Which Vaccination Certificates for UK Pilgrims are required in Umrah?

Every year millions of pilgrims perform the sacred ritual of Hajj and Umrah from various countries. This list has a high number of third world countries that have a great number of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Saudi Arabia has made some vaccination certificates necessary for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.

In this way, the chances of scattering any disease from one pilgrim to another are reduced. Here we will mention about the vaccination certificates that you need for your Hajj and Umrah travel. Especially for the UK pilgrims that they need for their Easter Umrah packages.

Meningococcal meningitis

It is a serious type of meningitis that encircles around your brain and spinal cord. It can be very harmful for your brain if not treated properly. It is recorded worldwide and in the US it is recorded for 1000 persons every year. If not treated timely one may survive with permanent deafness, brain damage and neurological problems.

Anyone who is preparing to perform either Hajj or Umrah he/she has to carry a valid proof of vaccination against meningococcal meningitis infection equivalent to (A/C/Y/W135).

Types of vaccination

• Polysaccharide vaccine - conducted in the recent 3 years and no less than 10 days before arrival in Saudi Arabia.
• Conjugate vaccine ¬- conducted in the recent 8 years and no less than 10 days before arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Both types of vaccination certificate are acceptable by the Saudi govt. although conjugate is recommended by many people. It is necessary for every adult that is going to perform Hajj or Umrah and baby above the age of 2 years.

Pilgrims arriving from African Meningitis Belt will also be given Ciprofloxacin tablets as an additional precautionary measure by the Saudi govt. at their entrance. You should submit the vaccination certificate along with your Umrah visa.

Seasonal Influenza

Although it is not required for your entrance in Makkah for Hajj and Umrah still Saudi Ministry of Health highly recommends carrying a vaccination certificate against seasonal influenza. Especially for those persons who are at high risk to get affected. It includes pregnant women, children over 5, the aged, individuals affected by chronic respiratory, diabetes, heart diseases and immunosuppression.

These are the certificates that you need to carry for Hajj and Umrah performance. You should prepare these certificates prior to your departure. Many approved Hajj Umrah agents UK demand this certificate when applying for Umrah visa. It is also checked at your entrance in Grand Mosque.

Umrah and Its Types | Conditions for Umrah

In Islam, Muslims are free from any time frame to perform Umrah except in the days of Hajj. We can’t do Umrah in the days of Hajj. Two basic kinds of Umrah are different in nature regarding their association with the Hajj. One can book Umrah deals according to preference on Umrah types.

Types of Umrah:

Umrah al-Mufradah and Umrah al-Tamattu are two basic kinds of Umrah. The performance of both types of Umrah is the same. Umrah rituals like Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’I and Halq or Taqsir are the same in both types of Umrah.

Umrah al-Mufradah

The first type of Umrah is totally independent of Hajj. Any Muslim can perform this at any time in the whole of the year except in the days of Hajj performance.

Umrah al-Tamattu

This type of Umrah is called Umrah al-Tamattu because of its association with Hajj al-Tamattu (a kind of Hajj). It is performed with the Hajj in the month of Dhul Hijjah just before the starting of Hajj.

Conditions for Umrah Performance

There are certain conditions that imply for the Umrah performance. If one doesn’t fulfil those conditions his/her Umrah will be considered as invalid. If you want to earn the great rewards of Umrah then you must perform it keeping the following requisites in your mind.

• Religion – One must be Muslim to perform Umrah pilgrimage.

• Maturity – You must have reached the age of puberty (i.e. you are Baligh) at the time of Umrah performance.

• Balance of mind – You must be mentally sound to make your decisions on your own. You shouldn’t be relying on others for your regular life decisions.

• Financial ability – You must be strong enough financially to bear your Umrah expenses at your own without any difficulty. You should also have enough sources to support your dependents during your absence. Being debt-free is not must for Umrah performance.

• Physical ability – You must be strong enough to travel for Umrah and do all of its rituals without any difficulty.  You should be free from any type of disease that restricts you from Umrah rituals. A disabled person can perform Umrah with the help of others.

• Transport – You must have access to transport and for travelling to Makkah for Umrah performance. Your travelling should be safe that means you don’t any kind of danger during your travel.

• Condition of Mahram for females – Women must be accompanied by one of her mahrams as described in Islam.

• Free from the Iddah period (females only) – Any lady that is going to perform Umrah should be free from Iddah period.

Hope this guide will help you in understanding the two types of Umrah. If you want to ask forgiveness for your past sins you can do it by performing Umrah through getting an Easter Umrah package. You can look for the mercy of the creator of the whole universe.

Conditions of performing tawaf al Umrah

Like any other thing that we perform in our daily life, from driving a car to preparing for a presentation, have some rules and regulations under which we have to perform the task. Similarly, tawaf that we perform in our Umrah pilgrimage has some prerequisites defined by Islam. March Umrah packages will be great to perform Umrah while facing the less of the crowd.

Tawaf is just like our regular prayer in terms of conditions that are defined for it. The only difference is that we can talk during tawaf as our Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) said, “Tawaf around the House is similar to Salah except that you may talk during it. So whoever talks in it, then talk only good.” Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 960

Conditions to perform tawaf al Umrah

Purity

It is necessary for every pilgrim to be free from any physical impurity before starting the tawaf ritual. Before starting tawaf one should enter in the state of wudhu. If your wudhu is nullified, you must skip performing tawaf, do wudhu and continue your tawaf from where you left. It is totally regardless of the period you consumed for retaking the state of wudhu.

Your clothes must be pure that means they don’t need to be washed because of any major impurity (minor impurities like dust is acceptable). According to Shafi’i, Hanbali and Maliki school of thought, if a woman has her periods during tawaf. The tawaf would be invalid for that woman.

Try to avoid contact with any non-mahram woman during tawaf. According to the Shafi’i school of thought, it is not permissible to make contact with the non-mahram woman during tawaf.

Awrah must be covered

Your Awarah must be covered by the Ihram during tawaf ul Umrah. Awarah for men is defined in Islam as the part of the body from vanel to knees. For women, it includes her whole body except her face and hands.

Within the boundary of Masjid-al-Haram

Your tawaf must take place under the boundary determined for the masjid-al-Haram. Tawaf would be valid if someone’s view to the holy Kaaba impeded by the pillars or walls, or completely out of sight due to being on below on ground level or at an elevated level. Tawaf is not valid if performed outside to the boundary of Masjid-al-Haram.

The Holy Kaaba on your Left side

The Kaaba should be on your left side in the whole of your tawaf procedure. You can face Kaaba to make Dua, intention or for prayer. If you get yourself knocked by someone in a facing position to the Kaaba, reposition yourself as soon as possible. 

Outside from the Parts of Kaaba

You must remain completely outside from the parts that are making the foundation of Kaaba. It includes Hijr Ismail (surrounded by al-Hateem) and Shadharwan. This means that you should not enter these points while performing tawaf. Instead, you should rotate around the Kaaba including these points.

Intention

An intention for the mandatory tawaf in Hajj or Umrah is included in the intention of pilgrimage. Still, it is best to declare the intention of tawaf before starting tawaf verbally or otherwise. If you cannot touch the Hajr-e-Aswad due to crowd you can make your intention by distance.

Start and End at the Hajar al-Aswad

One must start tawaf considering Hajar al-Aswad as its starting point and end his rounds of tawaf at Hajar al-Aswad also. If someone starts tawaf from any other point the distance will not be considered in the rounds of tawaf until he/she reaches to the Hajr-al-Aswad and start counting rounds.

Completion of seven circuits

One must complete seven rounds around the holy Kaaba in a prescribed way without having a break except for the prayer if called during tawaf. If you do prayer during your tawaf you should resume your tawaf from where you had left.

If one has doubt on the amount of tawaf he/she should perform an extra round.

These are the requirements that are must for the performance of tawaf. These requisites will remain same for Hajj. Whether you book the cheapest hajj packages 2020 UK or go with Umrah deals consider these requirements before starting tawaf.