The Virtues of Performing Umrah
Al-Bazzar narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“The Hujjaj (pilgrims of Hajj) and Ummaar (those performing Umrah) are the delegation (Wafd, representatives or emissaries) of Allah; He invited them, and they responded; they asked of Him, and He granted them.”
(Al-Sahihah: 1820) (Sahih Al-Jami’: 3173).
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“An Umrah to another Umrah is an expiation for what occurs between them.”
We have also come across the narration recorded by Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), in which the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“Perform Hajj and Umrah consecutively, for they remove poverty and sins just as the bellows remove impurities from iron, gold, and silver. And there is no reward for an accepted Hajj except Paradise.”
(Sahih Al-Targhib wa Al-Tarhib: 1105) (Sahih Al-Jami’: 2901).
In another narration recorded by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat, Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“Continue performing Hajj and Umrah, for they remove poverty and sins just as the bellows remove impurities from iron.”
(Al-Sahihah: 1085) (Sahih Al-Jami’: 253).
The reward for Umrah and Hajj is proportional to the effort and expenditure
Al-Hakim narrated in Al-Mustadrak from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her regarding her Umrah:
“Indeed, your reward is according to your hardship and expenditure.”
(Sahih Al-Jami’: 2160).
In another narration:
“Your reward for your Umrah is only according to your expenditure.”
(Sahih Al-Targhib wa Al-Tarhib: 1116).
Performing An Umrah In Ramadan Is Equivalent In Reward To Hajj
Abu Dawud also narrated from Umm Ma’qil (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: “When the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) performed the Farewell Pilgrimage, we had a camel, and Abu Ma’qil dedicated it in the path of Allah. Then, we were afflicted with illness, and Abu Ma’qil passed away. When the Messenger of Allah completed his pilgrimage, he asked, ‘O Umm Ma’qil, what prevented you from joining us?’
She replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we had prepared for it (the Hajj), but Abu Ma’qil passed away, and we had a camel that we could use for Hajj, but he had dedicated in the path of Allah.’
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Why did you not go forth with it? Indeed, Hajj is in ‘the path of Allah’. However, if you have missed this Hajj, then perform Umrah in Ramadan, for it is equivalent to Hajj.‘”
(Sunan Abi Dawud 1989, Sahih (Al-Albani))
(There are many narrations that mention that Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent in rewards to Hajj. Buy we will suffice with this one for now InshaAllah.)
-Summarized from the article in Arabic ‘Fadl Al-Umrah’ by Ash-Shaikh Nida Abu Ahmad.
Saheehus-Seerah 