Umrah has a special importance in Islam as it offers great spiritual benefits for the pilgrim who performs it. Often described as the 'lesser pilgrimage', it is Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) Sunnah and highly recommended. The major pilgrimage of Hajj is performed in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, but the lesser pilgrimage can be performed at any time of the year. For many of the Muslims residing in the United Kingdom, the Easter weekend is one of the best times to embark on the journey to Makkah for performing Umrah, as almost all the educational institutions and offices are closed during this period.
An Umrah in Easter would also be a great opportunity for the UK Muslims to take other members in the family along with them for performing the lesser pilgrimage. As the schools are closed during this time of the year, they can accompany their parents and get introduced to the rituals of Umrah at an early age. This would be of immense benefit for them when they perform the lesser pilgrimage in the future. Earlier, most of the Muslims living in the UK kept postponing their plans for performing Umrah owing to lack of finances. Today, the presence of many tour operators offering Islamic religious tours of Hajj and Umrah in the country has given them hope.
Most of these tour operators have an online presence in the form of attractive and user-friendly websites. Being mobile-friendly, these sites can also be accessed using smartphones. The UK Muslims can browse through the websites of tour operators and choose any of the Easter Umrah packages that suit their budget. However, before going ahead with their booking, they must first decide when they wish to depart and for how many days do they intend to stay in the holy city after performing their pilgrimage. Once they have decided the dates, they can go ahead and book their desired package.
The packages for Umrah Easter month brings for the prospective pilgrims of the country can be made even more cost-effective by booking any of them several months in advance. By booking well in advance, Muslims living in the UK can have greater savings, which can be utilised during their time in Makkah for visiting the important Islamic sites. The savings can also be used for buying souvenirs. Upon registering on the websites of tour operators that offer the Islamic religious tours of Hajj and Umrah, the UK Muslims can keep themselves updated on any of the special offers made available from time to time.
Muslims living in the UK can perform their Umrah without any hassles if they make all the preparations for the journey much earlier. They must ensure that they have all the documents with them before leaving their homes, such as passport, Umrah visa, proofs of identity, photocopies of important documents, and photographs. As Makkah's weather is extremely hot during the Easter weekend, it is also necessary to carry plain cotton clothes, medicines, and other essential items before leaving for the journey.
Muslims of the UK can accomplish their lesser pilgrimage during the holy month by booking any of the suitable Ramadan Umrah packages.