الحج — العمرة

الحج is the fifth pillar of Islam, واجب (فرض) once in a lifetime for every Muslim who has the physical and financial ability (istitaah). It can only be performed during the specific days of ذو الحجة (8th-13th) in the Islamic calendar. العمرة, in contrast, is considered سنة mu'akkadah (confirmed سنة) by the majority of scholars — highly مستحب but not واجب (though the Shafi'i school considers it واجب once in a lifetime). العمرة can be performed at any time of year, though certain periods carry greater reward: during رمضان, النبي said, 'العمرة during رمضان is equal to الحج' (Bukhari).

العمرة consists of four components: entering الإحرام at the Miqat, performing الطواف (seven circuits around the الكعبة), performing السعي (seven laps between الصفا and المروةh), and shaving or trimming the hair. The entire process typically takes 3-4 hours. الحج includes all of these plus additional major rituals spread over 5-6 days: spending the day at Arafah (the pillar of الحج), overnight at مزدلفة, three days in منى with the الجمرات stoning, the animal sacrifice (Hadi), and multiple specific الصلوات and rituals at each location. الحج also involves three types (Tamattu', Qiran, Ifrad), each with slightly different ritual requirements.

العمرة is significantly less expensive and logistically simpler than الحج. A standard العمرة trip (flights, hotel, visa) costs $1,500-$4,000 from most countries and can be arranged independently or through a tour operator. الحج packages typically range from $5,000-$25,000+ because they must include accommodation during the الحج days, tent allocations in منى, transport between sites, and the complex logistics of moving within the الحج crowd management system. الحج also requires booking through authorized operators in most countries, while العمرة can often be arranged independently with a tourist or العمرة visa.

Both العمرة and الحج carry immense spiritual reward. النبي said about العمرة: 'An العمرة is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the next العمرة' (Bukhari). About الحج, he said: 'An accepted الحج has no reward except Paradise' (Bukhari). The key spiritual difference is that الحج includes elements that العمرة does not: the Day of Arafah (the most powerful day for دعاء and forgiveness), the sacrifice (commemorating Ibrahim's willingness), the stoning (rejecting Shaytan), and the multi-day communal experience in منى that deepens solidarity and patience. Many scholars recommend performing العمرة first as preparation for the more demanding and comprehensive الحج.