The world’s first built structure and the first mosque is the Kaaba in Makkah, which is the qibla for Muslims and the centre of Hajj and Umrah.
There are many incidents of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and his family performing Hajj and Umrah. By Allah’s order, the prophet left his wife Hajar and their son Ismail (AS) in Makkah. When Ismail (AS) was old enough to assist his father in his work, Allah commanded Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) to rebuild the Kaaba, and he rebuilt it with Ismail (AS).
Known as ‘Maqam Ibrahim,’ a stone bearing the footprints of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) during the construction of the Kaaba is still there.
During her stay with baby Ismail in the desert, and suffering severely from thirst, Hajar runs back and forth between the two hills of Safa and Marwah in search of water. After running seven times, she returned to the child without finding water. Then Jibrail (AS), being sent by Allah, opened up a well, which is known as Zamzam Well.
However, Hajj is obligatory, once in a lifetime, for those who can afford it, and performing Umrah once in a lifetime is ‘Sunnah Muakkadah.’
Umrah is comparatively an easy act of worship. Therefore, if a devotee has the opportunity and ability, he/she should perform Umrah. The holy month of Ramadan is the best time to perform Umrah.
Significance of Umrah
The Umrah is highly significant for Muslims. It eradicates poverty and erases sins.
Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) said, “[The performance of] Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed [between it and the previous one]. And the reward of Hajj Mabrur [the one accepted by Allah] is nothing except Paradise.” (Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 1773)
In another Hadith, the prophet said, “Perform Hajj and Umrah, one after the other, because those remove poverty and sin as the bellows removes impurity from iron.”
Umrah in Ramadan like Hajj with Prophet
Performing Umrah in the holy month of Ramadan is equal to Hajj. According to one narration, Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to performing Hajj with Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).
“The prophet asked an Ansari woman – ‘What prevented you from performing Hajj with us?’ She replied, ‘We have a camel and the father of so-and-so and his son (i.e. her husband and her son) rode it and left one camel for us to use for irrigation.’ He said [to her], ‘Perform Umrah when Ramadan comes, for Umrah in Ramadan is equal to Hajj [in reward].” (Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 1782)
Another Bukhari Hadith narrated that Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) said performing an Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to performing Hajj or performing Hajj with him.
Both costs and hardship in performing Umrah increase during the month of Ramadan. Despite that, devotees should have the intention and effort to perform Umrah in this month. May Allah bless everyone. Amen.
The writer is an associate professor of the Department of Arabic at Rajshahi University.
