Is it right decision to go in Hajj with your children? The most right and reliable answer is "No".
I would say it's the 1st best decision if you go without your child.
Again if you have reliable persons like grandfather/mother, aunt, etc. and if the baby gets used to them, you can give your baby to them to take care of and maybe it is the 2nd best suggestion.
Why we should do this - I have explained it bellow
Firstly, we have to wait at the airport for various reasons, e.g. flight schedules often change.
From my story: it has taken about 18 hours to reach the hotel in Makkah after arriving at Jeddah airport from Bangladesh.
Again, you have to do one Umrah (Tawaf + Sai) after reaching. Tawaf is very crowded at this time before Main Hajj.
There is really an extremely crowding at this time.
About two and a half to three hours is needed to complete one entire Umrah and you have to walk at least 6 to 8 km in total.
After such a long walking, it is difficult for many people.
And if there is a child with you! Think about it for once... Really it cannot be imagined
Read: The Perfect Dua for Extreme Situation
However, wheelchairs are available for child/weak/old persons. You can use electric wheelchair for your baby and you don't need to push up to 40km.
Tawaf may also be done on the upper floor if you want, but it will take more time (5 km + Safa & Marwa path 7 times), but the crowd is a little less.
The temperature in Makkah is much higher, often 40 degrees celsius, a little less at night.
During Zuhr Prayer, it is difficult to walk without sunglasses. In Asar Prayer, the same situation. It feels like the heat is rising from the ground.
Again if you get a place in Mosque, you will get the advantage of air Cooler. For this, you have to go & sit in the mosque, a long time before the Azan.
So If you come after Athan, you will not get a place inside the mosque, you have to sit outside.
However, in Medina, there are not these problems occurs, the gates are not closed, and there is an umbrella system above.
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| Medina Umbrella system Opened |
There is also difficulty in launch and dinner time. In these times, the dining area is heavily crowded.
The toilets are also crowded and they are often dirty. Food types often differ with Agency/caravan. Food stalls heavily crowded after prayers, foods are expensive and unsuitable for children's food.
But if you go to "Food Buf", it is advantageous for children.
However, fruits and juices are very well for all aged people. Cow's milk is available, but many people have problems digesting this milk.
The hardest part is during the Hajj, people should go to Mina after Fajr on 8th Jilhajj night, where most of the caravans take off on the 7th Jilhajj night.
You can't sleep at that night and no one can say when the bus will come. All of These are under Saudi Muallims.
Other Muallims from various countries don't have any task here. You have to wait for hours for the bus, which is really tough for children.
Number of toilets are less and often dirty. In the same way, people are taken to Arafah on the 8th night, and you can not sleep that night too.
On the 9th night, In Muzdalifa you have to spend the night under open sky. Those who can reach ago, do not have problems at all.
However, there is no provision or supply of food. Food is just distributed on the streets, some gets, some don't.
Read: Many Extra Food Packs in during Hajj - A couple of Suggestions for You
On the 10th Jilhajj, after Fajr, you have to go to Jamarah to throwing stones, the distance is about 8 km from Muzdalifah.
Most people go on foot, but you can also go by bus. The fare is much higher.
You will also find wheelchairs there for those having children or someone who is sick. The rent is taken for wheelchairs also high.
After Jamrah, you have to walk 6/7 km to reach in Makkah after throwing stones. You can also go by bus but buses are very crowded, and there is at least 2km distance, you have to walk to go to Bus Station/terminal.
After reaching Makkah from Jamrah, it is better to perform Tawaf on the same day, because you have to go to Mina at night on the same day.
[Note: You can throw stones on On 11th, 12th, 13th (up to the 13th) Jilhajj and after it your Hajj is fully completed]
After Hajj, You should perform Nafl/extra Ibadah and Tawaf as long as possible(as much as you can).
Though the hajj is completed, but there is a heavy crowd still existed and you can't go to Matafe(Tawaf area). The way of Matafe is often blocked by authorities.
From my story: On the last days, we used to go for Tawaf even without eating any meal in the afternoon because usually there are fewer people at that time.
Sometimes we prayed Asar, Magrib and Isha Salah together and then return to the hotel at night. So, there was no worry of eating and sleeping on time.
Tawaf can also be performed after Midnight e.g. 1 am/2 am, there were fewer people, sometimes we had done it (occasionally) at that time. These tasks are not possible if there was a child with you
If you decide to take your child with you; Then try the VIP package. It will cost more. The cost calculation may higher or bit lower, it depends on your services needed as you want during Hajj
But if you choose a short-term package, like just go to Makkah a few days before the Hajj, and return from Medina, these packages are expensive.
Packages mainly depend on: distance of hotel in Mecca, Medina, on food supply/type/quality, your tent in Mina, how far from Jamarah, the tent of Arafat, etc.
Sometimes engine problem occurs in buses, many people suddenly separated from his/her caravan/group/agency etc. and more other problem may occur
In these cases, you have to cost separately to solve these problems.
By the way, no pre-plan is 100% enough for Hajj because you have to face many unique problem.
Muslim brothers and sisters who have gone on Hajj more than once have realized that every pilgrimage is unique. So my experience may not match yours.
A beautiful documentary on HAJJ 2019
From my story:
I took my 8 and 10-year-old sons with me.
At that time I took three sets of Ihram clothes. Besides, I had taken normal comfortable clothes which can always be worn.
There is no need to take too many clothes because if you wash them, they usually dry in a short time.
During long journeys (Jeddah-Mecca-Medina), you must keep "extra clothes"( not in quantity but for backup options) for the baby near your hand.
Even a child who has never vomited may vomit suddenly. Do not store half-washed clothes. if you don't have enough time to wash, wash the dirty clothes standing in the basin.
For example, if your child urinates in ihram dress(especially in the down part of ihram), change it and immediately wash the wet part in the basin or washroom and match it on somewhere nearby for dry. You can also stand for ten minutes and dry it.
But, if you store half-washed or defiled clothes, even three sets of Ihram clothes in Mina-Arafa will seem less than necessary.
The first five days of Hajj, it may be a little difficult. Keep the children mentally prepared too in advance that these five hours will be a lot of trouble. It will be easier for them to be mentally ready.
Besides, the rest of the time will be spent comfortably in hotels and harams, In Sha Allah.
Hajj pilgrimage usually takes 40/45 days. A very long time. If you have enough time, take your kids to the Red Sea area, go to King Faqih Aquarium in Jeddah.
If your agency allows, you can also visit Taif, it's a very nice place.
Read: The method of speaking from the Quran
(Special Advice - Talk to scholars before going to these places. If you go out of the designated area of Haram, you have to perform Umrah in Ihram on your way back. A group of us went Taif and found out that they have to take their ihram again. Now they have to go back to the place of Umrah in Taif and to take Ihram. So before going to these places, everyone should know this process from, a well-known and reliable scholar.)
The children ate the same type of foods that we ate.
- You can also buy bread, milk, cornflakes, jam, jelly etc, they are available there.
There is Bin Dawood Super Shop on the ground floor of the "Millennium Tower" (next to the Haram), different types of foods (mainly it is famous for all necessary foods) available there.
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| Bin Dawood Supermarket |
If you go to the fourth floor of the Zamzam Tower (P4 in the elevator) with a little more effort, you will get everything at a slightly lower price. There is also a large super shop namely Abraj Hyper.
- You can buy an electric kettle to heat water, can boil eggs in it, make tea with tea bags.
If you want to do small cooking e.g. fry eggs in the room, you can use/buy an electric small stove. You can get it at the "'bakala (grocery store)'" near the hotel, it will take 20/25 riyals.
- You can also take a small frying pan from your country. You can also buy it there.
There is water flooding on the floor of the bathroom in Mina & Arafa. Take care of your children and make sure that their ihram does not get wet.
Raise and tie the ihram in the upper position of their body, before going to the bathroom. It is also better to leave the upper part open.
- Use belts and high-quality safety pin to wear ihram.
Ihram with elastic is available (made by sewing on the waist part), but they do not actually fulfill the criteria of ihram. Because actual Ihram cloth is totally free from all shapes and sewing.
- In Arafah, feed your children water and fruit juice, again and again.
- Do not get them sick in extreme heat. Water is available there.
Many different local and international companies serve juices and water within a few time intervals, again and again.
- Don't store them. feed them to your children as soon as you get any juice pack or water bottle.
- You will get many juice or water bottles. but do not carry these when going from Arafah to Muzdalifah. just keep one or two bottles to drink on the way.
Many people carry these juices but finally, leave them on the road. (Normally, you can go up to Muzdalifa in vehicles)
People usually go on foot from Muzdalifa to Zamrah, there is no agency or Muallim's vehicle. A long and tiring path. You can use electric wheelchair for your baby and you don't need pushing up to 40km.
There are a few buses that cost 200 riyals per person to reach Jamarah. if you can afford it and think that the children can not walk, then you can get on these buses with the help of the agency.
(Special advice- You can rent a wheelchair for children, If you pay a little more, you can hire a person to push the wheelchair. You can carry an electric wheel chair from your country too)
Besides, there is a train, I don't know how to get on the train, but you may try to find it.
It is better to stay with "Stroller". Because you have to walk a lot during Hajj. At that time it is convenient to take the baby in a stroller. Your children will able to sleep on the way.
- In Mina, you can keep some toys in the tent to keep your baby busy, also keep notebooks (e.g. Alphabet learning. various Halal cartoon picture book) with you.
Take a "first aid box" and medicine from your country. However, it is often found that medicine of one's own country does not work in Saudi weather.
- In that case, if you have a normal fever or cold cough, go to Nahdi Pharmacy (Chain Pharmacy). Chain pharmacies are everywhere.
There, they will give you medicine according to your problem. The price of medicine is a little higher but it works very well ( by the grace of Allah).
One or two doses of syrup are enough for cold cough for children. Indigenous medicine does not always work so fast.
(Special advice: The price of medicine is very high in Saudi Arabia, though they work very well I would advise you to take your necessary medicine with you from your own country)
- If you go to a free medical camp, the doctor will treat you for free and also give you will get free medicine.
I have a "Quick List" for you and you must have to take these following things (with extra for backup) for yourbaby.
- Ihram clothes - 3 sets
- Small electric kettle
- Small frying pan
- Belt for trousers
- Good quality safety pin
- Toys
- Stroller
- Necessary pharmaceutical syrup for children prescribed by your doctor.
Finally, I can say that it is really a bitter truth that you have to take a long & extreme preparation to take your children with you in Hajj before going to hajj.
But, don't worry, Allah(SWT) will make it easy for you In Sha Allah. Though there are a lot of difficulties, many people are performing Hajj with children every year.
Read: Why we are not getting any benefits from Salah
Always pray to Allah(SWT), May Allah Subhanahu Ta'ala make it easy for everyone, In Sha Allah.
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