Useful tips for Umrah with children
The word Umrah is derived from Itimar which means to visit. Umrah is considered a sacred journey like Hajj is a sacred journey. Both journeys end in the holy cities of Mecca, where Muslims perform various rituals. Every Muslim does not miss a moment to perform Umrah and Hajj at least once in his life. Umrah is not a duty, but a Sunnah, but Hajj is a duty. If a Muslim is physically and financially unable to perform Hajj, then Hajj is not obligatory. Because God never puts such a weight on His servants that exceed the limit for them.
The costs of Hajj are slightly higher than Umrah, so Muslims can easily perform Umrah compared to Hajj. In this regard, every Muslim will need a good travel agency that arranges the entire trip by providing cheap Umrah packages with flight facilities. This package is suitable for anyone who wishes to travel alone and with a group or family.
Most parents want to perform Umrah with their children, whether their children are infants or adults. In the last two years, joint Umrah of parents and children was banned. But now it is possible. So some useful tips for those parents when starting the Umrah journey with their children
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Parents should hang small hang cards around their children’s necks filled with their names, passport numbers, contact numbers and addresses. Parents can easily locate their children due to hanging cards in case they lose their children there by mistake.
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Parents should purchase child safety harnesses before starting the journey so that they do not lose their children somewhere during prayer times. If the children are infants, parents should buy a baby carrier so that they can keep their children with them during Umrah.
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Parents can also buy a lightweight portable stroller for their little ones so that the Umrah journey can be completed easily. This is very useful during Tawaf because in this way the parents can concentrate on the ritual of circumambulating the Kaaba instead of the children. This stroller will not tire you while shopping and travelling from hotels to the Holy Mosques (Masjid al-Haram and Masjid an-Nabawi).
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If children understand the importance of Umrah, then parents should provide them with children’s books on Umrah, which will increase the children’s knowledge about Umrah.
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Parents should pack some extra Abaya and Ihram for their children (Boy and Girl). Ihram is not obligatory for children until they reach the age of puberty.
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Playing with toys is the best pastime for any child. Therefore, parents should pack some toys to keep their children busy in the hotel or while travelling.
It is not allowed to bring dolls that conform to any form in the holy mosques. The guards often take away such toys at the gates of the mosque.
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Keeping basic medications with you while travelling is very important, so parents include some basic painkillers seasonally in your travel packing.
Read also: New Umrah Season starts on July 30
Children above 5 years of age can perform Umrah with their parents, but children below 5 years of age cannot perform Umrah. But parents can pray with their children under 5 years of age in Al Haram and Masjid Nabawi.
Affording the travel expenses is not easy for everyone if he hopes to travel with his family, especially one that includes children and the elderly. Therefore, booking group Umrah packages in this situation would be appropriate.
