Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
Yes, according to authentic Hadith, Umrah serves as expiation for sins committed between two Umrahs. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated that Umrah removes sins just as fire removes impurities from metals. However, for Umrah to be accepted, sincerity and adherence to the Sunnah are essential.
Commenting on the issue of Umrah and forgiveness, we would like to state the following:
The Expiation of Sins Through Umrah
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: โThe performance of Umrah is expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous ones. And the reward for Hajj Mabrur (pilgrimage accepted by Allah) is nothing but Paradise.โ (Al-Bukhari)
Umrah and Hajj Remove Sins and Poverty
It is also reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him says: โAlternate between Hajj and `Umrah, because both rid one of poverty and sins just as the blacksmithโs bellows removes all impurities from metals like iron, gold and silver. The reward for Hajj Mabrur is nothing short of Paradise.โ (At-Tirmidhi)
The previous Hadith shows that Umrah serves as an expiation for all types of sins, whether major or minor, because the wording of the Hadith is general and thus it encompasses both categories.
Conditions for the Acceptance of Umrah and Hajj
However, there are two main conditions for the acceptance of Hajj and Umrah:
- To have complete sincerity by performing those rituals solely for the sake of Allah the Almighty.
- To perform both Hajj and Umrah the same way it is mentioned in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Seeking Forgiveness Beyond Umrah
Generally speaking, it is not necessary to perform Umrah just for seeking forgiveness for your sins, but one should resort to Almighty Allah at every time and place. Allah Almighty says: โAnd when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.โ (Al-Baqarah 2:186)
Allah Almighty knows best.
Editorโs note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholarโs archive and was originally published at an earlier date.