Umrah Resumes After 7 Month Hiatus

Saudi Arabian establishments on Sunday re-opened the Muslim sacred places for Umrah pilgrimage on Sunday after a seven-month break due to the coronavirus. 

Following coronavirus procedures, the first lot of Umrah pilgrims inwards in the wee hours of Sunday, said the Office of Hajj and Umrah on Twitter.

Without giving additional details, the ministry public photos of the visitors entering the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah.

Saudis and foreign peoples of the kingdom will be indorsed to perform Umrah or the slight pilgrimage, at the Grand Masjid at a 30% size or 6,000 people per day as of Sunday.

Earlier, the official SPA newscast agency reported that the blockade placed around the Kaaba and the holy Black Stone will continue in its place and visitors will be banned from touching them as part of the COVID-19 events.

Masjid al-Haram, where the Kaaba is situated, will be clean 10 times a day, SPA said, adding that isolation rooms were already ready for visitors showing indications of COVID-19.

Last week, Saudi Arabia proclaimed that it will slowly lift a coronavirus-related travel ban for the Umrah pilgrimage.

The SPA said both local and global worshippers coming for Umrah and worship will be acknowledged as of Nov. 1, while both Masjid al-Haram and Al-Masjid al-Nabawi will be unlocked for worship at full volume by taking COVID-19 protective events.

Several sites were ready, namely (Ajyad, Al-Shisha, Al-Gaza, and Al-Zahir) to collect the Umrah performers, then transport them to the Grand Masjid by buses, escorted by health facilities, rendering to the Saudi Press Agency.

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Masjid and the Prophet’s Masjid has placed current cameras, to save the Two Holy Masjids free of COVID-19

Due to the pandemic, the Hajj pilgrimage this year was incomplete to those living in Saudi Arabia and pilgrims from overseas were not accepted.

Umrah is the Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah that Muslims can assume at any time of the year.

Recognition of Allah SWT

The question which arises here is: How can all people be expected to trust in the one true Allah SWT, given their varying backgrounds, societies, and cultures? For people to be held accountable for worshipping the one true Allah SWT, they all need to have access to information of him. The final revelation teaches that all human beings have the recognition of the one true Allah SWT imprinted on their souls as a part of their very nature with which they are created.

In the seventh chapter of the Qur'an (Al-A'raaf, verses 172-173), Allah SWT explained that when He created Adam He caused all of Adam's descendants to come into existence and He took a pledge from them saying:

"'Am I not your Lord?' To which, they all replied, 'Yes, we testify to it.'"

Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He is their creator and the only true Allah SWT worthy of worship. He said:

"That was in the case you (mankind) should say on the Day of Resurrection, 'Verily we were unaware of all this.'" (Qur'an 7:172)

That is to say, we cannot claim on that Day that we had no idea that Allah was our Allah SWT and that no one told us that we were supposed to worship Allah alone. Allah went on to further explain that:

"It was also in case you should say, 'Certainly it was our ancestors who made partners (with Allah) and we are only their descendants; will You then destroy us for what those liars did?'" (Qur'an 7:173)

Thus, every child is born with a natural belief in Allah SWT and an in-born inclination to worship Him alone. This in-born belief and inclination is called in Arabic the "Fitrah".

The Prophet Muhammad reported that Allah said, "I created my servants in the right religion, but devils made them go astray." The Prophet also said, "Each child is born in a state of Fitrah. Then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian." If the child were left alone, he would worship Allah SWT in his own way, but all children are affected by the environment. So, just as the child submits to the physical laws which Allah has imposed on nature, in the same way, his soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah is his Lord and Creator. But, if his parents try to make him follow a different path, the child is not strong enough in the early stages of his life to resist or oppose the will of his parents. In such cases, the religion which the child follows is one of custom and upbringing, and Allah SWT does not hold him to account or punish him for his religion up to a certain stage of his life.

Blessings of Marriage in Islam

Islam imparts education with respect to every matter in life. Marriage is a very sacred institution in Islam. People think of marriage as a burdensome expense. However, in Islam, marriage is as simple as signing a contract, called “Nikah” and fulfilling its basic requirements. Islam vehemently advocates against dowry. It strongly condemns extravagant marriages. Islam encourages a simple wedding. Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) wedded his only daughter Hazrat Fatima (RA) in the simplest manner setting a wonderful example of austerity. In fact, Allah has blessed the institution of marriage with abundance in provision and bounties. Islam encourages Muslims to get married as early as possible. This saves a person from many social vices, along with providing a wonderful partner to share your sorrows and joy.

Ideal married life tips: -

Sanctity of marriage has become extremely endangered in today’s world. People have become intolerant of each other. They have become neglectful of each other’s rights. As a result, divorce rates have risen extremely. What is the reason behind such an unfortunate trend? Ignoring Islam’s message and teachings have led to such disastrous social conditions. Here are some ideal married life tips as per Islam’s teachings: -

·        Be loving towards each other to please Allah: -

In Islam, marriage has great importance. It is this relationship from which all the other blood relationships are created. Husband and wife must love each other dearly. Not only that, they must express their love for each other so as to rekindle the newlywed feeling every now and then. They must dress up for each other, take care of each other’s small needs and smile at each other. Most of all they must show that they are happy in their lives so that their spouse feels good. However, it must be kept in mind that any relationship, be it that of husband and wife is only for the sake of Allah.

·        Be grateful towards each other: -

It is very important to show gratitude and thankfulness towards each other. The man works all day from dawn to dusk to earn a living for his family. While the woman takes care of his home, his family and his children while he is away. Hence they must respect each other and be grateful for their contribution towards a happy and stable life.

·        Forgive each other’s mistakes: -

One of the biggest reasons why marriages fail is that people have become very impatient. They are not ready to forgive each other for their mistakes. Being forgiving is very crucial for a healthy relationship. Humans are bound to make mistakes. Hence forgive mistakes and move ahead with life. Allah loves those who are forgiving towards his men. Allah loves his merciful men. So forgive and forget the mistakes made by your spouse for an ideal married life.

·        Do not stop communication between each other: -

Another major problem is that people inflate their ego so much that they compromise on the sanctity of the relationship. Allah does not like egoist and self-centered people. When husband and wife stop talking to each other situation aggravates. So they must continue talking to each other no matter what.

·        Do not let Satan deviate you to the Wrong Path: -

Devil is most envious of the relationship between a husband and wife. He tries his best to make them go astray. He is the happiest when they make mistakes and lie to each other. So always seek the refuge of Allah from evil forces. Recite supplications to protect your marriage from evil eye. Refrain from publicly expressing love for each other as it might attract evil eye.

These were some useful ideal married life tips.

Book Packages Early for Performing Umrah in Ramadan

Ramadan is the holy Islamic month when Muslims across the world observe fast from dawn until sunset. According to the Islamic calendar, it is the ninth month and commemorates the revelation of the Holy Quran for the first time to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is compulsory for all adult Muslims to observe fast for the entire month, but it is not obligatory for certain individuals. They include menstruating women, women in their state of pregnancy, women who are breastfeeding their children, the sick, the chronically ill, and the elderly. The word 'Ramadan' is derived from the Arabic 'Ramida' or 'ar-Ramad'. It literally translates as 'dryness' or 'scorching heat'.

An Umrah in Ramadan is considered to be of great importance and it can be understood from what Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated. According to the narration, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once asked a woman who was from Madinah the reason for not performing Hajj. In her reply, she said that her husband had taken one of their two camels to go on his pilgrimage and that she needed the other camel for irrigating their land. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), upon hearing this, replied that an Umrah in the holy month was just like (in terms of the reward) performing Hajj with him.

Many of the Muslims book Ramadan Umrah packages owing to the opportunities that the holy month brings for them to earn great spiritual rewards. Today, they have the option of choosing the desired package from a wide range of packages offered by many of the tour operators or travel companies. All they have to do is go online and search for the best packages that suit their overall budget. One of the best ways to choose a package from the available ones is to compare the cost of all the packages. If the prospective pilgrims find a particular travel company and the package offered by it suitable, they can go ahead with their booking.

The prospective pilgrims would never like to miss the opportunities for Umrah Ramadan month brings for Muslims. Many of them, therefore, try to book the packages as soon as possible to benefit from the spiritual rewards associated with performing Umrah in the holy month. The heavy rush often leads to an increase in the cost of these packages and this makes it difficult for many to get any of them at the desired cost. Upon booking any of these packages several months in advance, they can reduce the package cost to a great extent.

However, before booking any of the packages for performing Umrah in the holy month, it is essential that the prospective pilgrims make sure that the travel company or tour operator they are booking with is authentic. As there are plenty of them today in different corners of the globe, it has become absolutely necessary to verify the authenticity of the tour operator or travel company. The reliable ones are those who have been authorized by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and approved by IATA and ATOL.

You can reduce the the overall cost of your journey to the holy city with cheap Umrah packages.

What is the significance of the Day of Ashura

Ashura, the 10^th day of Muharram: -

Muharram is one of the four sacred months in which Muslims are specifically supposed to perform more good deeds and refrain for evil actions. The 10^th day of Muharram is known as Ashura. This day has immense significance in Islam. It is because of the important events that took place on this day.

Day of Ashura and the Battle of Karbala: -

On the 10^th day of Muharram the fierce battle of Karbala took place between a small group of righteous men and a large army of powerful and strong but astray force. The righteous group was led by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) the beloved grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The group consisted of his family including women and minor young children and some friends. The powerful army was led by Yazid who was the Umayyid Caliph. Ruthlessly the forces of Yazid stopped water supply to the group of Hazrat Imam Hussain for three days. Hazrat Imam Hussain and his son were martyred while the women in his family were taken as captives.   

Significant events that took place on the Day of Ashura: -

There are many other significant events in the history of Islam that took place on Ashura. It was the day of Ashura when Hazrat Moosa and the people of Israel were saved from the wrath of Pharaoh and his men. Allah drowned Pharaoh and his army in the river Nile on the day of Ashura.

Hazrat Nooh’s ark came to rest at the mountain of al-Judi on the day of Ashura. Hazrat Adam (AS) was also forgiven by Allah on the day of Ashura. People of Hazrat Younus (AS) were forgiven by Allah on the 10^th of Muharram. Hazrat Ayub (AS) recovered from his illness on the day of Ashura.

There is great reward for doing good deeds on the day of Ashura. According to a hadith, if a person spends bigheartedly on his family on the day of Ashura, Allah will shower his blessings and bounties upon the person for the rest of the year. Similarly, one hadith tells that giving charity on the day of Ashura earns the reward of giving charity for the whole year. This shows the significance of the day of Ashura and how much reward Allah has kept for doing good on this day.

Fasting on the Day of Ashura: -

When prophet Muhammad (PBUH) came to Medina he observed that the Jews of Medina keep fast on the 10^th of Muharram. When enquired them, they said Hazrat Moosa (AS) fasted on this day to show gratitude to Allah for saving them from the Pharaoh. Hence, the Jews carried this tradition from thereon. Prophet Muhammad said to the Muslims that they have more right over carrying the tradition Of Hazrat Moosa (AS) than the Jews so he ordered Muslims to fast on the day of Ashura. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was very particular about fasting on the day of Ashura. He said:

“For fasting the day of ʿĀshūra, I hope that Allāh will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.”

Conclusion: -

All these events that took place on the 10^th of Muharram indicate the significance of the day of Ashura in Islam. It is also evident from the Sunnah that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was particularly very keen about engaging in worship, fasting and good deeds on this day. So much so that before Allah made fasting in the month of Ramadan obligatory, it was as though fasting on the day of Ashura is obligatory. So Muslims all over the world are advocated to understand the true essence and significance of the day of Ashura. Not just that, it is important to pay reverence and tribute to this day as it is ought to by engaging in good deeds and worship of Allah.

Hajj Occasion

Indeed, the honored and sacred Kaaba is the first house and masjid built on the face of this earth, and Prophet Adam peace be upon him was the first to shape it. However, at the time of Prophet Nuh A.S, the Kaaba collapsed during the great overflow which had enclosed the entire earth.

The Kaaba is in the middle of the earth’s superficial and above it in the 7th sky and similar to it, is a sacred and holy house called Bait-ul Ma'mur. To the populations of the skies (the angels), Bait-ul Ma'mur is stared as the Kaaba is to the inhabitants of the globe. Every day, 70,000 angels arrive it, pray in it then once they permission they never return to it.

What are the stages of Hajj?

• Ihram
• Kaaba
• Safa and Marwa
• Mina
• Muzdalifah
• Eid ul-Adha

Allah subhanahu wa ta ala ordered Prophet Ibrahim to reconstruct the sacred house, the Holy Kaaba and guided him to the position of the original construction of the Kaaba before the flood. Prophet Ibrahim A.S made his way to the Sacred city of Makkah and met his son Ismail behind Zam Zam water. There he said to him: “O Ismail, Allah subhanahu wa ta ala has ordered me to construct a house” to that Prophet Ismail replied: “Then obey your Lord”. Then Prophet Ibrahim A.S said: “Allah ordered as well that you assist me in building it”. Ismail responded: “Then I will help you.”

So, Prophet Ibrahim A.S started to build the Kaaba laying its stones which were accepted on to him by his son Ismail until the building was finished. Upon the conclusion of laying an entire row of stones, the stone that Prophet Ibrahim A.S used to stand on, known as Maqam Ibrahim, would rise a little by the Will of Allah subhanahu wa ta ala make it easier for Prophet Ibrahim to shape the next row until all was completed.

Then Prophet Ibrahim said to his son Ismail: “Bring me a nice rock to lay it on one of the corners of the Kaaba to be used by the people as a controlling mark “. Suddenly, Angel Jibril brought the Black Stone down from Heaven and Prophet Ibrahim positioned it in the present location.

The Black Stone and the Maqam are, between many others, two precious gems of Heaven that used to be brilliant.  Originally, their light was influential enough to light east and west. Sadly, due to the blasphemous performances done by the pagans of Makkah after the death of Prophet Ismail by a long time their light faded away. In regards to the Black Stone, it turned black due to the hands of the idol-worshippers continually touching it as part of their love.

Allah ordered Prophet Ibrahim to announce to people the obligation of Hajj. Ayah 27 of Surat-ul- Hajj means:

And declare unto mankind the Hajj. They will come unto you on foot or riding camels from far and wide.

Prophet Ibrahim A.S him stood on the Maqam and said: What do I say? Angel Jibril’s reply was: say:

لبيك اللهم لبيك، لبيك لا شريك لك لبيك

Which means: O Allah, I obey Your Order, I obey You time after time. You are the One without a partner, I shall obey You time after time. Upon hearing these words, Prophet Ibrahim started repeating them hence becoming the first man to say the Talbiyah.

It has been related that prophet Ibrahim called out in the open addressing mankind: Allah ordered you to do Hajj and will prize you for it by admitting you into Heaven and saving you from Hellfire.

We question Allah to bestow upon us the honor of performing hajj and Umrah and visiting the grave of our Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH him every year. Ameen

Ramadan Rules for Fasting

Fasting the month of Ramadan is among the major pillars of Islam. It is required upon every sane, healthy Muslim who reached adolescence as well as is not traveling during the time of fasting. When it comes to females, they need to not quickly if they are menstruating or having post-childbirth bleeding.

Allaah ﷻ says in the Qur'an what may be interpreted as, "O' you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may achieve Taqwaa (righteousness, God-fearing)."

[Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 183]

The prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "Whoever observes the fast during the month of Ramadan, (while) believing in Allaah and seeking His rewards will have his past sins forgiven."

[Reported by Imaams Bukhaari, Muslim and others]

What is allowed and not allowed during Ramadan?

Muslims can drink and eat, but just from prior to sunrise, which is referred to as suhoor or the morning meal, and after sunset, which is known as iftar or the evening meal. Sexual relations so this would certainly hold true in Ramadan yet not during the rapid when all must be stayed clear of or they might nulify the rapid.

What are the rules for fasting during Ramadan?

Muslims around the world waits eagerly for Ramadan, as it is a time of boosted internal tranquility as well as well-being.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is necessary upon every adult Muslim, male or women, that has reached adolescence, is rational as well as that is not unwell or traveling.

Health issues might be a temporary sickness from which a person expects to be treated quickly. Such a person needs to not quickly throughout the days of his or her illness, however, she or he needs to quickly later on after Ramadan to finish the missed out on days. Those who are sick with an incurable health problem and also anticipate no better health and wellness are likewise enabled not to fast yet they need to pay the fidyah, which is providing a day's meals for each quick missed out on to a clingy individual. Rather than food for eventually one can likewise offer an equivalent amount of loan to a clingy individual. Females in their menses and post-natal bleeding are not allowed to quick, but they have to make up the quick later after Ramadan. If expecting women and also moms that are nursing babies can additionally delay their fasting to a later time when they have the ability to do so.

Do people gain or lose weight during Ramadan?

While Muslims, as well as other spiritual customs, have actually kept fasting for centuries, it has ended up being a main attribute of the wellness and wellness community in the past decade now that modern-day science has shown fasting to be the key to a variety of wellness benefits. Intermittent fasting, which indicates restricting consuming to details hrs throughout the day (essentially what Muslims have done for 1400 years) has been revealed to be amongst one of the most helpful things one can do for their health. Insulin degrees go down, human development hormonal agent (which boosts muscle mass gain and also weight reduction) degrees go up, cells are fixed, and also there declare adjustments in genetics associated with longevity and also disease avoidance. However that's simply the suggestion of the iceberg; researches have actually also shown that recurring fasting can aid you drop weight, become less insulin immune (reducing risk of type-2 diabetic issues), reduce oxidative stress and also, inflammation in the body, improve heart health and wellness, get rid of waste from cells, stop against cancer cells, enhance mind wellness, stop Alzheimer's illness, and extend lifespan.

How does Ramadan work?

Yearly, greater than one billion Muslims around the globe observe the relevance of the month of Ramadan. This time of the year is a time for reflection, commitment to God, and self-control. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims reveal their dedication to God by fasting, or abstaining from food.

Numerous faiths encourage some type of fasting for religious functions. As an example, Catholics quit meat for Lent and also Jews quick throughout the holiday of Yom Kippur. For Muslims, fasting is a really essential part of Islam. The benefits of not eating for Ramadan are many. One of the most important, however, is the idea that with the self-control of fasting one can pay special focus to his spiritual nature.

Ramadan is a crucial time for Muslims, not simply since it aids to establish a better partnership with God, yet additionally due to the fact that Ramadan is a time to consider those that are less fortunate. An additional goal of fasting for Ramadan is to experience appetite in sympathy for those without food. It is a way that lots of Muslims learn thankfulness and also gratitude wherefore they have.

How do you stay healthy during Ramadan?

1. Drink 8 glasses of water daily from Iftar to Suhour to avoid dehydration and also constipation

2. Sleep for 6-8 hours a day to get enough psychological and physical rest. Much less sleep means you will feel worn out throughout the day which in turns leads to much less performance as well as activity

3. Have a balanced diverse Iftar which incorporates dates, soup, salad, a main dish, fruits and also a small item of Ramadan wonderful

4. Walk or join some sort of physical activity

5. Have Suhour to fill your body with power and also help manage your blood sugar level