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In the Name of God بسم الله
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ShiaMan14

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Salaam,

I had the privilege and honor of going to Umrah a few weeks ago. Having completed my hajj in 2010, it was time to pay Hijaz another visit to pay my respects to the Prophet (saw) and his progeny in Madinah and visit the House of Allah in Makkah.

Hopefully the pointers below will help anyone planning on going for Umrah.

First, if you haven't been to Saudi before, it is best to go with a registered group. It will make things easier for you because other than following instructions, there shouldn't be much to worry about..Also, if you don't speak arabic or urdu/hindi/bengali, then it would be better to go with a registered group because language can be an issue in some places.

 Anyway, I decided to go with my family instead of a group. The primary hurdle in going to Saudi is getting a visa. These are things to remember:

  • We had to apply to a local consulate but individual travelers cannot apply on their own. The visa application has to be submitted through an authorized travel agency.
  • Even though the Umrah visa is free, these agencies charge between $175 - $200 per person for visa.
  • Also, note that you can only apply within 30 days of going for umrah.
  • You need to buy non-refundable return tickets before applying.
  • The other mandatory requirement is to get a meningitis vaccination. CVS, Walgreens or RediClinic can do this without a prescription. Without insurance, it will cost between $150-$200. Get the vaccination record from the Pharmacy and submit it with your application.
  • Common sense would dictate that you buy your tickets once visa approval is obtained but not in this case.
  • Visa application usually takes about 1 week to process...might take longer during busy times.

Next decision is where to fly in/out from. If you decide to go to Makkah first, you will have to fly into Jeddah. Since Jeddah is inside the meeqat***, you will have to wear your ihram from the point of origin. So we chose to fly into Madinah first.

I would recommend either Turkish Airlines or Emirates. We flew Emirates from the US. We had a 5 hour layover in Dubai so we went out of the airport and had a nice dinner. US Citizens do not need a visa for Dubai (UAE).Came back to the airport around 11p for our 105a flight to Medinah.

Day One:

We arrived in Madinah around 345a, got out of the airport by 445a. Since we were not part of a group, I made arrangements transportation arrangements with or hotel. It took about 30 minutes to get to our hotel right next to Masjid Al-Nabawi (Mosque of the Holy Prophet).

We stayed at Hotel Pullman Zamzam Madinah. Fantastic 5* hotel with great rooms and awesome breakfast. The only downside to the hotel is that it is on the opposite end of the Ladies entrance to the mosque so it took the ladies about 15 minutes to walk to the mosque. The hotel did provide a shuttle service for women at regular intervals.

After checking-in, we took a quick shower and made our way to the Mosque just in time for Fajr - individual, not jama'ah.

MN1.jpg

MN2.jpg

After every salah every day, the Saudis open Jana'at Al-Baqi for an hour or so. Much to my surprise, the Saudis were fairly relaxed in letting people get in, recite dua/ziarat albeit quietly and even take pictures.

Imam Hasan (as), Imam Sajjad (as), Imam Al-Baqar and Imam Al-Sadiq are buried here.

JB1.jpg

JB2.jpg

If I am not mistaken, I think Hz Umm-al-baneen is buried where I have drawn the red circle:

JB3.jpg

Went back to our hotel around 7am. We ate breakfast and finally went to bed after a 24 hours journey.

We woke up around 3pm and went to the Prophet's mosque for zuhrain. We prayed some other prayers so got back to the hotel around 430p. We rested a bit more and then made our way back to the mosque for maghribain around 7p. Once again, we stayed there for around 2 hours and then had dinner and then back to the hotel.

We are recommended to pray full zuhr/asr/isha in Medinah.

Day Two:

After taking an early night, we headed to the Prophet's mosque around 2am where we prayed salat-e-layl and other prayers. Returned to our hotel just after fajr. Our schedule for the rest of the day was the same as the previous day. However, there are other ziarats in Madinah one can visit:

  • Masjid al-Shams
  • Masjid al-Zul Qibltayn
  • Masjid al-Quba
  • The Saba Saba Masjids
  • Masjid al-Fatah
  • Masjid Salman al-Farsi
  • Masjid al-Ali A.S.
  • Masjid al-Bidi Fatimah Zehra A.S.
  • Ohud – Hazrat Hamza A.S.

Day Three:

I stayed in the Prophet's mosque from 130am - fajr. I had the honor to pray salat-e-layl in Riyad-al-Jannah (Piece of heaven) - it is adjacent to the Prophet's grave. After salah, I went to Jana'at-al-Baqi for Ziarah al-wida (Farewell ziarah).

We rested for a couple of hours, had breakfast and then made preparations to head to Makkah for Umrah.

The main thing required is to perform a ghusl with the niyyah (intention) Niyyat: “I am doing Ghusl for the following for wearing Ihram for Umra al-Mufradah Sunnat Qurbatan Ilallah”. You cannot use scented soap when doing this Ghusl.

The next step is to wear the ihram. Ihram for men - consists of two pieces of white cloth and for ladies their usual daily wear is their Ihram, but it is highly recommended that it be white as it is the sign of purity.

Please not that even though one is wearing the ihram, the niyyah for Ihram is done later.

We bought our ihram in Medinah for about $20 (60-75 Saudi Rial).

We checked out of our hotel to make our way to masjid-e-Shajarah. I made transportation arrangements while in Medinah. It cost just under $200 for a personal mini-van.

We stopped at Ohud for 15-20 minutes for a quick ziarah of Hz Hamzah's grave.

ohud1.jpg

Then we made our way to masjid-e-Shajarah. This is a designated point of wearing ihram per sharia. There are 6 other places as well in different parts of Saudi.

meeqat.jpg

MS1.jpg

If you are already wearing ihram, you can take off the top portion and put it on again and make the niyyah (intention):

I am wearing Ihram for Umra al-Mufradah Qurbatan Illallah”. Immediately after making the niyya, recite the talbiya (calling) in arabic:

Labbaik, Allahumma Labbaik, 
Labbaik La Sharika Laka Labbaik,
Innal Hamda WanNe’amata Laka Walmuka 
La Sharika Laka Labbaik

This is to be recited as many times as possible until you reach the vicinity of Makkah.

After wearing the ihram and reciting talbiya, proceed to the inside of the Mosque and recite 2 rakat salat with the niyyah, "Offering 2 rakat salah for wearing ihram qurbatanillah".

Once you adorn the ihram and make the niyyah, there are about 25 things that become haraam upon a person.

Once we completed our prayers, we made our way towards Makkah, reciting talbiya as much as we could.

One thing to note is that in Shia fiqh, men ar enot allowed to travel under shade during the day while in ihram.so it is advisable to plan your journey such that you arrive in Masjid-e-Shajarah around maghrib. If traveling during hte day, then there is a kafarah (penalty) of 1 sheep.

We made a couple of stops on our way to Makkah which was about a 5 hour drive (430km or 250m)

Day Three - Arrival in Makkah:

We arrived in Makkah around 5pm. Since we had already prayed zuharain en route, we decided to rest a bit in our hotel. We woke up, did ghusl made our way to the Holy Kaaba around 730p. One has to be in wudu (or ghusl) for tawaf.

We prayed maghrib and isha and then started our umrah. These are the steps for umrah:

1) Perform tawaf (circumambulation) around the Kaaba 7 times. The niyyah (intention) is:
I am going round this Ka’aba seven times for Umra al-Mufradah Qurbatan Ilallah.
Since the masjid has several floors, it is important to remember that we can do tawaf on any floor as long as your height is below the top of the kaaba.

2) Upon completion of tawag, recite 2 rakat salat-e-tawaf behind the Maqam-e-Ibrahim (place of Ibrahim) - recited just like fajr
I am offering two Rakaat Salaat for Tawaaf of Umra al-Mufradah Qurbatan Ilallah

3) Perform Sa'ae (wudu not necessary). This is where you walk from Safa'a to Marwa 7 times (about 3.5km in total). Niyyah (intention) is:
I walk between Safaa and Marwah, seven times for Umra al-Mufradah Qurbatan Ilallah
Going from Safa'a --> marwa = 1
Marwa --> Safa'a = 2
Safa'a --> marwa = 3
Marwa --> Safa'a = 4
Safa'a --> marwa = 5
Marwa --> Safa'a = 6
Safa'a --> marwa = 7

So you start at Safa'a and end at Marwa.

4) Once Sa'ae is over, the next step is taqseer (cuting part of mails of hair). Niyyah is:
I am performing Taqseer so as to be relieved of Ihram for Umra al-Mufradah QurbatanIlallah

It is best to do the 4 steps without too much of a break in between them. At this point, you can take a break and even take of your ihram.

5) Whether you take a break or not, the next step is to perform tawaf-e-Nisa. Everyone has to do this - young/old, man/woman, married/unmarried, etc.). Niyyah is:
I am doing Tawaaf-un-Nissa by going round this Ka’aba seven times for Umra al-Mufradah Qurbatan Ilallah

6) Last step is to perform salat tawaf-e-Nisa. Niyyah is:
I am offering two Rakaat Salaat for Tawaaf-un-Nissa for Umra al-Mufradah QurbatanIlallah

 

k1.jpg

The entire umrah took about 2 - 2.5 hours to complete.

This is the completion of the umrah. 

After completing our umrah, we went back to our hotel, had dinner and went to sleep.

Day Four:

We went to the Kaaba about 2 hours before fajr to perform Sunnah tawaf (each tawaf is 7 rounds). After each tawaf, reciting salat-e-tawaf is obligatory. You can make the intention of perfomr tawaf for others alive or deceased. This day was spent between our hotel and performing salah+tawaf throughout the day. There are other ziarah to be performed in makkah:

  • Ka’aba
  • Hajr al-Ismail
  • Hajr-ul-Aswad
  • Makaam al-Ibrahim
  • Zam Zam
  • Hills of Safa and Marwa
  • Janatul-Mualla
  •     Janab al-Khadijatul Kubra
  •     Janab al-Abu Talib
  •     Janab al-Abdul Mutalib
  •     Hazrat Abdullah
  •     Hazrat Amina Bint al-Wahab
  • Masjid al-Jinn
  • Cave of Thawr
  • Cave of Hira
  • Jabal al-Rahmah
  • Muzdhalifa or Ma’shar
  • Munna
  • Masjid al-Kheef - In Munna

We were able to perform the green ones above. We also had the opportunity to pray salat in the hateem which is not always open. We were able to touch the kaaba several times including rukn-e-Yemeni (corner from where Hz Fatima bint Assad went inside the kaaba to deliver Hz Ali (as).

k2.jpg
Pic in hateem under the kaaba

k3.jpg
Cloth of the kaaba - it is actually pieces of cloth sewn together instead of a very large piece of cloth.

Day Five:

We performed our final prayers and then checked out of our hotel to go to Jeddah airport. We flew from Jeddah --> Dubai and stayed there overnight, then flew back to the US.

Summary:

I was pleasantly surprised that the Saudis were pretty lenient this time.People were free to pray and take pictures as they wanted...for the most part. I would recommend taking salah, dua and ziarah information on your phones rather than books.

I will also try to upload the guidebook I used for most of the trip.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I tried to cover the most important aspects of umrah.

Your Personal Guide to Hajj Umrah Ziyarat .pdf

 

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Very nice detailed guide . May Allah reward you for this brother . Your thread really helped me as we planning to go for Umrah inshaallah. For taqseer can we do it on our own or someone else has to do it ? Also after u in Ihram , can u change your clothes while sleeping let’s say or I have to keep ihram On till u finish Umrah ? 

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Bless you for this! Ill be traveling alone for Umrah and was looking for step by step method and came across this post! May Allah reward you for this. I'll make a special prayer for you :)

 

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Assalam o Alykum,

 

Thanks for sharing the detailed guidelines; I found them extremely useful. I am also planning to perform Umrah and am wondering if you can give advice on the following questions:

 

1. Can we perform prayers as per Fiqah Jaferia? (i.e., with open hands and Salam)

 

2. Do they allow Sijdagah (Turbah) for sujood?

 

3. Did you pray at Kaaba individually or as a Jamaat?

 

4. Can we carry any Shia books or phone apps?

 

5. Do they allow praying Ziarath (just like the way we pray after each namaz?). Or should it be done quietly?

 

I look forward to your kind reply.

Best regards 

Syed 

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      I think an early example of bad people doing things with positive consequences is Khalid ibn al-Walid's initial foray into Persia followed by Umar ibn Khattab's conquest of the country.
      and the evil-doers acted out of free will
      Indeed, if there are people who, despite information to the contrary, are willing to undertake tasks that contravene moral/ethical scruples - then who are we to complain? No one held a gun to their heads to force them to take those actions. They acted out of free will. If their actions have unintended benefits for others who can put those achievements to good use - that's a gain courtesy of Satan.
      It's not just good and evil...
      At the moment there are various technologies that are problematic for Muslims e.g. using pigs for human transplantation. But these are only a point along the development journey to having similar technology being used without pigs. So the current work of non-Muslims has the potential for future Muslim benefit.
      A personal insight
      In the financial markets there are various financial instruments that to my understanding are haram. Spreadbets involve paying interest to a financial intermediary in order to buy far larger quantities of shares (or other commodity) than one could afford with ones own capital. The 'bet' is that the investment will rise and enable the investor to walk away with a much larger return than would have been possible without the leverage provided by the spread betting company. This type of investing can cause harm to the individuals practising it, because losses can be greater than the amounts invested and it can lead to greater volatility in the markets themselves. Knowing that some shares are popular with small investors using spread bets means that other investors may consider it wise to sell when shares are peaking (because leveraged investors are buying) and to buy when they collapse because leveraged investors have had their trades closed. What is wrong behaviour by market participants can therefore create an opportunity for those who are prepared to play the long game.
      Yet it could be argued that a capitalist system that encourages such a speculative mentality has enabled the funnelling of trillions of dollars across the world towards the development of e.g. internet technology that may otherwise not have happened or it would have happened at a much slower pace.
      For Muslims then, there needs to be a recognition that what is happening around them may well be beneficial in the long-run, but in the short-run there may be practices that are wrong and in which they should not partake.
      Individuals and societies
      This works at both the level of the individual and that of societies. The latter may well achieve great accomplishments, while still being 'bad', and there are historical examples of societies being much more advanced than others of their time in technological and scientific terms, but still undertaking evil cultural practices. Any scientific knowledge that they passed on would still have been valuable.
      Today there can be a tendency of those who have made technological gains to ascribe these to their cultural norms and values - which Muslims may consider to be wrong from an ethical perspective. The ideology of their cultures may or may not have facilitated the advancement - but it does not validate the the ethics of their ideology. For example communism brought a large section of Eastern Europe and Western Asia out of the feudal age and arguably enabled the world to beat Nazism - but does that endorse Communists' correctness of mass collectivisation and the stamping out of religion? No it does not.
      a. Communism
      Communism is an interesting ideology that shows how it is possible to achieve success for a limited period of time, but to ultimately lose out in the war of longevity. Individuals who subscribed to Marxism were wrong. The whole society was bad. But while condemning both, we can walk away with the benefits they left us with.
      b. European slavery system
      There was a whole ideology underpinning this purely evil practice. Argued by some to be based on a reading of the Bible that held black people to be sub-human and treated as property*, the system enabled the development of cash crops in the Americas and provided the foundation of modern consumer societies. Ultimately it came to be seen for the evil that it was.
      What Egyptians, Communism, Nazism and the European slavery system of the 19th century and other ideologies have in common is that they are now defunct. They enabled progress to be made in some areas, but in the long term they offered no solutions to address human needs.
      The lessons for Muslims (starting with Pharoah's wife) has simply been to hang around in order to pick up the pieces and ensure that our ideology persists and outlasts the next round of evil-doers.
      In an ideal world ...
      People would be inspired to innovate, create and advance based purely on the motivations provided by God. But this ideal does not always happen. 
      *Muslims have been accused of having slavery systems as well. But those were completely different in terms of both practice and moral implications.
         2 comments
      The proposition that the British Empire "never really went away" but instead "downsized" reflects a view of post-colonial influence that suggests continuity between the British Empire's formal rule and its present-day economic and political ties, particularly with the rich Arab Gulf states. While the British Empire as a formal political entity dissolved in the mid-20th century, this perspective argues that Britain's influence persisted, transforming from direct colonial rule to a more subtle but still significant form of power and influence.
      Economic Ties and Arms Trade
      One of the most visible aspects of this continuing influence is the strong economic ties between the UK and the Arab Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and others. The UK is a significant exporter of arms to these countries, with Saudi Arabia being one of the largest customers. This arms trade not only supports British industries and employment but also reinforces political and military relationships between the UK and these Gulf states. The reliance of these nations on British military technology and expertise can be seen as a continuation of the influence that Britain once exerted more overtly during the imperial period.
      Investments in British Property and Economy
      Arab Gulf states have also invested heavily in the British economy, particularly in real estate, financial services, and other high-profile sectors. London's property market, for instance, has seen substantial investment from Gulf monarchies and sovereign wealth funds. These investments benefit the British economy and contribute to the UK's status as a global financial hub. The economic interdependence created by these investments is another form of influence, where former colonies (or regions within the imperial sphere) now play a crucial role in the British economy.
      Employment for British Expats
      The presence of British expatriates in the Gulf states, particularly in high-skilled sectors such as finance, education, and engineering, reflects another layer of this ongoing relationship. British professionals are often sought after for their expertise and experience, and their employment in these regions can be traced back to historical ties established during the colonial period. The continued demand for British expertise suggests a lasting influence and a form of soft power, where British culture, education, and professional norms continue to shape the region.
      Political Influence and Leadership Support
      The assertion that the leaders of these Gulf states were either appointed by Britain or have their tenure supported by Britain touches on the historical reality that many current Gulf monarchies have roots in British colonial or protectorate arrangements. For example, the Al-Saud family in Saudi Arabia and the Al-Thani family in Qatar consolidated power during periods when Britain had significant influence over the Arabian Peninsula. While these leaders are now independent, the historical ties and ongoing strategic partnerships suggest that Britain continues to exert some level of influence, particularly through defense agreements and diplomatic support.
      Continuity of Influence
      The idea that the British Empire "downsized" rather than disappeared reflects the continuity of influence, albeit in a different form. The mechanisms of control and influence have shifted from direct colonial administration to economic dependency, strategic partnerships, and soft power. The British Empire in its classical form may be gone, but the relationships, institutions, and dependencies it created continue to shape international relations and economics in ways that can be seen as a legacy of that empire.
      Counterarguments
      However, it is also important to consider the counterarguments to this proposition. The Gulf states are now sovereign nations with their own complex political dynamics, and their relationship with Britain is one of mutual interest rather than imperial domination. The influence of other global powers, such as the United States and China, also plays a significant role in these regions, which complicates the notion that Britain maintains a unique or dominant position of influence.
      In conclusion, while the British Empire as a formal entity no longer exists, the networks of influence, economic ties, and political relationships established during the imperial period have persisted in ways that benefit the UK. These relationships, particularly with the Arab Gulf states, suggest that Britain's influence did not vanish but instead evolved, leading to a form of continuity that some might argue represents a "downsized" empire.
         4 comments
      In this thread there was a half jokey but also serious issue that I raised:
      At some point Muslims will ask whether conjugal relations with androids are allowed and we can predict the answer will be no.
       
      Since I first started that thread a lot has happened and I think it's worth introducing some new variables to the discussion.
      There was a time when men who dressed as women (and vice versa) did so either for humour or if it was in some way related to their sexuality the attempt would seem a bit ridiculous. Nowadays though fantasy can be more readily realised with the aid of technology.
      In a similar vein men who play with dolls (this is serious, stay with me) are faintly creepy and weird. But technology moves on and at some point the dolls will pass for humans. While orthodox Muslims may well be aghast at the idea of relations between us and the androids, clearly this will be considered to be progress amongst some people. They may not currently regard it as such but their ideological progeny will.
      But then another issue will emerge. If someone gains emotional and other forms of support from their android, what if they want to pass on their wealth to the android?
       
      https://www.ft.com/content/b9b78aae-1f32-11e9-a46f-08f9738d6b2b
       
      So while we have had dystopian science fiction prognosticating about robots AI becoming 'self-aware' and stealing the planet from us what if such a loss can happen without such a confrontational dystopia?
      What if large numbers of humans give up on human-to-human relations and instead take up with androids who will never argue back, will always say yes and be physically whatever people want them to be.
      And as a reward for this their human companions leave their possessions to robots?
      It could be that it is selfishness and narcissism that disinherits us and nothing more sinister.
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