Umrah, the minor pilgrimage to Mecca is a profound experience to all Muslims in the world. Contrary to the Hajj, a compulsory pilgrimage of Muslims who are healthy and able to afford it, Umrah is an optional trip that can take place any time of the year. Many pilgrims always have a question before undertaking this holy trip which always is: How long does it take to conclude Umrah? Determining the length of time that Umrah will take is important in terms of logistical arrangements and, of course, spiritual preparation. This question will be answered in full detail in this article, in which it will be discussed that other factors influence the time that one spends in Umrah.
Understanding the Basics of Umrah
It cannot be possible to dive into the aspect of time without first comprehending what constitutes Umrah. The pilgrimage also entails some of the major rituals that one has to conduct in the holy city of Mecca. To the people seeking to gain this spiritual experience, the best Umrah Packages will offer an easy and satisfying experience in which all the rituals they need to conduct are done conveniently and in a spirit filled way.
These include:
- Ihram: Ihram involves a spiritual cleanliness people go into when they put on special clothing that designsate their desire to participate in Umrah.
- Tawaf: 7 times anticlockwise circumnavigating around the Kaaba.
- Sa’i: Circuitation of seven rounds in between Safa and Marwah very hills.
- Tahallul: Men shave a part of the head symbolically and the women cut a small part of the hair.
- Tawaf al-Wada: The circumambulation of the Kaaba and leaving point Mecca done at the last minute.
All those rituals can be performed within a rather small amount of time, however, how much time a person will need can be different and be influenced by a few factors. At this point, we will look at an estimate of the time taken in each of the components.
Time Duration of Each Ritual
These rituals will take different times to perform depending on the crowd of people involved, time of the year and the experience of the person.
Ihram and Preparation
Preparations to act on Umrah normally start when a pilgrim goes to Ihram state, usually at the designated place outside Mecca. This may take some few hours depending on where you are located but this is normally done long in advance before the holy city is reached. After arriving in Mecca, pilgrims could spend certain time to acclimatize to the surroundings and to get ready to further rites.
Tawaf: The Circumambulation
The process of walking around Kaabah seven times in the Tawaf should take an average of 30 minutes to one hour. Nevertheless it can be longer in case of major seasons like Ramadan or Hajj seasons since the number of people performing the ritual during such time can be high. It is said that pilgrims should not hurry and they should concentrate on the spiritual meaning of the Tawaf and not on time.
Sa’i: The Walk Between Safa and Marwah
Sa’i participation is a back and forth walking between two hilly top of Safa and Marwah 7 times. It takes 30 to 45 minutes to perform this ritual. It may take longer though based on the crowd and your physical health. The pilgrims are also able to rest whenever they want and this is part of the journey which becomes tense free in time.
Tahallul: Clipping The Head or Shaving The Hair
Men are expected to shave the head or cut off part of the hair as a ritual using Tahallul. This does not require more than a few minutes. Women, however, have to trim a little bit of their hair which in most cases takes 510 minutes.
Tawaf al-Wada: The Farewell Tawaf
Tawaf al-Wada is a kind of pilgrimage through which the pilgrims do during their departure out of the Mecca. This is the farewell Tawaf since this is the final Tawaf but is used to bid farewell to this holy mosque. It normally takes 30-minute or an hour depending on the crowd and the time of the day.
What is the Total Time Duration for Completing Umrah?
After examining the single rituals it is time to peep at the entire scene. True time taken in performing the rituals of Umrah may be 3 to 6 hours where the rituals are performed consecutively and continously. It is an estimate in the sense that no long lines are supposed to be there due to the congestion. However, the period of pilgrimage can cover other pilgrims activities (praying, resting and reflecting) and the amount of time to such activities must be added to get the overall amount.
A normal time consumed in completing the Umrah rites may be several hours or even a full day during peak seasons such as during Ramadan because of the high number of people in the holy mosque. The waiting time involving one ritual to another may also accumulate and some rituals may need more time slot in order to cater to the crowd.
Factors That Affect the Duration of Umrah
- Time of Year: As it has been said, the time of year plays a major role in the length of Umrah. Millions of pilgrims find their way to Mecca during Ramadan hence delaying rituals like Tawaf and Sa I. The same case applies during the Hajj season where the city is more congested and this might cause delays. The non-peak seasons, however, are mostly less crowded and as such, facilitate faster access to the holy sites.
- Crowd Size: The element of presence and size of pilgrims at one particular time can significantly determine the duration it takes to complete Umrah. When it is busy like during the weekends or during special days of worship then long queues will be experienced and people will have to wait longer to get their chance to do the ceremonies.
- Personal Pace: The personal pace of each of the pilgrims is capable of influencing the length of time it takes to complete Umrah. There are those who want to go through the rituals as fast as possible and there are those which may take their time thinking and praying. The overall time in the mosque may change as the time used in the mosque in order to pray or reflect is different.
- Physical Condition: The physical health is also an important variable of Pilgrims. The elderly or persons with health complications may not take a short period to perform some rituals as compared to those who are healthy.
Planning Your Trip: What Should You Consider?
In case you intend on doing Umrah, then it is important you consider the duration it would take to carry out the rituals in your total plans. You should get to Mecca at least few days in advance before the time you want to do Umrah to fit yourself and relax. When you are visiting as a group make sure the time slotting of the rituals are synchronized in such a way that delays are reduced and the experiences are increased.
Umrah Time Duration in Ramadan
The duration necessary to go through Umrah may be much longer in the period during Ramadan. This is because; this holy month is when a large number of pilgrims who wish to undertake the pilgrimage visit Mecca. The size of the crowd may cause long queues when coming to rituals such as Tawaf and Sa’i. It is advisable to schedule longer hours during the Ramadan as some of the rituals can last even several hours. The blessing of the Ramadan mistake constitutes the spiritual value, yet the pilgrims should be ready to spend more time.
Umrah Time Duration for First-Timers
The duration taken may be slightly longer in case of first-time pilgrims of Umrah as compared to ritualists who have experience. The reason is that one is a first-time visitor; this means that he or she might require more time to perfect the rituals and get familiar with the holy locations. Also, emotional and spiritual experiences may make them spend more time in prayer or reflection which may as well prolong the period of time spent in Mecca. The first-time pilgrims need to give themselves some time to have an enjoyable and quality pilgrimage.
Conclusion
The duration that it takes to accomplish Umrah would depend on a number of factors that include the number of people involved, time of the year, individual speed, and fitness level. The actual action that involves performing all the necessary rituals of Umrah may take an average time of either 3 or 6 hours but it may be longer especially in peak seasons like Ramadan or Hajj. At all times, Umrah is a rather spiritual experience, and what needs to be emphasized is the meaning of the rituals, not the duration of time. Decent planning and patience would ensure an Umrah pilgrimage is a good experience to pilgrims.
Hajar Travels is here to handhold you throughout your entire journey to Umrah at a point when you have all the proper information and assistance that you might need to have in order that you make your pilgrimage worth remembering and a memorable one.
