Umrah is highly a religious trip, a journey of faith that cleanses the soul and helps Muslim people to become closer to Allah. This is among the more meaningful experience that most parents would wish to share with their children and leave memories that will remain in their minds and make them love their religion even at such a young age. However, the concept of bringing such a big trip and the small ones can be daunting. The logistics might seem a nightmare, be it by the press-packs or the naps.
This manual is aimed to relieve such fears. We will give you practical ideas and considerate suggestions that can make you organize and undertake a flawless, purposeful, and spiritually satisfying Umrah with your whole family. Through proper planning, you can make the pilgrimage an enjoyable and meaningful experience to you and your children and turn possible obstacles into opportunities of personal development and worship. And how you can turn this holy journey into a beautiful reality as far as your family is concerned.
There are no better chances to bring children to the very core of Islam in a real, effective manner, when taking them to Umrah. It is an opportunity to follow the steps of prophets, experience the togetherness of the Ummah, and create a spiritual base that will help them in their life. When you plan this trip with Salah Travels, you will be able to leave the logistical aspects of this trip to them and concentrate on the spiritual health of your family and make this an experience that is not only easy to manage but also to remember.
Preparing for Your Sacred Journey
The success of family pilgrimage is determined by proper preparation. A trip that is planned will save stress and give each person the opportunity to concentrate on the spiritual side of Umrah.
Setting the Right Intentions (Niyyah)
The most important thing to do is to set your intention before you even pack your bags. Keep in mind that the main objective of this trip is to find the favor of Allah. Accompanied with children to Umrah will most certainly have its challenges. You cannot do all the voluntary prayers, nor spend all the time in silent meditation that you had done in solitude. When you are preparing your trip through the Umrah Packages from Chicago, you should take this fact with patience. Your diligence in taking care of your children and educating them about their religion in this pilgrimage is worship in itself. Get your expectations adjusted, and don’t aim at the quantity of what you worship.
Educating Your Children
Get your children ready beforehand what they shall have. Talk about the importance of Makkah, Madinah, the Kaaba and Umrah activities by using language and age related stories and images that can be used to explain the importance of these places. Correct the Sa’i practices and educate about Prophet Ibrahim (AS), Hajar (AS) and Prophet Ismail (AS). Present them with some videos of the Tawaf so that the view of the Kaaba and the crowds would not be so intimidating. The better the knowledge they have the more will their interest and association to the pilgrimage be.
What to Pack for the Little Pilgrims
Smart packing can change the world. Below is a list of necessities of your children:
Comfortable Clothing
Breathable ihram clothes in male and loose-fitting and modest clothes in female. To wear outside of the rituals bring along some changes of comfy everyday wear.
Essential Medications
Bring a small first aid kit of basic drugs, bandages, antiseptic wipes and any special drug that your child requires.
Snacks and Water
Home snacks will be a savior when the kids are naughty. Make sure that people are not dehydrated giving them their own refillable water bottles.
Child Carrier or Stroller
To younger children a light stroller or the comfortable child carrier is essential. It will spare them their short legs and yours their heavy back in the long walks.
Toys and Activities
Prepare a few small and quiet toys, coloring books or tablet with headphones to keep them busy during the off time or during traveling.
Navigating the Rituals with Kids
They need to be attentive and calm when carrying out the rituals of Umrah, which may get difficult with children. Here’s how to manage it.
Performing Tawaf and Sa’i
The two sacred mosques are very congested. One should always be on high alert about their children.
Choose Off-Peak Times
Attempt to do Tawaf and Sa’i when few people are present say in the late time of night or early morning. This will result in a safer and more relaxed family atmosphere.
Use the Upper Floors
The high rises of Masjid al-Haram are not very congested frequently. The distance range is higher, but the experience is typically less stressful and demanding with children.
Strollers and Carriers
Strollers will mostly be allowed in the upper floors in Tawaf and throughout the Sa’i area. A child carrier is a great solution when you want to keep your hands free, but at the same time make sure that your child is safe.
Teach Them Simple Duas
Train your children to say simple prayers that are not lengthy and when they attend Tawaf. This makes them feel part and part of the worship.
Keeping Children Engaged and Comfortable
When a child is happy, the pilgrimage will be easier. It is important to attend to their fundamental needs before their spirit is lowered.
Maintain Routines
Most of the time, you should adhere to the schedules of your children in regards to the time they sleep and the time they eat. A child who is properly fed and rested will not easily get irritable.
Take Regular Breaks
Ensure that you do not overwork your kids. Get a lot of breaks to refresh up and have a snack and re-hydrate. Look in a hideout somewhere in the mosque, refresh with the family.
Involve Them in the Experience
Assign to the children small and manageable tasks. Present them their pack pack of own water and pack of snack which is small. Ask them to assist them in providing the dates to other pilgrims. These trifles are bound to make them feel as part of the trip.
Making the Most of Your Time in Makkah and Madinah
Other than the basic rituals, there are numerous spiritual development and family building activities in the holy cities.
Exploring Historical Sites
It might be a wonderful learning experience, the Ziyarah sightseeing. Take a number of brief tours to places such as Jabal al-Noor (the Mountain of light), Jabal Thawr and the battlegrounds of the Battle of Uhud. Whenever you visit such places, put the historic events that occurred in those places in an interesting narrative form. This helps in identifying your children with the grandiose Islamic history.
The Experience in Madinah
Prophet in Madinah is serene and composed and children will react towards it. The trip to Masjid an-Nabawi, and obedience to Prophet Muhammad (AS) is something that is difficult to forget. Make your children aware of the Prophet (AS) and how he is one of the favorite ones. You must go when you find time, preferably at the off hours, to the Riad al-Jannah (one of the gardens of the Presidio), but you need not be disappointed in case you do not. The whole mosque is a blessing of proportion of size.
To successfully conduct an Umrah with children, one has to be patient, flexible, and have a positive mindset. You should not consider your children as a distraction in your worship, but consider them as your way to even bigger gains in Allah. Each hour you spend educating them, attending them, and taking them on this holy journey is the great investment in their religious future and the show of your faithfulness as a parent.
Your Journey Awaits
Umrah done with your children can be one of the most rewarding experiences in your life. It is an investment into their spiritual training and a convincingly lovely method to fortify family connections by means of mutual religion. It will take additional planning and a lot more time, but you will receive a blessing and memories that are incalculable. This is not merely a ritual that you are going through; it is your legacy of faith that you are leaving behind to the future generation. At Salah Travels, we have the special needs of families who are traveling to Umrah. Our customized family packages also take care of everything, including flights and accommodation to ground transport, such that you are able to concentrate on what is really important, which is your spiritual journey. We will make your Umrah memorable to the whole family.
