Reference: Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah – Volume 16, Page 368
Question: With the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadhaan, many people go to Makkah al-Mukarramah with their families and remain there for the duration of the blessed month; I heard from one of the brothers that you – O Noble Shaykh – are of the opinion that donating the [total] cost of [travelling and staying in Makkah to perform] ‘umrah is better than performing it [oneself], so is this correct? And if it is true, then do you have any advice for those who travel yearly [to Makkah], such that, for some people, it has now become an opportunity to show-off and boast?
Response: That which you have mentioned is not true, and I have not issued that [fatwa]; And that which is correct is that [the performing of] the hajj and the ‘umrah is better than donating the costs [of performing them] for he who purifies his intention for the sake of Allaah and performs the rites [of the hajj and ‘umrah] in accordance with that which has been legislated.
It has been authenticated on the authority of the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ that he said:
«From [the performance of] an ‘umrah to the [next] ‘umrah is an expiation for (the minor sins) which occurred between them, and the reward for an accepted hajj is nothing less than Paradise», and its authenticity is agreed upon by both al-Bukhaaree (1773) and Muslim (1349).
And he ﷺ also said:
«[The performance of] an ‘umrah in Ramadhaan is equivalent to [the performance of] a hajj», and its authenticity is also agreed upon by both al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. [Transmitted by Ahmad 2804 and Ibn Maajah 2994].
