ByThe connection between God and man deepens during the month of Ramadan. The number of pilgrims increases in Mecca and Medina, reaching its peak dwuring this holy month. It is said that whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan with sincere faith and hopes for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven.
We are all statues of mistakes but during the month of Ramadan, we repent. The month of Ramadan is not only a month of fasting from food but also a time to fast from negative behaviors such as anger, greed, and selfishness so in Ramadan Muslims ask for forgiveness and pledge not to repeat them in the future as well
Why are the Last Ashra Umrah Packages more Expensive?
In Ramadan, the cost of everything you need to perform Umrah skyrockets. It is mostly because the demand increases. The significance of the Umrah in Ramadan is exponentially higher and Muslims from around the globe flock in to visit the holy sites to wash away their sins.
Ramadan is divided into three ashra, each consisting of 10 days, except for the last Ashra, which can be either 9 or 10 days long depending on the moon sighting. Each ashra has its significance, and the last ashra is the most significant due for many reasons, and they are;
Equivalence to Hajj
“Umrah during Ramadan is equal to a Hajj with me”
Hajj has its significance and is an obligation to all those who can afford it, but people who can’t afford it tend to follow the aforementioned hadith’s teaching and perform an Umrah during Ramadan. This is one of the reasons the footfall increases in the month of Ramadan. Islam has five pillars and one of them is Hajj. All Muslims must perform Hajj provided they have the financial means to do so. This hadith opens the doors for people to earn the same if not more rewards for people with not enough financial means for a hajj.
Since this hadith indicates that an Umrah during Ramadan is equal to a hajj with the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), naturally, more people want to perform the pilgrimage in Ramadan, especially in the last ashra.
Laylat-ul-Qadar
“Whoever stood for the prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” – Vol.3, Book 32, Hadith 231 Sahih al-Bukhari
As you can see, the night of power, or laytal-ul-qadar has a lot of significance. This night occurs every year in the last ten days of Ramadan among the odd nights. The night is not specified anywhere and it is told to keep striving for it. Muslims believe that during this night, the mercy and blessing of Allah are abundant.
‘The night of Qadar is better than a thousand months’ – Quran 97:3
On Laylat-ul-Qadar, the Quran was revealed to the Prophet, the night holds a great significance in the eyes of Muslims as this night started a chain of events and introduced the world to Islam. The concept of Laytal-ul-Qadar gives us hope and a chance of forgiveness. For this reason, People want to visit the holy sites and create a better connection with God Almighty than they had to be able to find the night of power.
The exact dates of this night are not specified anywhere in the holy scriptures; thus it remains a mystery, and Muslims tend to be the best versions of themselves and find this night in the last ten days.
Jumu’atul-Wida
The last Friday of the month of Ramadan is quite a significant one, Muslims believe that if they make prayers on the last Friday of Ramadan they will be answered. People also give away money and food in hopes that doing so will bring them wealth and prosperity.
Muslims from all over the world want to spend the last Friday of Ramadan in Mecca and Medinah and make it more spiritually enriching. Thus, it causes the number of pilgrims to increase and in return the overall expense of the Umrah increase.
Supply and Demand
So, the aforementioned factors cause the cities of Mecca and Medinah to be jam-packed with pilgrims from all over the world, and the demand increases, especially during the last 10 days. The prices may seem unfair but you have to realize that the sheer amount of people Mecca and Medinah have to accommodate during Ramadan requires additional labor and money and somebody has to pay.
The travel agencies find opportunity in all of this and pre-book hotels and sell them at a premium. You could try booking a hotel on your own but the hotels that were low range in other months are now probably going at a premium.
The pricing structure of hotels in Mecca and Medinah is directly proportional to the distance they are from the holy sites. The only way you can get an affordable hotel is by getting one that is further away from Ka’ba and vice versa.
Conclusion
The last ashra of Ramadan is a time of immense spiritual significance and it is no surprise that it is the most awaited period for performing Umrah. However, the cost of doing an Umrah packages naturally gets out of hand with the increased demand and limited supply.
The demand for flights, accommodations, and other services is at an all-time high which in return drives the sales up. While the prices are indeed high, you have to understand that the businesses there have to employ extra forces during this month just to accommodate the pilgrims.
