Primarily there are two types of Umrah pilgrimage, one that must be followed by Hajj & the other that is independent of Hajj. In this blog, we look at how they are different from each other.
Umrah is a lesser form of pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah and is not an obligatory act but a preferred Sunnah (traditions and practices of the Prophet). It is sacred worship to Allah and a great blessing for every Muslim individual. This pilgrimage is carried out by millions of pilgrims every year to pray, seek mercy and restore their faith.
Umrah is performed in the belief of cleansing themselves of their sins and can be completed depending upon an individual’s needs and schedules. The rites for Umrah are performed before the beginning of the Hajj rituals.
What are the two types of Umrah?
Umrah is of two types:
- Umrah-ul-Mufradah
- Umrah-al-Tammatu
For intending pilgrims, it is important to know the difference between two kinds of Umrah, from the point of view of their timing, rituals, and rewards.
A. Umrah ul-Mufradah – the independent pilgrimage
Umrah-ul-Mufradah is independent of Hajj. It is a voluntary pilgrimage and can be performed any time of the year except at the time of Hajj. One can go for this Umrah in Ramadan or at any time of the year. However, the month of Rajab is considered the best month to perform Umrah Mufradah.
Umrah-ul-Mufradah Rules & Guidelines
- Pilgrims do not need to perform Umrah Mufradah in a group. It is performed on an individual basis, before the beginning of the Hajj rituals.
- A person who can only perform Umrah Mufradah has an obligation towards performing it. If he/she does not have the physical ability and affordability for performing Hajj (which is compulsory to perform at least once in his/her lifetime), then it is an obligatory precaution to perform Umrah-e-Mufradah. This also explains how an optional pilgrimage may become obligatory or optional according to the situation.
- It is acceptable to perform Umrah al-Mufradah in months of Hajj before Umrah al-Tammatu.
- Umrah al-Mufradah cannot be performed twice in one lunar month of the Islamic calendar. However, there is no minimum gap specified for performing Umrah al-Mufradah again.
- Umrah al-Mufradah can be performed twice in one lunar month, if the first is for yourself, and the second on behalf of someone else. The latter is called Umrah Badal.
- There are seven obligatory rituals in Umrah Mufrada – Ihram, Tawaf, Namaz-e-Tawaf, Saee, Taqseer, Tawaf-un-Nisa, and Namaz-e-Tawaf-un-Nisa
- If a person performs Umrah Mufrada and stays in Makkah till the 8th of Zil Hijja, he may consider Umrah Mufrada as Umrah Tamattu and perform the rituals of Hajj-e-Tamattu. However, one must perform sacrifice in this case.
B. Umrah-al-Tammatu – the obligatory pilgrimage
This type of Umrah is performed in conjunction with Hajj in the month of Zil-Hajj. It can only be performed during Hajj but before the start of Hajj rituals. Most Muslims find it convenient as they can perform both Umrah and Hajj at the same time/in the same month without fixing different schedules for both the pilgrimages.
Umrah-al-Tammatu Rules & Guidelines
- Umrah-al-Tammatu can only be performed during the days of Hajj, that is in the months of Shawwaal, Dhul Qadah and Dhul Hijjah.
- Umrah-al-Tammatu must be performed along with other pilgrims performing Hajj.
- A pilgrim can not leave the Holy Makkah after Umrah Tamattu and before completion of the Hajj.
- Those who are already living in Makkah, are not required to perform Umrah Tamattu. This belief is as per Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:196.
- Rituals of Umrah Tamattu are – Ihram, tawaf, prayer of ṭawaf, sa‘y and Taqsir.
- Tawaf an-nisa is not an obligatory ritual in Umrah Tamattu. A pilgrim may perform tawaf with prayer based on precaution.
- In Umrah Tamattu, halq – shaving the head cannot be substituted for taqsir – trimming the hair. Men are only recommended to trim, as Hajj may require halq.
Besides the above mentioned, there are no differences in the rituals of Umrah-ul-Mufradah and Umrah-al-Tammatu. In both types of Umrah, it is compulsory to assume Ihram at the Miqat. If a pilgrim is in Makkah and intends to perform Umrah Mufradah, then it is acceptable for him/her to come out of haram (forbidden actions like cursing or something sacred to which others cannot access if they are not in the state of purity) to assume the state of Ihram and not move towards Miqat.
It is important to note that there are many more rules and specifications for rituals associated with the two types of Umrah. Therefore, it is recommended to consult Islamic scholars (maulana) for complete understanding of rules and specifications of each type of Umrah.
Types Of Umrah FAQs
What are the 2 types of Umrah?
Umrah is of two types: Umrah-ul-Mufradah, Umrah-al-Tammatu
What is Umrah-ul-Mufradah?
Umrah-ul-Mufradah is independent of Hajj. It is a voluntary pilgrimage and can be performed any time of the year except at the time of Hajj. One can go for this Umrah in Ramadan or at any time of the year. However, the month of Rajab is considered the best month to perform Umrah Mufrada.
What is Umrah-al-Tammatu?
This type of Umrah is performed in conjunction with Hajj in the month of Zil-Hajj. It can only be performed during Hajj but before the start of Hajj rituals. Most Muslims find it convenient as they can perform both Umrah and Hajj at the same time/in the same month without fixing different schedules for both the pilgrimages.
What are the rules & guidelines for Umrah-ul-Mufradah?
Pilgrims do not need to perform Umrah-ul-Mufradah in groups. It is performed on an individual basis, before the beginning of the Hajj rituals. A person who can only perform Umrah-ul-Mufradah has an obligation towards performing it. If he/she does not have the physical ability and affordability for performing Hajj (which is compulsory to perform at least once in his/her lifetime), then it is an obligatory precaution to perform Umrah-al-Mufradah.
What are the rules & guidelines for Umrah-al-Tammatu?
Umrah-al-Tammatu can only be performed during the days of Hajj, that is in the months of Shawwaal, Dhul Qadah and Dhul Hijjah. Umrah-al-Tammatu must be performed along with other pilgrims performing Hajj. A pilgrim can not leave the Holy Makkah after Umrah Tamattu and before completion of the Hajj.
