Umrah vs. Hajj
Difference between Umrah and Hajj: – Umrah and Hajj both are the religious terms used in Islam. Both are actually a type of pray done by Muslims in all over the world. Here sometimes people ask a question what is difference between Umrah and Hajj? To some extent both seems same, but there is a huge difference between Umrah and Hajj. Let’s discuss both of them in detail below.
Difference between Umrah and Hajj
Being the two types of pilgrimages that Muslims perform, Umrah and Hajj are an important part of Islam. Both pilgrimages are grades of strong Muslim beliefs, fidelity, and piety. Both also promote a unified and one Muslim community by letting them gather at one place and retelling and retracing the steps of the Muslim trust. Although both Umrah and Hajj are pilgrimages, there are extensive variations between the two and that’s why it is important to know the basic difference between Umrah and Hajj.
An Umrah is recognized as a tiny or slight pilgrimage while a Hajj is a significant pilgrimage among Muslims. The natures of both pilgrimages are also different. An Umrah is an advised and non-compulsory pilgrimage, but a Hajj can be an obligatory one. There are also many other requirements that one has to take care of when performing Hajj as compared to Umrah.
The Umrah is a pilgrimage that one can do at any time of the entire year or in combo with a Hajj. Being a pilgrimage, it includes two types: Al-Umrat-Al Mutradah (an Umrah without hajj) and Umrat-al Tammatu (an Umrah with Hajj). The first type can be carried out by the average person as the second type needs to be carried out collectively with the other pilgrims for the Hajj.
The first kind of Umrah can be conducted anytime with the exclusion of the Hajj weeks while the later one can be carried out within the Hajj months.
On the other hand, a Hajj can be carried out at a particular time of the entire year. There are selected weeks for the Hajj, particularly in Dhul-Hijjah. Moreover, Hajj is considered to be one of the five pillars of Islam, indicating it is recognized as a religious obligation by all the religion’s supporters. Islam requires a Muslim to do a Hajj, at least, once in a lifetime. Another difference that lies between Umrah and Hajj is the space required and the steps of the rituals.
Apart from their differences, there are some similarities between the both. For example, both, the Umrah and the Hajj, require the ritual of purification, prior to them, known as Ihram. Following the Ihram, Tawaf is conducted. The Tawaf requires circling the Kaaba along with prayers. The tawaf ends with drinking water from the well of Zamzam. Following this step, there tend to be more steps in the Hajj which includes heading to Mt. Arafat and Muzdalifah, accomplishing the stoning of the devil and a sacrifice is needed to be done. Another Tawaf called Tawaf Az-Ziyara and Tawaf al-Wida is performed. The last Tawaf is definitely the final and concluding ritual of the hajj.
Finally, it is useless to say that both Umrah and Hajj have great values in all Muslims lives; even sometimes people have their last wish to perform Umrah and Hajj. Keep visiting the website to learn more about such similar terms and objects.
