Praise be to Allah.
Performing Hajj and Umrah is an act of religion in Islam, in fact, it’s among the pillar of Islam, however, Muslims do visit the Macca and Medina to perform this act.
That said, Hajj and Umrah are obligatory once in a lifetime for anyone who is:
1) Muslim; 2) Sane; 3) pubescent; 4) Free, not a slave; 5) Has the means to perform
it with respect to being able to afford its provisions and conveyance.
If someone procrastinates in making Hajj until he dies while he had the wealth
and wherewithal to make it, someone should make the Hajj and Umrah on behalf of
the deceased from the deceased’s wealth.
Hajj of a non-muslim is not correct nor is the Hajj of an insane person. But a
child or a slave can make it, even though it does not count as their obligatory Hajj
for them.
In contrast, If a poor person borrows money to make Hajj, his Hajj is sound.
If a person makes Hajj on behalf of someone else while he himself has not yet
made his own Hajj, he will have that Hajj count as his own Hajj.
Ihram: It is Sunnah for the person who wishes to enter the state of Ihram to
take a bath, wear perfume, take off all stitched clothing and wear two clean white
unstitched pieces of cloth, one which covers the lower half of the body and the
other draped over the shoulders.
One who intends only Umrah should proclaim, “Labbaik Allahumma Umratan”
(Here I am at your service for obedience O Allah for Umrah), Those that intend Hajj should say the same but substitute “Hajjan” for “Umratan”, and those that intend both should say, “Hajjan wa Umrah”.
If he fears that something will prevent him from completing his Hajj rites, he
should make a condition in this proclamation by saying: “fa inn habasani haabis fa
mahalli haithu habastani” (If I am prevented by any obstacle, my place of ending
is wherever I am obstructed).
