Umrah Preparation - Every action has some preparation before you materialize the action. Same the Umrah is. You have to adopt some actions as preparation as Umrah Preparation before doing Umrah.

You can perform Umrah any time during the year except from 9 Zil-Hajj to 13 Zil-Hajj and performing Umrah in Ramadan is considered to be equivalent to Hajj in reward. However, Umrah isn’t substitute to Hajj as Umrah is recommended and not mandatory and Hajj is compulsory and obligatory on every Muslim who can afford it as physically and financially.

Regarding Umrah preparation, the first and for most thing includes in preparation is wearing of ‘Ihram’. Being in the state of Ihram is a sign of purity and holiness. This is a fundamental action regarding Umrah preparation before you start your journey to Umrah.

2ndly, after you are in the state of Ihram, you must not cross five places before you are in a state of Ihram. The five places you must avoid are Dhu'l-Hulayfah, Juhfah, Qarn al-Manazil, Dhat Irq and Yalamlam. These points, places or stations are called Miqats. Miqat points are very near to the holy City Mecca.

This ruling is regarding those people who are living outside the area, however, who live the same area or in Haram, don’t need to go outside to wear Ihram and enter in Mecca, whereas, they just need to wear Ihram at the place where they live i.e. their home.

Moreover, this is for those who are willing to perform Umrah. As for those who are not intended to perform Umrah does not need to meet these condition. They can enter in the holy City Mecca and Haram any time for any Halaal cause.
 

• Two sets of Ihram

Pack two sets of ihram so that you can change one if it gets dirty or if it smells bad due to sweat in high temperature.
 

• Pack some gifts

Buy some gifts for journey companion in Qabba which came from different cities of world, gift may include Books of Dua, some other important books about Islam, you may select any other gift as you like.
 

• Pack Simple Things First

Normally people forget simpler things at home in quicker packing procedures, so pack simple things first like tooth-brush, nail cutter, scissor [For Women] (for cutting hair at-last of umrah), Vaseline for moisturizing your skin in heavy heat.
 

• Warm Clothes

Sometimes it gets very cold in nights so pack some warm clothes with you to avoid any such situation (Depending on the season you opted for umrah)

• Pack some dry food

Pack some dry food with you according to your likes and dislikes so that you can use it during your long journey, you can also use some other type of packed food for that purpose. This is for reason that you might not like the taste of food available there.
 

• Have Some Simple Medicine

You should bring some common medicine to umrah which may includes paracetamol, Disprin, some high fever medicine and some medicines for diarrhea.
 

• Umbrella & Glasses

You can bring an umbrella to be secure yourself form high temperature and a sun glasses if you have problem for seeing in high intensity light.
 

• Socks or Slipper

You can use a pair of thick socks to save your feet from getting an attack of blisters due to long walks, slippers can also act as medium to avoid this problem. Remember never use a complete new pair of slipper as it can also cause blisters, use new pair of slipper in your home for a week or 2 and wash it out carefully before packing it in your luggage.
 

• Plan your each day early in morning

You should have to plan your each day early in morning so that you can spend most of time in ibbadah the real objective of journey, left the amusement a much time is left after umrah to do that. Drink balanced amount of water so that don’t you get hydrated due to less drinking, and don’t waste time in long lines outside bath rooms due to over drinking.
 

• Diary Writing

You can use a diary to write Duas that your relatives asked you, so that you can remember them at the point.
 

• Gifts for children

You can buy some gifts for children there such as sweets or any other things according to your choice. This might gives you pleasure and reward from Allah.
 

• Prayer matt & Handy Bag

Pack a prayer matt in your luggage for journey as a time may come in which you have to offer your prayer in open sky, bring a handy bag with you for putting some things in it while living hotel for umrah so that you can put a pair of slippers in it, a bottle of water in it, and some other things like cash, medicine and some food.