Hajj is defined as a belief that comes with faith and obligation for Allah. In this spiritual path of performing Hajj, the pilgrim devotes his physical attention, along with his mental attention, to worshipping the Lord and receiving his blessings.
The individual must be prepared for all the challenges and virtues that come in his way when preparing for a trip to Makkah. If there’re physical fitness issues, health, money, etc., all of them have to be bare by the devotee.
As a pilgrim, there is a real need for a firm decision to select the best Hajj package for the journey.
One could think about what options that travel agencies might have for this pilgrim journey. Well, there’s no such fancy or lavish addition to the package, but there are two alternatives.
One is Shifting Hajj packages, and the other is Non-Shifting Hajj packages.
These types of Hajj packages are based on a fixed location near Haram Shareef during the stay and the shifting of Pilgrims to another location in Al-Aziziyah during peak rush days.
Now, if you intend to go to this spiritual destination, you should at least know what these packages are and what their differences are.
Shifting Hajj Packages:
In Shifting Hajj packages, the accommodation is close to Haram Shareef’s proximity at the beginning, but Pilgrims have to move to another location which is (it’s a singular location so ‘is’ right instead of ‘are’) four to five kilometers away from Haram Shareef and called Al-Aziziyah. Shifting Hajj packages assist those who arrive near the peak rush days, i.e. from 1st to 15th Dhu Al-Hijjah. And then switch to the same position near Haram Shareef as the peak rush days passed. After relocating to Al-Aziziyah, these pilgrims are assisted by buses as a means of transport to move from Al-Aziziyah to Haram Shareef 5 times a day to offer their prayers in Haram Shareef and Perform worships.
Non-shifting Hajj Packages:
In non-shifting Hajj packages, the pilgrims are provided with fixed accommodation near Haram Shareef. During their stay, there is no relocation to another hotel, as their total days of stay in Makkah and Madina are less than the Shifting Hajj pilgrims who have to travel.
So they stay at one location in Makkah and Madinah during their Hajj duration. The cost is very high for hotels and accommodation in the proximity of Haram Shareef throughout the peak rush days, i.e. from 1st to 15th Dhu Al-Hijjah, but they do not have to use extra energy to pick up their baggage and travel to another place. Plus, they don’t have to take local transport five times a day to get back to Haram Shareef because their accommodation is within walking distance of Haram Shareef.
Characteristics of Shifting Hajj Packages:
The Shifting Hajj package is low-cost because the accommodation in Al-Aziziyah is inexpensive as compared to the hotels that are closer to Haram Shareef. In this Hajj package, more energy is needed if you want to offer your prayers in Haram Shareef on a regular basis because you have to move from Al-Aziziyah to Haram Shareef regularly. And the relocation is another hectic step in Shifting Hajj after you realize the ease of staying at one place, then moving to another location far away from Haram Shareef and get settled in Al-Aziziyah. Most of the time, you need to walk for about thirty to sixty minutes to reach Haram Shareef in case there is no public transport available. Often if you’re late and you can’t get a seat in Buses and decide to take a cab to arrive at Haram Shareef, it’s going to cost you extra money.
Pros & Cons of both the Shifting and Non-Shifting Hajj Packages:
Both of these Hajj packages have pros and cons. It depends on you which one you choose, as everyone agrees on a different budget for Hajj, based on their savings and lifestyles. If your budget is low but energy is high and you can do struggle during relocation and spend extra energy and patience during that time, these extra hardships will be rewarded in the form of peace and satisfaction after the completion of Hajj.
Then you should prefer the Shifting Hajj package as it is less costly than the Non-Shifting Hajj package. If you prefer the comfort and ease of your Hajj and do not want to travel to Al-Aziziyah and stay at the place throughout your stay in Makkah. Then you need to choose the Non-Shifting Hajj.
Uniqueness between the Shifting and Non-Shifting Hajj Packages:
The difference between these two types of Hajj packages is that when you need to schedule a quick journey, you can go for a non-shifting package that comes with very little trouble.
Also, you might know that there’s supposed to be less of a difference between the two than having accommodation in different places.
Therefore, one must make it a priority to select the package of this Hajj journey according to suitability. Always get the right details from the travel agent, as you can’t panic about being mistaken for ill-treatment in spiritual places like Makkah.
Final Words:
Taking a non-shifting package would be of great help to a pilgrim, as he does not have to travel from one place to another with his or her baggage, which is difficult to handle and carry from one place to another. Therefore, the pilgrims should ask for a non-shifting Hajj package. However, it depends entirely on your pocket. If you’re low in budget, it’s easier to take a shifting package. It’s supposed to be a little tiresome, but your pocket won’t be burdened.
It doesn’t matter which package you select, all of them are the same for Allah because you want to obey His command and fulfill your faith. Allah will test your trust in Him as He tested Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) and his family because Hajj is a replica of those struggles, sacrifices, and hardships. So be careful while performing the Hajj rituals.