Concerning The Umrah

FAZA'IL-E-A'MAAL
Shaikhul Hadith Maulana Mohammad Zakariyyah (Rah)

Say Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam when our Prophet is mentioned.

IN THE SAME WAY THAT THERE ARE OBLIGATORY (FARDH) SALAATA WHICH MUST BE SAID AT APECIFIC TIMES AND SOME VOLUNTARY (NAFL) SALAATS FOR THE DEVOTED TO PRESENT HIMSELF IN ALLAH'S PRESENCE WHEN HE SO DESIRES, THERE IS A SPECIFIC TIME WHEN IT IS COMPULSORY TO PRESENT HIMSELF AT THE HOUSE OF ALLAH FOR HAJ AND ALSO A TIME WHEN IN A VOLUNTARY MANNER HE MAY PERFORM IN HAJ BY PERFORMING UMRAH. APART FROM FIVE DAYS (WHEN IT IS MAKROOH FROM THE 9TH TO 13TH ZIL HAJ) UMRAH MAY BE PERFORMED AT ANY TIME DURING THE YEAR.

IT IS A SPECIAL FAVOUR FROM ALLAH THAT WHENEVER A PERSON MAY LONG TO BE PRESENT AT THE HOUSE OF ALLAH HE CAN DO SO. UMRAH, ACCORDING TO HAZRAT IMAAM ABU HANIFA RA. AND HAZRAT IMAAM MAALIK RA. IS SUNNAT, WHEREAS IT IS WAAJIL ACCORDING TO HAZRAT IMAAM SHAFI'EE RA. AND HAZRAT IMAAM AHMAD RA. HENCE IT IS ADVISEA THAT A PERSON SHOULD PERFORM AT LEAST ONE UMRAH. THERE ARE EVEN SOME OF THE HANAFI IMAAMS WHO HAVE STATED THAT IT IS WAAJIB. SOME EVEN SPEAK ABOUT IT BEING FARDHI KIFAAYAH (I.E. THAT IT IS A DUTY UPON ALL, WHICH BECOMES LIFTED FROM THEM WHEN SOME OF THEM PERFORM IT.)

THE HOLY QUR'AAN ALSO SAYS: "AND COMPLETE THE HAJ AND UMRAH FOR ALLAH'S SAKE.'

IN DISCUSSING THIS COMPLETION OF THE HAJ AND UMRAH, ONE HADITH EXPLAINS THAT IT MEANS THAT A PERSON SHOULD PROCEED FROM HIS HOME WITH IHRAAM AND THE FIRM INTENTION OF PERFORMING HAJ OR UMRAH (DURRE MANSOOR).

MANY HADITH EXPOUND THE VIRTUES OF PUTTING ON THE IHRAAM FROM ONES HOME. THIS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. HOWEVER, THE ULAMA HAVE FELT THAT IT WOULD BE QUITE DIFFICULT TO REMAIN IN IHRAAM FOR SUCH A LONG TIME DURING WHICH, WHILE IN IHRAAM THE HAJI MAY BECOME INVOLVED IN SINFUL ACTIVITIES, THEREFORE THEY HAVE ADVISED THAT IT SHOULD RATHER BE DONE FROM THE MEEQAAT (IE. THOSE SPECIAL PLACES BEYOND WHICH ONE SHOULD NOT PROCEED WITHOUT IHRAAM). THE REASON FOR THIS IT THAT IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO AVOID SIN THAN TO BE GREEDY FOR REWARD. MUCH ARE THE VIRTUES OF UMRAH AS IS KNOWN FROM THE HADITH. IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THIS BOOK SOME OF THESE AHAADITH HAVE ALREADY PASSED. (HADITH NUMBERS 11, 14 AND 15)

OUR RASULULLAH SAL-AM PERFORMED ONLY ONE HAJ AFTER THE HIJRAT BUT PERFORMED UMRAH FOUR TIMES. ONE OF THESE UMRAHS COULD NOT BE COMPLETED BECAUSE THE MECCANS PROHIBITED THEM FROM ENTERING THE CITY. THREE UMRAHS WERE COMPLETED.

HADITH NUMBER ONE.

HAZRAT AMR BIN ABSAH RA. REPORTS THAT SAID ! 'VERILY THE BEST OF DEEDS IS A RIGHTEOUS AND ACCEPTED HAJ OR A RIGHTEOUS AND ACCEPTED UMRAH.'

IN THE FIRST CHAPTER (HADITH NUMBER 2) WE HAVE ALREADY EXPLAINED THE MEANING OF A HAJJE MABROOR AND THIS SAME MEANING APPLIES TO A MABROOR UMRAH. IN ONE HADITH WE READ : 'UMRAH IS A UMRAH CONTAINS WITHIN ITSELF ALL THE FRUITS AND BLESSINGS OF HAJ BUT TO A LESSER DEGREE.

HADITH NUMBER TWO.

HAZRAT ABU HURAIRAH RA. REPORTS THAT SAID : 'SINS COMMITTED SINCE ONE UMRAH ARE FORGIVEN THROUGH THE NEXT UMRAH'.

HERE WISHED TO TELI US THAT WHATEVER SINS ONE COMMITS AFTER ONE UMRAH CAN BE FORGIVEN THROUGH THE BLESSINGS OF AN UMRAH. SO WHAT WAS DONE BETWEEN TWO UMRAHS BECOMES WASHED AWAY. MANY OTHER HADITH CORROBORATE THIS STATEMENT.

HADITH NUMBER THREE.

HAZRAT IBN ABBAAS RA. REPORTS THAT A WOMAN HAZRAT UM SALEEM RA, ONCE CAME TO THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH AND SAID ; 'O (MY HUSBAND) ABU TALHA AND HIS SON HAD GONE TO PERFORM HAJ, AND LEFT ME BEHIND'. REPLIED : 'O UM SALEEM, TO PERFORM ONE UMRAH IN THE MONTH OF RAMADHAAN IS EQUAL IN REWARD OF A HAJ IN MY COMPANY'. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY HADITH IN WHICH IT IS STATED THAT THE REWARD OF AN UMRAH IN RAMADHAAN IS THE SAME AS HAJ IN THE COMPANY OF .

WHEN PREPARED TO GO FOR HAJ, THE WIFE OF ONE OF THE COMPANIONS TOLD HER HUSBAND : 'PLEASE TAKE ME ALSO TO PERFORM HAJ WITH RASULULLAH SAL-AM.' HE REPLIED ; "I HAVE NO CAMEL TO BE YOUR CARRIER ON HAJ". SHE SAID ; "BUT YOU HAVE ONE MORE CAMEL". HE REPLIED : "I CANNOT LOAD YOU ON THAT BECAUSE I HAVE MADE THAT CAMEL WAQF IN THE WAY OF ALLAH". THE RESULT WAS THAT THE WIFE STAYED BEHIND.

AFTER RETURNED FROM HAJ HE WAS INFORMED BY THE HUSBAND WHAT TRANSPIRED. THEN SAID : "GOING ON THE CAMEL FOR HAJ WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN IN THE WAY OF ALLAH : AND IF SHE HAD GONE ON IT, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WRONG". THEREUPON THE MAN SAID : 'O MY WIFE SENDS YOU HER GREETINGS AND INQUIRES WHAT THE COMPENSATION IS FOR HAVING MISSED HAJ IN OUR COMPANY ?''

REPLIED ; "CONVEY MY SALAAMS TO HER AND TELL HER TO PERFORM ONE UMRAH IN THE MONTH OF RAMADHAAN IS SIMILAR TO HAVING PERFORMED HAJ IN MY COMPANY'' (ABU DAWOOD)

SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAPPENED WITH HAZRAT UM SINAAN RA., UM MAAQAL., UM TULAIQ AND HAZRAT UM HASHEEM RA. THEY ALL DESIRED TO PERFORM HAJ WITH RASULULLAH SAL-AM BUT FOR SOME REASON OR OTHER COULD NOT DO SO, AND TO EACH OF THEM GAVE THE SAME ANSWER. HAZRAT HAFIZ IBN HAJAR RA. MENTIONS ALL THESE CASES IN HIS FAMOUS COMMENTARY ON BUKHARI CALLED FAT'HUL BAARI AND SAID IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE FARDH HAJ IS CONSIDERED TO HAVE BEEN PERFORMED BY GOING FOR AN UMRAH IN RAMADHAAN. ALL THE ULAMA ARE AGREED UPON THIS. IT MEANS ONLY THAT THE UMRAH COUPLED WITH THE GREAT BLESSING OF RAMADHAAN, BECOME SIMILAR IN REWARD TO THAT OF HAJ.

HAZRAT IMAAM IBN JOWZI RAH. MENTIONS THAT VERY OFTEN IT HAPPENS THAT BECAUSE OF THE BLESSEDNESS OF TIME, THE REWARD OF SOME ACTS ARE TREMENDOUSLY MAGNIFIED ; AS FOR EXAMPLE IN THE CASE OF SINCERITY OF INTENTION

HADITH NUMBER FOUR.

HAZRAT ABU HURAIRAH RA. REPORTS THAT RASULULLAH SAL-AM SAID ; 'THE HAJIS AND THOSE WHO PERFORM UMRAH ARE ALLAH'S DEPUTATIONS. WHEN THEY PRAY TO HIM, HE ANSWERS THEM, AND WHEN THEY SEEK HIS FORGIVENESS, HE FORGIVES THEM.''

THE HAJIS AND THOSE ENROUTE TO PERFORM UMRAH ARE A DUPUTATION WITH SPECIAL DUTIES TOWARDS ALLAH. IN THE SAME MANNER THAT WE HAVE DEPUTATIONS AND DELEGATIONS GOING TO THE COURTS OF GREAT MEN AND RULERS, THESE PEOPLE GO TO PRESENT THEMSELVES AT ALLAH'S HOUSE. AND IN THE SAME MANNER THAT A DELEGATION DESIRES TO BE HONOURED, THESE PEOPLE ARE HONOURED IN ALLAH'S PRESENCE. ACCORDING TO ONE HADITH : 'THE DELEGATION OF ALLAH ARE OF THREE KINDS: THE FIGHTERS IN HIS WAY, THOSE WHO PERFORM HAJ AND THOSE WHO PERFORM UMRAH.' (MISHKAAT)

IN TARGHEEB A HADITH REPORTED BY HAZRAT JAABIR RA. IT IS RELATED THIS WAY : ''THOSE WHO PERFORM HAJ AND UMRAH ARE THE DEPUTATIONS OF ALLAH, WHENEVER THEY PRAY TO HIM, HE ANSWERS, AND WHENEVER THEY BEG OF HIM, HE GRANTS." ANOTHER HADITH IN TARGHEEB : "THOSE PERFORMING HAJ AND UMRAH ARE THE DEPUTATIONS OF ALLAH. WHATEVER THEY BEG, THEY ARE GIVEN, WHATEVER PRAYER THEY MAKE IS HEARD, FOR WHATEVER EXPENSES THEY INCUR THEY ARE REWARDED. I SWEAR BY HIM IN WHOSE HAND MY LIFE LIES, WHENEVER A PERSON RECITES : 'LABBAIK' FROM ANY HIGH PLACE OR WHENEVER THEY RECITE THE TAKBEER, EVERYTHING FROM AROUND THEM TILL THE END OF EARTH ECHOES THEIR CRY.'

IN TARGHEEB IT IS ALSO REPORTED : ''THE HAJI AND THE ONE PERFORMING UMRAH ARE ALLAH'S DEPUTATION, WHATEVER THEY BEG THEY ARE GIVEN, WHATEVER PRAYER THEY UTTER IS HEARD, FOR WHATEVER EXPENSES THEY INCUR THEY ARE REWARDED."

IN ANOTHER SIMILAR HADITH IN TARGHEEB THE FOLLOWING ADDITION IS REPORTED : "FOR EVERY DIRHAM THEY SPEND THEY ARE GRANTED ( THE REWARD OF) A MILLION DIRHAMS. FURTHER IN TARGHEEB IT IS REPORTED : "IF THE PEOPLE OF MECCA SHOULD FULLY REALISE THE DUE THEY OWE TO THE HAJIS, THEY WOULD RUN TO WELCOME THEM, EEN KISSING THE ANIMALS ON WHICH THEY TRAVEL, BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE THE DEPUTATIONS OF ALLAH."

HADITH NUMBER FIVE.

HAZRAT IBN Mas'ood RA. relates that said: follow up the haj or the umrah (write each other) for verily they remove povery the dirt in iron, gold and silver'.

Here one is encouraged to follow up haj and umrah with each other. The meaning of follow up can be explained thus; among the three manners of performing haj, is Qiraan; which according to the hanafi is the most virtuous form of haj. This is the manner in which the holy prophet . Put on his ihraan with the niyyat of performing both haj and umrah with teh same ihraam all in one.

'Performing haj and umrah often stops poverty. (kanz) 'continous performing of haj and umrah removes dirt from iron'. (kanz) following up between haj and umrah increases one's lifespan and increases one's sustenance. (kanz) the same theme runs through many other ahaadith. Hazrat imaam ibn hajar makki ra. quoted hazrat imaam shafi'ee RA. as saying that where one is able, one should not allow any month to pass by without performing al least one umrah; and if one performs two or three, so much better. (Sharhe Manaasik)'

Hadith Number Six.

Hazrat aub hurairah RA. reports that said: 'The Jihaad of the aged, the weak and the females is to perform haj and umrah'

In the eleventh Hadith of chapter one this theme has already been discussed. Hazrat as'isha RA asked whether jihaad is also compulsory on woman? replied: "Such a form of jihaad has been laid upon their shoulders wherein there is no fighting and no killing; that is haj and umrah; (Targheeb)

A companion once asked ; "I am a man of little courage having no strength to appear before the enemy". ANSWERED : 'SHALL I SHOW YOU A JIHAAD IN WHICH There is no fighting?'. He replied; "Yes" said: 'Perform haj and umrah'.(Durre Mansoor)

Hadith Number Seven.

Hazrat Um SalmaH RA. reports that said: 'Whosoever puts on his ihraan for an umrah form baitul muqaddas, shall be forgiven'.

This hadith speaks for itself. One tabi'iyya (A Muslim woman who was the ) Hazrat Um Hakeen RA. Hearing this hadith from Hazrat Um salmah RA. undertook a special journey to baitul muqaddas to put on her ihraam ther, for an umrah to mecca. (TARGHEEB)

That was the spirit of those people that whenever they heard the commands and advices of they immediately endeavoured to put them into action, according to their means. they never cared about the hardship they had to undergo.

Hazrat Um salmah RA. also reports another Hadith: 'Whomsoever travels from the masjidul Aqsaa to the masjidul haraam in mecca with the intention of performing umraH, shall have his previous and future sins forgiven and he shall enter paradise' (Durre Mansoor)