Can Umrah Be Delegated for a Deceased Family Member?

Question

Can I appoint someone to perform `Umrah on behalf of a deceased loved one?

Bottom Line

Yes, delegating `Umrah is valid and a gift that benefits your loved one.

Quick Answer

You may appoint someone to perform `Umrah for a deceased person or for someone alive who is permanently unable due to illness or old age. Payment is allowed if the deputy is trustworthy and knowledgeable. The deputy must perform it themselves and cannot pass it to another without consent.

Key Takeaways

• Delegating `Umrah for the deceased or permanently incapable is valid.
• The deputy must be righteous, knowledgeable, and personally carry it out.

Detailed Answer

Appointing someone to perform `Umrah on behalf of another is a recognized practice in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ permitted performing Hajj on behalf of a deceased relative, and by analogy, `Umrah carries the same ruling:

“Yes, perform Hajj on her behalf.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 1852

This allowance applies to the deceased and to the living who are permanently unable due to old age or chronic illness. Such an act is a form of charity, and the reward reaches the one intended, in shaa Allah.

Delegation and Conditions

It is permissible to appoint someone and even pay them, but they must personally perform the `Umrah. Passing it to another without permission is not allowed.

Scholars warned against people turning this into a business where they accept multiple appointments and then outsource the rituals to others; this is consuming wealth unlawfully.

A modern example is seen with some travel agencies: they take bulk payments from families to arrange `Umrah or Hajj on behalf of relatives, but then pass the responsibility to unknown substitutes or cheaper stand-ins. This not only breaks trust but also risks the rituals being performed incorrectly, leaving the family misled and the act compromised.

Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn (rahimahullah) emphasized two qualities:

• Knowledge: Many people are trustworthy but ignorant of the rulings, and mistakes can invalidate the rituals.
• Trustworthiness: Others may have knowledge but lack care or sincerity, and such people should not be appointed either.

He concluded: Choose the best in both knowledge and trustworthiness so the rituals are done properly Fatawa 21/154

Facilitating and Reward

If you help by arranging a trustworthy deputy, covering costs, or paying transfer fees, that is itself a righteous deed. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like one who did it.”

Sahih Muslim 1893

What This Means for You

You can appoint someone to perform `Umrah for your deceased relative or for someone permanently unable. Just ensure the deputy is knowledgeable, trustworthy, and does it themselves. Facilitating the process is also rewarded by Allah.

And Allah knows best.

References

Primary Sources

Qur’an

1. Al-Hajj 22:77: Worship Allah, do good, and succeed.

Hadith

2. Sahih al-Bukhari 1852: The Prophet ﷺ allowed Hajj on behalf of a deceased relative.
3. Sahih Muslim 1149: Delegating Hajj permitted for the deceased or the incapable.
4. Sahih Muslim 1893: Whoever guides to good earns a reward equal to the doer.

Secondary Sources

5. Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Fatawa 21/154: Conditions for appointing a deputy in Hajj/`Umrah.
6. Imam an-Nawawi, al-Majmūʿ 7/120: Delegation valid for those permanently unable to perform pilgrimage.