Al Khalid

Stepping in Halal Tourism

Tourism around the world is evolving and Halal Tourism is one of the subcategories that are popular amongst the Muslims. This tourism abides by all the rules of Islam that are generally neglected or ignored on a normal holiday tour. Halal Tourism is ideal for Muslims who wish to follow their lifestyle even while they are out vacationing. It is all about philosophy, religion that has touched our heart and soul.

Halal tourism includes – booking of flights and hotels that don’t serve alcohol or pork, separate spa and swimming pool facilities for men and women, various religious programs are provided on board, proper prayer timings are announced. Each and every aspect of Halal Holidays is according to the Sharia law. There are different countries like Malaysia and Turkey attracting Muslims around the world with their ability to serve Halal Holidays.

Al Khalid Tours has stepped in this arena to serve the best globally. Every aspect is taken care of by our experienced tour managers. The Halal Friendly Holiday is very important especially for Muslims who wish to follow a religious lifestyle throughout. By entering this arena and providing the best experience to our fellow Muslims, Al Khalid Tours have managed to get featured in The Times Of India.

As you have always trusted Al Khalid Tours for your Hajj and Umrah journey, be ready to experience an unforgettable Halal Holiday.

The Significance of Muharram

According to the Islamic calendar of 12 months, Muharram is the beginning of the first month of the Islamic year also marking the Islamic New Year. We Muslims believe, it is one of the first four sacred months in Islam. The Islamic New Year is welcomed in with the sighting of the new moon. Our belief as Muslims is that Allah created the heavens and the earth on the very first day of Muharram. Amongst all the four months Zil Qadah, Zil Hijjah and Rajab, Muharram considered as the most significant and blessed month.

Since these are the holiest months, all deeds and acts of service performed during these months are far greater than in the other months. Prophet Muhammad had stated that, observing fasts during the month of Muharram is the best other than fasts in Ramadan. It is fondly known as Allah’s month of Muharram. Thus, Muharram has great religious significance for us Muslims. Read More…

Eid-e- milad-un-nabi Celebration

Commemorating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday many Muslims celebrate Eid-e-milad-un-nabi. In India, this day is also known as Nabi Day, Mawlid, the Prophet’s Birthday or Mohammad’s Birthday.

What Do People Do?

Eid-e-Milad-un-nabi is celebrated in a unique way. As it’s the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, people arrange night long prayer meetings, parades with many people; Sandal (chandan) rites on the Prophet’s symbolic footprints, festive banners are put up in homes, mosques and other buildings. It is also noticed that people organize communal meals in mosques or in their vicinity. People also conduct meetings where they listen to stories and poems about the Prophet; also there are photo exhibitions, where they feature photos of mosque in Mecca and Medina.

The colour green that represents Islam and paradise is added in every celebration. They wear green dresses or ribbons; prepare a green flag while taking part in the procession. Muslims residing in Kashmir visit the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar. This place is believed to have a hair that has come from the Prophet Mohammad. People perform prayers at the shrine a night before Milad un-Nabi.

As Eid-e-milad-un-nabi is for the Prophet Mohammad’s birthday, people intend to celebrate with great enthusiasm and display their love, affection towards Him. They pay respect to what legacy the Prophet has left behind.

An ideal costume to wear during Hajj

When someone is determined to take the holy journey of Hajj, he/ she are also prepared to give up all the signs of societal distinctions and wealth. They opt to wear simple white clothes, popularly known as Ihram. The colour white denotes peace, purity and simplicity.

Men wear two white cloths, one they drape around the shoulders and the other that covers the body from the waist. Women on other hand wear simple white dress and headscarf or any of their native dress.

Ihram being a symbol of equality and purity denotes that the pilgrims are in a state of devotion. There are a few requirements that every Muslim is ought to follow while wearing the pure ihram. They are required to focus and ignite the spiritual devotion. Once in that attire no type of harming is allowed – no fighting, hunting or talk in any offensive language. As vanity is daunted, excessive use of perfume and colognes is prohibited; even hair and fingernails needs to be kept in their natural state.

This celestial journey touches a lot of lives and majorly transforms many when they are back to their places.

Do all Muslims have to perform Hajj?

Every ritual or performance of any duty in Islam must be done in complete dedication to Allah. For the belief is such, that Allah is the creator and rightly deserves due praises from his creation. A number of rituals and traditions have to be adhered to in Islam, chiefly the five pillars which cannot be surpassed by any Muslim. Especially for them, that desire to live in Allah’s presence and obtain Sawab or Thawab for themselves and family.

Quoting the Quran, [Quran 3:96-97] The most important shrine established for the people is the one in Mecca; a blessed beacon for all the people. In it are clear signs: the station of Abraham. Anyone who enters it shall be granted safe passage. The people owe it to God that they shall observe Hajj to this shrine, when they can afford it. As for those who disbelieve, God does not need anyone.

Those that have an ardent desire to be in His presence and receive in physical the grace of Him, decide to make this pilgrimage. No matter in which part of the world a Muslim may reside in, even thousand miles away, will still endeavor this. Hajj may be considered an obligation that has its terms and conditions, but Muslims ultimately believe that the thirst in their soul for Allah can only be quenched in full measure there. According to the terms and conditions, an individual who is physically able and financially sound must embark on this journey. Such a condition has to be met with in order to make this pilgrimage an absolutely acceptable one.

To conclude by saying that, performing Hajj is a matter of choice for those who can afford to travel to the shrine and, for them that cannot it is a desire that reigns in their hearts. Some that can make this trip either have the heart to go or are uninterested. The rewards for doing both are received from Allah in time, Muslims believe.

A Journey towards Divinity

The Hajj portrays solidarity of the Muslims and their devotion to God. No one is judged in terms of their poverty or richness while considering the Hajj journey. A person simply needs to be physically and financially stable to be able to take this pilgrimage.

To start on this holy journey, the pilgrims wear simple white clothes. The colour white represents purity, spirituality and most importantly humanity.

The journey starts when pilgrims enter Makkah and convey their wish to perform Hajj. As the journey proceeds it is then compulsory for the pilgrims to circle the Kaaba 7 times. While encircling the Kaaba 7 times all the pilgrims recite prayers. These prayers are known as Tawaf. The pilgrims pass between the hills of Marwah and Safa 7 times.

Moving further the pilgrims pave their way towards Mina. There they perform 5 important prayers beginning with Zuhr in the afternoon and end with Fajr which ends in the early hours of the morning. After Fajr the pilgrims go towards Arafat and devote their time to pray. They then leave for Muzdalifah in the evening. Here the pilgrims collect pebbles for ‘stone the devil’ ceremony. The pilgrims go back to Mina before the sunrise.

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Does a woman need a Mahram to travel to Hajj?

In spite of the various mixed reactions and perspectives that are thrown on the topic of Women’s status in Islam, the undeniable fact is that the value of their existence is immeasurable. For Women, Hajj is an act equivalent to fulfilling the requirement of Jihad.

According to the Quran, “And pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto God for mankind, for him who can find the way thither” (3:97). The same was also emphasized on by Prophet Muhammad (SAW). This obligation is of equal importance to both men and women. However, the protocol for adherence differs. The need for women to travel with a Mahram as they embark on the holy pilgrimage is debatable. A number of mixed opinions are shared about the same. A Mahram, is a male relative of the woman whom she is permanently not allowed to marry because of her blood ties, breastfeeding or ties through marriage. Different scholars speak differing views considering the age of the woman, the laws of the country where the pilgrimage is held, the incidences in the Quran, Fatwas, etc.

According to the Quran, for example: Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Let no woman travel for more than three days unless her husband or a Mahram is with her”. (Sahih Muslim). Many instances like these depict the view that women especially in the Shariah law aren’t permitted to travel without a Mahram to the holy land. Within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the rules and regulations specify that no woman under the age of 45 years can travel without a Mahram for Umrah and Hajj. However, once they have crossed that age they supposedly can travel without a Mahram but in groups with other women.

The purpose of having a Mahram accompanying the woman was not to underestimate her but to make her feel protected. Women in the Quran are looked on as absolutely sacred and maintaining their honour is a priority and a good deed. No one doubts the character of a woman but a Mahram is meant to keep her away from the eyes of evil works. Hence, she must be cared for, and her complete well being ensured in any way possible. It is said to be the responsibility of the Mahram to finance the pilgrimage of their mothers, wives, sisters, parents to Hajj and Umrah, at least once in a lifetime.

Hajj Inaayat

As the pilgrims have started journeying towards Mecca, Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, the place is ready to take everyone on a divine and spiritual pathway.  The government of Saudi Arabia has estimated 1.87 million pilgrims this time. In spite of huge number of people, The Grand Mosque in Mecca received all the pilgrims gracefully for their annual religious pilgrimage, one of the greatest acts of worship in Islam.

Hajj involves traveling and demands strength and efforts for all the religious activities. This means that Hajj is a combination of both financial expenditure and physical might. As Hajj is compulsory for every Muslim, it is their duty to aim for this holy journey once in their lifetime. This journey leads everyone towards a celestial experience, letting their evils behind and asks for forgiveness with their selfless prayers.

From Al Khalid Tours we wish that every pilgrim seeks forgiveness from Allah and complete Hajj in proper health.
Hajj Mabrur !

Acquaint yourself with unknown facts about the Kaaba

For every Muslim, no place is as holy as Mecca. It is the place that makes every Muslim pray whole heartedly and ask for forgiveness from Allah. Millions of people circle the Kaaba at the center of the Haram Sanctuary. The Kaaba is the imperative center of Mecca.
This cube shaped building is the heart of the place and considered to be the greatest real estate in the history of mankind. It is covered in black and shares its own sets of mystery.

We are going to list down a few things you never knew about the Kaaba:
1. It has been rebuilt many times
The Kaaba that is in Mecca today is way different than the one constructed by Prophet Ibrahim & Ismail. It was recreated after some natural as well as man-made disasters.The major reconstruction took place during the life of the Prophet. During this the Prophet prevented bloodshed by placing the Black Stone using a sacred cloth that every tribe could lift.The last and final renovation took place in 1996. Here the planning was done thoroughly, replacing several stones and strengthening the foundations and roof. There are modern techniques used making the building more secure and stable.

2. One Door
The original Kaaba that was built by Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail had two doors and a window one side. But after so many reconstructions, currently Kaaba has only one door and no window at all.

3. Kaaba used to be multi-colored
During the initial construction Kaaba was covered in multiple colours like – red, green, and even white. This trend of black started during the time of Abbasids because his house was black. It became a trademark since that time.

4. One family has the key
When the Kaaba was first constructed, the responsibility was given to different sub- groups of the Quraish. But they lost control of their guardianship due to multiple reasons. During the invasion of the Kaaba, Prophet was given the key by Osman ibn Talha ® of the Bani Shaiba family. But Prophet chose to return it to him, and since then, they are the traditional key keepers of the Kaaba.

5. Everyone was welcomed at the Kaaba.
The Kaaba used to be open twice a week for anyone to come and pray. But due to swift increase in the number of pilgrims, The Kaaba is opened only twice a year.

6. You could swim around it.
As Kaaba was situated at the bottom of the valley, the area around it was prone to flood. It used to be submerged in water for days and it never stopped the pilgrims to come and pray.Now there are various modern adjustments that prevent floods during the monsoons. Because of this very reason we cannot encounter such a sight again.

When you visit The Kaaba next time, you will be amazed to see how much has changed but the devotion of the people and the divinity of the place has still remained the same.

Lead your way to a productive Hajj

There are a lot of discrepancies about how ideally Hajj needs to be performed. But to avoid all the perplexity we have listed below a few things you should know before you perform Hajj and things that you should carry on HAJJ.

Just before you travel;

• This is not an ordinary journey; you need to double check and make sure everything is in place. This will ensure that your journey is on the right track
• You need to take a photocopy of all your official documents. Make sure you have extra copies of passports and photos
• It is advisable to keep both your national currency along with Saudi Riyals in your wallet
• Make your agent check all the bookings related to travel, hotels, foods, and other arrangements
• Pay all your dues or pre-pay your monthly bills

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