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