Arriving in Makkah before the first night of Ramadan

Wiki Tours International (Bab Makka) is a licensed travel agency in Casablanca. Among Ramadan requests, this one comes up often: to spend the first night of the month at Masjid al-Haram. It is often possible, on one condition — treating it as a calculation, never as a promise.

• The agency: travel agent licence no. ODV-25012; departures from Mohammed V airport in Casablanca.
• Start of the month: Ramadan begins with the crescent sighting, and its first day is announced after the sighting.
• Tarawih: prayed in congregation every night of Ramadan, after the Isha prayer.
• The visa: according to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah FAQ, the Umrah visa allows 90 days in the Kingdom at most from entry, with no extension.

Why the first night in particular?

In the Hijri calendar, the night comes before the day it opens. The first night of Ramadan is therefore the eve of the first day of fasting, and that is when the first tarawih is prayed. Praying it at Masjid al-Haram means being in Makkah that evening, not the following morning.

Sha'ban, the month directly before Ramadan, suits the plan: a trip that starts in it lets you welcome Ramadan in Makkah. But the crescent waits for nobody, and the group's plane does not wait for the crescent. Hence the method below, and the line no honest agency crosses: nobody can guarantee you a specific night.

How do you work out your arrival?

The countdown above gives the expected day of the first fast according to the Umm al-Qura calendar, calculated in advance, with a sighting margin of up to two days: the month can begin before or after the calculated date. The useful calculation has three steps:

1. Start from the eve of the expected day: that is the first night if the month begins on schedule.
2. Subtract the sighting margin: you get the earliest evening on which the first night can fall if the month comes early.
3. Compare that evening with the day you arrive in Makkah — not the day you fly out of Casablanca. In between come the flight, the arrival at the Saudi airport, then the road.

Depending on the day the group reaches Makkah, the odds line up like this:

| Arrival in Makkah | The first night of Ramadan |
|---|---|
| before the earliest possible evening | you should be there, even if the month comes early |
| between that evening and the eve of the expected day | you are there if the month starts on schedule or later; you miss it if it comes early |
| on the expected day or after | you miss at least the first night — which can be a choice, for a programme focused on the rest of the month |

No row of this table guarantees a night: it ranks probabilities, and only the announcement decides.

Does the programme start in Makkah or in Madinah?

Check this on each departure's page before booking. A programme that starts in Madinah does not put you in Makkah for the first nights of the stay, whatever the flight date. In the calculation above, the day that counts is the day you arrive in Makkah itself.

Count the journey to Mohammed V as well, since it comes out of your own leave. From Oujda, some 600 km from Casablanca, we advise arriving the day before. From Agadir, a little under 500 km away, the motorway, intercity coaches or a domestic flight will do. It does not change the day the group reaches Makkah, but it adds a day to your own trip.

Does the visa allow an early arrival?

Yes. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah FAQ states that the stay is counted from entry and stops at the limit given above, that entry into the Kingdom must happen within three months of the visa being issued, and that the system allows no extension. A programme covering the end of Sha'ban and Ramadan therefore stays within that limit.

There is no point, on the other hand, in having the visa issued very early, since entry must follow issue within three months. The Ministry also sets, for each season, a last date for issuing visas and a last date for entry, published in an official calendar. Here is our rule on the visa:

The procedure and the documents belong to the guide chapter on documents and the visa. The Umrah permit is issued through the Nusuk app; its rules can be adjusted during Ramadan, and we check them with you before departure. Our guide to the Nusuk app shows the steps.

How do you read the open departures?

A group departure has one date, the same for the whole group, and it does not move for one person. So the right question is not "when should I go?" but: which open departure gets me to Makkah before the earliest possible evening? Here are the open departures for Ramadan, Sha'ban–Ramadan programmes included; set each one's arrival day against the countdown above:

To weigh a short stay against a longer one, our article 8-day or 15-day Umrah sets out what the length really changes. And our article with every question about Ramadan Umrah covers the rest: fasting, tarawih, permits, the hotel and the family.

Should you prepare your documents early?

Yes: arriving before the first night starts with a file ready in time. The passport-validity rule that applies with us is this one:

Each departure also states its own conditions on its page. As for the ACYW meningitis vaccination, the Saudi Ministry of Health requires it of every Umrah pilgrim, and its timing is set in health requirements reissued every season: see your doctor or a vaccination centre early. The Umrah preparation checklist helps you forget nothing.

What should you ask the agency?

For each departure, ask us three questions: on what day does the group reach Makkah, not the airport? Does the programme start in Makkah or in Madinah? What changes if the month starts a day earlier or later? We answer departure by departure.

A fourth question is not ours to answer: if the announcement of the start of the month differs between Morocco and Saudi Arabia during your trip, which one should your fast follow? Put it to a scholar you trust before you leave.

Programmes that start in Sha'ban let you welcome Ramadan in Makkah; they are grouped here:

And all our Ramadan offers on one page:

Frequently asked questions

Can you reach Makkah before the first day of Ramadan?

Yes, by choosing a departure that gets the group to Makkah before the earliest evening on which the month can begin. Take the expected day from the countdown, subtract the sighting margin, then compare with the day of arrival in Makkah, not the flight day. Programmes that start in Sha'ban are the natural candidates.

What happens if the crescent brings the start forward by a day?

Your flight does not move: the crescent does not change the date of the group's plane. What changes is which night becomes the first of Ramadan, brought forward by a day. If you reach Makkah after that new evening, you miss the first night; if you arrive before it, you will very probably be there.

How long can you stay on an Umrah visa?

According to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah FAQ, the Umrah visa allows 90 days in the Kingdom at most from entry, with no extension possible. Entry must happen within three months of the visa being issued, which is why our team prepares the file at the right time for each departure.

Can you change the date of your departure?

A group departure has a single date for the whole group, so anyone wanting another date chooses another open departure. As for cancellation terms, Morocco's law on the organisation of the travel agent profession requires the agency to give them to you in detail before the contract is signed. Read them before you commit.

Does the agency guarantee the first tarawih?

No. Nobody can guarantee a specific night, since the start of the month is announced after the crescent sighting. What we give you is each departure's arrival day in Makkah, to compare with the earliest possible evening. The earlier you arrive before it, the higher the odds — without ever becoming a certainty.

When should you prepare your documents?

Early, and if possible before booking. Check your passport against the agency's rule and the conditions shown on the departure's page, and ask your doctor or a vaccination centre about the meningitis vaccination schedule, whose timing is set by requirements reissued every season. We give you the full list when the booking is confirmed.

Sources

• Official FAQ of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah

Have a question about a specific departure? Message us on WhatsApp with the button on this page, and we will work out your arrival day in Makkah with you, departure by departure.