Are Three `Umrahs Equivalent to Hajj?
praise the Almighty for the blessings of taking 10 days during the
month of Ramadan to make an 'umrah in 1988, during my residence
in Egypt. I was fasting and visiting Medina, Mecca and the stations
for the Hajj. According to the Sunnah, I understood from my teachers
that an 'umra fasting during Ramadan is given the blessings of hajj,
and may count for hajj. In your article, you mentioned it as the
"small hajj." For reasons of health, money, conditions
of the journey, currently, I would highly appreciate if you could
tell me if indeed it may count for hajj. I could have from my 'umrah
during Ramadan 1988. I am 67 years old.
يقول الرسول الكريم صلى الله عليه وأله
وسلم : " عمرة في رمضان تعدل حجه" رواه البخاري ومسلم .. وفي لفظ "حجة
The Prophet (s) said,
in Ramadan, for `umrah
in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj,"
(or in one narration, "to
Hajj with me"). [Bukhari and Muslim]
Making `umrah (lesser pilgrimage),
even one time during Ramadan,
according to many scholars, is rewarded like the Hajj. However,
it does not eliminate the obligation of Hajj. You will be given
the reward (fadilat) of Hajj without fulfilling its obligation.
Even if you did thousands of `umrah in Ramadan it would not
eliminate the requirement for making the Hajj. Unless you do the
actual Hajj during its season with its required rites, you will
not be considered to have completed this requirement of the faith.
Nowhere is it mentioned in Quran or hadith that this, the 5th
pillar of Islam can be substituted by `umrah during Ramadan.
Since you were able to do the `umrah, it means you are able
to do Hajj, and this is what is advised.