Umrah in February: the end of Sha'ban, then the start of Ramadan

Wiki Tours International (Bab Makka), a licensed travel agency in Casablanca (licence no. ODV-25012), organises Umrah from Mohammed V airport. When families write to us about a February departure, they often ask the same question: will we still be in Sha'ban, already in Ramadan, or both? This season the answer depends on the day you leave and the day you return, because the start of Ramadan cuts February in two. Current dates and prices appear in the departure cards below.

• Two Hijri months: Sha'ban, the eighth month of the Hijri calendar, comes immediately before Ramadan, the ninth month and the month of obligatory fasting.
• A computed switch: according to the Umm al-Qura calendar, Ramadan begins this season after a first week of February still in Sha'ban.
• The permit: the official FAQ of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah requires a permit to perform Umrah, issued through Nusuk; for our travellers, the agency handles it.
• Departure: all our groups gather at Mohammed V airport, in Casablanca.
• Payment: no online payment; the contract is signed and the deposit paid at the agency, with an official receipt.

Why does February come in two parts?

Because the Hijri calendar is lunar: its months do not follow the Gregorian ones. This season, the first week of February still belongs to Sha'ban; Ramadan then fills the rest of the civil month. The countdown above gives the computed date, but the first day of Ramadan is only announced after the crescent is sighted, and may move by a day or two. That uncertainty matters most for trips that leave or return around the switch.

February ends before Ramadan does; the month of fasting closes in March with Eid al-Fitr. Its last ten nights open where the two civil months meet; here is their computed start:

Those nights belong to a different trip, covered in Umrah in the last ten days of Ramadan. The switch also moves from one season to the next: by the same calculation, the following Ramadan will begin in January. Before booking, trust the countdown, not last year's memory.

Which February trip should you choose, given its dates?

A February trip takes one of three shapes, depending on where it sits against the switch. The table shows what each contains and what to check before signing.

| Trip | What it contains | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back before the switch | The rites at the end of Sha'ban, without obligatory fasting | The return date against the Ramadan countdown | Those who want their Umrah outside the month of fasting |
| Across the switch | The end of Sha'ban, then the first nights and days of Ramadan | The order of the cities on the departure page, which, with the countdown, helps place where you will be the evening the month begins | Those who want to live the start of Ramadan without staying the whole month |
| Entirely in Ramadan | Fasting and tarawih, every day of the trip | The hotel and its card, which gives its distance to the Haram | Those who want to live the fast in the holy cities |

The second shape is that of the Sha'ban-Ramadan programmes, which leave in Sha'ban and end in the first days of Ramadan. How many Ramadan nights such a trip includes depends on its return date.

For the third, the remaining choice is which part of Ramadan to aim for, a question that goes beyond February alone. The guide chapter which period to choose for your Umrah already places February among all the seasons of the year.

What is the start of the month, still in Sha'ban, worth?

A few days without obligatory fasting: tawaf, sa'i and visits follow the ordinary rhythm of an Umrah. What Sha'ban is worth on its own, against Ramadan, is compared in Rajab or Sha'ban instead of Ramadan; in a February trip, those days are mainly for settling what will weigh once the fast begins:

1. The doctor. For an elderly parent or a traveller under treatment, the question of fasting while travelling belongs to their doctor before departure, not to the agency.
2. The Rawdah. If the programme goes through Madinah, a Rawdah visit is booked on Nusuk once every 365 days per person.
3. School. With school-age children, compare the return dates with the school calendar: Umrah during the school holidays covers that question.

What changes when the trip crosses the switch?

On a trip that spans both months, three things change from one evening to the next:

• The nights. Tarawih is prayed in congregation after Isha every night of Ramadan and draws considerable crowds at Masjid al-Haram: nights become late around the prayers.
• The meals. For those who fast, meals move to suhoor before Fajr and iftar at Maghrib; collective iftars are served around the Kaaba.
• The hotel. With young children, a hotel close to the Haram changes everything once that rhythm begins.

The exact evening the month can begin, and what it takes to be in the holy cities that night, are covered in arriving in Makkah before the first night of Ramadan. A departure's card shows only its departure and return dates; its page gives the order of the cities.

Which February departures are open?

Here are the February departures open today, with their current dates, length and price:

And the price range of the month's departures:

The Sha'ban-Ramadan programmes, which cross the switch, have their own list:

A booking is confirmed by a contract signed at the agency and a deposit, under the following rule:

This post does not cover February's weather or crowds: the month's departures page presents them when it is online. The next button leads to the month's offer:

When to book a trip that touches Ramadan is covered in when to book your Ramadan Umrah.

Frequently asked questions

Does all of Ramadan fall in February?

No. According to the computed Umm al-Qura calendar, Ramadan begins this season at the start of February's second week and ends in March with Eid al-Fitr, so February holds its beginning and most of its days. The first day is still set by the crescent sighting, give or take a day or two.

Can a trip start in Sha'ban and end in Ramadan?

Yes: a trip that leaves in Sha'ban and returns after Ramadan has begun crosses the switch. That is the idea behind the Sha'ban-Ramadan programmes, which end in the first days of Ramadan, before the crowds of the last ten nights; their departure and return dates appear in their list.

What are nights at the Haram like once Ramadan begins?

They are nights of tarawih: these voluntary prayers are held in congregation every night of Ramadan after Isha, and at Masjid al-Haram the whole Quran is recited over the month. To find a place inside the mosque or on its esplanades, pilgrims arrive well before Isha.

Should a February departure be booked earlier?

Yes, as soon as the trip touches Ramadan. In Morocco, Ramadan places go months in advance and hotels close to the Haram are the first to fill. The Saudi authorities also set, each season, a last entry date for pilgrims coming from abroad, so do not leave the decision late.

Can you visit the Rawdah if you went a few months ago?

Not with a new Nusuk permit: the authority for the Two Holy Mosques announced that this permit can be obtained only once every 365 days per person. It also provides an instant access route near the mosque. Tell us about a recent visit before the file is submitted.

Is the Nusuk permit the same in Sha'ban and in Ramadan?

The principle is the same: the official FAQ of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah requires one permit to perform Umrah and another to pray in the Rawdah, both issued through Nusuk. The agency checks the rule in force for your dates when it submits the file, and handles it for you.

Write to Bab Makka

Torn between returning before the switch, a trip across both months or a departure in the heart of Ramadan? Message us on WhatsApp with the button on this page: we compare the open departures with you according to everyone's age, your leave and your budget. You can also browse the February departures page first.