Hajj and Umrah are both two key elements of Islam. Every Muslim is aware of these two sacred acts of Islam. But do you know the main differences between these two core elements? If yes, that’s well! But if you are unaware, this blog will significantly help you.
What is Hajj and Umrah?
As a Muslim, you may heard these names: Hajj and Umrah. Let’s see the differences between them.
Hajj
- It’s a significant pilgrimage of Islam
- Have specific dates to perform – Dhul Hijjah (last month of the Hijri calendar)
- It has more than four rituals
- Usually takes 5 to 6 days to conduct
- More expensive
- Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam
Umrah
- It’s a minor pilgrimage of Islam
- Don’t have any particular date – you can perform at any time of the year
- Umrah has only four rituals
- It does not take more than 4 to 6 hours
- Less expensive
- While Umrah is a voluntary act
Remember that for both acts, you must travel from your home country/destination to Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Muslims consider Hajj and Umrah sacred, requiring sacred travel to perform them. Hence, you can call these travels “Sacred travels or journeys.”
Every Muslim wants to perform Hajj and Umrah. Let’s consider you have successfully understood the differences between both. But do you know how to perform Hajj and Umrah?
How to perform Umrah?
Dear Muslims, performing Umrah is not a difficult task. You can efficiently perform it if you are aware of its core rituals.
Umrah has only four rituals:
- Ihram
- Tawaf
- Sa’ee
- Qasr
Ihram is the first requirement, and you must wear it. Both males and females have to wear it. For males, it’s a white attire that consists of two parts: Izar and Rida. For females, it’s simply an Abaya (black or white); ensure it covers the whole body.
Tawaf is the second step of Umrah, which is about walking around the Holy Kaaba seven times. Ensure you are walking in the anticlockwise direction.
Sa’ee – the third ritual related to walking between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times.
Qasr, hair cutting, and shaving. Cutting applies to women, and shaving applies to men.
Congratulations! Your Umrah performance has been done. Now that you know the process, choosing the right and affordable Umrah packages from the UK can make your spiritual journey much smoother.
So, let’s see how to conduct Hajj.
How to perform Hajj?
Remember that the first four rituals are the same for Hajj, as discussed in the above Umrah section. The remaining rituals are mentioned below!
Note: You can also perform Umrah with Hajj, known as “Hajj-e-Tamattu.” More than 80-85% of Muslims do this when going for Hajj from any part of the world accept Makkah’s resident Muslims.
After resting and praying, you are now going to perform Hajj:
- Go to Mina – the City of Tents. It’s approximately 8 km from the outside of Makkah. You will have to spend the whole day in Mina. Afterward, you will set out from there the next morning at dawn. Necessary acts include prayers, Dhikr, and supplications.
- The Day of Arafat is the most significant day of Hajj. It’s also known as the Day of Standing. This is the place of Mount Arafat, which is around 15 km away from Mina. The act of standing at Mount Arafat is called “Wuquf.”
- After sunset, you will now head to Muzdalifah. Here, you will spend the night under the stars and collect the pebbles (49) for the next day’s ritual, “Rami.”
- Now, you will go to Mina again for the act of stoning (Rami).
- Another ritual is Nahr – sacrificing an animal on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah.
- On the 11th and 12th day of Dhul Hijjah, you will again do a throwing act on Jamarat.
Now, pilgrims can go to Makkah again to say farewell to Tawaf. You have done your Hajj!
As we wrap off this exploration, hope you’ve learned much and developed a more profound respect for the Hajj and Umrah. Whether you’re planning ahead or exploring October Umrah packages, understanding the distinctions between Hajj and Umrah will help you make an informed decision. Keep in mind that there is always more to learn, whether you’re an expert or starting.