At Hajj you may have to face many challenges, and that could be a test of patience for you, so be patience at all times, (Ref. Al_Quraan_005:002, 094).

Selecting right Travel Agency / Hajj Guide is one of the key things in avoiding hassle free during Hajj or Umrah. Otherwise one may face many challenges including promises broken several times as well as eating up all your hard earned money and runaway leaving you without performing Hajj or Umrah including in advanced countries of Europe and North America. Below are few tips to select Travel Agency Hajj Guide.

Search Google for “Hajj Reviews”, e.g. http://www.hajjratings.com

Also, for more information visit authentic website of Ministry of Hajj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:
http://www.hajinformation.com

Tips to Question Travel Agents / Hajj Guides before booking for Hajj:

1>    Pilgrims are guest of Allah. All pilgrims must strictly follow the rules of Hajj otherwise you may have to do sadaqah or extra Qurbanee or fasting etc.

2>    Weather is extremely hot specially during summer in Saudi Arabia, so make sure in your package deal that your travel agent / Hajj Guide will be providing good air-conditioned transportation to travel in around Makkah and Madinah and if possible, provide Air Transportation between Makkah and Madinah.

3>    Make sure, Travel Agent / Hajj Guide give clear schedule for all occasions including trip to Kabaa, Mina, Arafaat, and Muzdalifah etc. and will always be there to help you.

4>    Make sure, Travel Agent / Hajj Guide don’t leave you behind at any instance otherwise you may have to pay extra money, which you might not afford, since during Hajj time transportation is extremely expensive, could be ten or twenty times more. You must check with previous experienced persons who already had gone with them. It is also your duty to follow strict instructions of your Travel Agents / Hajj Guide as well, since due to overcrowded, it may become extremely hard to follow timings. Take extra precautions on trip to and from Mina and be cooperative to all.

5>    Make sure Travel Agent / Hajj Guide will carry good quality FM Radio to listen to Hajj Speech, since Listening to Hajj Speech is also Obligatory, like listening to Juma Speech and any one misses Juma Speech, misses the benefits of Juma Salaat, since it becomes half of Dhur Prayer, i.e. instead of 4 Rakaat they offer only 2 Rakaat. Till Saudi Government provide good arrangement of Audios (Speakers) to listen to Hajj Speech nice and clear in all around the Arafaat ground, Travel Agent / Hajj Guide must make an arrangement of good quality of FM Radio.

Advise to Travel Agents / Hajj – Guides:

Pilgrims are Guest of Allah, all Travel Agents / Hajj Guide must be very humble and helpful to Pilgrims, otherwise may be questioned on the Day of Judgment. They must provide enough time to perform all acts including Tawaaf, Saee etc., since it takes too long time to perform each act during rush time of Hajj. If any of Pilgrims has to spend extra money because of your mismanagement, you may be question on the Day of Judgment.

Advise to Saudi Government:

Although Saudi Government is taking extra care and busy in modernizing Hajj Trips for Pilgrims, still I would like to highlight few more things to them and Allah will give you Great Reward for it.

a.    At Mina, special cares need to be taken to clean garbage DAILY otherwise there are chances to spread epidemic/pandemic deceases like SARS, BIRD FLUE. Already vast majority of Pilgrims are getting sick every year, which could be due to Great Mess of Garbage piles up at Mina.

b.    At Muzdalifah, make sure all highways are completely shut down for all traffics from sunset to sunrise, except those carrying Pilgrims and Saudi Officials performing duties at Hajj, on the night Pilgrims stay there during Hajj, and that is only once a year. Otherwise you don’t know what impact it will leave behind on Pilgrims health due to traffic pollutions passing from both sides of the Muzdalifah ground. Remember there are for sure many Pilgrims whose health are little week and may catch Pollutions base diseases and there life may become miserable for few months at least if not for very long period.

c.    It is advised to Saudi Government to re-organize their arrangements so that all Pilgrims get equal chances to offer at least 5 times Congregational Salaat inside Kabaa (Haram). They can achieve this if nearest accommodations are reserved for one day for each of Pilgrims and then send them far away from Kabaa (Haram) to make room for others who don’t have performed 5 times Congregational Salaat inside Kabaa (Haram). All Pilgrims must have equal chances since this is once in a life time opportunities for many of them. Perhaps they will need to establish good train services as well for it.

d.    One of the reasons for the moon’s phases is to find the date for Hajj in Makkah, and adopt it Globally. We must have one Unified Global Islaamic Calendar. We must work for one Unified Global Muslim Unity for the development of Peace around the Globe, (Ref. Al_Quraan_002:0189). Those who are Sharing Same Night must celebrate their Eid and Ramadaan same together, (Ref: Al_Quraan_097.005). At the time of Magrib (Sunset) at Makkah, if there is moon sighting on the east at the time of their Maghrib (Sunset) time who have not yet started their Fajir time are sharing the same night. Also before time of Fajir at Makkah, if there is moon sighting on the west, who have started their Maghrib (Sunset) time are sharing the same night.

“Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk. Labbayk La shareeka Laka Labbayk. Innal hamda Wan ni’mata Laka wal mulk. La shareeka lak.”

“Here I am at Your service O Lord, here I am. Here I am. There is no partner to You. Here I am. Truly, all praise and favour is Yours, as well as all Dominion. There is no partner to You.”

For more detail information download Organizing Hajj & Umrah and forward to all Pilgrims:
http://www.global-right-path.com/Downloads/HAJJ_Organizing_Hajj_and_Umrah.pdf