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