Few acts carry the tenderness of performing Umrah for a parent who has passed away, or for a loved one whose health will never allow the journey. This is Umrah badal, Umrah by proxy, and it is a well established practice with real conditions worth understanding.
What is Umrah badal?
Umrah badal is an Umrah performed by one person on behalf of another, with the intention made for that person at ihram. It draws on the sunnah, the Prophet ﷺ approved pilgrimage on behalf of parents who had passed away or could not travel, and scholars across the schools have detailed its rulings ever since.
Who can Umrah badal be performed for?
- The deceased. The clearest and most common case: a son, daughter or appointed proxy performs Umrah for a parent or relative who has passed away, asking Allah to grant them its reward.
- The permanently unable. Someone alive but permanently incapable of the journey, through age or chronic illness with no realistic hope of recovery, may have Umrah performed on their behalf in the view of most scholars.
- Not the healthy and able. A person who is alive and capable of travelling should perform their own Umrah, the majority of scholars hold that proxy worship is not valid on behalf of someone who can go themselves. If they simply cannot go this year, du’a is theirs to give and the trip can wait.
As always with rulings, madhabs differ in details, ask your own scholar about your specific situation.
Conditions for the person performing it
The widely held condition is that the proxy should have performed their own Umrah first. Beyond that, the intention is made for the other person at the miqat, “Labbayk Allahumma bi Umrah an…” naming them, and the rites proceed exactly as in our step by step guide. A pilgrim already in Makkah who wishes to perform a badal Umrah after their own typically goes out to Masjid Aisha at Tan’im to enter ihram again.
How Americans usually arrange it
Two honest routes:
- Perform it yourself during your own trip. The most personal way: complete your own Umrah, then perform a second Umrah from Tan’im with the intention for your loved one. On our guided packages, your group leader arranges the Tan’im visit and helps you through the intention.
- Ask about an arranged badal. Families who cannot travel sometimes arrange for a trustworthy person in the holy cities to perform the Umrah. Honesty matters enormously here, this space attracts unscrupulous operators who take payment and perform nothing. Work only with people you genuinely trust, ask for details of who will perform it and when, and treat glossy “badal certificates” with healthy caution. If this is on your heart, talk to us and we will advise you honestly about your options.
A gentle closing thought
Umrah badal is an act of devotion to the person it is for, so let it be done with the same care you would give your own worship: learned properly, intended sincerely, and performed unhurried. If you are planning a trip that includes an Umrah for someone you love, tell us when you book, it changes how we build your days, and we consider it an honour to help.
