(http://muslimmatters.

org)

(http://info.guidanceresidential.com/riba-freehomeownership)

10 Pieces of Advice Before You Leave for

Umrah
Abu Ibrahim
(http://muslimmatters.org/author/abu-ibrahim/)

1.2k

Shares

240

March 19, 2014

33 Comments
(http://muslimmatters.org/2014/03/19/ten-pieces-ofadvice-before-you-leave-for-umrah/#comments)

Some people may be heading out for the

spiritual journey of a lifetime soon, 2 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 Mecca and Madinah. Learn
about Umrah. When I was preparing for my
journey, I came across many dierent books
that discuss Hajj and the virtues of Hajj.
However, I found it dicult to nd
information on Umrah. Sure, the books on
Hajj made references to Umrah and had
short chapters in it, but those snippets
didn't satisfy my craving to learn more. I did
eventually come across a nice book on
Umrah entitled, The Ultimate Guide to
Umrah 20 . I am not endorsing one
specic book over another, but I would urge
you to learn about what you are about to
experience before you go. Also, make a

917

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 prayTahajjudin
the Haram and do extra tawaf or are they
going to instead encourage you to eat the
4000 calorie meal from McDonalds at 2 am
so you experience a food coma and have
trouble waking up for fajr?
3. Know the rules ofIhram
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 yourihram(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
(http://muslimmatters.org/2011/10/12/yasirqadhi-the-qh-of-hajj-and-practical-advicefor-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 o your hijab and cut
your hair. Don't sacrice your modesty
because you're in a hurry to nish your
Umrah.
5. Take some Vaseline
This advice is specic to men. When you are
in a state of ihram, you aren't wearing any
boxers or underwear. Your legs will cha
and Vaseline can make a world of a
dierence.
6. Visiting theRawdah
The best time to visit theRawdahin
Madinah is at night time. TheRawdahis a
piece of paradise found in the Prophet's
masjid in Madinah. It is oored with green
carpet and so it is easy to identify but
dicult to take advantage of. Many people
have a goal of trying to pray in
theRawdahwhile in Madinah and so large
uxes of people are vying for a very small
area. After talking with people that lived in
Madinah, the best time to try to visit
theRawdah(for men) is at night. If you wait
several hours afterishaor a few hours
beforefajr, the rush at theRawdahis less
and it is much easier to pray and have some
peaceful time for reection in
theRawdahwithout 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 andDhuhrprayer. You can visit
places like the site of the battle of Uhud as
well as masjid Quba, which is the rst

masjid built by the Prophet Muhammad

Don't forget to pray 2rakatsin 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
download apps like Viber or MagicJack that
make it 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.
Also, if you have an iPhone, you can use
iMessaging to text other iPhone users while
the phone is still in airplane mode using
WiFi for free as well!
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. Mecca 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 du'a
Simple to say, but very important to do.
Make du'a 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 du'a, insha'Allah!
Have a beautiful journey. May Allah
from you, ameen!

accept