Is it allowed to do Multiple Umrahs while on Hajj/Umrah?

by Asma bint Shameem

QUESTION

Is it allowed to do Multiple Umrahs while on Hajj/Umrah?

ANSWER

Yes although it’s ”allowed” to do multiple Umrahs, generally speaking, the scholars DISCOURAGE doing that while in Makkah.

That’s because the Prophet ﷺ did NOT do multiple umrahs in one trip.

And it was NOT the practice of the Sahaabah either.

Now I know, we all want to do as many Umrahs as we can and we want to get the MAXIMUM benefit from our visit to Saudi Arabia.

But think about this...

If it was good to do multiple Umrahs all in one trip, surely the Prophet ﷺ would have done so himself and the Sahaabah would have done so too.

But we see that although the Prophet ﷺ stayed in Makkah for multiple days after the conquest of Makkah, yet he did NOT leave Makkah to do Umrah, even though he could have easily done so.

🍃Sheikh al-`Uthaymeen said:

"Ibn Taymiyah mentions that the Salaf are agreed that making multiple Umrahs is DISLIKED.

In any case, leaving Makkah and going to the boundary of the sacred precincts to make a second or third Umrah is an unfounded practice that was unknown during the time of the Prophet ﷺ.

The only exception to this was the case where ‘Aa'ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa sought permission to make a single Umrah after Hajj because of SPECIAL circumstances.

If it was generally recommended to leave Mecca to perform Umrah in this way, the Prophet ﷺ would have encouraged his Companions to do so."

🍃 Shaykh Sa'd ash-Shithree said:

“The better option is to not perform mutliple Umrahs on one trip.

That’s because the Prophet ﷺ never did this, nor was it practiced by a number of the Companions.

🔺 So what to do?

1. Do TAWAAF instead.

Instead of making multiple Umrahs, the better thing to do and the worship that will earn MORE REWARDS, is to perform as many TAWAAF as you can for yourself.

Tawaaf is an Ibaadah that cannot be done anywhere else except Makkah and this is a GOLDEN opportunity.

🍃 Ibn Taymiyah said:

"The Salaf agree that performing voluntary tawaaf is SUPERIOR to going to al-Tan’eem or to the boundaries of the sacred precincts and making `Umrah.”

(Majmu` al-Fataawa)

(Keep in mind that tawaaf is done for your own self.

It is not proven from any authentic Hadeeth that one could do tawaaf on behalf of another person).

2. Or you can do a lot of SALAAH instead of doing multiple umrahs.

🍃 Shaykh Sa'd ash-Shithree said:

“Good deeds vary in their virtue and reward and the Muslim should try to take advantage of that which is of greater benefit.

The Salaah is a greater act of devotion than Umrah.

Since a person is in Makkah, and the reward for one Salaah is greater than 100,000 prayers, the Muslim should strive to pray more often vs. conducting an additional Umrah.

Also, the prayer consists of reciting the Qur’aan- the Speech of Allaah- Qiyaam, Du'aa, and Sujood - the closest a servant will be to his Lord.

There also comes in the Hadeeth of Rabi'ah Radhi Allaahu anhu when he asked the Prophet ﷺ for his companionship in Paradise, the Prophet ﷺ responded:

"Then help me do it for you by prostrating often.” (Muslim)

And there are many other virtues related to Salaah that far outweigh the rewards attached to an additional voluntary Umrah.”

Remember, it’s NOT the quantity that matters.

It’s the QUALITY.

And Allaah knows best