Umrah Packages in UK Make the Lesser Pilgrimage Memorable

by Safeena Rahman Travel Addict

Umrah is the 'lesser pilgrimage' or the 'minor pilgrimage' undertaken by Muslims residing in various corners of the world from their place of residence to the holy city of Makkah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has a special place in Islam as it is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and has some spiritual rewards for the pilgrims who perform it. Umrah can be performed at any time during the year and is not compulsory when compared to the major pilgrimage of Hajj. It involves lesser rituals than Hajj and can be accomplished within a few hours.

The Umrah packages UK Muslims book in order to make their journey to the holy city for accomplishing their lesser pilgrimage are now available at much lower costs. As many tour operators or travel companies have come up in the UK over the past few years, the overall costs of packages have gone down considerably. Besides, the prospective pilgrims can now plan their dates of Umrah and book their desired package well in advance. This gives them a significant amount of savings, which can be utilised during their time spent in Makkah to buy some souvenirs and visit some important Islamic sites.

Some of the Umrah packages UK Muslims book for their lesser pilgrimage allow them to stay in Makkah for certain number of days. This can be of great benefit for them, as they can explore some important places after performing their Umrah. Among them is the Jabal al-Noor or the 'Mountain of Light'. The mountain houses a cave where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had received the first revelation of the Holy Quran. He had also spent a considerable amount of time in deep contemplation in this cave, which is also known as the 'Cave of Hira'.

The Umrah packages from UK also give pilgrims the opportunity to explore Jabal al-Rahmah, which is popularly known as Mount Arafat. It is the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had delivered his 'Farewell Sermon'. He had delivered this sermon towards the end of his life to all those who had accompanied him for the Hajj. According to the Islamic traditions, this is also the place where the first prophet Adam (peace be upon him) was forgiven for his sin. The mountain is called 'Jabal al-Rahmah' or the 'Mount of Mercy' for this reason.

Abu Qubais is yet another sacred mountain that the pilgrims from the UK can visit during their time spent in the holy city of Makkah after performing their Umrah. This mountain is located on Makkah's eastern frontier and is believed to have been known by the name of 'al-Amin' during the times when pagan Arabs lived in this region. It is not clear how and why the mountain was given the name 'Abu Qubais', but one of the local legends state that the mountain was also called 'Magharat al-Kans' or the Treasure Cave. This is also believed to be the place where the first of men lived and were buried after their death.

To find some valuable information on Umrah packages and their benefits for pilgrims from the UK, click here.