Short answer
Yes. You can perform umrah for a parent or anyone who has died, or for a living person who cannot travel, by making the intention for them when you enter ihram. In the Hanafi school you do not have to have done your own umrah first, though it is better. The Shafi'i and Hanbali schools require it.
Umrah on behalf of another person (umrah badal) is valid. The deputy enters ihram at the miqat intending umrah for that person and completes it normally. Having done one's own umrah first is better but not a condition. Each umrah is for one person.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- You must have done your own umrah before doing one for someone else.
- Hanbali
- You must have done your own umrah before doing one for someone else.
Explanation
A man told the Prophet ﷺ that his father was very old and could not manage Hajj, umrah or the journey. He said: perform Hajj and umrah on your father's behalf. Scholars take this as the basis for umrah badal, alongside the better-known Hajj badal.
- Intention: at the miqat say in your heart, or aloud, "O Allah, I intend umrah on behalf of (name)", then say the talbiyah. Everything else is done as in your own umrah, see how to perform umrah.
- From Makkah: if you are already in Makkah after your own umrah, go out of the Haram to the nearest point, usually Masjid Aisha at Tan'im, and enter ihram there for the second umrah (see umrah from Makkah).
- Living person: since umrah is sunnah in the Hanafi school, you may do it as a voluntary gift for a living parent too, though the hadith case was a person unable to travel.
- Who: a man for a woman or a woman for a man is fine.
- One each: one umrah cannot be for two people. Do separate umrahs, each with its own shave or trim.
There is also a simpler route: do any umrah for yourself and gift its reward to your parent. The Hanafi school accepts that the reward of acts of worship can be gifted to the living and the dead.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:196
وَأَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلْحَجَّ وَٱلْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ أُحْصِرْتُمْ فَمَا ٱسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ ٱلْهَدْىِ ۖ وَلَا تَحْلِقُوا۟ رُءُوسَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ ٱلْهَدْىُ مَحِلَّهُۥ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِۦٓ أَذًۭى مِّن رَّأْسِهِۦ فَفِدْيَةٌۭ مِّن صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍۢ ۚ فَإِذَآ أَمِنتُمْ فَمَن تَمَتَّعَ بِٱلْعُمْرَةِ إِلَى ٱلْحَجِّ فَمَا ٱسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ ٱلْهَدْىِ ۚ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَٰثَةِ أَيَّامٍۢ فِى ٱلْحَجِّ وَسَبْعَةٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ ۗ تِلْكَ عَشَرَةٌۭ كَامِلَةٌۭ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن لَّمْ يَكُنْ أَهْلُهُۥ حَاضِرِى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ﴿١٩٦﴾
And complete the Hajj and 'umrah for Allah. But if you are prevented, then [offer] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter. And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice. And when you are secure, then whoever performs 'umrah [during the Hajj months] followed by Hajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals. And whoever cannot find [or afford such an animal] - then a fast of three days during Hajj and of seven when you have returned [home]. Those are ten complete [days]. This is for those whose family is not in the area of al-Masjid al-Haram. And fear Allah and know that Allah is severe in penalty.
Umrah is an act of worship completed for Allah.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 930
Grading to be checked... حج عن أبيك واعتمر ...
"Perform Hajj and umrah on behalf of your father."
Umrah may be done for a parent who cannot do it.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1811
Graded sahih... حج عن نفسك ثم حج عن شبرمة ...
"Perform Hajj for yourself first, then perform Hajj for Shubrumah."
The proof of the schools that make your own first a condition; the Hanafis read it as better.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, bab al-hajj 'an al-ghayr. Deputising for another in Hajj and umrah, and the intention for him.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hajj, bab al-hajj 'an al-ghayr. Doing one's own first is better, not a condition, in the Hanafi school.
- al-Majmu' (Nawawi), Kitab al-Hajj, bab al-istita'ah. The Shafi'i condition of having done one's own first.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.