The beginning
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: DO study the fiqh of Hajj & Umrah before you go, well in advance. (I mean really advanced, not the weeks before it'll be so hectic you won't be able to do it at your leisure. Think 2-3 months in advance.)
Get some good books, tapes and videos. Look online and print everything out. Write all the Duas out on index cards.
Try to memorize as many as you can BEFORE you go. Make flash cards whatever it takes!
DO NOT go there and expect to learn how to do everything from your guides/ppl with you. This is too important not to know for yourself.
There are many stories of the tour people taking people to do things too early or too late. Also, the crowd there is so enormous it is incredibly difficult when millions of people are all trying to do the same thing at the same time. This is where your fiqh of hajj knowledge comes in.
It makes it much easier if you know things like you can pray your 2 rakats of Maqam Ibrahim all the way back in the Haram, or
on the different levels or even anywhere in the Haram, or
that you can do your Saiyy on the secod level or
that you can throw your stones from after sunrise to anytime at night.
If you know things like this you can avoid the crowds of people who will try to stick to only one thing because they don't know what else is allowed. Also if something happens you will know what you should do to compensate for it and you may save your hajj or umrah.
A NOTE about all the books and info. Everyone will tell you something a little different. Try to piece everything together so that you at least know what the required conditions you must fulfill are and what things would break your hajj or umrah absolutely or what things will necessitate compensation. Ask your Imam or local knowledgable people to help you understand the Fiqh and answer any questions you have.
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