The purpose of both ḥajj and ʿumrah is to worship Allah at the specific sites where He has commanded His worship. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The stoning of the pillars and the pacing between al-Ṣafā and al-Marwah were instituted only so that Allah’s name might be exalted.”

Hajj is obligatory by the unanimous agreement of the Muslims and is one of the pillars of Islam. For every capable individual it is required once in a lifetime, while as a collective duty it must be performed by the Muslim community each year. Anything an individual undertakes beyond that single obligatory pilgrimage counts as voluntary devotion.

As for ʿumrah, many scholars hold that it too is obligatory, citing the Prophet’s statement when he was asked, “Do women have to engage in jihād?” He replied, “Yes; they have a jihād in which there is no fighting: hajj and ʿumrah.” This was reported by Aḥmad and Ibn Mājah with a sound chain.

If the obligation of ʿumrah is affirmed for women, it applies even more emphatically to men.

The Prophet ﷺ also said to the man who asked about his elderly father—“My father is an old man who is unable to perform hajj and ʿumrah or to travel”—“Perform hajj and ʿumrah on behalf of your father.” This narration is recorded by the Five Compilers and authenticated by al-Tirmidhī.