Performing Umrah means you are invited by Allah Almighty Himself to visit His House in Makkah. Last month, my happiness was on another level when I came to know that our family’s Umrah visa had been approved. Yes, we were among those lucky Muslims who got to fulfil the sacred rituals of this sunnah with their loved ones. From countless blessings and unlimited rewards to shared memories and spiritual reflections, our pilgrimage was worth every penny spent on booking Umrah Packages Glasgow. Keep reading till the conclusion to gain maximum insights.

Table of Contents

A Memorable Start of Our Umrah Journey

I still remember how glad we were at the time my father told us that we would soon depart for the Umrah journey. Although it was our very first Umrah trip, we felt nothing but excitement while making a checklist. It will not be wrong to say that my siblings and I were over the moon, and our excitement before leaving Glasgow was on another level. This was because we were about to roam in the same places as our Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Travel Planning

One of the most important steps was to select the most suitable Umrah packages Glasgow. You can select from a number of Umrah offers that match your comfort needs and budget demands. The next step in preparing for our devotional journey was to book a flight with a reasonable airfare from Glasgow to Saudi Arabia. We compared the prices of direct and indirect flights and concluded that the latter was better for us. We were supposed to have a layover for a short period of time, but we were least bothered by this because of our boosted excitement.

The thing that took some time was preparing our official documents including a meningitis vaccination certificate and passport. My passport was about to expire in one month, due to which I had to send a request for its renewal. Preparing these documents was required for the successful submission of the visa application.

Spiritual Preparation and Packing

I still remember when my mother asked us to perform wudu immediately after receiving the news of visa confirmation. We offered two rakats navafil for thanking Allah Almighty that He chose us for this noble purpose. Later, we delved right into the spiritual preparation of our Umrah journey. Not only did we see online videos entitled how to perform the rituals of Umrah but we also headed towards the nearest mosque to attend physical sessions by the expert scholars. This way, we were aware of several misconceptions regarding this minor pilgrimage and were able to get rid of confusion regarding the different steps of Umrah.

Packing our luggage was going side by side. As we were embarking on this devotional journey during the summer, our bag consisted of breathable clothes, comfortable shoes, light scarves, etc. One of the Umrah guidance sessions informed us to prepare a small bag with a prayer mat, a reusable water bottle and some other essentials like a power bank.

The Journey to the Holy Cities

We took our first flight from Glasgow to Saudi Arabia early in the morning. Although the journey was a bit longer than we expected, the first impression upon arrival in the sacred city was nothing but gratitude and a strange peace in the air. Thank God we did not have to wait while standing in the long queues. This is because the shuttle service was included in our chosen Umrah Package. Therefore, our transportation from the airport to the hotel was taken care of effectively. A very distinct emotion of curiosity about visiting the holy places was making a quick place in our hearts and we kept ourselves busy doing the dhikr of our creator.

First Glimpse of the Kaaba

Our hearts started to race after stepping into the holy city of Makkah. This is because we knew that we were just a few minutes away from the House of Allah Almighty. We got out of our hotel and reached the Kaaba within 20 minutes. From entering the gate of the Masjid al Haram to taking different turns to have the first glimpse of the Kaaba felt unreal. The feeling of finally seeing the black Kaaba was totally unmatched, when we could not utter a single word but our eyes were filled with tears. We made heartfelt prayers and were occupied by a number of emotions. The environment across the mosque was so spiritual that we spent plenty of time reciting the Quran Majeed in one of the cosy corners there.

Performing the Sunnah Rituals

We started circumambulating the Kaaba in order to complete the ritual of tawaf. The crowd was large, which lowered our speed but tiredness could not come in our way due to our higher spirits. The second ritual was sa’i, which was completed after walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa. The last step of Umrah was halq and taqseer for the male and female pilgrims, respectively.

Special Family Moments

One of the best parts of our Umrah journey was that we created special moments with our family members. Spending leisure hours in the House of Allah Almighty or in Masjid an Nabawi in Madinah with your near and dear ones is considered no less than great luck. We strengthened our mutual relationships. Moreover, reflecting on the spiritual essence of the journey made us realise the importance of little blessings in our lives. Motivating each other during the exhausting rituals and tolerating the scorching heat of the summers during the ziyarat brought us closer to each other. Long story short, we end up making precious memories that will stay with our family forever.

Visiting Religious Sites

A prominent part of our iterinary was exploring numerous religious sites that became the cause of strengthening our faith. Some of these include Masjid al Jinn, Jannat al Baqi, Mount Uhud and much more. My favourite part was when we travelled to Madinah from Makkah. We could literally feel a layer of peace after entering the city. We sat and prayed for a long time while witnessing the calm surroundings of the Prophet’s mosque. Finally, we took a group photo there as a memory of a deeply spiritual Umrah experience.

Conclusion

Although the trip ended, we brought countless and unforgettable memories with us back to Glasgow. Deep spiritual reflections helped us adopt taqwa that made our lives more in accordance with Islam. Understanding the temporality of this life and the beginning of the hereafter helps us focus on what is really important instead of being stuck in worldly chores forever.

Are you also thinking of embarking on the rewarding journey of Umrah from Glasgow with your family? Think no more and choose your favourite Umrah packages Glasgow offered by Muslims Holy Travel. Let them plan a well-organised and hassle-free itinerary and turn your dream spiritual journey into reality.