Repeating ʿUmrah

Question: By Allah’s grace and favour I performed an ʿumrah, entering into iḥrām for it at Yalamlam while travelling from the south of the Kingdom. After spending a week in Makkah, I set off to visit the Prophet’s Mosque ﷺ in Madinah. On my return journey I entered iḥrām at Ābār ʿAlī on the way to Makkah and performed a second ʿumrah. Is this second ʿumrah valid, bearing in mind that no more than ten days separated the two? Please advise me—may Allah reward you and guide your steps.

Answer: There is nothing wrong with repeating the ʿumrah, even when the interval is short. When you came from Madinah toward Makkah and passed the miqāt, you had an opportunity to perform another ʿumrah. In order to avoid the scholarly disagreement—some scholars obligate anyone who passes a miqāt intending to enter Makkah not to cross it except in a state of iḥrām—you chose the more cautious view and benefited from this valuable opportunity. You entered iḥrām for another ʿumrah, and that is an added act of goodness for which, Allah willing, you will be rewarded. Your action is commendable, and repeating the ʿumrah in such a case is not objectionable because there is a clear justification: when you wished to enter Makkah and passed a miqāt it was recommended for you to enter iḥrām for an ʿumrah, and you did so—praise be to Allah.

Question: But the fact that he entered iḥrām at Ābār ʿAlī even though he originally came from the south of the Kingdom—does that have any impact?

Answer: When he returned from Madinah to Makkah he should have entered iḥrām from the miqāt of the people of Madinah, for he falls under the same ruling as the people of Madinah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when designating these miqāt boundaries, said: “They are for them and for anyone who passes by them or comes to them who is not of their people.” Thus he comes under that ruling