Among the questions people search most about Umrah is a painful one: can I do Umrah for my father who passed away? Many also ask about a mother who is too frail to travel.
The short answer is yes, in most cases, with a few conditions. This guide summarises what scholars commonly say. It is not a fatwa. For your situation, ask a scholar you trust.
Performing Umrah for someone who has died
The majority of scholars hold that Hajj and Umrah can be performed on behalf of someone who has died. This is based on hadith in which the Prophet, peace be upon him, allowed people to perform Hajj on behalf of parents who had passed away, likening it to paying off a debt they owed.
Many scholars describe performing Umrah for a deceased parent as a form of birr, righteous kindness to one’s parents, which continues after their death through dua, charity and acts like this.
Performing Umrah for someone who is alive
Here scholars are stricter. The common position is that you may perform Umrah for a living person only if they are permanently unable to perform it themselves, for example:
- Serious, long term illness with no expectation of recovery
- Old age and frailty that make travel impossible
If your parent is able to travel, even with help, most scholars say they should perform it themselves. Often the better gift is to take them. See our guide to Umrah with elderly parents.
Conditions scholars commonly mention
- Perform your own Umrah first. Most scholars hold that the person performing Umrah on behalf of someone else should have already performed their own. This is based on the hadith of the man who performed Hajj for Shubrumah, whom the Prophet told to perform his own Hajj first.
- One Umrah for one person. Each Umrah is performed on behalf of one individual.
- Men and women can perform it for each other. A son can perform Umrah for his mother, and a daughter for her father.
- Make the intention for them at the miqat.
How to make the intention
At the miqat, when you enter ihram, make the intention in your heart that this Umrah is on behalf of your parent, and say:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ عُمْرَةً عَنْ ...
Labbayk Allahumma ‘umratan ‘an followed by their name, for example “‘an abi” (on behalf of my father) or “‘an ummi” (on behalf of my mother).
Then perform every rite exactly as you would for yourself: tawaf, the two rak’ahs, sa’i and cutting the hair. The step by step guide covers each one.
Doing more than one Umrah on a trip
If you want to perform Umrah for yourself and then for a parent on the same trip, you must leave the boundary of the Haram to enter ihram again. From Makkah, pilgrims usually go to Masjid Aisha at Tan’eem, the nearest point outside the Haram boundary.
Remember that you need a permit in the Nusuk app for each Umrah, and permits are spaced apart. In busy periods such as Ramadan, repeat permits have been limited.
Some scholars discourage performing many Umrahs back to back from Tan’eem, preferring more tawaf, prayer and dua instead. This is another question to ask your scholar.
Paying someone to perform Umrah for your parent
Paid “Umrah Badal” services advertise widely online, often promising video proof. Some are genuine. Many are not, and it is almost impossible to verify from the United States that the rites were performed properly, or at all.
If you consider one:
- Use a licensed provider, not an individual contact from social media
- Ask who will perform it, and confirm they have performed their own Umrah
- Be very cautious of prices that seem too low, or requests for payment by gift card, wire or cash apps
Many families feel that going themselves, even once, means more.
Other ways to honour a parent who has passed
Scholars also point to acts that benefit the deceased without travel:
- Dua, especially in the places and times where it is most hoped to be accepted, such as at the Multazam, during tawaf, and on the hill of Safa
- Sadaqah jariyah, ongoing charity such as a well, a copy of the Quran or support for education
- Paying off their debts and fulfilling their promises
- Keeping ties with their relatives and friends
If you are planning a trip to perform Umrah for a parent, we can build the itinerary with enough time in Makkah, and help you set up the Nusuk permits. Request a quote, and may Allah accept it from you and from them.
