Principles & Guidelines for Performing Umrah-al-Badal

 

Umrah is a spiritual journey that every Muslim desires to carry out to witness the House of Allah, visit the grave of the Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H, and other historical sites exhibiting the story of Islam. And that is how Umrah provides a soulful experience to the pilgrims and helps strengthen their faith in Allah the Almighty. While there are numerous fortunate Muslims who get the opportunity of performing this spiritual pilgrimage, there are some unfortunate ones as well. Those who wish to carry out Umrah but can’t do that due to some reasons. In this article, we’ll discuss the Umrah facilitation Islam provides to such Muslims and the principles for carrying out such a pilgrimage.

Umrah-al-Badal (Definition)

Umrah Badal is a type of Umrah that an individual can perform on behalf of the other Muslims which he or she cannot perform, due to some reasons. Either that individual has a severe health condition that does not allow him to perform Umrah or that individual has already expired.

The Validity of Performing Umrah-al-Badal

The validity of performing Umrah-al-Badal can be verified by the following hadith:

·         Abu Razin (may Allah be pleased with him) once came to the Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. and asked,

 

يا رسولَ اللَّهِ إنَّ أبي شيخٌ كبيرٌ لاَ يستطيعُ الحجَّ ولاَ العمرةَ ولاَ الظَّعن 

“O Messenger of Allah! My father is an old man who cannot perform Hajj or Umrah, nor can he travel.”

The Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H replied,

قالَ: احجج عن أبيكَ واعتمر

“Perform Hajj and Umrah on behalf of your father.” 

             (Narrated by Abu Daud (1810); al-Tirmizi (930); al-Nasa’i (2621))

Moreover, the four Islamic schools of thought, namely; Shafi’I, Maliki, Hanafi, and Hanbali have a consensus over permission regarding performing Umrah-al-, with some minor disagreements over the nitty-gritty.

Rules & Regulations for Performing Umrah-al-Badal

There are terms and conditions without which Umrah-al-Badal might not be accepted:

1.      The individual delegated to perform Umrah-al-Badal must be a mentally stable Muslim.

2.      The delegated person or the agent must make an intention while entering into Ihram, to perform Umrah on behalf of the principal or the person for whom Umrah-al-Badal is being performed

3.      Umrah-al-Badal must be performed by the delegated individual only if he or she has been permitted to perform by that person.

4.      The delegated individual must not miss any obligation (Fard) of the Umrah.

5.      If a person couldn’t perform Umrah/Hajj during their lifetime, it can be performed on their behalf by another individual.

6.      To perform Umrah-al-Badal by proxy, the delegated person or the agent must specify the name of the person and the name of his/her father, on behalf of whom Umrah is being performed. For example, if someone desires to perform Umrah on behalf of his cousin’s deceased father, the agent’s name is Ali, the cousin’s father's name is Salman and the grandfather’s name is Usman. When he arrives at Makkah, the pilgrim performing Umrah for his cousin’s deceased father will recite the following prayer:

“Labbayka Allahumma ‘Ali ‘an Salman ibn Usmân.” 

Translation:

“Allah, I answer your call by performing an Umrah for Salman, the son of Usman.” 

7.      If the agent doesn’t know the cousin’s grandfather’s name, his father’s name, and surname will be sufficient as well, Insha’Allah. The principle behind this approach must be followed while performing Umrah for any individual. 

Group Umrah Packages for Performing Umrah-al-Badal

There are several group Umrah packages offered by travel agencies worldwide to perform any type of Umrah, including Umrah-al-Badal. There are 3-star, 4-star, and 5-star group Umrah packages for pilgrims that cater to their requirements for the pilgrimage. These categories differ in facilities and services provided to the pilgrims and their accumulated costs as well. Intending pilgrims can facilitate from these group packages by choosing the package suitable to their requirements and budget. They can perform Umrah-al-Badal for loved ones and become the source of Allah’s blessings on them even after they have departed the mortal world.

At ‘Muslim Holy Travel’, we provide our brothers and sisters living in the UK with the most suitable Umrah packages, including Group Umrah packages that fulfill their demand for a memorable Umrah tour. We have more than 10 thousand satisfied customers and are also ATOL-certified and IATA-protected.