Umrah Badal for Parents, The Complete Guide

The question comes up more often than most people realise. A parent passes away before they could perform Umrah. An elderly mother whose knees gave out years ago. A father whose heart condition means the journey is off the table permanently. Can you still do something for them? Can you send them something from this world?

Yes. You can. That is what Umrah Badal is for.

What it actually means to do this for your parents

Umrah Badal is proxy Umrah, one person performing Umrah on behalf of another, with the reward dedicated to that person. When you arrange Umrah Badal for a parent, the person performing it stands in Masjid al-Haram, makes a sincere intention in your parent’s name, completes the Tawaf around the Kaaba, walks the Sa’i between Safa and Marwa, and does all of it for them.

The reward goes to them. That is not a metaphor. That is what the Prophet ﷺ told Sa’d ibn Ubadah when he asked whether sadaqah given on behalf of his deceased mother would benefit her. He said yes. (An-Nasa’i)

For a deceased parent, this is one of the most meaningful things a child can do. You cannot visit them anymore. You cannot call them. But you can still send them something. The intention bridges the distance between this world and the next. If you want to understand the foundations of this practice more deeply, read our detailed explanation of what is Umrah Badal.

Does the sawab actually reach them?

This is the real question underneath all the others. And the answer, according to the majority of Islamic scholars across three of the four major madhabs, is yes.

Scholars describe this as gifting reward, isaal al-thawab in Arabic. You perform the act of worship. The reward belongs to you. You then gift it to the deceased through your intention. Allah, in His generosity, conveys it to them. Both you and the person you dedicated it to receive reward. You do not lose anything by gifting it. This is from the mercy of Allah.

The concept is supported by the hadith in which a man asked the Prophet ﷺ whether he could give charity on behalf of his mother who died suddenly. The Prophet ﷺ confirmed this would benefit her. The same principle applies when you perform Umrah for someone else, whether they are living or deceased.

Is it permissible for a parent who has passed away?

Yes. This is the mainstream position of Hanafi, Shafi’i, and Hanbali scholars. It is based directly on authentic hadith and has been the position of Islamic scholarship for centuries. It is not a recent invention or a lenient ruling. It is what the Prophet ﷺ himself sanctioned when he told people to perform Hajj on behalf of parents who could not travel.

If you need a thorough breakdown of the scholarly evidence, including the differences of opinion and the strength of each position, see our article on whether Umrah Badal is permissible.

Is it permissible for a living parent who cannot make the journey?

Yes, if the inability is permanent. Extreme old age, a permanent illness or disability that makes travel genuinely impossible, these qualify. The condition is permanence. If a parent is temporarily unwell but may recover, they should wait and perform Umrah themselves when they are able.

The scholars base this on the hadith of the woman from Khath’am who asked the Prophet ﷺ whether she could perform Hajj on behalf of her elderly father who could no longer sit firmly on a mount. He told her yes. The principle extends to Umrah for the same reasons of incapacity.

Can you do Umrah Badal for both parents at once?

No. Each Umrah is performed as a separate act of worship with a separate intention. If you want to arrange Umrah Badal for both your mother and your father, you book two separate Umrahs. Each one is completed independently, with a distinct intention made for each parent before entering Ihram.

You cannot combine intentions or dedicate a single Umrah to multiple people. The intention must be clear and specific. This is consistent across all schools of thought.

What if your parent already performed Umrah once in their lifetime?

You can still arrange Umrah Badal for them. Umrah is not like Hajj, which is obligatory only once. Umrah is mustahabb, recommended, and there is no limit to how many times it can be performed. Many people perform Umrah multiple times throughout their lives.

If your parent performed Umrah when they were younger and has since passed away or become unable to travel, you can gift them the reward of another Umrah. The reward is not restricted to those who never completed it. It is an ongoing sadaqah jariyah, a continuous charity that benefits them in the Hereafter.

What if you are unsure whether your parent would have wanted this?

If your parent was a practicing Muslim who valued acts of worship, it is reasonable to assume they would want the reward of Umrah. The default assumption is that a believer would not refuse a gift of good deeds. However, if you have reason to believe they would have objected, or if they explicitly stated they did not want such acts done on their behalf, then you should respect that.

In most cases, children arrange this out of love and the desire to benefit their parents. That intention is what matters. You are not imposing something on them. You are sending them a gift.

What the team in Makkah actually does

Our team member in Makkah enters the state of Ihram with your parent’s name clearly in the intention. They complete the full Umrah, all seven circuits of Tawaf around the Kaaba, the Sa’i between Safa and Marwa, and Taqsir. After completion, they send you video of the Tawaf so you can see it was done.

You will watch the Kaaba. You will see the Tawaf. You will know it was done for the person you named. This is not a symbolic gesture. It is a real Umrah, performed in the same way you would perform it yourself if you were there.

Umrah Badal vs Hajj Badal

Some people ask whether they should arrange Hajj Badal instead of Umrah Badal. The answer depends on whether your parent completed their obligatory Hajj. If they did not, and they passed away or became permanently unable to perform it, then Hajj Badal takes priority because Hajj is fard, obligatory, for those who are able.

If your parent already completed Hajj, or if Hajj was never obligatory on them due to financial or physical inability, then Umrah Badal is a beautiful gift. It is less expensive, can be done at any time of year, and still carries immense reward. Many children choose to arrange Umrah Badal annually as an ongoing sadaqah for deceased parents.

How to arrange it

Book at umrabadal.com/. Provide the full name of your parent. Complete secure payment ($295.00 per Umrah). We complete it within 3 to 7 days and send you video proof.

Many people make dua for your loved one regularly. Ask Allah to accept the Umrah on their behalf. The reward has reached them and your dua continues to benefit them.

Book Umrah Badal for your parents, $295.00 →