Top 15 things to do before going to Umrah

4 min read

  Umrah is great gift of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala to his slaves. Only people who are invited by Almighty can go there. Umrah provides opportunity for Believers to refresh their faith, minds, cleanse their hearts and become closer to their Maker.

  Before travelling to Holy place, we might get easily overwhelmed with excitement and preparation. To alleviate stress and to be helpful we created this checklist before you travel:

• Thank Allah for inviting you to His house

  This is a huge blessing from Allah. You have to acknowledge it with your heart and mind that Allah is the giver of this opportunity . Say “Alhamdulillah” as much as possible to show your gratitude to Almighty.

• Ask forgiveness from Allah

  Repent sincerely by reciting “Astagfirullah”. It means “I seek forgiveness from Allah.” Repentance will bring you closer to your Creator and open your doors.

Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalam was sinless, but He (ﷺ) used to repent more than 70 times a day.

• Make sure to seek forgiveness from your loved ones and reconcile with them. Also forgive those who have wronged you

  Umrah is a spiritual journey. You have to go there without any hatred and  grudges in your heart. Being offended or hating someone will take away your peace and energy. Free yourself from this burden. Let it go. Ask forgiveness from those, whom you might hurt by your actions or tongue. Reconcile.  As you want Allah to forgive you. You also have to forgive those who have wronged you.

• Be careful with debts

  Debt is heavy weight on someone’s shoulder. It is best to pay off all debts (if you have them) before departure. Nasāʾī records that once the Companions were sitting with Allāh’s Messenger (SAW) when he raised his head towards the sky, then he put his palm on his forehead and said, “SubḥānAllāh! What a strict issue has been revealed to me!” The audience remained silent, afraid to ask. The following morning, one Companion hazarded to ask, ‘Messenger of Allāh, what is this strict issue that has been revealed?’ He replied, “By the One in whose hand is my soul, if a man were killed in battle for the sake of Allāh, then brought back to life, then killed and brought back to life again, then killed again, and he owed a debt, he would not enter Paradise until his debt was paid off!”

• Pay your Zakat

  Zakat is one of the pillars of our Deen. It is vital to fulfill all obligations before Umrah.

• Give Sadaqah

Charity adverts calamity and increases sustenance and blessings. The Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Sadaqa appeases the Lord’s anger and averts an evil death.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Read Benefit of Doing Umrah and Hajjj

• Check passport’s expiry date and get the right visa

Make sure your passport is not expired. It must be valid at least for another six months. Get the right visa to avoid problems upon arrival and prevent problems.

• Vaccinations

  Get required shots. Hajis are required to submit a certificate of vaccination with quadrivalent (ACYW135) vaccine against meningitis issued no more than 3 years and no less than 10 days before arrival to destination.

• Check the weather of destination and dress accordingly

  Saudi Arabia is hot country. Try to pack breathable, easy to dry clothes. Cotton, chambray, linen, merino wool, rayon and summer blends; these are the fabrics you might consider for hot weather. Be ready that AC is working everywhere. Take some warm clothes too.

• Sunscreen is essential

   Our body is Amanah for us. We need take care of ourselves. Apply sunscreen at all times before going out. It will protect your skin with permission of Allah from sun’s broad spectrum of harmful UV rays, sunburn, heat exhaustion. It will decrease the risk of skin cancer and keep your skin healthy.

• Get International insurance

  Insurance will provide safety and peace of mind during your Umrah. It can cover medical care, hospitalization, accidents and other assorted travel costs. Let’s pray that we go and come back safely without any unpleasant surprises. May Allah protect us all.

• Prepare physically

  Umrah requires a lot of walking: from Hotel to Masjid al Haram, walk during Tawaf, walk in Sai, walk inside the Masjid and walk back to hotel. If you have extra pounds, try to decrease it and try to get fit. Try to make 10,000 steps per day. If you are a smoker, better quit it asap 🙂

• Pack a First aid kit or a travel health kit

  Pack medicine you consume on a regular basis at home. Ensure it is enough for the planned travel and get some extra in case of delays due to some unforeseen circumstances.

Be careful with medicine. Check expiration dates and make sure kids can’t get into the first-aid bag.

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• Be ready to be exposed to different people

    There are almost 2 billion Muslims in the World.  There are believers from different countries, different cultures, different colors, different school of thoughts, different Mazhabs. But we all share same Kalima.

لا إله إلا الله، محمدا رسول الله   La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah.

We are all brothers and sisters. We might have differences, but we are one Ummah. Open your heart and mind. Be tolerant. Agree to disagree.

• Stay focused

  Remember your purpose. Get rid of all bad thoughts, distractions and focus on your mission. Be mentally ready and put your trust on Allah. Write down Duas and read Quran as much as possible. Perform your Umrah rituals, prayers, Ibadah, fasting, charity solely for the sake of Allah Azawajal.

  Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, ‘(The performance of) Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise.’ [ Narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari].

May Allah accept your Umrah, dear Believer! Stay safe.

Author: Binti Abdaly

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