حج — عمرہ

حج is the fifth pillar of Islam, واجب (fard) 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 Dhul Hijjah (8th-13th) in the Islamic calendar. عمرہ, in contrast, is considered sunnah mu'akkadah (confirmed sunnah) by the majority of scholars — highly مستحب but not واجب (though the Shafi'i school considers it واجب once in a lifetime). عمرہ can be performed at any time of year, though certain periods carry greater reward: during Ramadan, نبی کریم said, 'عمرہ during Ramadan is equal to حج' (Bukhari).

عمرہ consists of four components: entering احرام at the Miqat, performing طواف (seven circuits around the کعبۃ اللہ), performing سعی (seven laps between Safa and Marwah), and shaving or trimming the hair. The entire process typically takes 3-4 hours. حج includes all of these plus additional major rituals spread over 5-6 days: spending the day at Arafah (the pillar of حج), overnight at مزدلفہ, three days in منیٰ with the جمرات stoning, the animal sacrifice (Hadi), and multiple specific نمازs and rituals at each location. حج also involves three types (Tamattu', Qiran, Ifrad), each with slightly different ritual requirements.

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

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