Some people may be heading out for the spiritual journey of
a lifetime soon, so I just wanted to take a moment and give a few pieces of
advice for those who will be traveling soon to perform the beautiful Umrah
journey. The following pieces of advice
are amongst those that I received and some that I thought of while I was abroad
in the sacred sites:
1.Do your homework
Learn about Makkah and Madinah. Learn about Umrah. When I was preparing for my journey, I came
across many different books that discuss Hajj and the virtues of Hajj. However, I found it difficult to find
information on Umrah. Sure, the books on
Hajj made references to Umrah and had short chapters in it.I like to tell you to learn about
what you are about to experience before you go.
Also, make a copy of your passport and important documents and email
them to yourself and your loved ones so you have a copy if something goes awry.
2.Company makes a man
If you are going with other people, then make sure they are
good people. A company makes a man, and
it’s true when you are in the sacred sites as well. Having good company can make a lasting impact
on your journey. Are the people you are
with going to encourage you to pray Tahajjud in the Haram and do extra tawaf ?
3.Know the rules of Ihram
There are simple rules that people can violate without
thinking. For example, know that you
can’t use scented soap when in ihram, so try to get some unscented soap before
you leave. Another rule is that you
can’t cover your head with your ihram (for men). So even if it’s really sunny, don’t wrap that
towel to protect yourself. Another issue
is it’s important to cover your awrah while in the state of ihram. Don’t expose yourself while you are wearing
it, just be careful insha’Allah. If you
get a chance, check out Shaykh Yasir Qadhi’s transcribed lecture entitled, The
Fiqh of Hajj and Practical Advice for Hajj, which has some good tips when it
comes to ihram.
4.Barber hygiene
At the conclusion of Umrah, it is customary for men and
women to cut their hair. For men, don’t
just cut a snip of your hair. Instead,
cut your hair all around, even if you don’t want to shave it. If you do decide to shave it (recommended),
then make sure the barber whom you visit uses a brand new disposable
blade. The Saudi government requires it
and most barbers follow this rule, but just be extra careful and have your
barber open up your blade in front of you.
You wouldn’t want some blood-borne disease such as Hepatitis C to be
transferred to you from the dried blood of the customer before you. For women, don’t expose yourself and cut your
hair at the Kaaba. Wait until you get back
to the hotel so that you can take off your hijab and cut your hair. Don’t sacrifice your modesty because you’re
in a hurry to finish your Umrah.
5.Take some Vaseline
This advice is specific to men. When you are in a state of ihram, you aren’t
wearing any boxers or underwear. Your
legs will chaff and Vaseline can make a world of a difference.
6.Visiting the Rawdah
The best time to visit the Rawdah in Madinah is at night
time. The Rawdah is a piece of paradise
found in the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah.
It is floored with green carpet and so it is easy to identify but
difficult to take advantage of. Many
people have a goal of trying to pray in the Rawdah while in Madinah and so
large fluxes of people are vying for a very small area. After talking with people that lived in
Madinah, the best time to try to visit the Rawdah (for men) is at night. If you wait several hours after isha or a few
hours before fajr, the rush at the Rawdah is less and it is much easier to pray
and have some peaceful time for reflection in the Rawdah without the hustle and
bustle that may be present at other times.
7.Visit the sites in Madinah
The best time to visit the sites in my opinion is in the
morning time sometime between sunrise and Dhuhr prayer. You can visit places like the site of the
battle of Uhud as well as Masjid Quba, which is the first masjid built by the
Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be
upon him). Don’t forget to pray 2 rakats
in Masjid Quba and reap the reward of Umrah while you’re there, insha’Allah!
8.Contact back home
If you have a smartphone, you can use video call using application like whatsapp that make easier to call home for free on WiFi, which is
available in some hotel lobbies. Keep
your phone on airplane mode and turn on the WiFi so that you don’t get charged
extraordinary roaming charges.
9.Talk with people
Ask them where they are from. I met people from countries I never expected
to meet people from. There are people
from all over the world. Makkah and Madinah
are places of gathering for people from all over the world. Have you ever met people from Azerbaijan or
Mauritius? Become enlightened on the
beautiful brotherhood/sisterhood of our amazing faith.
10.Make dua
Simple to say, but very important to do. Make dua for yourself, for others, for the
entire Ummah. You are blessed with being
in such a spiritual place. Take
advantage of that beautiful spiritual high and make lots and lots of dua, in
sha Allah!Have a beautiful journey.
May Allah accept from you,!
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