In the life of a Muslim, Umrah is a significant act of worship.
Umrah means visiting a place or performing a pilgrimage. It is also known as ‘Tawaf-ul-Qudum.’. Umrah has many virtues.
There are many Hadiths about the virtues of Umrah. Some of these Hadiths are described below. For example,
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَابِعُوا بَيْنَ الْحَجِ وَالْعُمَرَةِ فَإِنَّهُمَاينفيان الفقر والذنوب كما ينفى الكير خبث الحدب والذهب والفضة – رواه الترمذي
Meaning: “Narrated from Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud (RA). He said, Rasulullah (PBUH) said, ‘You should perform both Hajj and Umrah together. Because they remove poverty and sins just as the blacksmith’s bellows remove impurities from iron, gold, and silver.’” – Tirmidhi.
This hadith proves that not only are sins forgiven due to Hajj and Umrah, but by their blessings, poverty and hardships are also removed. Furthermore, those who perform Hajj and Umrah are blessed with abundance in both worldly and spiritual matters, both openly and secretly. However, the purity of intention is the prerequisite.
الله تعالى عنه قال قال رسول الله عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عُمَرَةٌ فِي رَمْضَانَ تَعْدِل حُجَّةِ اروان الشَّيْخَانِ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ المسلم) حُجَّةٌ مِعِى
Meaning: “It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA), that Rasulullah (PBUH) said, ‘Performing Umrah in Ramadan is equal in reward to performing Hajj.'” In another narration, it is mentioned, ‘It is equal to the Hajj performed with me.'”
Rasulullah (PBUH) further said:
الْحَجَّاجُ وَالعُمَارُ وَقَدَ اللَّهِ إِنْ دَعُوهُ أَجَابَهُمْ وَإِنْ اسْتَغْفِرُوهُ غُفِرَ لَهُمْ (رواه ابن ماجة)
Meaning: “The Hajj and Umrah pilgrims are the guests of Allah. If they call upon Him, He answers them; if they seek forgiveness, He forgives them.” – Ibn Majah.
When to perform Umrah?
Umrah can be performed at any time of the year. There is no specific time for performing Umrah. However, performing Umrah during Ramadan has a much greater reward.
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (RA) that Nabi Kareem (PBUH) said, “Performing Umrah in Ramadan is equal to performing Hajj (in reward).” (Sahih Bukhari: 1782, Sahih Muslim: 1256)
Although Umrah can be performed at any time of the year, the Umrah visa is not available during the Hajj season. Once the Hajj season ends, the Umrah visa will again be made available.
Umrah Packages
There are different types of packages for Umrah. The Umrah or Hajj package depends on the services you choose.
The activities involved in the Hajj or Umrah journey from your home to Saudi Arabia and back are part of the package. The cost of the package depends on the level of service you choose. The better the services, the higher the price of the Hajj package.
The cost of the Umrah package mainly depends on the quality of the airline you choose to travel with (local or premium), the quality of the hotel you stay at, the food quality at your hotel, the distance of your hotel from the Kaaba, and the distance of your hotel from Masjid al-Nabawi while staying in Madinah. Additionally, there are various activities in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj or Umrah journey. The cost of these activities and who will bear that cost also affects the rate of your Umrah package.
However, always try to select a good Hajj agency. If you fail to choose a good agency, your Hajj or Umrah journey might fail.
Umrah Packages from the USA
Umrah can be performed at any time of the year. However, the Umrah visa is not available during the Hajj season. Once the Hajj ends, it becomes available again.
An Umrah package from the USA generally ranges from $1,795 to $3,000. The price depends on the package type, the hotel’s quality, the number of people in the room, and other amenities.
However, there are many factors to consider when performing Umrah and much information to learn. For more details about Umrah, you can read the article below:
https://travelinmakkah.com/1056-2/
Umrah Packages from the UK
The price of an Umrah package from the UK generally ranges from £500 to £1,500, depending on the type of package, the quality of the hotel, the number of people in the room, and other amenities.
Umrah Packages from Pakistan
A Hajj agreement has been signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for 2025, allowing 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims. The agreement includes better facilities.
Umrah packages vary based on package type, hotel quality, travel time, and other services.
The price ranges from 230,000 to 300,000 Pakistani Rupees or even more or less. It primarily depends on the type of package.
