Badal Umrah Rulings by Madhhab: Shia, Hanafi, Maliki, Hanbali, Shafi’i

Badal Umrah is accepted across the schools of Islamic law in some form, but the schools differ on who may be represented, who may perform it and whether payment is acceptable. In the Twelver Shia (Ja’fari) school, a proxy may perform a recommended Umrah for a living person, and may perform an obligatory one when that person has a valid reason they cannot do it themselves. Among Sunnis, the Hanafi, Maliki, Hanbali and Shafi’i schools each set their own conditions. This guide sets out each position in plain words so you can choose with confidence. For your own case, ask a scholar you trust.

TL;DR

• Shia (Ja’fari): a proxy may perform an optional Umrah for a living person, and an obligatory one only when the person cannot do it for a valid reason. Your marja’ (source of emulation) has the final word.
• Hanafi: Umrah is an emphasized Sunnah, so proxy Umrah is permitted with the person’s authorization, and many fatwas also allow gifting the reward.
• Maliki, Hanbali, Shafi’i: these are stricter. Hanbali and Shafi’i scholars tie proxy Umrah to permanent inability or death, and expect the proxy to have completed their own Umrah first.
• Across schools: a trustworthy, sane adult proxy, a clear intention (niyyah) and proof of completion matter most.

Table of Contents

• Why the schools do not give one answer
• The Shia (Twelver, Ja’fari) ruling
• The Hanafi ruling
• The Maliki ruling
• The Hanbali ruling
• The Shafi’i ruling
• The schools side by side
• What every school agrees on in practice
• How to choose your path in four steps
• Paying a proxy and who receives the reward
• Arrange a badal Umrah with proof you can keep
• FAQ
• Sources

Why the schools do not give one answer

The schools do not disagree on whether Umrah is a beautiful act of worship. They disagree on two questions: is Umrah obligatory or a Sunnah, and is it an act that another person can stand in for?

If a school treats Umrah as obligatory, as the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools generally do, it has a strong reason to allow a proxy for someone who can never travel. If a school treats it as an emphasized Sunnah, the question becomes whether a proxy is even needed, or whether the reward can simply be gifted.

That is why a family looking for a badal Umrah ruling often finds answers that seem to contradict each other. Usually they do not. They answer different questions: for a living person or a deceased one, for an obligatory act or a voluntary one.

A note on how to use this page: it summarizes published positions so you know what to ask. It is not a fatwa. Your own scholar or the office of the marja’ you follow decides your case.

The Shia (Twelver, Ja’fari) ruling

The Ja’fari school allows proxy pilgrimage for the deceased and for living people in defined situations. The office of Grand Ayatollah Sistani states that there is no objection to appointing an agent to perform an optional pilgrimage for a living person, whether without payment or for a fee, and the same applies to an obligatory pilgrimage for a person who cannot do it personally for a valid reason (Sistani office, rules on pilgrimage by proxy). The same page states that proxy pilgrimage for a living person is not permissible outside those two cases.

Who may act as the proxy

For an obligatory proxy pilgrimage, the published rules from the Imam Ali Foundation in London say the representative should be an adult as a precaution, sane and trustworthy. Membership in the Twelver Shia school is also stated as a precaution, and the proxy should not be personally obliged to perform pilgrimage that year, unless unaware or forgetful (Imam Ali Foundation, rules of pilgrimage by proxy). The same source says a pilgrimage is invalid if an illness that affects the mind occurs during it.

If your family follows the Ja’fari school, those conditions matter. A proxy who is a child, or whose own school or status you cannot confirm, is a risk to the validity of an obligatory act. Our guide on avoiding a minor as Umrah proxy walks through the checks.

Umrah for more than one person

The office of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid M.S. Al-Hakeem states that it is permissible to perform a recommended Umrah on behalf of more than one person, living or deceased. In an Umrah Mufradah, the representative must intend the Umrah on behalf of the person, though naming the individual is not strictly obligatory (Office of Al-Hakeem, Q&A).

This is a position of that office. Other marja’ may differ, so a Shia family should confirm with the office they follow before sending several names with one booking. See also how we handle separate intentions for multiple proxies.

The Hanafi ruling

The Hanafi school treats Umrah as an emphasized Sunnah, not a mandatory obligation. A proxy is therefore not required, but one may perform Umrah and gift the reward. One summary of the school notes that it is permissible to perform proxy Umrah before one’s own, but highly disliked (Makruh Tahrimi) (Duaa Guides overview).

The classical reasoning is that proxy worship rests on authorization. If someone orders another to perform Umrah on their behalf and the proxy enters ihram and completes it, it is valid. The Kuwaiti Encyclopaedia of Islamic Jurisprudence explains that Umrah resembles Hajj as an act of both body and wealth, which makes representation possible, yet Hanafi jurists require an order because proxy status is not established without it (Al-Mawsu’a al-Fiqhiyya, vol. 30).

Fatwa answers published in the Hanafi tradition give practical detail:

• A Hanafi AskImam answer states plainly that it is permissible to perform Umrah for a living person (AskImam).
• A Darul Iftaa Birmingham ruling permits Umrah for a critically ill aunt who cannot travel, citing the Prophetic instruction to perform Hajj and Umrah for an elderly father who is unable (Darul Iftaa Birmingham).
• Another Hanafi answer says that when someone specifically requested the performance on their behalf, that particular Umrah should not be shared among several people (Darul Iftaa answer).
• For a voluntary Umrah, a Hanafi answer from Mathabah says it may be made for one or many people, with the reward reaching both the doer and the intended recipients (Mathabah).
• For two deceased people, a Hanafi answer says one Umrah should be performed for each, and the same performer may complete both by renewing ihram after the first (SeekersGuidance).

Two practical lessons follow for a Hanafi family. First, a request or authorization from the person, or from heirs for the deceased, is the foundation. Second, a specific request calls for a specific intention, which is why we never combine named requests into one ritual.

The Maliki ruling

The Maliki school is generally described as the most reserved of the four. One overview says Maliki scholars view proxy Umrah as discouraged, though they acknowledge it is valid if carried out, and they focus on gifting the reward to the intended soul rather than on a formal proxy system (Duaa Guides overview).

If you follow the Maliki school, the safest path is to ask a Maliki scholar in your community how they view hiring a proxy for a living or deceased person. The general principle many families take comfort in is that sincere worship done for a loved one, with the reward gifted to them, is a source of mercy.

The Hanbali ruling

The Hanbali school considers Umrah obligatory. It allows proxy Umrah for the deceased or for those with permanent physical disabilities, and the proxy must already have fulfilled their own mandatory Umrah first (Duaa Guides overview).

For a Hanbali family the key words are “permanent” and “first.” A temporary illness, or a wish to travel later, does not usually qualify the person for a proxy. And a proxy who has never made Umrah for themselves does not fit the school’s condition. We ask about both when we vet a booking. Our page on Umrah for a living person who is permanently unable explains what documentation is worth keeping.

The Shafi’i ruling

The Shafi’i school deems Umrah obligatory and requires a proxy for those who are permanently unable because of illness or old age, provided the representative has already completed their own Umrah (Duaa Guides overview).

A Shafi’i answer on SeekersGuidance describes the same logic: someone who cannot perform Hajj or Umrah because of an illness not expected to be cured, or because of old age, may appoint another, a practice called inaba. That page also says hiring another to perform the rituals for an agreed fee is permissible when its conditions are met, and it allows Umrah for several individuals under those conditions (SeekersGuidance, Shafi’i).

The schools side by side

The table is a summary of the published positions above. Individual scholars within each school can differ, and a local fatwa on your exact situation outranks any table.

What every school agrees on in practice

Behind the technical differences, a few points repeat everywhere:

1. The represented person is unable or has passed away. Guidance published by Indonesia’s Hajj Financial Management Agency also lists inability or death as the condition, and says the proxy should have performed Umrah or Hajj for themselves and have permission from the living person or the heirs (BPKH, badal Umrah conditions).
2. The proxy is trustworthy. Sincerity and knowledge of the rites are the heart of a valid proxy act.
3. The intention is clear. The proxy intends the Umrah for the named person, or for a defined set of people where the school allows it. Our guide on one intention for one soul explains why we keep this simple.
4. Permission is on record. For a living person, their consent. For the deceased, the heirs’ consent.
5. Proof is shared. Photos, video and a certificate let the family see that the rites were completed.

How to choose your path in four steps

1. Identify your school or marja’. If you follow a Shia marja’, check their office. If you follow a Sunni school, look for a fatwa from a scholar in that school.
2. Decide who the Umrah is for. A living person who is permanently unable, a deceased parent or relative, or a voluntary Umrah as a gift.
3. Ask about the proxy. Is the proxy an adult, has he completed his own Umrah, and is he trusted?
4. Ask about proof. Request documentation before you pay. Our guide to eligibility and proof before you pay lists what to ask.

If the person is a parent who has died, see Umrah for deceased parents or Umrah for a deceased mother. If someone is terminally ill, read our steps for arranging Umrah for a terminally ill person.

Paying a proxy and who receives the reward

Two questions follow nearly every ruling. Is it acceptable to pay a proxy? And who gets the reward?

On payment, the Sistani office says an optional pilgrimage for a living person can be arranged by an agent gratuitously or for a fee, and that an agent is entitled to the agreed remuneration (Sistani office). A Shafi’i answer likewise permits hiring a proxy for an agreed fee when conditions are met (SeekersGuidance). Our own explainer on paying someone for badal Umrah lists what to ask a provider.

On reward, the islamweb fatwa service records the view that the deceased benefit from charity and from Hajj or Umrah performed for them (IslamWeb). For how the reward is shared, read who gets the badal Umrah reward.

Our perspective

We built Badal Umrah for families who are carrying something heavy: a parent who can no longer travel, a father or mother who has passed, a promise left unfulfilled. In those moments, people do not want a lecture on fiqh. They want to know that the act will be done properly, and that they can explain it to their own scholar.

That is why we treat the differences between the madhhabs as a reason to be careful, never as a reason to put the service off. We ask who the Umrah is for, what the person’s situation is, and which school or marja’ the family follows. We then match the booking to a clear, single intention, with proof you can show a scholar.

Our approach is to be transparent. Every package comes with documentation, video and a certificate, because trust should never depend on a promise alone. Our work is performed in line with Islamic legal standards and checked by qualified imams, and a portion of our profits is pledged to charity, including support for Gaza. For You. For Your Loved Ones. For Their Forgiveness.

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Arrange a badal Umrah with proof you can keep

Once you know which ruling guides your family, the next step is simple. Our packages are a one-time fee with fixed pricing and no recurring charges: the Du’a Package is $150, the Noor Package is $250, the Barakah Package is $400 and the Jariyah Premium Package is $500. Higher tiers add faster delivery and more features, and every package includes proof of completion.

If you need a Hajj proxy rather than Umrah, we offer Hajj Badal, Ifraad at $1,500 and Hajj Badal, Tamattu’ with Umrah and Qurbani at $2,500. When you are ready, you can book your Umrah here. Tell us which school or marja’ you follow in your booking notes, and our team will support you.

FAQ

Can a Shia perform Umrah on behalf of another person?

Yes, within conditions. The Sistani office permits an agent to perform an optional pilgrimage for a living person, and an obligatory one when the person has a valid reason they cannot do it themselves (Sistani office). For an obligatory proxy pilgrimage, the representative should be an adult, sane and trustworthy. Follow your own marja’ for the detail.

Does the Hanafi school require the person to be unable to travel?

Not in the same way as the Hanbali and Shafi’i schools. Hanafi scholars treat Umrah as an emphasized Sunnah and allow it for a living person with authorization, and several fatwas say the reward can be gifted. A person who is able still fulfills their own Sunnah best by going personally (Qibla Hanafi answer).

Must the proxy have performed their own Umrah first?

The Hanbali and Shafi’i schools expect it. The Hanafi school permits otherwise but dislikes it strongly, according to one overview (Duaa Guides). In practice, choose a proxy who has already completed their own Umrah, and you meet every school’s expectation.

Can one Umrah be made for several people?

The schools and offices differ. The Al-Hakeem office allows a recommended Umrah for more than one person, and a Hanafi answer permits a voluntary one for many. Another Hanafi answer says a specifically requested Umrah should not be shared (Darul Iftaa). When in doubt, book one Umrah per person.

Sources

• Sistani office, the rules on pilgrimage by proxy
• Imam Ali Foundation, the rules of pilgrimage by proxy
• Office of Grand Ayatollah Al-Hakeem, Q&A on Umrah
• Duaa Guides, can I perform Umrah for someone else
• Al-Mawsu’a al-Fiqhiyya, volume 30
• AskImam, Umrah for a living person
• Darul Iftaa Birmingham, critically ill aunt
• Darul Iftaa, tawaf or Umrah for someone alive abroad
• Qibla Hanafi, Umrah for a living person
• Mathabah, Umrah on behalf of multiple people
• SeekersGuidance, Umrah for two deceased
• SeekersGuidance, Shafi’i rulings on proxy Hajj and Umrah
• BPKH, badal Umrah conditions
• IslamWeb, deeds for deceased persons

Recommended

• Badal Umrah or Your Own Trip? Scholar Rulings, Nusuk, and Proof
• Badal Umrah Gender Rules: Who May Be a Proxy and How
• Badal Umrah: Saudi Fatwas, Eligibility and Proof Before You Pay
• Hadith on Badal Umrah: The Evidence and Its Rulings