Umrah is a religious journey in Islam. In this journey, Muslims travel to Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. They perform their religious Umrah rituals there. Since it is about the whole Muslim community and not every Muslim is from Makkah or Saudi Arabia, Muslims come here from all over the world. This requires them to travel like an International traveller with all the necessary planning and preparation. In this preparation, packing is an essential step, having a role in every step of your journey. Let’s find out how packing can impact your whole journey.

Understanding Your Necessities

Before you start, it is important to know that there are different packings according to the expected weather. You are going to stay there for one or two weeks. Summer gives temperatures more than 40 C, which is extremely hot while winter gives temperatures of 15-25 C, which is cold. So your packing strategy must match ongoing conditions.

1. Documents

Pack all the documents in a waterproof document holder. Also, keep the soft copies of all those documents in your phone and cloud storage. The following documents must be ready or you will not be able to travel:

Passport and Visa: The validity of your passport must be at least 6 months from your planned travel date. An Umrah visa will be attached inside by the travel agency.

Flight Tickets and Hotel Reservations: Keep hard copies of flight tickets and hotel reservation documents.

Travel Insurance: Your travel insurance is able to cover any medical emergency or disruption to the trip.

Photocopies: Keep the photocopies of all those originals in a separate case.

2. Ihram Essentials

Ihram is a necessary state during Umrah. The Ihram dress is different for men and women.

For Men: Pack two sets of Ihram clothes. Each includes two unstitched white clothes. During summer, these clothes should be lightweight and thin, but not as thin as your body parts get exposed when those clothes become wet. During winter, these clothes should be thicker.

For Women: There is no particular dress for women during the Ihram state. They should fully cover their body with a stitched dress and gown. Only face and hands should be exposed. So pack two sets of clothes that can cover your whole body.

Accessories: A money pouch to be held under the Ihram garments, flip-flops or sandals and safety pins to hold the Ihram. Women must keep their headscarves in order to cover their heads.

Undergarments: A pair of necessary undergarments should be kept for the respective gender.

Other Clothes: After exiting the Ihram state, women will remain in those clothes, while men can keep their normal clothes (due to the expected weather) to wear after exiting the state of Ihram.

3. Personal Care and Toiletries

It is not allowed to use any type of perfume or scented products during the state of Ihram. So plan your toiletries and personal care items accordingly. Keep all necessary items of your regular use, i.e. unscented soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, Miswak, deodorant, wet wipes, comb, nail clipper, towel, pocket tissues, hand sanitizer, lip balm, sunscreen and menstrual products (for women).

4. Medical Needs

Here’s what you need to pack to fulfil your medical needs:

Prescribed Medicine: If you are having some ongoing medication, keep that with you in its original label and make sure to check its expiry.

First Aid kit: Keep pain relievers, diarrhea tablets, indigestion relievers, Oral Rehydration Salts, plasters, antiseptic wipes and blister plasters with you. In the case of a minor health emergency, you can urgently treat yourself.

5. Other Necessities

Religious Items: Keep a pocket-sized Quran, a Prayer Mat, a Tasbeeh counter, and a foldable bag to carry your shoes in the boundary of Haram.

Electronic Items: Must pack your phone’s charging cable, G-type adapter, power bank, earphones and their charging case.

Money: You must have a mix of Saudi Riyals for regular and minor expenses like water, dates, taxis etc. Overall, you should have all the money you need. Use a money belt for extra security to protect your money. Prefer ATMs over local exchanges for better exchange rates.

Common Packing Mistakes

1. Avoid overpacking; you will possibly buy things there for your known or yourself. So leave some space in your bag.

2. Do not pack any scented items because they are forbidden during the Ihram state.

3. Do not select uncomfortable footwear; it can hurt your feet.

4. Check Saudi customs regulations to avoid prohibited items during packing.

Tips for Smart Packing for Umrah

1. Use packing cubes to organize everything in a sequence and for easy access.

2. Pack a few travel detergent sachets to wash your clothes.

3. Pack your clothes necessarily according to the current weather in Makkah.

Final Packing Checklist for Umrah

 Documents & Money

·         Passport with Umrah Visa

·         Flight & Umrah Hotel Itineraries

·         Travel Insurance Documents

·         Photocopies of all documents

·         Saudi Riyals (Cash) & Debit/Credit Cards

Ihram & Clothing

·         2 Sets of Ihram (Men) / Modest Ihram Attire (Women)

·         Ihram Belt & Safety Pins

·         Modest Daily Wear (like Abayas)

·         Undergarments & Sleepwear

·         Light Jacket/Shawl

·         Comfortable Walking Shoes & Slippers/Sandals

·         Headscarves (Women)

Toiletries & Health

·         Unscented Soap, Shampoo, Deodorant

·         Toothbrush, Miswak, Unscented Toothpaste

·         Sunscreen (Unscented, High SPF)

·         Personal Medication & First-Aid Kit

·         Hand Sanitiser & Tissues/Wet Wipes

Religious & Accessories

·         Pocket Quran & Dua Book

·         Travel Prayer Mat & Shoe Bag

·         Tasbeeh

·         Mobile, Charger, Power Bank, Adapter

·         Refillable Water Bottle

Conclusion

Packing for Umrah is a significant beginning of the Umrah journey. By packing every necessary thing and avoiding unnecessary items, you can make your journey more comfortable. This will help you to be more focused on your Umrah and its rituals. This will give you mental independence and the courage to complete this journey with every necessary thing available in your bag. May Allah accept your Umrah and give you greater rewards. Ameen!