Umrah Made Easy | Tips For Families and Women
Umrah is both exciting and can be confusing with so much information floating around. When breaking it all down, it is not as complicated as it may seem especially for women and families. Here is the complete and detailed guide from start to finish on how to perform and complete Umrah and also make the most of your trip to Makkah with tips and tricks for families and children.
What is Umrah?
Umrah is a pilgrimage to Mecca or Makkah, Saudi Arabia that is not required but recommended and a good pre-requisite to performing Hajj. If you have the means to do so or if you only have the means for Umrah (Hajj can be very expensive) then definitely take the opportunity to experience it.
Is Medina a part of Umrah? Should I go to Medinah?
Although Medina is not a part of Umrah, it is recommended to go here either before or after performing Umrah to get the most out of the experience since it is the place where our Prophet (PBUH) is buried. I also have a post about it in my detailed guide to everything in Medina which discusses tips and what to do in and around your time in Medina. If you plan to go here, I would recommend starting in Madinah and finishing your trip in Makkah.
What to pack for Umrah
Packing is something that can be so confusing because you really don’t know how much to pack. I say to pack as little as possible and purchase everything when you arrive to Medina or Makkah. One thing I do reommend is taking a comfortable pair of slipppers and women are allowed to wear them throughout the Umrah which is what I did and it helped make it much easier. I actually purchased the slippers from a shop in Medina before leaving to go to Makkah and it was the best decision because not only were they inexpensive but they were very comfortable. I also recommend purchasing socks with grips at the bottom as the floors can be quite slippery. You can read more about what to pack on my Medina Guide post here.
Traveling to Makkah
Since I recommend starting in Madinah, there are two ways to get to Makkah: either by train or by a private driver. We chose the train and booked through the HHR app because it was an hour faster than a private car and there is a lot of traffic in Saudi that can cause further delays. We took the train and they announced the Miqat point on the train both in Arabic and English within about the first 5 minutes. We booked seats in 1st class but it was nothing special so you could book any seats, they were all very comfortable for the ride. Depending on the train, the baggage sizing can be different so double check the baggage allowance and size depending on the train you take. We were only allowed to take a medium-sized suitcase (22ish inches) per person plus one personal item.
Where to Stay in Makkah
Like Medina, we also stayed in Makkah Movenpick inside the Clock Tower. The Clock Tower is the closest place to book a hotel and there are many different hotel companies inside. The Clock Tower is so huge so plan out leaving earlier than you think you need to to get to the Haram on time because the elevators were extremely slow when we went and it was very crowded and busy. There are also tons of shops inside and even a two-story food court which is where we got most of our meals from since we were too tired to leave outside of the Haram area and come back. There is also a supermarket so if you need things for your kids you can find them here. We also purchased things from Bin Dawood, another supermarket outside of the Clock Tower but very close walking distance. There were a few pros and cons of staying in the Clock Tower in Makkah and you can read all about the experience here
Ihram
There is so much information about Ihram and what is allowed not allowed once you’ve entered the state of Ihram. I followed the Umrah Guide from Omar Suleiman so the following information will be from that. Since we started our journey from Medina, we changed into our Irham there. That included cutting nails if necessary, taking a shower, and changing. Women wear an abaya fully covered and before making the intention you are allowed to wear fragrances which I think is the most common misunderstanding. You also do not have to shower and can do wudu instead but it is recommended to shower and be completely clean. Again, during your shower before the intention, you are allowed to use fragrances. Makeup I’m not sure about but most opinions I read stated a completely clean face, so no makeup. We changed into our ihram, prayed, and did not make an intention until we reached the Miqat point on the train. Once you make the intention, you are no longer allowed to apply fragrances and this is where non-scented soaps and lotions are important to pack because the hotel did not have unscented toiletries. Also, make sure you have wudu the entire time until Umrah is fully complete, you need to have it for the tawaaf and we made sure we had it the whole time so there was no confusion. For females, if you are menstruating, you cannot perform tawaaf or pray any prayers but can perform the Sa’i and make any dua. I’ve also read that reading the Quran from the phone app is allowed. Once your cycle is done, you can go to Masjid Aisha, make your intention in your Ihram and you’re ready to perform Umrah.
Inside the Haram
Once you’re ready to perform Umrah, take your time walking in to see the Kaaba for the first time as it’s such a surreal moment. Make all the duas the moment you see it in your own language as you’re walking towards it to start. The tawaaf once started goes by quickly because of the rush of peope coming in and out. Be cautious of others because they will push, mostly accidentally since the crowd is trying to move consistently throughout but there will be some people slowing down a bit. For those that need to be in wheelchairs, you can hire people to push them the whole time and they help them complete Umrah in about an hour since there is a designated lane for wheelchairs and it’s about $80-$100 which is pricey but worth it for the elders. This is what we opted for my in laws since they weren’t able to walk the whole way. Which brings me to my next point. It’s A LOT of walking especially in the Sa’i and they were done in an hour. For those with kids, they have electric buggies on the third floor but keep in mind the 2nd and 3rd floors are much bigger so the walk around in both the Tawaaf and the Sa’i will be much longer. We stayed on the main floor and in total it took my husand and I 2.5 hours to complete. After you’re done, there are women that stand outside with scissors who can cut your hair for you but I bought my own shears and cut 1/2 inch from the bottom of my hair in the hotel room which is also another option if you don’t want to do it in public. For men, there are shops near the Clock Tower and people stand outside asking if men would like a haircut as well. Both of these services are free but keep in mind these people rely on tips so giving them some money will help these small businesses.
What is the best time to perform Umrah?
The best time for Umrah is after the Fajr prayer or after the Isha prayer as the crowds die down after these prayers. In the morning after Fajr, most people will grab breakfast or take a nap until the afternoon prayer. In the evening same thing, after Isha most people will grab dinner and get some rest until the morning. Both of these timings also have great weather. The best time overall to go to Saudi for Umrah would be between November-February because after this it starts to get hot.
Is Umrah Easy to do with Children?
This is a question most families have when it comes to making the trip and completing Umrah. We took our son but had the luxury of also having my in laws and sister in law so in short, it is easy if you have extra help. If you don’t, it’s best to wait until the children are old enough to be independent so you’re able to complete everything without worrying about your children. If you do have help, stagger the timings for Umrah to where one set of family members go first, complete it and are able to take care of the children so then next set of family members can help. In our case, our in laws completed it first and then we went so they were able to take care of my son and we didn’t have to worry about carrying him, feeding him, etc.
The most important tip of all is to enjoy this beautiful journey! It is not as scary as it may seem. Take the time and take things slow for yourself and for your family. Hope it’s a beautiful trip!