Get to Popular Islamic Sites with Umrah Package Deals

by Safeena Rahman Travel Addict

Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage that Muslims across the world perform by visiting the holy city of Makkah located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For the pilgrims who live in countries that are at a greater distance from Saudi Arabia, this journey would be quite a long one. It would also involve a significant amount of cost, which many of the Muslims may not afford. However, the tour operators or travel companies specialising in the Islamic religious tours of Hajj and Umrah come up with some attractive offers frequently that help Muslims in reducing the cost of their journey to the holy city.

These Umrah package deals are generally made available for bookings that are made several months in advance. For booking the packages much earlier, those intending to perform this pilgrimage must decide the date of departure from their place of residence and the number of days that they wish to spend in the holy city. Once they have decided the dates, they must book their chosen package immediately to get the maximum discount. They can then use the amount saved while shopping for souvenirs or visiting the sacred Islamic sites in and around Makkah.

One of them is a mountain located about 12 miles east of central Makkah, known as Mount Arafat. This mountain has been named after the plain where it is situated. It is also known as 'Jabal al-Rahmah', which translates as the 'Mountain of Mercy'. The name refers to an event when Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) was forgiven by Allah for his sin. The event had taken place at this site. In recent times, the site has been shown by a pillar erected for the purpose. This mountain is also the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had delivered the famous 'farewell sermon' to all those who were with him while performing Hajj towards the end of his life.

Another sacred mountain that the pilgrims must explore is Jabal al-Noor, which translates as 'Hill of Illumination' or the 'Mountain of Light'. It is renowned across the world and revered by Muslims, as it is home to the Cave of Hira. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had spent a considerable amount of time in deep contemplation inside this cave. It is this place where he received his first revelation of the Quran from the archangel Jibreel (A.S). One to two hours of hike is required to reach the cave and there are more than 1,700 steps that an individual has to take for reaching the top.

Pilgrims who are in Makkah for their Umrah can also visit one of the oldest mosques in the holy city, known as Masjid al-Jinn. This mosque is located near the 'Jannat al-Mu'alla' cemetery, where Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) wife and other relatives are buried. Masjid al-Jinn has been built at a place where a group of genies or 'jinn' had assembled after sunset to listen to the prophet reciting a portion of the Holy Quran. According to the Islamic tradition, the leaders of the jinn later met the prophet and embraced Islam.