UMRAH TRENDS : QUESTION BETWEEN FOLLOWING SUNNA AND SPIRITUAL TOURISM

Spiritual tourism is not a new phenomenon. It has been studied from tourism perspectives. However, when the tourism became a global trend of religious expression, the perspective of the sociology of religion get its place. In Indonesia, although Muslims perform hajj, visiting and praying in famous cemeteries (ziyāra), and umrah are also included into this trip. Spiritual tourism at the same time has affected and has been affected by religious views, including the understanding of what is referred to as Sunna. This condition has enfolded how umrah is performed as a social trend today. By looking at the concept of spiritual tourism from sociological perspective, this paper further utilizes umrah and hajj travel agencies’ angle in seeing of what is so called Sunna, and how it has influenced the performance of umrah. The study demonstrates the important role of travel agencies in forming a strategy to attract pilgrims by two steps: by binding umrah as a recreation/travel and placing it as a modern distinctive way of worship.

Umrah and hajj trips include 'ubūdiyyah dimension (worship) and insāiyyah (humanity), where Muslims practice what the Prophet Muhammad and his ancestor, Prophet Ibrahim had done.Therefore umrah is a kind of pilgrimage, and not only a physical pleasurable travel.It involves self-reflection through a special intention for worship, a series of rituals that are believed to be exemplary of the sunna of the Prophet.
In terms of economic capability umrah and hajj are also interesting.Ideally Islam has made hajj compulsory for those who can afford it, but the fact is that hajj and umrah are not solely performed by the wealthy Muslims.This is because the ideal and essence of hajj and umrah are the fulfillment of worship, happiness of the hearts (falāḥ) as part of the ultimate goal in life.Happiness could not just be measured through economic criteria, but is a thread of courage and can only be perceived in an inner and spiritual fulfillment. 3n his study "The image of Hajj in Media Construction‛, Soehadha categorized three variants of research on the pilgrimage On the other side, economic studies show that political management of hajj and umrah in Indonesia was so often marked by increasing demand for a better service need of hajj.At times, it was also severely marked with corruption affairs, which led to even growing public's attention for more effective and accountable process.Political issues of hajj management in Indonesia is also demonstrated by long term negotiation process (the Indonesian government) in obtaining privileges for both quotas as well the services for Indonesia's pilgrims.6 In addition, the economic studies on the hajj rituals focused on the economic ability of the pilgrims have been made by Zamakhsyari Dhofier, who stated that although the hajj were dominated by Muslims from a higher economic level, but Muslims of lower economic level also strive to finance their pilgrimage visit.This was an excuse for hajj as an 'ibādah symbolizes highest spiritual attainment for Muslims.7 In addition to the latest work, economic studies generally dominated by a description of the hajj management policy in Indonesia that can never be separated from the international policy of the Government of Saudi Arabia on the hajj.Since 2013, the Saudi government has reduced by 20% of the world's quota of pilgrims since the government focused on improvements as well construction both Ḥaramayn areas and facilities.8 From various studies above it can be specified that the importance of hajj's aspects as fundamental worship in Islam was not only came from a theological perspective.It complexities of management and social impact rise a very modern expression of 'ibādah.So that, hajj, today has also formed a very important ziyārah to Mecca, that it is umrah.The spiritual trip that now has been conditioned by both religious discourse as well as global tourism as an alternative of hajj.

Umrah as Part of Global Tourism Trends
Globally, it can be said that the Saudi Arabia's policy to gain a gigantic improvements in Haramain is a vivid impact of global tourism trends.'Ala al-Harmaneh shows that since 2003/2004 the Saudi Arabia and the Middle East countries have presented a massive global tourism programs, as part of September 11 impact toward tourism.Opposing to the stereotype of that tragedy and rejecting the common assumption that Muslims (including Muslim countries) is identical with terrorism, Middle East countries made a huge promotion on safety and comfort for tourists to travel to Muslim countries.Saudi Arabia was one of the countries that participated on this trend.A rich country and a very important travel destination for Muslims around the world, Saudi Arabia has now intended to widen the variety of trip programs that are based on a new interpretation on the hajj and tourism destination.It was the first time during the history that Saudi Arabia promoted a "Summer Umrah", and the huge tourism exhibition on "Hajj and Umrah Exhibition" in Dubai in 2005.This program was also attended by other Arab countries, such as Jordania and Egypt to promote "Islamic Tourism" around the world.Iraq (at that time) had also promoted Najaf and Karbala as a safe and comfort sacred sites to visit. 9mid growing global tourism in Muslim countries as well as the policies of both countries (Indonesia and the Government of Saudi Arabia), the Indonesian Muslim public interest toward umrah expanded increasingly.It was hand in hand with the increased market share of the tourism industry of this type, as well the significant number of umrah services and manufactures.While at the same time lots of critics toward the hajj directorate of Ministry of Religious Affairs to manage the hajj and umrah in a more transparent way heighten public demand for a new era of professionalism for hajj and umrah management in Indonesia.
Following this, umrah is not only a matter of 'ubūdiyyah.When entering the world of professional industry, umrah became a traded commodity.At the same time, the management of umrah services involves many aspects and strategies for umrah businesses.Umrah agencies attempt to increase services and conditions to seek customers.The existence of the popular Muslim artists and preachers help market agencies' products.Networking business also penetrated umrah services industry as a palpable approach, where it can be a possible chance for every Muslim (whether they have enough money or not) to perform umrah to Ḥaramayn land.This case could not be set apart from the role of electronic media such as commercials, sinetrons (a serial drama on TV), as well film in the cinema, to be part of an industrious marketing tool for this promising business. 10he strategy and the promotion of the business have successfully changed the images about hajj and/or umrah.It was in the era of Martin Van Bruinessen, Snouck Hurgonje, as well as Henri Chambert-Loir research where hajj was identified as an uneasy ritual, take a deadly risk such as timely extensive journey, separation from the family, as well as a jihad to gain more religious knowledge: but now hajj and umrah are rituals which are identical with achievable journey, full of fun, distinctive attires 10 The TV se ries such as ‚Tukang Bubur Naik Haji‛ in RCTI.The rise of Islamic Film at the be ginning of the mille nnium also he lpe d bring de piction of Hajj and Umrah, such as ‚Emak Ingin Naik Haji‛ (2010), ‚Dibawah Lindungan Ka'bah‛ (2012), ‚Haji Backpacke r‛ ( 2014), e tc.Film and sinte ron This gave rise to the impression that the Hajj and Umrah is an e veryday be havior (from the original only apply once a year, name ly in the months of Hajj), the n also prese nts images of land Haramain is no longe r far away, but close to the heart and mind the de votees.Thus, the e lectronic me dia also indire ctly make promotion of Hajj and Umrah, with how pre sent directly in the middle of e veryday audie nce .Moh. and meals, comfortable activities.Close to the impression of an easy, fun, nice facility, accompanied with their piety idols from artists or famous figures, require a sort and effective time, and to such a degree, the pilgrims may get an extra business rewards.Todays traveling for Muslims may not be separated from spiritual activity. 11hose contemporary conditions help agencies to pay a deeper attention to arguments and classical resources of Islamic law as part of the primary reference in running their business services, so it will make the non-obligatory pilgrimage of umrah acceptable for either Islamic teaching as well as more modern adaptation.This is in line with the latest research on tourism which categorizes the type of tourism activity as a spiritual tourism.This means the travel activities undertaken by certain religious groups based on the motivation to implement most of the religious teachings and is intended as a means to achieve a certain spiritual level.Although the theory of spiritual tourism is fairly new, practically the phenomenon is commonly sustained. 12arooq Haq, et.al., citing Haq and Jackson, defines spiritual tourism as: ‚<an important se gme nt of a massive tourism industry cate ring to nee ds of spiritual tourists in particular and facing compe tition as we ll as problems of survivability with other segme nts of the tourism industry.<; a spiritual tourist is someone who visits a specific place out of his/her usual e nvironme nt, with the inte ntion of spiritual meaning and/or growth, without overt re ligious compulsion, which could be re ligious, non-re ligious, sacre d or e xperie ntial in nature , but within a Divine conte xt, re gardless of the main re ason for travelling. 13he Islamic spiritual tourism, then, is a type of leisure activities with the aim to meet the demands of self-development and spiritual power as a way to achieve an awareness of close relationship to Allah (taqarrub ilā Allāh).During the travel Muslims will have other meaningful activities that aim to achieve certain goals, of eliminating depression feeling, the achievement of mental health, broaden brotherhood relationship among Muslims, and certainly during the course of traveling they may rejuvenate a spiritual purpose as wisdom and lessons on various aspects of life. 14rom those various practices in the field, Haq concluded that spiritual tourism committed by Muslims can be divided into three types, the first pilgrimage is ḥajj, a main pillar of Islam and became one fundamental worship in Islam, held in Mecca for a certain time, namely from 8 to 12 Dzulhijjah every year.Second is riḥlah, namely a trip for a particular purpose, such as a trip to study, to trade, specific research or travel for treatment.The third activity is referred as a ziyārah, which Muslims travel for visiting the cemetery of Muslim prominent or sufi figures, as well as visiting mosques or schools to obtain knowledge.In addition to the hajj, the journey, either riḥlah or ziyārah can be referred to as a spiritual tourism. 15t is with the growing consciousness of public piety both umrah and hajj became socially more prestigious journey.While at the same time the tourism industry became an influential area that penetrated the wishes of the people in enjoying this spiritual journey.So, umrah which is actually a form of ziyārah and perceived as sunna or non-obligatory, is now considered to be a demand (need, or almost became an obligation).If that so, what did the travel agencies say and approach toward customers?The rest of the paper would further examine -based on their perceptions toward sunna-how travel agencies' understand Umrah?Since the paper focuses on the study of sunna and its practice in the community, then the sub-chapter would further discuss how Sunna as a body of knowledge understood by prominent figures of travel agencies then transformed into other forms of services in the context of spiritual tourism.

The concept of Sunna and its implications for Umrah Services Today
The rise of umrah today may be concluded as a reciprocal relationship between tourism policies and demand from pilgrims who base their understanding that umrah is a call, and yet expected ritual.This chapter attempts to place Umrah as part of the sunna al-ṣahābah that is understood both by the pilgrims and umrah travel agencies.So this chapter will begin from the Sunna of the Prophet as a body of knowledge and understanding of umrah agencies (muṭawwif).

Umrah as Part of Development of the Sunna
Sunna for Muslims can be interpreted as practical norms drawn from utterances or actions preached by the Prophet Muhammad.Sunna can be referred to as a living practice. 16lightly different from the traditions that are literary, sunna are reports of practices that has become a normative and practical principles for generations of Muslims.In Islam, it is certainly believed that the authority on sunna is elucidated by the Prophet 16 Rahman e xplore d the idea of Abū Yūsuf and al-Awzā'ī (whe n both discusse d about the practice of muslim Madinah in buying and se lling slaves in the land of e nemy) and conclude d about scope of sunna as more progressive conce pt.On the one hand, al-Awzā'ī pre fe rre d to say that sunna was vary (meaning as dee ds and e xemplary, include that of the companion of the prophe t), but the most authoritative was sunna of the prophe t, and should be a primary re fe re nces for muslims.On the other hand, Abū Yūsuf, Rahman state d, pre ferre d to note spesifically as sunna Nabi.Yet he me ntione d since the re had been part of prophe t's life and dee ds that we re prefe rably as an individual matter, so muslims should not e xplicate -what is calle d sunna -as a matte r of lite rally totalitarian.More over, ‚whe n the situation so demands, the exce ption to the rule must be applie d as a rule .‛Fazlur Rahman, ‚Sunna and Hadith,‛ Journal Islamic Studies, Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University, Islamabad 1, no. 2 (June 1962): 2-3.
The above excerpt was a vivid expression of a Pakistani Muslim scholar, Fazlur Rahman, that Prophet Muhammad has been expressed as a representation of the authoritative source of sunna.For Rahman, the Sunna of the Prophet which is basically a set of exemplary conduct had been steered inherently by and during the revelation of the Qur'an. 18The supremacy of sunna -as a lively concept-functioned for bayān al-Qur'ān (explanation of the Qur'an) as well as tashrī' (Islamic law), gradually brought into an istinbāṭ al-ḥukm (jurisprudence) at that time.These steps have been adapted to the communal necessities which vary up to now.Historically speaking, Rahman had mentioned that during its formation, sunna has a tendency to submissively control over Muslims' practice and prone to accommodate Muslims' forthcoming conditions.Later, this seemingly ‚umbrella‛ characteristic of sunna (based on daily practice) will be constantly interpreted and reformed by later generations (particularly groups of fuqahā and ulamā') by using taṭbīq al-ḥukm that allows modern socio-cultural conditions tied in with the previous ideas. 19t is worth noting that sunna as a concept varies in definition as well as in scope.The various concern about sunna particularly 19 This e xploratory points out Rahman's indistinctive idea be twee n ḥadīth and sunnah.While conce ptually Rahman sees hadith as a lite ral-authority, he pre fers to pe rce ive the later as the very basic quality of ḥadīth, re flecting main spirit of progressivity, conte xtual, and dynamic of sunna.Many have said this ide a has put a liable study toward a wide r scope of authority in Islam.Lutfi,  ‚Ijtihad Fazlur Rahman,‛ 7.  rest references on a multifaceted Muslims' points of view in perceiving the position of Prophet Muhammad. 20This various ideas may spread from classical scholars to the contemporary ones.Even Orientalists, take an instance, believed that sunna, which was related to a living character and Prophet's exemplary, was relatively identical to ijma' (consensus of scholars), (including ijtihād of the scholars of early Muslim generations, fuqahā'). 21In line to this idea, Duderija specified the perception of sunna in the first three centuries of Hijra as a set of general behavior concept as well as ethical model inferred from the life of first Muslim community.While the concept had not been systematized, sunna was significantly and progressively formulated either by oral transmission or the figure of prophet as a prototype of ideal life.Following Guraya's study about the concept of sunna in the era of Maliki, Duderija found that during this period the concept of sunna was barely perceived as ‚recognized Islamic religious norms and accepted standards of conduct derived from the religious and ethical principles introduced by the Prophet‛.While doing the same path and scrutinized its relevance for modern life, he proves this classical phase of sunna may be best expressed as ‚the non-ḥadīth dependent concept of Sunna‛. 2220 Following Suryadi in his study, this article differe ntiates various de finitions of sunna from ahl al-ḥadīth, ahl al-uṣl, as we ll as ahl al-fiqh.Ahl alḥadīth concerne d on the characte r and be havior of the prophe t, stipulate d sunna as ve rbally record of eve ry dee ds and sayings, sile nt pe rmissions (or disapprovals), as we ll as characte rs of prophe t.Second group of ulama who put the ir concern of prophe t as a founding figure for  Since Muslims community grew ever larger, widespread and diverse (after the death of Prophet Muhammad) the need for the initiation of the sunna's codification into a set of hadith had become very urgent.They felt the need for a very base of body of knowledge, as part of the need for the daily religious life's guidance, preferences of legal decisions, even considerations for Muslims' political deliberations.Since then, as a consequent of this changing, the sunna was often perceived as the hadith itself.Duderija, then, reflected to this period as the writing and codification of ḥadīth which he described as "hadithification" of Sunna with various distinguishing characteristics compared to the previous period, among others are: a.The sunna (and the Qur'an) is conceptually linked to the principles and ethical values, such as justice, righteous conduct, also including the expression of al-'adalah based on Sunna.According to Duderija, the idea has been widely practiced in both the first century of Muslim community.But today, hadith is often interpreted as a hard doctrine, regarded as the very standard rules that seemed to lose its openness to various aspects of the social situation; even regardless of the purpose of the prophet of a particular action (sabāb al-khuṣūṣ).Under these conditions sunna, certainly, has been perceived as a rigid system and likely executed as a solid cells of life.So, sunna only can be accessed through a codified hadith.24

Sunna as the Guide and Travel Agencies' Motivation
In the condition where Muslims accessed hadith as the source for the righteous conduct, umrah is perceived in fiqh as a kind of non-obligatory pilgrimage for Muslims.In contrast to hajj, umrah, which is not done in a particular month, can be performed by Muslims repeatedly in accordance to their physical and financial ability.
Literally, the word umrah comes from the word I'timar means ziyārah, to travel for religious reason.Umrah includes activities such as religious visit to the Ka'ba and surround it by performing ṭawāf, then sā'i between ṣafā and marwāh, and lastly, taḥallul.Apart from hajj, there is no obligation to stay overnight at Arafah in umrah.Due to a series of umrah only take a small part of the Hajj's route then it is sometime called as a small hajj.Umrah can be performed at any time (except at those times been detested; the day of 'Arafāh, Nahar, and Tashrīq).In performing umrah, pilgrims must perform prerequisite of umrah (rukun) namely: 1. Wearing iḥrām attires (expressed as an intention to Allah for performing umrah) in Mīqāt; 2. Performing ṭawāf seven times; 3. Performing sa'i between the hill of ṣfā and marwāh; and 4. Having one's hair shaved (taḥallul).
Actually there is no rigid guidance about spiritual tourism in Islam.It is flexible because it is not required to meet a specific objective, but rather as an appeal that Muslims travel to various places in the world.The most important aspect in Islam about travel and leisure is a balance between the two aspects: the worldly and afterlife destination. 25his predominantly simple guidance for umrah entails a more flexible and timely activities attached to the 'ibādah.In a morally articulation, Islam acknowledges Muslims to have a tadabbur (a lesson) during their travelling around the world. 26While at the same time, Islam recommends the traveling as a balanced activity between worldly leisure and ritual for their spiritual need. 27he ultimate consideration for spiritual journey shows the special treatment need to be accessed by Muslims.And this is recognized by many umrah travel agencies, shown by their amenities that are intangible such as holding series of gatherings for du'ā' and dhikr (chanting) before traveling.Further, these travel agencies take advantage of intensive meetings with the pilgrims such as mujāhadah, chanting during pregnancy, and so forth.So in terms of business, services to the customer are critical to the success of this kind of travel agency.From the description below clearly visible how the service providers, some of which is based on a certain understanding on the Sunna then practiced umrah pilgrimage as well as worship.Aspects of worship indicated by the understanding of the sunna (and more as fiqh), while from the aspect of pilgrimage is shown by the series of activities carried out either as a distinguishing identity as well as the answers to the spiritual needs of the pilgrims. 26Muslims commonly unde rstood one of weak hadith which state d that gaining knowle dge is a participatory action for e very individual of Muslim.Also, it was assumed that the hadith re commend to have travelling as we ll as ziyāra .

The Motivation of Travel Agencies as part of the perception of the Sunna of the Prophet
Since Muslim in Indonesia became more familiar with the leisurely of umrah so travel agencies have opportunity to offer various motivation, goal, and model. 28For example, Al Azhar Travel, in Solo, Central Java, stressed their objective to hold a Prophet Muhammad-based of umrah.The owner of Al Azhar acknowledged the existence of numerous travel agencies, either belong to or affiliated with any Muslim religious organization.But their services intensely offered for specific member of communities.In addition, Al Azhar saw the reality that Muslims, in their area today, facing various background; so they may offer umrah's services that recognize these varieties of need and demand.Those are ranges of social class background, affiliated religious organization, as well as their spiritual need.In doing so, muṭawwif (travel guide bodies) in this travel agency have emphasized to serve rituals guided by sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.Another goal of this agency was to facilitate and disseminate the idea to their prospective pilgrims that the most important part of this spiritual tourism is the worship and be grateful to Allah.
The other travel agency observed was ASBIHU Tour & Travel, in Jakarta.It set up the goal of agency as an effort in keeping many umrah and hajj pilgrims in Indonesia to understand diversity of socio-religious background of worshipers in Mecca and Medina, thus they will find dissimilar madhāhib implemented during the rituals.Moreover, ASBIHU concerns more on the possible influence of Wahhabi's teaching that may promote prohibition against the existed cultural Muslim practices in their homeland.It is, then, necessary for ASBIHU Tour & Travel to preach the rituals in accordance to sunni madhhab. 29nlike ASBIHU which emphasizes the strategic to maintain the theological view of the pilgrims, Travel Wisata Hati, Semarang established to present solutions and provide motivation of Muslims to go to Haramain, and provide them with both mental and spiritual assistance, so they will be confidently motivated to perform umrah: ‚Wisata Hati e mphasizes its role as counse lor of worship, provide assistance to pilgrims, in orde r to be able to de ve lop themse lves optimally to the way to find God, close to Allah, pe rform and do good dee ds, love d the sunna, unde rstand the mse lves, care about the ir surrounding, to ove rcome obstacles in order to de te rmine a be tte r future plans.Wisata Hati Trave l, Semarang initially focusing atte ntion on counse ling activities.It was initially to pursue a rahmatan dakwah for the ve ry nee d of ummah.So, umrah and hajj was one the very comple x proble m face d by ummah.The re are lots of ummah who wishe d to pe rform the pilgrimage and Umrah, but could not afford the funds to carry out the practice. 30is kind of mission is in line to Zhafirah Tour and Travel in Jogjakarta.Umrah is a sunnah, non-obligatory worship but preferable to practice.So, it emphasizes the importance of glorifying Allah through prophetic sunnah.Therefore every Muslim should -at least once in his lifetime-to perform Umrah.Even, it is a mandatory for those who are able to afford needs for going to Mekkah and Madinah. 31n umrah ritual practice according to Muslim Sunni jurists.Asbihu NU, ‚Profile Asosiasi Bina Haji dan Umrah Nahdlatul Ulama (ASBIHU-NU),‛ n.d., accesse d January 9, 2017, http://wisatahaji.com/profil-asbihu-nu/.
31 Intervie w with Nuril Huda, muṭawwif Zafira Tour and Trave l Age ncy, Yogyakarta: February 17, 2016, 2:20 pm.I try to access the hadith me ntione d by Huda.At least the re are three major idea in accord to this issue .Imam Abu hanifah and Imam Malik state d that Umrah was basically a non-obligatory ritual/praye r in Islam.This ide a was the most promine nt idea.While Imam Syafi'i, commonly the most pre fe rable fikh jurisprude ntial-school in Indonesia, umrah is a pre fe rable but non-obligatory.Howe ve r, the latest ide was the most popular among fikh ulama, since those of Hanafiyah and other small group of initiated a series of counseling forum as well as motivation based on rituals.This activity is called riyāḍah.This ritual is organized to review the motivation and the purposes of umrah and hajj.At the end of every session (the ritual held in every Saturday and Sunday), Wisata Hati runs a discussion to talk about the jama'a's problems, aimed for counseling to assure their belief of coming into Ka'ba.As part of counseling, Wisata Hati convinces the customers with continuous yelling a phrase ‚Allah dulu, Allah lagi, Allah seterusnya ‛ (God first, God Again, God Continues).
Since Muslims' ability to perform umrah and ḥajj (pilgrimage) in Islam has been perceived, religiously, as a matter of God's preference, the counseling through riyāḍah intensifies a gradual optimistic feeling that all Muslims are, indeed, given the opportunity to travel to and visit Bayt Allāh.On the other hand during riyadha, this travel agent attempted to guide the jama'a on a series of rituals.First, riyadha is a part of Sufi tradition benefited for individual training that particularly functions as selfcontrolling.In this regular practice, they may gradually fight against any kind of hunger, maintain a sincere soul, mind, emotions, as well as body.Second, these series of spiritual activities will help jama'a to get used to stimulating their daily life in accordance with the Qur'anic morality and Sunna.
Apart from that of rituals, Wisata Hati also stimulated jama'a to comprehensively intensify their ibadah in order to gain a multiple pahala (ajrun, reward from God) by following Allah's ways.The spirit of coming to Bayt Allāh may be risen from active caring for others during the time of asking Allah's grace to visit Bayt Allāh.By loving others, Wisata Hati inspired jama'a to show up a kind-hearted emotion through charity during riyāḍah meeting.Also the agency came up with many prominent figures (such as the supervisor of the agency, Ustadz Yusuf Mansur), as well as watching any kind of film that portrayed a struggle for visiting Bayt Allāh.It is, then, unsurprising to find jama'a Wisata Hati who perceived their travelling to Bayt Allāh as a kind of miracle, since the series of motivation has magnificently influenced their mood and emotion. 34nlike the pilgrims of KBIH Al Barokah that proceeded umrah by merely chanting and remembering God (wirid) during the mujāhadah, Wisata Hati that successfully modified the worship with more rationale effort; Al Azhar travel agency practiced different approach to attract the jama'as' attention.It is begin with the attention that the primary ritual of umrah lies in the journey itself, through series of praying at spiritual sites during the journey.Muhammad Syahrul, the muṭawwif and the owner of agency, refused to see umrah as part of tourism, yet it is a ziyāra, series of rite the passage during the journey.Unlike other four primary rituals in Islam,35 ḥajj (as well as umrah) is a comprehensive ritual, demanding for both spiritual and material ability of Muslims.However, their possibility as well as ability to perform umrah is related ultimately to Allah's grace and award.So, one may see a rich Muslim, or a pious one but he/she cannot afford for umrah?On the other hand, one may also witness an elder, poor and the sick; but they made a visit to Mecca.So those who are able to visit Mecca and Medina are the chosen Muslims, and the ritual, during the journey should be performed totally in order to effectively utilize their time during the visit.
Muhammad Syahrul, who often accompanied the jama'a continuously encouraged his jama'a to focus on their ibādah during every site-visit: ‚it Starte d from the Sunna to first take a spe cial showe r, the re we invite jama'a to e xplicate the words of the Prophe t Muhammad pbuh: "Wash you and the n tie a bandage on the attire of ihrom!".The n we invite pilgrims to pe rform the ir prayers in the mosque , and the n read talbiyah in a loud voice , it has to be in a loud voice , so the y may infiltrate the ve ry spirit of this ziyāra h (journey).The n we follow a ve rse "Wa al-takhadhū min maqām Ibrāhīm muṣallā" to perform shalat in front of the site .At each of these places we then te ll the stories of the prophe ts, put more attention to the teachings, then glorify Allah for making those history and hikmah (learning points) through our shalat.To some e xtent, we re cite prayer, du'a, and sometimes say in Bahasa Indonesia, so the pilgrims may inte nsive ly live with it.That was the things we go through with the othe r sites, such as Ṣafā and Marwah, Ḥijr Ismā'īl, Rawḍah, and so forth.Espe cially at times we lead jama'a to Ka 'aba, we call the m to -as they could-face to the Kaaba, during the intangible service and immaterial nature of the organizers of spiritual tourism.
Transmission process in the service process of umrah occurred in terms of what is known as the sunna, and how umrah as one sunna is perceived in this context.Thus, the sunna in this practice can be classified as sunna as understood by jurists, where sunna is interpreted as everything set by the Prophet outside of the category of obligatory and compulsory.Although sunna is close in meaning to jurisprudence, but in practice the jurisprudence that travel agencies point out are also quite diverse.For example, there are certain agencies that emphasize umrah once in every pilgrimage to the holy land.However, others motivate customers to perform umrah as many as they can do.Of course this does not include some of the prayers invoked by muṭawwif and umrah pilgrims in various sacred sites in the Holy Land.This last fact proves that even a Sunna as understood from the standpoint of Islamic jurisprudence that are rigid and stiff, when viewed more broadly indicates precisely the nature sunna nor obligatory, which is flexible and has a wide variety of expression.Then this fact shows that for Muslims (especially in the practice of umrah) sunna is information about what was said, done, or approved by the Holy Prophet as well as about the companions, and the early generations of Islam.
‚In othe r words, the Sunna is the conce pt of be havior, both of which apply to acts of physical or me ntal actions, both occurring once and re current.‛ 38Each of the Travel Bureau observed showed their mission to carry out a sunna, but the emphasis of the respective travel agency strongly associated with social and theological problems faced by pilgrims.Al Azhar Travel Bureau, Solo, for example, emphasizes democratic side of Islamic law that avoids discrepancy opinion (khilāfiyyah) although in terms of permissible thought.KBIH ASBIHUNU emphasizing instead embedded mission of jurisprudence and theology schools of ahl sunna wal jama'a as a school of thought that has long been followed by Muslims in Indonesia.While Heart Travel Bureau in Semarang and Zafira Travel Bureau in Yogyakarta give more thought to the uncertainty of the pilgrims, it emphasizes the vision of preaching Islam which put greater emphasis on the belief in the law of God and the Sunna of the Prophet, and to plan for their future optimism.The mission of the various travel agencies and KBIH shows their emphasis on what is referred to as sunna in Islam.
Another interesting practice to be explored from umrah as spiritual tourism is the commercial aspect of services given during pre-departure, departure and arrival.Although these services are the practice of worship that includes umrah, in fact these are all part of travel services provided by KBIH and travel agencies to satisfy their customers.The travel agency also gives a short handbook of umrah and its spiritual beneficiaries.In the customer's eyes, these are seen as a serious effort that makes the spiritual journey acceptable (mabrur).
Although resembling travels in general, pilgrim is a unique tour.It makes an investment that cannot be determined by the value of the return (investment with no tangible rate of return).It also determines the decisions that are prepared regularly/ constantly.Moreover, pilgrim takes on a special occasion and time that require the pilgrim traveler to have a spiritual and mental preparation (riyāḍah), as this is performed by pilgrims of Heart Travel Semarang and through intensive moral-spiritual preparation and prayer (mujāhadah) by pilgrims of KBIH Al Barokah, Yogyakarta.As explained above, Heart Travel that claims itself as a religious counselor emphasizes on the prolonged investment of the umrah.Various programs in riyāḍah like alms and motivation are included as part of the travel during the pre-departure process.Likewise, series of chanting God's name (dhikr) and manākib reading are circulated in Al Barokah travel agency.These are considered as spiritual investment.
14 A. A. Mustafayeva e t al., ‚De ve loping Islamic Tourism in Kazakhstan: A Result of a Re ligious Revival or a Ne w Tre nd of Tourism,‛ World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering 6, no.11 (2012): 6. 15 Farooq Haq and Ho Yin Wong, ‚Is Spiritual Tourism a Ne w Strate gy for Marke ting Islam?,‛ Journal of Islamic Marketing 1, no. 2 (2010): 136-148.
the ve ry principles of Islamic law, e xplain sunna as what had been proverb by the prophe t, a part from al-Qur'an, e ithe r dee ds, sayings, sile nt pe rmissions (or disapprovals), or taqrīr, that may be base d as a postulate for law.The last group of ulama' the n e xpress sunna e very things and dee ds was declare d by prophe t apart from what we re cate gorize d as wajib or farḍu.Suryadi and M. Mansur e t al., ‚Dari Living Sunna ke Living Hadis,‛ in Metodologi Penelitian Living Qur'an dan Hadis (Yogyakarta: TH Pre ss, and Te ras, 2007), 89-91. 21Ibid., 93. 22Furthe r re vie ws are in Guraya, ‚The Conce pt of Sunna,‛ 4; Adis Dude rija, ‚Evolution on the Conce pt of Sunna during the First Four Ge ne rations of Muslims in Re lation to the Deve lopme nt of the Conce pt of an Authe ntic Hadith as Base d on Re cent Weste rn Scholarship,‛ Journal of Arab Law Quarterly 26, no. 4 (January 2012): 393-437.
The continued growth and proliferation of ḥadīth; b.The increasing importance given to ḥadīth at the cost of what he termed as nonḥadīth dependent concept of sunna that was prevalent in the first two centuries of Islam as mentioned above; c.The articulation of non-verbally based aspects 23 of sunna