Muslims Can Explore Important Sites with Umrah in December

by Safeena Rahman Travel Addict

Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage that can be performed at any time during the year. This is the reason why many Muslims choose to perform this pilgrimage in December, especially those living in non-Islamic countries. A major reason is that they get to benefit from the holidays that begin towards the last week of the month. Upon embarking on this sacred journey to the holy city of Makkah in the last month of the year, the Muslims living in countries of Northern Europe also get to escape the chilly weather of their home countries.

An Umrah in December can be planned well in advance, deciding the date of departure and the number of days that the pilgrim wants to spend in Makkah. Once the dates have been decided he or she can get a budget-friendly package booked for the last month of the year much earlier to get an attractive discount given by most of the tour operators on packages that are booked in advance. The amount thus saved can be utilised during the time spent in Makkah on buying souvenirs or gifts for the loved ones back home or while visiting the prominent Islamic sites in and around the holy city.

One such site is a mountain located in the Hejazi region near Makkah called 'Jabal al-Noor'. The name translates as the 'Hill of Illumination' or the 'Mountain of Light'. It refers to the event in the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he received his first revelation of the Quran comprising of Surah Al-Alaq's first five ayats. He received the revelation from Allah through the archangel Jibreel (A.S). Every year, millions of Muslims hike for about one to two hours to get to the cave where this event took place.

The pilgrims can also visit a mosque located in Makkah near the Jannat al-Mu'alla, called 'Masjid al-Jinn' or 'Mosque of the Jinn'. It is considered to be one of the oldest mosques in the holy city of Makkah. The mosque has been built at the spot where a group of 'jinn' or 'genies' had assembled after sunset once to hear Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recite a portion of the Holy Quran. According to Islamic traditions, the leaders of the jinn later met the prophet and embraced Islam. This event is mentioned in the Holy Quran's 'al-Jinn' chapter. As the prophet had accepted the jinns' oath of allegiance to him, Masjid al-Jinn is also known as the 'Mosque of Allegiance'.

Mount Arafat is also a place that the pilgrims can visit, as it is the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had delivered his famous 'Farewell Sermon'. This sacred mountain is located in the plain of Arafat to the east of central Makkah and is also known as 'Jabal al-Rahmah', which means 'Mountain of Mercy'. It refers to an event in the life of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) when he was forgiven by Allah for his sin. The place where the event took place has been indicated by a pillar in recent times.