what is umrah
What is Umrah: There are 5 pillars mentioned in the religion of Islam which include – Shahada, Namaz, Zakat, Roza and Hajj. The five pillars of Islam are duties on every Muslim, which have to be performed under any circumstances. Just as Char Dham Yatra is important in Hinduism, similarly Hajj is important in Islam. Like Hajj, another holy journey is considered important in Islam, which is called Umrah. Umrah is also like Hajj to some extent, but there is a lot of difference between them. Let us tell you what Umrah is and what are its advantages.
What is Umrah? (Umrah meaning in Islam)
Umrah is a very pure and spiritual journey which is considered very special in Islam. Hajj is a duty on every Muslim, but Umrah is not a duty, rather it is Mustahab (doing which gives reward, but there is no sin in not doing it). In this, every Muslim travels to Mecca Mukarrama, where he does Tawaf of Kaaba Sharif and does Sa’i between Safa and Marwa.
small hajj status
Umrah is also called small or mini Hajj, which can be done at any time throughout the year. Umrah is a separate form of worship apart from Hajj and it includes Tawaf of Haram Sharif and the practice of Sa’i. The rituals of Umrah can be completed in a few hours, but this pilgrimage can usually take 3 to 10 days to complete.
What happens in Umrah?
The procedure of Umrah consists of four different parts: – entering Ihram, doing Tawaf, doing Sa’i and performing Halaq or Takseer. Every part is a means of worshiping Allah and has its own place. Before starting Umrah, Muslims have to don Ihram, then after reaching Mecca, Tawaf is done.
After this, Sai has to be done, in which one has to take a detour between the hills of Safa and Marwah. There is no specific time fixed for Umrah, but its importance increases even more in the month of Ramadan. In Islam, Umrah is not a duty, but a Nafl worship, which a Muslim can do anytime and any number of times.
What are the benefits of performing Umrah? (Umrah benefits in Islam)
According to the beliefs of Islam, there are many benefits of performing Umrah such as Allah’s pleasure and forgiveness, strengthening of faith and getting peace of mind. Umrah helps in getting rid of sins and provides rewards in this world and the hereafter. Umrah is an opportunity to get closer to Allah, where a Muslim can confess everything to God, seek forgiveness for his sins and become closer to Allah.