The literal meaning of ‘Umrah’ is ‘to visit a populated place’. Although lesser in importance as compared to Hajj, Umrah is highly recommended in Islam and can be performed at any time during the year, except for the five days of Hajj. This pilgrimage is not compulsory for every Muslim as compared to Hajj, which is an obligation and one of the five pillars of Islam. However, one Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the next one and has its own spiritual benefit for the pilgrim.

Today, Muslims residing in different corners of the world can make their journey to the holy city of Makkah and perform their ‘lesser pilgrimage’ with the help of umrah packages that include flights and hotel accommodations. They can also choose from a wide range of packages based on seasons and certain months of the year, which enables them to …