Similarly, Umrah is also a voluntary act that can be performed more than once.
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
العمرة إلى العمرة كفارة لما بينهما
“One Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the next Umrah.”
Jurists have differed on whether Umrah is obligatory once for the one who is capable or not:
(Ahmad, Shafi’i) Umrah is obligatory. This is the position of Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Ibn Umar, Hazrat Ibn Abbas, Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with them), Imam Hasan, Imam Thawri, and a group of scholars.
(Malik, Abu Hanifa) It is Sunnah. Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) and Imam Shu’bi also hold this view.
(Preferred view) Umrah is not obligatory but Sunnah because there is no authentic evidence for its obligation.
1. The narration from Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that says:
الحج والعمرة فريضتان
“Hajj and Umrah are both obligatory.” is weak.
2. The verse أَتِمُّوا الحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ does not indicate the obligation of Umrah but commands completion for those who have started Hajj and Umrah.
3. The narration that says: حج عن أبيك و اعتمر “Perform Hajj and Umrah on behalf of your father.” is not an order of obligation but permission, as is found in most hadiths, and no one interprets it as obligatory. For example, there is a hadith that commands:
صلوا فى مرابض الغنم
“Pray in the sheepfolds (meaning you may pray there).”
Furthermore, a fundamental principle supports this:
صيغة الأمر بعد طلب الإجازة تدل على الإباحة
“After seeking permission for something, the imperative form indicates mere permissibility.”
However, the evidence cited by those who deny obligation, such as وأن تعتمروا هو أفضل and a narration وأن تعتمر خير لك “Umrah is better and superior for you,” is weak.
And the narration that says:
الحج جهاد والعمرة تطوع
“Hajj is Jihad and Umrah is voluntary.” is also weak.
(Ibn Taymiyyah) The view of non-obligation is preferred because Allah has only made Hajj obligatory.
(Shawkani) The truth is that Umrah is not obligatory because the principle of exemption from obligation requires clear evidence that establishes a burden.
(Amir San’ani) From a research perspective, the evidences do not prove the obligation of this matter (i.e., Umrah), and its original state is non-obligation.
The evidences of those who hold obligation are as follows:
1. A companion asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about performing Hajj on behalf of his elderly father, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
حج عن أبيك و اعتمر “Perform Hajj on behalf of your father and also perform Umrah.”
2. In a narration of Hadith Jibril explaining Islam, these words are also narrated:
وتحج البيت و تعتمر
“(Islam is that…) and you perform Hajj and Umrah to the House of Allah.”
3. Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said that Hajj and Umrah are both obligatory on every capable person.
(Ibn Hazm) Hajj and Umrah are both obligatory.
(Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri) Prefers this view.
The Prophetic hadith is:
الحج مرة واحدة فمن زاد فهو تطوع
“Hajj is once obligatory, and whoever performs more than that, it is a voluntary Hajj.”
