Is it possible to do Umrah for a deceased non-relative?
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa
Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be
upon all of you)
One of our
brothers/sisters has asked this question:
Asalaam-O-Alikum. According to what you
have been taught or learned, is it possible to do Umrah
for a deceased non-relative once you have performed an Umrah
for yourself. I am aware that there is
an Ayat in the Holy Quran
that says that a person can't pass on their good deeds to another person but
would that Ayat be applicable in this situation? If you are in debt to this deceased
non-relative or have done the person wrong (from whom you are of course unable
to ask forgiveness from) would this act be permissable
on his behalf? Whatever is your answer,
please provide
evidence if possible!
Thank you! Asalaam-O-Alikum.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Is it possible to do Umrah for a deceased non-relative?
In the name of Allah, We praise
Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no
imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah
Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the
seal of His Messengers.
Allah has indeed declared in the
Glorious Quran that a person will be rewarded and
punished only for the deeds that he has done, and no bearer of burden will bear
the burden of another.
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 53 Surah Najm verse 38-39:That no bearer of
burden shall bear the burden of another, and that there is nothing for man but
what he has striven for.
In the specific case of the
pilgrimage of Hajj and Umrah, the Messenger of Allah
(saws) himself gave permission to some of his companions who asked if they
could perform the pilgrimage on behalf of someone else. Islam also allows that if one amongst the
believers is financially able to perform the pilgrimage, but is unable
physically; there is absolutely no harm if he finances another person to do the
pilgrimage on his behalf.
Ibn Abbas
reports in an authentic narration that a woman of the Juhainah
tribe came to the Prophet (saws), and said, 'My mother had vowed to perform
pilgrimage, but she died before she could fulfill her vow. Should I do it on
her behalf?' The Prophet (saws) said,
'Yes. Perform Hajj on her behalf. Would you not pay the debt of your mother if
she had owed someone? Fulfill it. Allah is more deserving of receiving payment
for what is due to Him'."
It is permissible to do the
pilgrimage of Hajj and Umrah on behalf of
someone. If Allah Subhanah
Wills, He will accept it.
Whatever written of Truth and
benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error
is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He
is the Only Source of Strength.
Your Brother in Islam,
Wister