A child's العمرة is valid and carries reward — both for the child and for the parent who facilitates it. النبي confirmed this when a woman lifted her child and asked 'Is there الحج for this one?' and he replied 'Yes, and you have reward.' However, the child's العمرة does not count as their واجب العمرة; they must perform it again after reaching puberty if العمرة is واجب.
A child's العمرة is valid and earns reward for both the child and the parent who facilitates it. This is أُسس by the hadith where a woman lifted her child and asked النبي, 'Is there الحج for this one?' and he replied, 'Yes, and you have reward.' Scholars apply this ruling equally to العمرة, as العمرة shares the same foundational rites. The child earns the reward of the worship, and the parent earns reward for teaching and guiding the child in acts of worship.
الشيخ ابن باز stated that it is praiseworthy to take children for العمرة, as it introduces them to the sacred rites from a young age. For a child who can perform the rites independently (walking, making الطواف), they do so with guidance. For an infant or very young child, the parent carries them during الطواف and السعي, and the parent enters الإحرام on the child's behalf. The child should be in clean clothes, and the parent makes the intention for the child.
الشيخ ابن عثيمين clarified an important distinction: while the child's العمرة is valid and rewarded, it does not fulfill the واجب العمرة (for those who hold العمرة to be واجب). When the child reaches puberty and has the means, they must perform العمرة for their obligation if they hold the position that العمرة is واجب. This is by consensus — a pre-puberty performance of worship does not discharge a post-puberty obligation. The same applies to الحج.
A woman lifted up a child and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is there الحج for this one?' He said: 'Yes, and you have reward.'
A woman lifted up a child and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is there الحج for this one?' He said: 'Yes, and you have reward.'
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'The pen is lifted from three: from the sleeper until he wakes, from the child until he reaches puberty, and from the insane until he regains sanity.'
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'The pen is lifted from three: from the sleeper until he wakes, from the child until he reaches puberty, and from the insane until he regains sanity.'
Scholars from different schools of Islamic jurisprudence offer varying perspectives on this matter.
A child's العمرة is valid as a voluntary (nafl) act. It does not count as the واجب العمرة. The parent earns reward for facilitating it.
Al-Hidayah: the child's الحج and العمرة are voluntary and must be repeated after puberty.
Taking a child for العمرة is جائز and rewarded. The child's العمرة is considered voluntary and does not discharge any future obligation.
Maliki scholars permit children's العمرة with the understanding that it is voluntary.
The child's العمرة is valid, and both the child and parent are rewarded. The parent enters الإحرام on behalf of a young child. It does not count as the واجب العمرة.
Al-Majmu' by al-Nawawi: the hadith of the lifted child confirms the validity and reward.
A child's العمرة is valid and rewarded. The Hanbali school affirms that it does not count as the واجب العمرة that becomes due upon reaching puberty.
Al-Mughni by ابن قدامة: the child's worship is voluntary and must be performed again as an obligation after puberty.
This is a scholarly summary, not a personal fatwa. Consult your scholar for personal rulings.
A woman lifted up a child and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is there الحج for this one?' He said: 'Yes, and you have reward.'
Sahih Muslim #1336 (sahih)النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 'The pen is lifted from three: from the sleeper until he wakes, from the child until he reaches puberty, and from the insane until he regains sanity.'
Sunan Abu Dawud #4403 (sahih)