A child's উমরাহ is valid and carries reward — both for the child and for the parent who facilitates it. নবী করীম confirmed this when a woman lifted her child and asked 'Is there হজ্জ for this one?' and he replied 'Yes, and you have reward.' However, the child's উমরাহ does not count as their ওয়াজিব উমরাহ; they must perform it again after reaching puberty if উমরাহ is ওয়াজিব.
A child's উমরাহ is valid and earns reward for both the child and the parent who facilitates it. This is established by the hadith where a woman lifted her child and asked নবী করীম, 'Is there হজ্জ for this one?' and he replied, 'Yes, and you have reward.' Scholars apply this ruling equally to উমরাহ, as উমরাহ 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.
Sheikh Ibn Baz stated that it is praiseworthy to take children for উমরাহ, as it introduces them to the sacred rites from a young age. For a child who can perform the rites independently (walking, making তাওয়াফ), they do so with guidance. For an infant or very young child, the parent carries them during তাওয়াফ and সাঈ, and the parent enters ইহরাম on the child's behalf. The child should be in clean clothes, and the parent makes the intention for the child.
Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen clarified an important distinction: while the child's উমরাহ is valid and rewarded, it does not fulfill the ওয়াজিব উমরাহ (for those who hold উমরাহ to be ওয়াজিব). When the child reaches puberty and has the means, they must perform উমরাহ for their obligation if they hold the position that উমরাহ is wajib. This is by consensus — a pre-puberty performance of worship does not discharge a post-puberty obligation. The same applies to হজ্জ.
A woman lifted up a child and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is there হজ্জ for this one?' He said: 'Yes, and you have reward.'
A woman lifted up a child and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is there হজ্জ for this one?' He said: 'Yes, and you have reward.'
নবী করীম (সাল্লাল্লাহু আলাইহি ওয়া সাল্লাম) 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.'
নবী করীম (সাল্লাল্লাহু আলাইহি ওয়া সাল্লাম) 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 উমরাহ is valid as a voluntary (nafl) act. It does not count as the ওয়াজিব উমরাহ. The parent earns reward for facilitating it.
Al-Hidayah: the child's হজ্জ and উমরাহ are voluntary and must be repeated after puberty.
Taking a child for উমরাহ is permissible and rewarded. The child's উমরাহ is considered voluntary and does not discharge any future obligation.
Maliki scholars permit children's উমরাহ with the understanding that it is voluntary.
The child's উমরাহ is valid, and both the child and parent are rewarded. The parent enters ইহরাম on behalf of a young child. It does not count as the ওয়াজিব উমরাহ.
Al-Majmu' by al-Nawawi: the hadith of the lifted child confirms the validity and reward.
A child's উমরাহ is valid and rewarded. The Hanbali school affirms that it does not count as the ওয়াজিব উমরাহ that becomes due upon reaching puberty.
Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah: 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 হজ্জ for this one?' He said: 'Yes, and you have reward.'
Sahih Muslim #1336 (sahih)নবী করীম (সাল্লাল্লাহু আলাইহি ওয়া সাল্লাম) 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)