Umrah in the Modern Age: Sunnah Practices vs Tourism

With the relaxation in Saudi tourism policies after 2019, the concept of doing Umrah has evolved significantly. People now prefer to stay a bit longer in the country and explore the key tourism sites before or after doing Umrah. This has led to numerous changes in the way an Umrah trip is planned; many Umrah packages have even included stays in famous cities in the kingdom. Many travel agencies now offer All Inclusive Umrah Deals with numerous facilities and entertainment options.

This shift has left many people wondering if the simplicity and humbleness behind doing Umrah have been replaced by tourism trends as well. In this guide, we will delve deep into the debate of sunnah practices vs. spiritual tourism in the realm of Umrah.

Umrah or Spiritual Tourism? All Details Explained

If you think that Umrah cannot be accompanied by tourism or exploring the nearby places, you are highly mistaken. Both the Quran and the Hadith mention tourism numerous times, although this is not in the typical sense of modern tourism.

In the Quran, Allah Almighty urges Muslims at three different places in the context to travel for business, education and reflection purposes. So, it clearly states that the modern trend of spiritual tourism is not at all forbidden. Rather, it is encouraged and if you can afford it, there is no harm in going for it and visiting the nearby cities or even countries.

If you study the Hadith literature, you will find that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has encouraged his followers to visit the nearby countries for business and seeking knowledge. At that time, the concept of modern tourism was not in place. If it had been, there would have been some references in Hadiths covering it.

So, it is proved that from an Islamic point of view, adding tourist spots to your Umrah trip is not at all a bad thing. If you stay inside the Islamic principles, you can go for both spiritual and modern tourism before or after doing Umrah.

When Is Adding Tourism Sites to Your Umrah Trip Not a Good Idea?

As is the case with human beings, most of us like to flaunt our lifestyle and boast about things that we have on social media or while meeting our friends and family. This gives rise to a trend of copying each other and slowly becomes a status symbol.

The essence of Umrah lies in simplicity and submitting oneself in front of Allah. If sightseeing and extracurricular activities begin to overshadow the main purpose of doing Umrah, you are not going in the right direction. Many people book 5-star hotels with views of the Haram and post pictures online. If the intention of such things is not pure or there is even a hint of showing off, the basic purpose of doing Umrah is killed.

As a result, Muslims who can only afford Umrah trips often feel left out or out of a particular class of society. Even if adults understand, the kids and teenagers don't. They force their parents or guardians to provide them the same facilities that others have. This leads to stress and the consideration that they are not the blessed one and Allah does not love them. However, this is nothing like that. The financial resources granted to humans are only by the will of Allah and He loves all His people without any discrimination.

Another big problem arises when the tourism part of the Umrah journey adds an unnecessary financial burden. People look for luxury deals instead of affordable Umrah packages that offer basic facilities and modest accommodations in Makkah and Madinah.

In such a situation, one has to remember that Umrah is not obligatory. It is just a Sunnah and not a Fardh worship like Hajj. The most important part is the purity of the intention. If adding tourism to your journey shifts your intentions from Umrah to leisure, this is not right.

What is the Right Approach in this Situation?

In Islam, keeping balance between everything is always encouraged. However, when it comes to choosing between worship and leisure, the worship must be at the heart of your journey. It is a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and fulfilling the essential spiritual requirements is a prerequisite to completing a successful Umrah.

If you are going for the Umrah first, completely remove all the ideas about tourism and leisure from your mind and focus on worshipping and praying to Allah. After you have done Umrah, then you can plan the other leg of your journey.

Or, if your last stop is Umrah, don't discuss what happened during the leisure part while you are in Makkah and Madinah. Focus completely on the task at hand and getting Allahs blessings.

In this way, you will be able to get more out of each experience. If you are going for Umrah with kids and elders, booking a family Umrah package is the right approach. In this way, you will get many family-friendly activities during your trip.

Final Words

For more information on Umrah and tourism, reach out to Muslims Holy Travel. They offer different types of Umrah deals such as February Umrah Deals 2026 for people looking to go for Umrah in Ramadan next year.