Q: I loive in New York. I see that there is a trend in our communites. With oil prices down and special umrah offers. Locals religious people are pushing for us to buy saying don’t worry Allah will forgive us if we did it backwards. So So Many are going to umrah before hajj and some are refusing to go for hajj after umrah saying they are done because of the stress of it all.  local ulama are saying it is okay to do umrah first because these locals are getting tickets to take groups. Full packages are going for $1oo0 and a 15 day stay and its so tempting.  I was taught that hajj first then umrah. Whats your pointers on this?

A:

• Umrah is not fard, Hajj is fard for those that have resources to complete it as required, therefore, people should work towards fulfilling Fard over Nafl (supererogatory.) This is just religious common sense.
• For those that are going to visit their families in Pakistan, India, Dubai, etc. and Umrah is on their way, in such a case, they can go for the Umrah before hajj. To make a special trip from the United States for Umrah before hajj will not be ones best option. We must stop turning religion into a joke.
• We must do first things first. Not come up with flimsy excuses to inflate the ego, especially in aspects of religion.

Our Hadith makes clear that Hajj and its likes will become prevalent as part of money making schemes as we approach Qiyamah — letting go of the necessary for the what which Nafl will become the norm. How long are we going to substitute priority for ego (nafs) as we go to most Sacred House?
Allah Certainly Knows Best.

P.s. We have a crises of epic proportion within the Ummah and we toying with the parameters of deen. This has an adverse impact on our Duas. Act wisely. Ameen.