What Is the Ruling on Umrah?
ما حكم العمرة؟
It is a confirmed Sunnah. Jabir narrated that:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked whether Umrah was obligatory. He said: "No. But if you perform Umrah it is more virtuous." [Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi]
العمرة سنة مؤكدة لحديث جابر أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم سئل عن العمرة أواجبة هي؟ قال: (لا. وأن تعتمروا هو أفضل) رواه أحمد والترمذي.
1. Is Umrah Obligatory? | أواجبة هي
Jabir reports that the Prophet was asked about Umrah, whether it is obligatory, and said: No, and that you perform Umrah is better (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 931). At-Tirmidhi graded it hasan sahih and said this is the view of some scholars, that Umrah is not obligatory; al-Albani graded its chain weak. At-Tirmidhi also records ash-Shafi’i’s words: Umrah is a sunnah; we know of no one who permitted leaving it, nothing established says it is voluntary, and the report from the Prophet has a weak chain that cannot serve as proof; and it has reached us that Ibn Abbas held it obligatory.
عن جابر: أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم سئل عن العمرة أواجبة هي؟ قال: "لا، وأن تعتمروا هو أفضل" (جامع الترمذي 931، وضعف الألباني إسناده)، قال الترمذي: هذا حديث حسن صحيح، وهو قول بعض أهل العلم قالوا العمرة ليست بواجبة، وقال الشافعي: العمرة سنة لا نعلم أحدا رخص في تركها، وليس فيها شيء ثابت بأنها تطوع، وقد روي عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بإسناد وهو ضعيف لا تقوم بمثله الحجة، وقد بلغنا عن ابن عباس أنه كان يوجبها.
2. The Jihad of Women | عليهن جهاد لا قتال فيه الحج والعمرة
Aishah asked: O Messenger of Allah, is jihad due from women? He said: Yes, a jihad with no fighting in it: Hajj and Umrah (Sunan Ibn Majah 2901, graded sahih by al-Albani). It names Umrah beside Hajj as a jihad due from women.
قالت عائشة رضي الله عنها: قلت: يا رسول الله على النساء جهاد؟ قال: "نعم عليهن جهاد لا قتال فيه الحج والعمرة" (سنن ابن ماجه 2901، وصححه الألباني).
3. Complete the Pilgrimage and Minor Pilgrimage | وأتموا الحج والعمرة لله
Complete the pilgrimage and minor pilgrimage for Allah (2:196). Ibn Kathir reports that ash-Sha’bi read the verse with “and the minor pilgrimage” as a new statement, and said: it is not obligatory; and that the opposite is also reported from him; and from Ibn Abbas: whoever enters ihram for Hajj or for Umrah may not leave it until he completes them. Umrah’s expiation of sins is explained in the ruling on Hajj and its reward.
وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ (سورة البقرة: 196)
قال تعالى: (وأتموا الحج والعمرة لله) (البقرة 2: 196)، قال ابن كثير: وقرأ الشعبي: "وأتموا الحج والعمرة لله" برفع العمرة، وقال: ليست بواجبة، وروي عنه خلاف ذلك، وقال علي بن أبي طلحة عن ابن عباس: من أحرم بالحج أو بالعمرة فليس له أن يحل حتى يتمهما.
4. Umrah in Ramadan | فإن عمرة في رمضان حجة
To a woman who had missed Hajj with him, the Prophet said: When Ramadan comes, perform Umrah in it, for an Umrah in Ramadan is a Hajj (Sahih al-Bukhari 1782). The kinds of Hajj, and Umrah joined to Hajj, are explained in the types of rites in Hajj.
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "فإذا كان رمضان اعتمري فيه فإن عمرة في رمضان حجة" (صحيح البخاري 1782).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What is the ruling on Umrah?
The scholar says it is a confirmed sunnah, citing Jabir’s report (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 931), which at-Tirmidhi graded hasan sahih and al-Albani graded weak in its chain; at-Tirmidhi records that Ibn Abbas held Umrah obligatory.
How strong is the hadith that Umrah is not obligatory?
At-Tirmidhi graded it hasan sahih; al-Albani graded its chain weak (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 931).
Is Umrah part of the jihad of women?
Yes. The Prophet said women have a jihad with no fighting in it: Hajj and Umrah (Sunan Ibn Majah 2901, graded sahih by al-Albani).
What is the reward of Umrah in Ramadan?
The Prophet said: An Umrah in Ramadan is a Hajj (Sahih al-Bukhari 1782).