9/88. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 931 — Is Umrah Obligatory or Virtuous?
What Has Been Related About Umrah: Is It Required Or Not?
Is Umrah Obligatory? Hadith on Its Virtue
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 931
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 931
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى الصَّنْعَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، عَنِ الْحَجَّاجِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُئِلَ عَنِ الْعُمْرَةِ أَوَاجِبَةٌ هِيَ قَالَ " لاَ وَأَنْ تَعْتَمِرُوا هُوَ أَفْضَلُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَهُوَ قَوْلُ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ قَالُوا الْعُمْرَةُ لَيْسَتْ بِوَاجِبَةٍ . وَكَانَ يُقَالُ هُمَا حَجَّانِ الْحَجُّ الأَكْبَرُ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ وَالْحَجُّ الأَصْغَرُ الْعُمْرَةُ . وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ الْعُمْرَةُ سُنَّةٌ لاَ نَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا رَخَّصَ فِي تَرْكِهَا وَلَيْسَ فِيهَا شَيْءٌ ثَابِتٌ بِأَنَّهَا تَطَوُّعٌ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِإِسْنَادٍ وَهُوَ ضَعِيفٌ لاَ تَقُومُ بِمِثْلِهِ الْحُجَّةُ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنَا عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُوجِبُهَا . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى كُلُّهُ كَلاَمُ الشَّافِعِيِّ .
Jabir Narrated from:
The Prophet Was Asked About Whether Umrah Was Obligatory? He Said: "No. But If You Perform Umrah It Is More Virtuous."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 931In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 124English translation : Vol. 2, Book 4, Hadith 931
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 931
This hadith answers a direct question: is Umrah obligatory? Jabir narrates that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked about Umrah, and he said, "No. But if you perform Umrah it is more virtuous." The explanation should stay close to that wording. The text presents Umrah as an act of virtue in this answer, not as an obligation in the Prophet's reply here. The narration also records scholarly discussion after the report, but the main teaching for general readers is simple: Umrah carries virtue and should not be spoken about carelessly. The hadith encourages love for Umrah while preserving the exact answer given.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered that Umrah was not obligatory in this report.
- The same answer encourages performing Umrah as more virtuous.
- The hadith teaches careful wording when speaking about obligations.
- Umrah is presented here as a valuable act of worship.
