Some people living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have opted to use the upcoming long weekend starting from September 29th-October 1st to do the religious pilgrimage, Umrah.
Staff working in the public and commercial sectors will have Friday off in observance of the Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) birthday. This results in a three-day weekend when taken into account together with the typical weekend of Saturday and Sunday.
Sharjah government employees, on the other hand, will get four days off starting on September 28 for their official holiday to celebrate the occasion.
Umrah is a kind of pilgrimage that may take place at any time of the year. It include performing rituals such as the tawaf, which is a circumambulation of the Kaaba, the sai’i, which is a journey between the hills of Safa and Marwah, and prayers at holy mosques. At the conclusion of the Umrah, male pilgrims must perform the ritual of taqseer, which consists of shaving their heads.
According to Rahmat, a local tailor based in Sharjah said, he has been planning for Umrah for 2 years.
“Umrah carries a great spiritual significance and is regarded as an opportunity to seek forgiveness, engage in self-reflection, and establish a more intimate connection with Allah.” told Khaleej Times
“Without looking any further or giving much thought, I applied for a visa and booked my flight tickets from Dubai on Thursday night (September 28). This week, I will offer my Friday prayers at the holiest site for Muslims. I cannot describe my feelings” he added.
According to tour operators, there has been a considerable increase in the number of people booking Umrah trips for the holiday weekend. There has always been a significant demand for Umrah tours in the UAE.
As the General Manager of Rehan Al Jazeera Tourism, Shihab Parwad, said,
“But this long weekend, we have noticed a surge in travel plans as many Muslims are considering spiritual journeys and religious tourism in Saudi Arabia.”
When departing the United Arab Emirates, locals have the choice between flying and riding a bus. However, since long weekends are in limited number, many people choose to fly instead. Parwad says that “the Ihram (the garment worn during Umrah) can be worn on some flights from Dubai airport to Jeddah.”
