A child's Umrah is valid and carries reward — both for the child and for the parent who facilitates it. The Prophet confirmed this when a woman lifted her child and asked 'Is there Hajj for this one?' and he replied 'Yes, and you have reward.' However, the child's Umrah does not count as their obligatory Umrah; they must perform it again after reaching puberty if Umrah is obligatory.
A child's Umrah 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 the Prophet, 'Is there Hajj for this one?' and he replied, 'Yes, and you have reward.' Scholars apply this ruling equally to Umrah, as Umrah 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 Umrah, as it introduces them to the sacred rites from a young age. For a child who can perform the rites independently (walking, making Tawaf), they do so with guidance. For an infant or very young child, the parent carries them during Tawaf and Sa'i, and the parent enters ihram 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 Umrah is valid and rewarded, it does not fulfill the obligatory Umrah (for those who hold Umrah to be obligatory). When the child reaches puberty and has the means, they must perform Umrah for their obligation if they hold the position that Umrah is wajib. This is by consensus — a pre-puberty performance of worship does not discharge a post-puberty obligation. The same applies to Hajj.
A woman lifted up a child and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is there Hajj for this one?' He said: 'Yes, and you have reward.'
A woman lifted up a child and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is there Hajj for this one?' He said: 'Yes, and you have reward.'
The Prophet (peace be upon him) 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.'
The Prophet (peace be upon him) 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 Umrah is valid as a voluntary (nafl) act. It does not count as the obligatory Umrah. The parent earns reward for facilitating it.
Al-Hidayah: the child's Hajj and Umrah are voluntary and must be repeated after puberty.
Taking a child for Umrah is permissible and rewarded. The child's Umrah is considered voluntary and does not discharge any future obligation.
Maliki scholars permit children's Umrah with the understanding that it is voluntary.
The child's Umrah is valid, and both the child and parent are rewarded. The parent enters ihram on behalf of a young child. It does not count as the obligatory Umrah.
Al-Majmu' by al-Nawawi: the hadith of the lifted child confirms the validity and reward.
A child's Umrah is valid and rewarded. The Hanbali school affirms that it does not count as the obligatory Umrah 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 Hajj for this one?' He said: 'Yes, and you have reward.'
Sahih Muslim #1336 (sahih)The Prophet (peace be upon him) 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)