather I want to tell you that you can perform Umrah on Umrah e visa and tourist visa. The tourist visa is valid for one year and people can stay in Saudi Arabia for 3 months and their entry will valid for 3 times in a year.

Umrah Package

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The meaning of the word “Package” by Google- A set of proposals or terms offered or agreed as a whole. But here the word Package is describing as a combination of various facilities and requirements and these are Visa, Flights, Transports, Accommodations, and Guide.

This time, Ramadan will come on 24th April 2020 while Easter is coming on 12th April 2020. Everyone knows that Ramadan is a peak season to perform Umrah only to earn more and more rewards. These days rates of Flights, Hotels and Transports touch the sky.

It is the best chance to get the Umrah Packages at affordable rates before the month of Ramadan. Most agents sell it by name of Easter Umrah Packages.

I think my selecting topic is a good way to describe it that Easter offers the best opportunity to perform Umrah.

What Is Tawaf And Its Types? | Types Of Tawaf

Hajj is mandatory for every Muslim (male or female) if he/she has the capability to perform it. While Umrah is not mandatory for Muslims. Umrah can be performed at any time of year, but Hajj can be performed at the fixed time of year which comes at the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The name of last month is Dhul Hijja.

If you go to perform Hajj then you should know about all rituals, which are very important for you, therefore, you should go to any trustable travel agency, so that, it will provide best services, which are included in your Hajj and Umrah Packages.

A very important rite of Hajj and Umrah is Tawaf and in the Arabic language, its mean literally going about. Pilgrims perform this right, walk around the Kaaba (House of Allah) seven times in the direction of anticlockwise. Pilgrims start their circumambulating around the Kaaba from the point of Black Stone (Hajjre Aswad).  All rites of Hajj are very important but we briefly discuss How to perform a Tawaf and Types of Tawaf here.

How to Perform a Tawaf:

During the Hajj and Umrah, You walk around the Kaaba 7-times in direction of anticlockwise. Your first circle start from the Hajjre Aswad, which is fit on the corner of Kaaba.

There is a lot of crowds of Pilgrims during the Tawaf, if it is possible for you, then you should start your first circuit around the Kaaba, after the touch and kiss of Hajjre Aswad. You should repeat this activity after completing each circuit.

But if It is not possible for you, then you can start your every circuit, to simply point or hold up your hand to the Hajjre Aswad on each circuit.

For male, it is suggested, to do the 1st three circuits in a hurried pace, and other 4 circuits in a leisurely pace.

After completing the 7-circuits, you should offer two rakts (nafls) in front of Maqam e Ibrahim and then you should drink water (Zamzam). So in this way, you will complete this great rite of Hajj and Umrah.

Types of Tawaf:

There are seven types of Tawaf which names are:

1: Tawaf al-Qudum

2: Tawaf al-Ziayarh

3: Tawaf al-Wadaa

4: Tawaf al-Nafl

5: Tawaf al-Umrah

6: Tawaf al-Nazr

7: Tawaf al-Tahiyaah

Tawaf al-Qudum:

When a Muslim arrives at the city of Makkah in any reason such as Umrah, Hajj, visit, and business, then he/she can perform it. You can understand such as A Welcome Tawaf. It is Sunnah for those Muslims who are not residents of the city of Makkah and who performs Hajj Qiraan or Hajj Ifraad. But it is not Sunnah for those Muslims who are performing Umrah or Hajj Tammatu even if they are resident of the city of Makkah.

As a Hadith in Al-Bukhari in which Hazrat Ayesha (RA) stated:

“The first thing Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) did on reaching Makkah, was the ablution and then He (PBUH) performed Tawaf of the Kaaba and that was not Umrah but Hajj e Qiran”.

Tawaf al-Ziayarh:

Tawaf al-Ziyarah is also called Tawaf al-Hajj or Tawaf al-Rukn. It is an essential Tawaf for any Muslim who is performing any type of Hajj. If any pilgrim does not perform it for the given period of the timeframe during Hajj days, so his/her Hajj will be invalid. The time of this Tawaf when you can perform it is from dawn of 10th Dhul Hijja to 12th Dhul Hijja.

Tawaf al-Wadaa:

It is also called Tawaf e Sadr and it is a farewell Tawaf or final Tawaf. It is performed before leaving the Makkah. It is the last ritual of Hajj but it is not mandatory, it is wajib (less mandatory than Fard).

Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said:

“Let none of you leave Makkah before making a Tawaf around the Kaaba, as the last ritual of Hajj”.

Tawaf al-Nafl:

It is an optional Tawaf but there are great rewards for those who perform it, and it is a great opportunity for those people who live in the city of Makkah or Saudi Arabia. The residents of Makkah and Saudi Arabia perform it any time of year.

Tawaf al-Umrah:

It is an essential part of Umrah if one does not perform it then his/her Umrah will be invalid. It is the 2nd part of Umrah. Umrah is a lesser pilgrimage but it is a little bit expensive for everyone these days. There is the best way for you if you want to perform the Umrah then you should select a Package from different Cheap Umrah Packages 2022 which is best for you.

Tawaf al-Nazr:

We often promise to Allah that if we get and success in anything then we offer some religious duty. Similarly, if you promise to Allah for performing Tawaf and if your desire is fulfilled by Allah (S.W.T) then this type of Tawaf is known as Tawaf al-Nazr.

Tawaf al-Tahiyaah:

When a person enters in Al-Haram then he/she can perform it and it is Mustahib.

Tawaf is a great part of Hajj and Umrah activities and it goes back to the time of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and Hazrat Ismail (AS). Allah is so merciful, who gives an opportunity to get the rewards by performing the Tawaf, although, we are resident of Saudi Arabia or any other country. We should visit the site of Kaaba and we should feel that how over beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) performed his Tawaf during the four Umrah and one Hajj.