Hajj & Umrah Tips and Religious Guide:

In this article we are delivering our valuable readers some advices regarding Umrah. The following 15 points have been summarized from some helpful advice given to an 'Umrah group recently.

1. Be sincere:
Be sincere to ALLAH Almighty and purify your intentions (niyyat). 'Umrah is like any other act of worship (Ibadah) is required to be done sincerely from heart for ALLAH alone.

2. Avoid Showing off:
Sincerity cannot be attained except by shunning riyaa' (showing off), so do not take pictures of yourself ('Umrah selfies) in the middle of an act of ibadah (worship).

3. 'Umrah is an opportunity to connect to your Lord:
Umrah is an opportunity to make strong connection to ALLAH Almighty, so do not change it into a social media occasion and ruin your act of ibadah (worship) by 'humble-bragging' (using in fact humble language to really show off where you are or what you are accomplishing).

4. Be devout in following :
Be devout in following The Messenger Prophet (May ALLAH Almighty raise his rank and grant him peace) in performing the rituals of 'Umrah.

5. Have knowledge :
Before leaving for Umrah you must have knowledge of what the Prophet (may ALLAH Almighty raise his rank and grant him peace) did on 'Umrah and in his life in general, as there is not any way to achieve the previous point of advice (truly following Him) except to have knowledge and information of what he taught us.

6. Know the virtues :
You should know the virtues of an accepted 'Umrah, and how it expiates sins.

7. Abstain from harming people :
Abstain from harming people in any way. There is no concept of harming and no reciprocation of harm in Islam, especially whilst in ihraam.

8. Obey and respect the people in charge :
Respect all of the Muslims, respecting and honouring the guidelines and protocols during the sacred journey.

9. Travel in groups:
Travel for 'Umrah (and all other journeys) in a group of 3 or more people.

10. Women should not travel alone :
Women must not travel for sacred journey alone (without a mehram male relative), nor may they travel as a group of women (it's wrongfully assuming that the group takes the place of mehram male relatives).

11. There should be an ameer (leader) :
There must be a leader for any travelling group. You should obey the leader (in all affairs related to the journey).

12. Make a lot of supplications :
If you are going for Umrah then make lots of supplications (dua) throughout your sacred journey.

14. Hurry home (after 'Umrah) :
Hurry towards your home and take care of all the affairs of your family and your responsibilities.

15. Stick to the correct beliefs:
Perform the righteous deeds, and advise each other to be tolerant and steadfast upon the truth.

Condition Of Performing Umrah

Financial Expenses:
The primary condition for pilgrim is that he or she should be able to meet up the financial expenses of his or her voyage for performing Umrah. Umrah is carry out in city Makkah and this requires expenses of sacred journey, necessities and other different things. Whoever is economically not able will not be granted to put up with these expenses and thus such an individual is free from the responsibility of doing Umrah. However cheap flights to Jeddah along with affordable Umrah Packages make Umrah feasible.

Physical Fitness:
The second condition for a person is that he or she must be actually physically fit and capable to undertake a sacred voyage. This is yet a different important sacred responsibility; for the Holy journey might bring the pilgrim across several ups and downs (difficulties) which extremely old and sick persons might not be capable to hold alone. As a result, one has to be really constant (well) in order to undertake the sacred journey. On the other hand, such old people may undertake the passage along with young persons (like their sons etc.) who can take care of them for the period of the journey.

Free of Debts:
The third condition for an individual is that he or she must be free of debts. If he or she has borrowed money from anyone earlier, then they must pay off the debts before proceeding for the sacred journey. Umrah can't be performed by borrowed money.

Halal Possessions
The fourth condition is that a person who is intended to perform Umrah should employ Halal possessions. This is very important, as Islam emphasizes on pure and it agrees to only what is clean and Halal.

Mehram:
Other condition for female who is going to perform Umrah, each and every one the conditions that is discussed above is applicable to both men and women. On the other hand, there is a particular condition suitable for women who intend to carry out Umrah. And this condition is that a woman can not carry out Umrah without a Mehram.

A Mahram for the travellers of Umrah is any individual from contrary gender whom that female can not marry i.e. husband, father, brother, son etc.

As a result, if a woman does not have a Mehram with her, she can not carry on for Umrah, even if she is able and strong to meet the expenses of the Holy journey. Only Women with age above 45 years can perform umrah alone or with group but with an authentic permission of any male mehram.

On the other hand, one must be cautious that performing Umrah Ramadan carry a reward equivalent Hajj to him or her, though that does not alleviate the individual from the obligation of performing Hajj.