Umrah is one of the acts of worship deeply longed for Muslims. Many pilgrims, after arriving in the Holy Land, feel encouraged to perform umrah repeatedly. This practice is often done while waiting for the peak of the hajj pilgrimage on the 8th of Dzulhijjah.
Amid this spiritual enthusiasm, an important question arises: is performing umrah multiple times while staying in Makkah, particularly for pilgrims performing hajj tamattu’, recommended in Islamic teachings?
In principle, Islam does not set a specific time restriction for performing umrah. Umrah may be carried out at any time, whether during the months of hajj or outside the pilgrimage season. Unlike hajj, which has a fixed period, umrah is more flexible. These rulings allow anyone with the physical, financial, and practical ability to perform it whenever possible.
However, enthusiasm for increasing acts of worship should not detach a person from social responsibility. Islam teaches balance between individual devotion and concern for others. Therefore, someone who has repeatedly performed umrah and possesses financial abundance is also encouraged to help others experience the blessing of worshipping at the Baitullah. Such assistance becomes a noble deed with immense value in the sight of Allah.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala says:
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ
Translation: “And cooperate with one another in righteousness and piety, and do not cooperate in sin and transgression.” (QS. al-Mā’idah [5]: 2)
Among hajj pilgrims, a common phenomenon is performing repeated umrah before the wukuf in Arafah. This is usually done by leaving the Haram area for Tan‘im or Ji‘ranah to assume ihram again before returning to Makkah to perform another umrah. This practice is often referred to as umrah Makkiyah.
The primary basis often cited is the hadith concerning Sayyidah ‘Aisyah. During her pilgrimage with the Prophet Muhammad, ‘Aisyah experienced menstruation. She therefore was unable to complete her umrah before hajj began. After all the rites of hajj were completed, the Prophet allowed her to perform umrah from Tan‘im.
In a narration recorded by Muslim:
…قَالَتْ فَكُنْتُ أَنَا مِمَّنْ أَهَلَّ بِعُمْرَةٍ فَخَرَجْنَا حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا مَكَّةَ فَأَدْرَكَنِي يَوْمُ عَرَفَةَ وَأَنَا حَائِضٌ لَمْ أَحِلَّ مِنْ عُمْرَتِي فَشَكَوْتُ ذَلِكَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ دَعِي عُمْرَتَكِ وَانْقُضِي رَأْسَكِ وَامْتَشِطِي وَأَهِلِّي بِالْحَجِّ … فَلَمَّا كَانَتْ لَيْلَةُ الْحَصْبَةِ وَقَدْ قَضَى اللهُ حَجَّنَا أَرْسَلَ مَعِي عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَأَرْدَفَنِي وَخَرَجَ بِي إِلَى التَّنْعِيمِ فَأَهْلَلْتُ بِعُمْرَةٍ … [رواه مسلم]
Translation: “…I was among those who entered ihram for umrah. We traveled until we arrived in Makkah, then the Day of Arafah came while I was menstruating and had not completed my umrah. I complained about this to the Prophet , and he said: ‘Leave your umrah, untie your hair, comb it, and begin the intention for hajj.’ … When the night of Hashbah came and Allah had completed our hajj, the Prophet sent Abdurrahman bin Abi Bakr with me. He took me to Tan‘im, and I entered ihram for umrah…” (HR. Muslim)
This hadith shows that the umrah performed by ‘Aisyah was not a voluntary repeated umrah intended merely to increase worship. It is, instead, a replacement for the umrah she had been unable to complete due to menstruation. Therefore, scholars explain that this narration cannot be used as evidence to recommend repeated umrah before the completion of hajj.
Moreover, the Prophet never instructed his companions to repeatedly travel to Tan‘im for multiple umrahs while waiting for hajj. Had such a practice been superior, the Prophet would certainly have guided them toward it directly.
Instead, the spare time before hajj is better filled with acts more strongly aligned with the Prophetic tradition, such as reciting the Qur’an, engaging in dhikr, making du‘a, and performing voluntary tawaf at Masjidil Haram. These acts possess immense virtue, especially when performed in the Holy Land.
Allah Ta‘ala says:
وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ
Translation: “Complete the hajj and umrah for Allah.” (QS. al-Baqarah [2]: 196)
This verse teaches that the essence of worship lies not in the quantity of ritual journeys, but in the perfection of devotion to Allah. Therefore, hajj pilgrims should focus their energy and spiritual concentration on preparing for the peak of hajj, especially the wukuf at Arafah, which is the core of the entire pilgrimage.
As for someone wishing to perform another umrah after fully completing all hajj rituals, this is permissible. At that point, the obligations of hajj have already been fulfilled. So, there is less concern about disrupting one’s focus or physical readiness.
Reference:
Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Council for Religious Opinion and Reform, “Badal Haji dan Umrah Serta Melakukan Umrah Berkali-kali,” Rubrik Tanya Jawab Agama Majalah Suara Muhammadiyah, No. 20, 2011.
