Performing Umrah is a desire Muslims have in their heart. Some are fortunate to visit the holy city of Medina and then Mecca often, and some prepare for that journey over a lifetime, anxiously and with bated breath. Many only visit Mecca to perform the necessary rituals while some have the fortune to visit Medina as well, before or after performing their Umrah in Mecca. This article covers a trip to both Mecca and Medina over a period of 5 days. Read on to get a flavour of what to expect and perhaps, find answers to some of your Umrah questions!
An Umrah trip requires loads of pre-planning, and if it’s your first time, then the planning is accompanied by a host of questions too. What to wear, where to stay, which rituals to perform and how to spend a truly spiritual time in the holiest of all holy cities for Muslims – Medina and Mecca. While everyone has their own personal experience and preferences on how to approach a deeply personal journey, here are a few tips to help answer some of the questions you might have. Read on:
1. What To Wear
Although women do not have a specific Umrah clothing, the abaya is the easiest and most widely worn garment for women when performing Umrah. If you don’t wear an abaya in your daily life, it can be sourced from multiple shops in the city. Accompanying the abaya would be a head scarf. There are multiple designs and colors. Here’s what you need to know.
Do purchase a few cotton bandannas to wear underneath the headscarf as it tends to slip off easily. The bandannas are normally made of cotton, non-slip material and help keep your scarf in place. Do purchase at least 2 abayas or 3 if you feel the need to change often. There are usually a variety of colors and there’s no need to stick to greys and blacks, however, pairing neutral shades with a colorful scarf is also an option.
Do carry a sling bag, lightest possible material with enough room to hold a light prayer mat (janamaz), a pair of slippers, a water bottle and a hand sanitiser. You can also carry some dry fruit and some tissues. Sunscreen is an option. A very light cross body bag also helps to have easy access to your phone, some cash and your room key.
All dos and don’ts on what to wear and not to wear on your Umrah journey can be obtained here. It is advisable to carry a pocket-sized printed version or a PDF of the dos and don’ts on your phone for easy access.
What you wear underneath your abaya is a matter of personal choice, however, we would advise light weight cotton top and pyjamas or trousers so that it is easy to pray and walk in a crowd. Remember temperatures can climb in the region and one must dress for the weather, so we can concentrate on the worship and prayers rather than worry about braving the heat.
2. Where To Stay
Where to stay is really a matter of personal preference and budget. The hotel we stayed at in Medina was Hilton Medina and Hyatt Regency Jabal e Omar Makkah. Both hotels did not require a shuttle bus to travel to and from Masjid Nabvi and the Kaaba respectively. If your residence is just a few minutes walk from the hotel, it is easy to concentrate on offering one’s prayers and worshipping as the commute is just a few minutes walk away and once there, it is nice to offer all the prayers at the Masjid or inside the Kaaba area.
However there are mosques in every hotel in Mecca and the azaan from the Kaaba can be turned on via internal speaker in all the rooms as well.
Connectivity is very easy. With a payment of approximately 60 SR, we received a local sim card with data and local and international calls that provided excellent coverage. The sim cards are available at kiosks right outside Masjid Nabvi and can also be purchased in the Kaaba area. Just ask at the reception.
Booking the hotel breakfast is a good idea as that is probably your best meal of the day. It is extremely lavish and what teases the palate is the variety of desi options on offer – from parathas to khageena (desi scrambled egg/omelet), halwa and local Arabic dishes too.
Interesting and wonderful fact: Most of the hotel staff in Medina and Mecca speak Urdu and hail from regions in Pakistan. Mineral water bottles are provided in your room without charge, we also asked for some fruits and they were sent free of charge. Just make sure to tip room service before you check out as they are very obliging and will cater to all your small, yet necessary requirements. Doodh patti or pakki huwi chai can also be ordered at breakfast and the waiters will oblige happily.
3. Where To Visit & How, Including Local Tour Guides
If you spend 3 days in medina, you will have enough time to communicate with Allah, offer your 5 times prayers at the Masjid Nabvi and also take out some time for ziarat – visiting places of significance in the area.
The hotel concierge at Hilton Medina was very helpful and arranged a walking tour of Masjid Nabvi with an English/Urdu?Gujrati and French speaking guide – Adnan. Do get his number from the reception. The tour took around an hour or two and if you have elderly in your group, they can be walked in wheel chairs, conveniently available at the hotel reception. Adnan hails from Canada and brought us up to speed on the historical significance of the area, the haram and its social and historical relevance from earlier times as well as how it developed over the years as we see it today and plans for future expansion of the area.
The walking tour is best taken after Isha prayers as it is cool and the well-lit grounds of the haram provide a splendid ambience for a talk that adds layers to your Medina experience.
Jannat ul Baqqi, shown in pictures above, where the prophet’s companions are buried, was open to view for men only. However, we are told that women are also allowed depending on the season you visit. Do note that it is quite hot in the area, so a good time to visit is straight after Fajr.
You can also rent a car to visit the grave of Hazrat Hamza, areas of historical battles that occurred in the region and Masjid-Qiblatain. This is best done after Fajr prayers as it is the coolest time of the day and you can avoid the heat as temperatures rise later in the day. The drivers are speak Urdu and also serve as local tour guides, relating stories and providing more background knowledge about the sites you visit.
Do carry your backpack where ever you go and do not be frazzled by the women and men guards who hush you to move on, that is their job to ensure they avoid a stampede or overcrowding and we personally felt they were doing a great job to channel worshippers in the right direction and avoid a stampede.
There are chairs available at all the mosques and outdoor and indoor area of Masjid Nabvi if you are unable to sit on the ground and pray. We loved the outdoor prayer spaces as they were spacious, with lots of fresh air that contributed to the feeling of calm in the area. The inside of the mosque is also beautiful and time can be spent in the grand interior in-between prayers as well, in contemplation, prayer or even communicating with fellow worshippers. The sense of community and a common goal draws you towards strangers in unexplained, wholesome ways.
Visiting the Rawza and Registering for Umrah on the Nusuk App
Do download the Nusuk App on your phone prior to your Umrah trip. Each person must have their own phone with the app downloaded. You can add in your visa details and book for Umrah timings during the trip. For the Rawza, many people were disappointed as they could not get a booking and it is really a matter of luck since there are countless people booking on the app simultaneously and not enough space for everyone.
Do remember that the app is open for booking for your particular slot a Friday before your trip. So if you are planning to perform Umrah on a Thursday, You should be able to book on a Friday before the Thursday. If you are booking for more than one person, you need to place all the mobile phones side by side and book together so you get the same slots, as every one has their own Nusuk app. However, if you can’t get the same slot, we would advise booking whenever you can. Normally after Isha or Fajr slots are a good time to book. Do carry your phone with you and for extra safety, we printed the registration along with QR code. You will be asked for the booking when you approach the Rawza.
For the elderly, or those who cannot walk too long, wheelchair access into the Rawza is available and one attendant per wheel chair is allowed. So you can either hire an attendant from the hotel reception or carry out the duties yourself. You can offer two rakat nafil while inside the Rawza area. Do be mindful of other worshippers and not crowd the space longer than you need to.
Please note: Umrah rules do change according to the season you visit. So keep yourself up to date with the latest rules here.
4. What To Eat & Where To Shop
Like we said, booking the hotel breakfast is a good idea as that is probably your best meal of the day. It is extremely lavish and what teases the palate is the variety of desi options on offer – from parathas to khageena (desi scrambled egg/omelet), halwa and local Arabic dishes too. Mineral water bottles are provided in your room without charge, we also asked for some fruits and they were sent free of charge. Just make sure to tip room service before you check out as they are very obliging and will cater to all your small, yet necessary requirements. Doodh patti or pakki huwi chai can also be ordered at breakfast and the waiters will oblige happily.
For the rest of the day, we would recommend Karak Chai from the line of chai, fast food dhabas in Medina. You can get a quick bite to go with your chai and coffee. The doner was pretty good and eating on the go or in the open square approaching Masjid Nabvi is not a bad option. Just grab a take away and enjoy the ambience. However do note, that all these activities are weather dependent. We visited Medina in March when the weather was extremely pleasant. In fact, one needed a light shawl in the evenings and early mornings.
While shopping was not a biggie on our list, there are a range of dry fruits shops in the area and you can buy dates with a wide variety to choose from. Also, various halwas are available. Do ask for a taste test if you’re not sure. And if buying in bulk to take home, bargaining is an option to obtain the best price per kilogram.
The local Kunafa dessert in both Mecca and Medina can be tried as it is a delicacy from the region and with a cup of tea, will leave memories far beyond, wanting you to relish seconds and thirds. It can also be purchased and packed specially to take along.
Note: You can obtain Aab e Zam Zam, one 5 litre bottle from the airport on showing your Umrah visa when you exit Saudia Arabia. You can also buy extra bottles, approximately 11 SR per bottle at the time. Most airlines will allow one 5 Litre bottle on the flight home without charging extra. Good to know, our flight was back to Pakistan and then after a 2 day stay, we left for our resident country which is Switzerland, but Qatar Airways still allowed us to carry the Zam Zam 5 litre bottle free of charge as long as it was unopened.
5. How To Get The Most From Your Umrah Experience
From Medina to Mecca or vice versa, the journey can be wrapped up easily via the new bullet trains that are a blessing. You can book your journey on the app beforehand. It is the most hassle free way to travel, under two hours. The car journey takes a good 5 hours or longer with stops in between where public rest rooms are not in the best condition. Though slightly more pricey, we would recommend the ease and convenience as a huge plus with this mode of transport. There is space to store your luggage on the train and porters are available at both ends to assist you.
The Hayat Regency Jabal e Omar is located very near the Kaaba. We were told Gate 79 is a good place to enter as it has quick access to prayer areas and the Kaaba, however, we are sure other gates can also be tried. Our hotel was near Gate 79 so the entrance was easiest for us. It is a good idea to perform your Umrah first as you arrive, as there is a level of anxiety to make sure everything is done in an orderly manner.
The tawaafs themselves can be completed on the ground level or on any of the higher levels. However the ground level has no head cover and it can become really hot in the day. The tawaaf is shorter at ground level though, hence much faster and can be completed with 3 to 4 minutes per tawaaf. The upper levels will take longer, around 7 to 11 minutes depending on your speed, However, the upper level area is air conditioned and there is more room to walk. Also, if you are using a wheelchair with an attendant, this is the area you will be in.
The Sahi after the Tawaafs (between Safa and Marwa) can be a bit strenuous for some, but follow your own pace and try to allow the spirit of the moment to enter your mind and body and thoughts. Carrying your duas on your phone helps, although do try and recite from the mind rather than looking down as the crowds are quite overwhelming.
The green light (you will see it inside the Kaaba) signals the end and beginning of a tawaaf. Do carry a keychain with 7 cards to flip at every tawaaf so you don’t lose count. At one moment, we were also using a finger ring as a counter and switching fingers to mark the end of one tawaaf. Do refrain from straying too far away from your companion(s) as the crowds can surge and recede depending on the time. Do carry a pair of clean soft, rubber slippers or slides for indoor use if you have an issue with walking barefoot, or when you want to walk back from the Kaaba to your hotel.
Umrah or Offering Friday Prayers In The Kaaba Area
If you plan on offering prayers inside the Kaaba area on Friday, do note that they barricade the area approaching the Kaaba at about 10 am. Prayers are at around 12pm. If you enter after 10 am, you will be directed to the mosque or, if the area is too crowded, might have to find a place anywhere, even approaching the Kaaba on the street outside. Do note that it is very hot at the time, even in good weather days, so if you want to avoid the heat, then try and gain access inside prior to 10 am. A fulfilling experience can be performing tawaafs before Friday prayers and then offering prayers on one of the upper levels which are covered and face the Kaaba too. You can view the Kaaba from almost all locations on the levels though there is a great deal of ongoing construction inside the Kaaba vicinity so it is best to arrive early and plan your Friday prayers.
All hotels have a Mosque and you can pray there too. Most do not have a view of the Kaaba but a part of the area is visible. The Starbucks and indoor malls are open till late night and provide food catering to all palates. Again, it is advised to book breakfast. Shopping is also an option. We purchased prayer beads that were available in all sizes and colours as well as dates from Medina and Mecca. You can also purchase prayer mats, abayas, head scarves from the area.
Both Medina and Mecca provide easy access to plenty of clean, cool water in public areas. The water provided in the Kaaba area is Aab e Zam Zam. You will encounter needy people who will ask for alms. You can always carry cash if you want to be able to give and hence, the sling bag will come in handy as it provides easy and safe access to lose change and small notes.
With all this information, Umrah is still a very personal experience and each one in your group or companions will have a different takeaway. A good time to just spend some precious moments near the Kaaba, in meditation, praying for yourself, your loved ones and the world at large, is perhaps late night after Isha prayers. Most pilgrims disperse in order to get some rest before Fajr. It is also a time of quiet reflection, allowing you time to communicate with Allah in solitude and calm.
Where Medina is a place of great spirituality, warmth and love – you feel the prophets and their companions have you wrapped around them, holding you close to their hearts, Mecca is an intense, powerful experience, leaving you in awe of the all-encompassing presence of Allah in our lives. We wish you a very fulfilling Umrah experience and hope this article will give you some pointers on a very beautiful journey.
For more information and how to book your Umrah trip, click here and get talking at Fernweh Travel and Tours
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