Hajj and umra

The obligation of hajj

And it is a duty towards Allah upon the people to make the pilgrimage to the House, for whoever is able to find a way.sura Al Imran 97

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Islam is built upon five pillars... and the pilgrimage to the House for whoever finds a way" (al-Bukhari 8, Muslim 16). Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime; its repetition is voluntary. The Prophet said: "Whoever makes pilgrimage without uttering obscenity nor committing disobedience returns as on the day his mother bore him" (al-Bukhari 1521, Muslim 1350).

The gravity of neglect

Whoever dies without having performed hajj while it was forced upon him with constraint, let him die Jew or Christian.at-Tirmidhi 812

The majority of scholars understand this saying as a severe warning and a declaration of great disobedience.

The umra

Umra is obligatory once in a lifetime per Shafi'is and Hanbalis; recommended, or obligatory once, per Hanafis and Malikis (preferred view). It is valid all year long and consists of ihram, tawaf, sa'i, then shaving or shortening the hair.

The three forms of pilgrimage

• Tamattu': ihram of umra in the months of hajj, then full enjoyment until hajj, with a mandatory offering (Quran 2:196, al-Bukhari 1561).
• Qiran: ihram of hajj and umra together, with an offering.
• Ifrad: ihram of hajj alone, without mandatory offering.
• The Prophet said of tamattu': "it is the most complete of deeds" (Muslim 1218, Abu Dawud 1987); Malikis and Hanafis prefer hajj alone.