How Umrah Packages in UK Make Lesser Pilgrimage Affordable

The Islamic pilgrimage of Umrah is undertaken by many Muslims living in different parts of the world every year by making a long journey from their homes to the holy city of Makkah, located in Saudi Arabia. Also known as the 'lesser pilgrimage' or 'minor pilgrimage', it can be performed at any time during the year and is usually accomplished within a few hours. It is not compulsory when compared to the major pilgrimage of Hajj, which is an obligation for all the Muslims physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey to Makkah. However, it is highly recommended, since it is Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) Sunnah.

Just like all those living far from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Muslims residing in the United Kingdom need a certain amount of budget for making this long journey. There was a time when UK Muslims had to rely on a few travel agents in the country to fulfil their dream of performing the lesser pilgrimage. In recent times, the Umrah packages UK tour operators provide have given them wider options to choose from. These are the tour operators that specialise in the Islamic religious tours of Hajj and Umrah. As a result, Muslims of the country can choose a package that would bring down their cost of travel to Makkah by a significant amount.

Many of these tour operators have an online presence today in the form of mobile-friendly websites. The Umrah packages are grouped into different categories on such sites based on their costs and the times of the year, for which, they are made available. Muslims who wish to perform their lesser pilgrimage can browse through these categories conveniently and select a package according to their budget. They can also bring down the costs involved in the journey even further if they book their preferred package several months in advance.

As most of the tour operators provide a considerable amount of discount on Umrah packages that are booked well in advance, Muslims of the UK can have greater savings for their journey to Makkah if they book the desired package several months earlier. In order to book early, they must be absolutely clear about their date of departure and the amount of time they wish to spend in the holy city. Once they have arrived at a firm decision on these two aspects, they can go ahead and book the chosen package without any worries.

Savings made by booking a package for Umrah in advance can be utilised for buying souvenirs or getting around in the holy city to visit the places of great significance. One such place is Masjid al-Jinn, which is located at a short distance from the Jannat al-Mu'alla in Makkah. The name literally translates as 'Mosque of the Jinn'. The word 'Jinn' refers to 'genies', which were supernatural creatures. The mosque has been built at the spot where a group of genies had assembled one night to hear Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recite a portion of the Quran.

Muslims residing in the UK can also reduce the cost of Umrah packages in many other ways.