What is the definition of Umrah linguistically and legally (in Sharia)

Umrah linguistically: a noun from I'timar, which means visitation.

As for Sharia, it is: visiting the Sacred House of Allah for a specific act; from: Tawaf, Sa'i, shaving or shortening; as a way of drawing closer to Allah, the Almighty. (Subul As-Salam: 2/178)

● Is Umrah obligatory or recommended?

Scholars differed on the ruling on Umrah, with two well-known opinions:

The first opinion: It is obligatory, and this is the doctrine of the Hanbalis. The proponents of this opinion have provided evidence, including the words of Allah the Almighty: {And complete the Hajj and Umrah for Allah} [Al-Baqarah: 196]. The evidence for this is that Allah the Almighty linked Umrah with Hajj, indicating that their ruling is the same. This evidence is called by scholars the evidence of conjunction, and it is a weak evidence [31]. Among the evidence that the evidence of conjunction is a weak evidence is the Almighty’s statement: “Eat of its fruit when it bears fruit and give its due on the day of its harvest” [Al-An’am: 141]. So God Almighty linked eating with paying zakat, thus indicating that an obligation may be linked with something other than an obligation.

Another piece of evidence is the hadith of Abu Razin al-Uqaili: “He came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: ‘My father is an old man and cannot perform Hajj, ‘Umrah, or travel.’ He said: ‘Perform Hajj and ‘Umrah on behalf of your father.’” (Sunan Abi Dawud: 1810)

 Another piece of evidence is what Imam Ahmad and others narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, who said: “O Messenger of Allah, is there any obligation on women to Jihad? He said: Yes, they have to perform Jihad in which there is no fighting: Hajj and Umrah.” (Narrated by Ahmad (25322), Ibn Majah (2901), and Ibn Khuzaymah authenticated it: (3074)

The second opinion: It is a Sunnah, and this is the opinion of the Hanafis, Malikis, and some Shafi’is. (Al-Insaf by Al-Mardawi (3/387) and Al-Umm by Al-Shafi’i: 2/144) The proponents of this opinion have provided evidence, including: The apparent meaning of the words of Allah, the Most High: “And Hajj to the House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s journey).” [Aal ‘Imran: 97] They said: The evidence in the verse is clear; Where he limited it to Hajj and did not mention Umrah.

And from their evidence also: The hadith of Ibn Umar, with a chain of transmission traceable to the Prophet: “Islam is built on five: -and in it- and Hajj to the House for whoever is able to do so.”

And the most correct opinion -and God knows best- is that Umrah is obligatory.

The fact that Umrah is obligatory does not mean that its obligation is like the obligation of Hajj. Yes, the one who abandons it while being able to do it is sinful, but he has not abandoned a pillar of Islam, such as Hajj.

Is Umrah obligatory or recommended

Scholars differed on the ruling on Umrah, with two well-known opinions:

The first opinion: It is obligatory, and this is the doctrine of the Hanbalis. The proponents of this opinion have provided evidence, including the words of Allah the Almighty: {And complete the Hajj and Umrah for Allah} [Al-Baqarah: 196]. The evidence for this is that Allah the Almighty linked Umrah with Hajj, indicating that their ruling is the same. This evidence is called by scholars the evidence of conjunction, and it is a weak evidence [31]. Among the evidence that the evidence of conjunction is a weak evidence is the Almighty’s statement: “Eat of its fruit when it bears fruit and give its due on the day of its harvest” [Al-An’am: 141]. So God Almighty linked eating with paying zakat, thus indicating that an obligation may be linked with something other than an obligation.

Another piece of evidence is the hadith of Abu Razin al-Uqaili: “He came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: ‘My father is an old man and cannot perform Hajj, ‘Umrah, or travel.’ He said: ‘Perform Hajj and ‘Umrah on behalf of your father.’” (Sunan Abi Dawud: 1810)

 Another piece of evidence is what Imam Ahmad and others narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, who said: “O Messenger of Allah, is there any obligation on women to Jihad? He said: Yes, they have to perform Jihad in which there is no fighting: Hajj and Umrah.” (Narrated by Ahmad (25322), Ibn Majah (2901), and Ibn Khuzaymah authenticated it: (3074)

The second opinion: It is a Sunnah, and this is the opinion of the Hanafis, Malikis, and some Shafi’is. (Al-Insaf by Al-Mardawi (3/387) and Al-Umm by Al-Shafi’i: 2/144) The proponents of this opinion have provided evidence, including: The apparent meaning of the words of Allah, the Most High: “And Hajj to the House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s journey).” [Aal ‘Imran: 97] They said: The evidence in the verse is clear; Where he limited it to Hajj and did not mention Umrah.

And from their evidence also: The hadith of Ibn Umar, with a chain of transmission traceable to the Prophet: “Islam is built on five: -and in it- and Hajj to the House for whoever is able to do so.”

And the most correct opinion -and God knows best- is that Umrah is obligatory.

The fact that Umrah is obligatory does not mean that its obligation is like the obligation of Hajj. Yes, the one who abandons it while being able to do it is sinful, but he has not abandoned a pillar of Islam, such as Hajj.

Is there a specific time for Umrah like Hajj

Umrah is permissible at all times of the year for those who are not performing Hajj rituals, in general.

The consensus on this was reported by Ibn Rushd, Al-Nawawi, and Ibn Hajar.

Umrah has no specific time limit, so it is permissible to enter ihram for it at any time of the year. (Fatawa Arkan Al-Islam by Ibn Uthaymeen, p. 509: p. 510).

What is the ruling on repeating Umrah in one year

It is permissible to repeat Umrah in one year, and this is the view of the majority: the Hanafis, Shafi’is, Hanbalis, and some Malikis. A group of the Salaf said the same. Among the evidence for this is:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: ((Umrah to Umrah is expiation for what comes between them, and an accepted Hajj brings no less than Paradise as a reward.))

 In the hadith, there is a difference between Hajj and Umrah in terms of repetition. If Umrah were like Hajj, It is not done more than once a year, because it is equal between them and there is no separation.

Mother of the Believers Aisha, may God be pleased with her, performed Umrah twice in one month, by the command of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace: Umrah with her Qiran, and Umrah after her Hajj.

What is the ruling on repeating Umrah in one trip

Repeating Umrah in one trip, whether in Ramadan or not (as many people do today by going to At-Tan’eem and entering ihram from there) is not from the Sunnah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do it, nor did any of the Companions do it. If repeating Umrah in one trip were good, they would have preceded us in doing it, and they are the most eager people to do good. When Aisha insisted that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) perform Umrah, he ordered her brother Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr to take her to At-Tan’eem so that she could perform Umrah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not instruct Abd al-Rahman to perform Umrah. If this had been known among the Companions, Abd al-Rahman would have done it on his own when he went with his sister Aisha to At-Tan’eem. (Fatawa Arkan al-Islam by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p. 539)

What are the pillars of Umrah

Umrah has three pillars, without which it is not valid; they are:

1- Ihram.

2- Circumambulating the Kaaba.

3- Walking between Safa and Marwa; (Minhaj al-Muslim by Abu Bakr al-Jazairi, p. 245).

What is the best time for Umrah

The blessed month of Ramadan is the best time to perform Umrah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj with me.” (Saheeh Ibn Majah: 2441)

It is worth noting that the reward for performing Umrah in the blessed month of Ramadan - like the reward for Hajj with the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) - is obtained by simply performing Umrah on any day of Ramadan, whether at the beginning or the end of it. However, performing it in the last ten days of Ramadan is undoubtedly better, because they are the best days of the blessed month.

What are the conditions of Umrah

There are four conditions for Umrah that must be met by both men and women, and these conditions are:

Islam: It is a condition for performing all acts of worship, as a non-Muslim is not addressed by the address of worship, and no act of worship is valid from him.

Assignment: The condition for the validity and obligation of Umrah is that the person be accountable; that is, an adult of sound mind, and reason is a condition for the validity of Umrah; the insane is not qualified for worship, and the child is not addressed, but if he performs Umrah, his Umrah is valid; adulthood is a condition for the obligation of Umrah. The Messenger of Allah - may Allah bless him and grant him peace - said: (The pen has been lifted from three: from the sleeper until he wakes up, from the child until he grows up, and from the insane until he comes to his senses).

Freedom: It is a condition for the obligation of Umrah, as it is not obligatory for the male and female slave, but if they perform Umrah, their Umrah is valid, and it is dropped from them.

Ability: Umrah is not obligatory for those who are unable to do it, as God Almighty says: (And Hajj to the House is a duty that mankind owes to God, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s personal safety and health) [6]. Both Umrah and Hajj require ability, which is: that the person be physically able, and not suffer from illnesses that prevent him from performing the rituals of Umrah, and that he be financially able, and have enough money to go and return to Mecca, and that he be safe for himself and his money from the evils of the road while going to Umrah.

There are other conditions for Umrah, but they are specific to women only, which are: The presence of a mahram with her: Her Umrah is not valid unless she is with her husband or one of her mahrams, because the Messenger of God - may God bless him and grant him peace - said: “A woman should not travel for three days unless she is with a mahram.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari: 3006, and Muslim: 1341)

Is the farewell tawaf (Tawaf Al-wadaa’) obligatory in Umrah

The farewell circumambulation is not obligatory in Umrah, but doing it is better. If the pilgrim leaves Mecca without performing the farewell circumambulation, there is no sin on him. However, in Hajj, it is obligatory. (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’imah, Vol. 11, p. 325)

What are the prohibitions of Ihram

Prohibitions of Ihram: These are the things that are forbidden for the person who has entered Ihram for Umrah to do, including the following:

- Shaving the hair of the head and the rest of the body: God Almighty said: (And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal reaches its destination) (Al-Baqarah: 196)

 Whoever shaves his head or any of the hair of his body must pay a ransom by fasting for three days, or feeding six poor people.

-Trimming or cutting fingernails and toenails: This is similar to shaving hair for the pilgrim, unless his nail is broken and he wants to remove the harmful part, in which case this is not prohibited.

-Applying perfume and cologne after entering ihram: The pilgrim is prohibited from using anything that has a strong scent, such as soap and some cleaning products. However, using perfume before entering ihram is one of the recommended things that the Messenger of God - may God bless him and grant him peace - did, as we mentioned earlier.

-Marriage contract and engagement: This is one of the things that are forbidden to the person in ihram, whether he is a man or a woman, and whether he concludes the marriage contract himself or appoints someone to marry him. Whoever concludes the marriage contract while in ihram, his marriage is considered invalid and not valid, because the Messenger of Allah - may Allah bless him and grant him peace - said about the person in ihram: “The person in ihram should not marry, nor should he be married, nor should he propose.” (Narrated by Muslim (1409)

-A man having intercourse with his wife: Intercourse and all of its preliminaries, such as kissing or touching with lust, are forbidden. All of these are considered among the most severe prohibitions for the pilgrim, and it is not permissible for a man to do so. A woman must also prevent her husband from doing so. God Almighty said: (So whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein, there is no sexual relations nor disobedience nor disputing during Hajj) [Al-Baqarah: 197]. What is meant by sexual relations is intercourse and its preliminaries. Whoever does this forbidden act, his Umrah is invalidated and he must pay a ransom.

-Hunting: Hunting wild animals such as rabbits and birds is forbidden for the pilgrim, but eating them if they are hunted by someone who has become free from his state of ihram, is permissible.

-A man covering his head with something attached to it: such as a hat or turban. However, using an umbrella is not prohibited because it is not attached to the head. Covering his face is also not permissible. As for a woman, she covers her head with her hijab.

-Covering a woman’s face and hands: A woman is not permitted to wear gloves on her hands, nor is she permitted to wear a niqab or burqa, even if she covers her face and reveals it while in ihram, or to wear a veil and let it hang down when men pass by, as the female companions used to do - may God be pleased with them.

-Men are forbidden from wearing anything sewn: It is forbidden for men to wear anything sewn, such as shirts, pants, gloves, or socks.

What are the conditions and duties of Tawaf

There are several conditions and obligations for Tawaf, as follows:

He must intend to perform Tawaf for Umrah, which is a condition for the acceptance of all other acts of worship.

The pilgrim must be pure from ritual impurity and impurity; Tawaf around the Kaaba is similar to prayer and is not valid unless the clothes and body are clean. Accordingly, the Tawaf of a menstruating woman, a woman in postpartum bleeding, or a person in a state of major ritual impurity is not valid.

He must cover his private parts; because Tawaf is a prayer, and the private parts of a man are between his navel and his knees, while the private parts of a woman are her entire body except for the face and hands.

Tawaf must be performed inside the Sacred Mosque, and Tawaf outside it is not valid; whoever performs Tawaf inside the Sacred Mosque, whether on the lower or upper floor or on the roof, his Tawaf is valid. He must complete all seven circuits.

He should begin his circumambulation at the Black Stone and end at the Black Stone, with the Black Stone on his left. The circumambulation is not valid except in this order.

● What are the Sunnahs and etiquette of Tawaf

It is recommended for the pilgrim to do the following while circumambulating the Kaaba:

- To wear a turban; this is a Sunnah for men, which is to uncover his right shoulder in the first round only.

- To walk briskly in the first three rounds; that is, to walk quickly, and walk slowly in the remaining rounds.

- To touch the Black Stone and kiss it and place his forehead on it if possible, without crowding people and causing chaos. It is also recommended to touch the Yemeni Corner with the hand without kissing it.

- To say between the two corners: "Our Lord, give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." (Al-Baqarah: 201)

- The pilgrim should be humble before Allah - the Most High - and should show humility, submission, and tenderness of heart, as he is in the Sacred House of Allah.

- The pilgrim should pray two rak’ahs behind the Station of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) after completing the seven circuits.

 What are the verbal Sunnahs for Umrah

The verbal Sunnahs of Umrah are:

Talbiyah: It is recommended for the pilgrim to say the Talbiyah frequently after entering ihram, starting with the beginning of ihram by making the intention of Umrah until the beginning of Tawaf, when touching the Black Stone. The Talbiyah is to say: (Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk, Labbayk La sharika laka Labbayk, inna al-hamd wa al-ni'mah laka wa al-mulk, la sharika laka).

Supplication: It is recommended for the Muslim to supplicate to Allah - the Most High - frequently during Umrah, so he supplicates with the supplications narrated from the Prophet - may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him - during Umrah; Such as supplication between the Yemeni corner and the Black Stone, and the takbir when touching the Black Stone, and the supplication when ascending Safa and Marwa, and he also supplicates with whatever he wishes from the general supplications that are authentic and encompass the good of this world and 

What are the actual/physical Sunnahs related to Ihram

-Bathing, which is a Sunnah for men and women even if they are menstruating or postpartum. -----

-Cleaning, trimming nails, shaving pubic hair, and plucking armpit hair.

-Wearing the Ihram clothes, the Izar and the Rida before Ihram.

-Ihram should be after an obligatory prayer. If it is not the time for an obligatory prayer, the one who wants to enter Ihram should perform ablution and pray the two Sunnah rak'ahs of ablution, then enter Ihram after that

What are the most important actual Sunnahs related to Tawaf

-Receiving and kissing the Black Stone: This is done when possible during the Tawaf, without jostling or pushing Muslims.

-Raml: This is walking quickly in the first three rounds, and it is specific to men, not women.

-Idtiba’: This is also specific to men, and it is to uncover his right shoulder by placing the cloak under his armpit and throwing the other end over his left shoulder.

-Receiving the Yemeni Corner: This is done by wiping it only without kissing it or saying Allahu Akbar when level with it.

-Performing the two Raka’ahs of Tawaf: This is done after completing the Tawaf of Umrah, and it is recommended that it be behind the Maqam for those who are able, and it is recommended to receive the Black Stone after it if that is possible.

-Drinking from Zamzam water: This is done after completing the Tawaf and before going to the Mas’a, and it is recommended to supplicate and supplicate/Doaa while drinking it.

● What are the actual Sunnahs related to Sa'i?

 -Purity. Walking quickly between the two green flags, which is a Sunnah for men but not women.

-Continuity between the Tawaf of Sa’i.

What is the ruling on representation (being on behalf of someone) in Umrah

It is permissible to perform Umrah on behalf of a dead person or a living person who is unable to perform it himself, whether it is an obligatory Umrah or a voluntary Umrah. As for a living person who is able, if he has performed the obligatory Umrah himself, then according to the Hanafis it is permissible to perform a voluntary Umrah on his behalf, otherwise it is not permissible. The majority of scholars are of the view that it is forbidden, which is the most correct view.

What is the difference between a woman and a man in ritual

Al-Nawawi, may God have mercy on him, mentioned in the rulings related to rituals in which women differ from men. He said in Al-Majmu’: He said, that is, Al-Mawardi, as for the pillars of Hajj and Umrah, men and women do not differ in any of them. Rather, they differ in the forms of ihram, as they differ in some things:

One of them: She is commanded to wear sewn clothing such as a shirt, a gown, trousers, and shoes, and whatever is more modest for her, because she must cover her entire body except her face and hands, and a man is forbidden from wearing sewn clothing and must pay a ransom for it.

Second: She is commanded to lower her voice when reciting the Talbiyah, and the man is commanded to raise it because her voice is tempting. It is recommended for her to dye her ihram with henna, and the man is forbidden from doing so. She differs from him in some aspects of the circumambulation, including that ramal and idtiba’ are prescribed for the man but not for her. Al-Mawardi said: She is forbidden from them, rather she walks at her ease, and covers all of her body except for the face and hands.

Third: It is recommended for her to perform Tawaf at night because it is more concealing for her, and a man performs Tawaf at night and during the day. Al-Mawardi and others said: It is recommended for her not to come close to the Kaaba during Tawaf if there is a man there, but rather she performs Tawaf in the company of people, and a man is different from her. Al-Sarakhsi said: And likewise it is recommended for her on the road not to mix with people and to walk in their company to protect herself from them. Our companions said: And she differs from him in some aspects of the manners of Sa’i, one of them is that she walks the entire distance between Safa and Marwa, she does not perform Sa’i in any part of it, unlike a man. And the second: Al-Mawardi also mentioned that she refrains from ascending Safa and Marwa when a man is commanded to do so, and shaving is better for a man than shortening, and her shortening is better than shaving, rather her shaving is disliked. End quote.