The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria Ulama team says the frequent performance of Umrah will eliminate sins and poverty among the people.
The clerics, stated this while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing Hajj exercise in Makkah on Thursday.
Sheikh Garba Al-Yolawi, Chief Imam, Area 10 Mosque, Abuja, said that the performance of Umrah during and after the Hajj exercise would eliminate poverty and sins just like a blacksmith purifies iron, gold, or silver.
According to Al-Yolawi Umrah is very important.
“If done with all sincerity and accepted by Allah, it will surely eliminate sins.
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that to continue performing Umrah after Umrah will remove poverty and sins.
“That is why you see many of our influential people going to Madinah and Makkah yearly, some even two or three times within a year. They understand the Hadith and its impact,” he said.
He urged every Muslim to learn from them and strive to go again when possible particularly if blessed.
“Umrah usually comes first in the Tamattu’ form of Hajj, which scholars recommend for ease to enable pilgrims to combine both Umrah and Hajj.
“It helps pilgrims to fulfill both acts in a more organised way, especially considering the large numbers.
“Pilgrims are taken straight to Madinah to avoid the controversy surrounding Miqat, especially for those of us coming from Africa,” he said.
Alyolawi said that after the Ziyarah in Madinah, pilgrims would proceed to Makkah for Umrah.
“Hajj begins with Umrah: going to Dhu’l-Hulaifah for Ihram, performing Tawaf and Sa’i, thus completing Umrah.
“The significance of Umrah is deeply linked to Hajj.
“Without performing Umrah in the Tamattu form, a pilgrim must either return and start again or pay a Fidya, which means either slaughtering an animal or fasting for ten days,” he said.
The Grand Mufti of Ogun, Dr Rafee Al-Ijebuwi, said that frequent performance of Umrah will drive away poverty.
According to Al-Ijebuwi, the significance of Umrah lies in the fact that Prophet Muhammad himself did four Umrahs in his life, whereas he performed Hajj only once, and that is what we know as the farewell Hajj.
“The Prophet now told us, make sure that you frequently perform Hajj and Umrah, saying that in between performing Umrah twice or more, Allah will use that to expiate your shortcomings.
“And that is why you find many people having a keen interest in coming to Makkah during Ramadan. So that, they add the merit of Ramadan to that of Umrah at that particular time,” she said.
Hajia Tawakatu Ibrahim, former Dawaah Officer, Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria, Ogun, stressed the need for pilgrims to comply with the rules and regulations guiding Umrah during Hajj exercise.
“You say you come to perform Hajj you have to perform Umrah, especially for those of us coming from Nigeria.
“The first thing you do is to put on your Ihram to perform your Umrah; then you know that normally, we are supposed to assume our intention, put on the Ihram, take care of everything at the miqat.
“However, some scholars came out with a fatwa that we can actually wear our Ihram right from our hotel.
“When we get to the Miqat, we go to the mosque to observe the two rakats.”
