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.

How to get Umrah Visa?

Umrah Visa:

When can Muslims perform Umrah?

Umrah can be performed at any time of the year. Because it is a Holy and Great Journey for every Muslim. As Hajj is an obligatory and compulsory and it is only performed at least one time in life. But Umrah can be performed at any time in life.

Everyone should apply for Umrah visa through an approved Umrah travel agent.

Umrah Visa Requirements:

Visa: It is a document issued to a person or a stamp marked on the passport of a person who wants to visit another country.

1:  A completed original Umrah visa application form. Firstly, you should carefully read the visa application form before the sign and after signed (a visa application form by post, send a large, self-addressed envelope to your nearest Saudi Country’s Consulate).

If anyone has a non-Muslim name, then he or she should submit a certificate from a mosque or an Islamic center stating that the applicant is a Muslim.

2: For Visa, One recent passport size picture with a white background should be attached to the application form. The photograph must be a full-face view is accepted whereas side or angle views are not accepted.

3: A most important point to get the visa is that passport should be valid for at least six months from the date of submission of the application form.

4: Verified and non-refundable airline ticket. Departure from Saudi Arabia should be written 2 weeks from the date of entry.

5: Women and children must be accompanied by husband/father or a male relative (Mahram). Proof of relationship is required as a marriage certificate for a wife, a birth certificate for a child. If a woman is forty-five years old or older then she is allowed to go without a Mahram if she travels with an organized group or family. If the applicant isn’t a national of the country she/he is applying from, a valid residency permit must be submitted with the application.

6: A vaccination certificate against Meningococcal Meningitis must be attached. Vaccination certificate should have been issued not more than 3 years and not less than ten days former to entry to Saudi Arabia and it should be valid for 3 years. The certificate of vaccination must be with the applicant on entry to Saudi country.

The validity of Umrah Visa:

Umrah visa is only valid for 2 weeks, within these two weeks you should perform Umrah, making sure your departure from Saudi Country is within 2 weeks of the date of entry.

Important note: The Umrah visa in Ramadan can’t increase the last day of Ramadan. You should leave Saudi Arabia by the end of Ramadan and can’t have Eid-ul-Fitr there.

NOTE: You should easily get Umrah visa with the help of different companies because these companies give Umrah Packages. These Umrah Packages contain many things which included flights, hotels, transportation, etc.

      Allah gives the opportunity of every person to perform Umrah in life. (Ameen)