6 Differences between Hajj and Umrah that Must be Understood, from Legal Status to Pillars

Dream – Understanding the differences between Hajj and Umrah is something that every Muslim must know. Hajj worship is the fifth pillar of Islam and is obligatory for those who are capable of performing it. On the other hand, Umrah is a highly recommended act of worship.

The implementation of Hajj and Umrah is indeed carried out in the Holy Land of Mecca with similar procedures. This is why some people mistakenly consider these two practices as the same thing. However, Hajj and Umrah are two different acts of worship.

One of the clear differences between Hajj and Umrah can be seen from the legal status, time, pillars, and obligations within them. Understanding the differences between Hajj and Umrah is necessary, especially for Muslims who will perform one or both of these acts of worship.

In this article, Dream will discuss the differences between Hajj and Umrah from various aspects. Let's take a look at the following explanation!

Differences between Hajj and Umrah

Hajj and Umrah are two religious journeys in Islam that are performed to the holy city of Mecca. Although both are related to the journey to Mecca, there are significant differences between Hajj and Umrah in terms of time, pillars, procedures, and status in the Islamic religion. Here are the differences between Hajj and Umrah that every Muslim needs to understand:

1. Legal Status of Hajj and Umrah

The first difference between Hajj and Umrah can be seen from the legal aspect. Scholars from various schools of thought agree that Hajj is obligatory and must be performed at least once in a lifetime. Considering that Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam, it is mandatory to be performed. However, this obligation of Hajj only applies to physically, financially, and mentally capable Muslims.

In contrast to the obligatory Hajj, the majority of scholars consider Umrah as a recommended (sunnah) act of worship. Since it is recommended, Umrah is not obligatory to be performed. However, due to the high cost and relatively long waiting time for Hajj, many Muslims can only afford to perform Umrah. This is because Umrah requires lower expenses compared to Hajj.

2. Differences in Pillars

The second difference between Hajj and Umrah is related to the pillars. The pillars of Hajj determine whether the Hajj pilgrimage is valid or not. The pillars of Hajj cannot be skipped or replaced with compensation or fines. There are five pillars that need to be known, which are ihram, standing at Arafah, circumambulation (thawaf) of the Kaaba, walking between Safa and Marwa (sa'i), and shaving or cutting the hair (tahallul).

Meanwhile, in the Umrah pilgrimage, there are only four pillars, which are ihram, circumambulation (thawaf), walking between Safa and Marwa (sa'i), and shaving or cutting the hair (tahallul). Thus, in the Umrah pilgrimage, pilgrims do not perform the standing at Arafah. It can be said that the Umrah pilgrimage is only performed within the area of Masjidil Haram.

3. Differences in Time of Implementation

The time of implementation also distinguishes the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. The Hajj pilgrimage is performed within a limited time, starting from the month of Shawwal until dawn on the 10th of Zulhijjah. Not only that, the Hajj journey usually lasts for several days, with the peak on the 9th of Dzulhijjah, which is the standing at Arafah.

On the other hand, the Umrah pilgrimage can be performed at any time without limitations. Umrah can be done at any time, including during the noble months like Ramadan. This means that as long as a person has an Umrah visa and fulfills certain requirements, they are allowed to perform the Umrah pilgrimage.

4. Differences in Place of Implementation

In addition to the differences in time, there are also differences in the place of implementation of Hajj and Umrah. The Hajj pilgrimage is not only performed at Masjidil Haram. It requires all pilgrims to perform rituals outside of Mecca. These include standing at Arafah, staying overnight at Muzdalifah, and staying overnight and stoning the pillars at Mina.

Meanwhile, the Umrah pilgrimage is only performed in Mecca, which includes circumambulation (thawaf) around the Kaaba and walking between Safa and Marwa. After that, Umrah pilgrims go for a visit to Medina.

5. Differences in Obligations

If the previous point explained the differences in pillars between Hajj and Umrah, the next point is the differences in obligations within them. There are five obligatory acts in Hajj that can be compensated with fines or compensation if they are missed. These five obligatory acts of Hajj are the intention of ihram from the miqat, staying overnight at Muzdalifah, staying overnight at Mina, farewell circumambulation (thawaf wada'), and stoning the pillars (melempar jumroh). On the other hand, the obligations of Umrah are only two, which are ihram and avoiding the prohibitions of ihram.

6. Status in Islamic Religion

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is considered a duty for every capable adult Muslim. Hajj holds a very important status in the Muslim community and is seen as a high spiritual achievement.

Meanwhile, Umrah is understood as a highly recommended religious journey in Islam, but it does not have the same obligatory status as Hajj. Although Umrah is highly recommended and carries great rewards, not performing it is not considered a sin. This is because Umrah is at the level of sunnah, not obligatory.