Umrah is a holy pilgrimage in Islam that you can do at any time of the year. It involves performing religious activities in Makkah, where the Holy Kaaba is located. After completing all the religious observances in Makkah, pilgrims travel to Medina to visit the mosque of the holy prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This is the personal experience of the my Umrah journey from Colombo to Saudi Arabia.
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My Umrah Journey to Saudi Arabia
Umrah is a truly spiritual journey I’ve always wanted to engage in. Finally, I got to go to the holy city of Makkah to perform an Umrah. It was an amazing experience that I would like to share with everyone.
I went on an Umrah with my family. We entered the state of ihram, where pilgrims must wear plain white to signify equality among all. Muslim men wear unstitched white cloth, while women wear white dresses and scarves.
We traveled to Saudi via Saudia and landed at Jeddah International Airport. From there, we boarded an air-conditioned coach to Makkah, which was when I first saw the Masjid al-Haram, the Great Mosque of Makkah. It was indeed a surreal feeling, benign, to step into this holy land and perform an Umrah.
My Umrah Journey to Mecca
When we landed in Jeddah, it was nighttime, and we felt jet-lagged. So we went straight to the hotel to relax. The next day, we woke up in anticipation of performing Umrah. We started by performing seven Tawafs (going around the Kaaba) and ending it by praying two rak’ahs behind the Maqam of prophet Ibrahim.
After that, we performed sa’ai, walking seven times back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwa. We also drank ZamZam water to refresh ourselves. We completed our umrah by cutting or shaving the hair. It requires cutting at least one inch of hair for women, while men typically shave their heads.
My Umrah Journey to Medina
After completing our Umrah, we left for Medina by train the next day. Medina is a peaceful city, and we loved walking around its streets and soaking in the feeling of a city in the desert. There are small shops on either side of the roads where people shop to carry things back home to their loved ones and friends.
We visited the Masjid al-Nabawi, widely renowned as Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) mosque. The prophet built it for his followers when he was living in Medina. We spent a couple of hours praying inside this special mosque. The mosque is also where the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was buried. It has a special place in Islamic history, alongside the Masjid al-haram in Makkah.
The final days of our Umrah trip were spent roaming around the streets in Medina, trying out local cuisines, and collecting souvenirs to carry back home. It was a lovely experience and a spiritual awakening, which everyone should experience in their lifetime.
Have you ever gone on an Umrah trip? Let us know your experience in the comments below. Also, remember to subscribe to our newsletter for the latest travel-related news worldwide.
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