What is the ruling on people who went out to perform 'Umrah from Jeddah, and when they circumambulated the Ka'bah and began the sa'y, they were unable to complete the sa'y due to the crowd?
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The questioner : This questioner, your brother Abu al-Fida, says: O honorable Shaykh, what is the ruling on those who went out to perform 'Umrah from Jeddah, and when they circumambulated the Ka'bah and began the sa'y, some of them walked two rounds and others three rounds, then they were unable to complete the sa'y due to the severe crowd that night, which was the night of the 27th of last Ramadan? They feared for their lives from death or harm, so they returned to their homes without shaving or cutting their hair, and they have done nothing until now. What is required of them? May Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : I say that I advise this questioner and those who are in his situation, who commit an error and then do not hasten to ask about it. This is a great negligence of the religion of Allah and His Shari'ah. It is astonishing that he and those like him choose the night of the 27th to perform 'Umrah, and performing 'Umrah in Ramadan is a recommended practice, and then they violate the sanctity of this 'Umrah by not completing it, and then they do not ask about what they did. We ask Allah for guidance for us and for them.
The questioner : O Allah, amen.
The Shaykh : And we are speaking first.
The questioner : Please, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : About the permissibility of 'Umrah on the night of the 27th, and about what they did by cutting off this 'Umrah.
As for the first point, which is the permissibility of 'Umrah on the night of the 27th, we say that there is no special merit for the night of the 27th in 'Umrah. And if a person believes that the night of the 27th has a merit in performing 'Umrah on it, then this belief is not based on a foundation. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say, "Whoever performs 'Umrah on the night of the 27th of Ramadan, such and such is for him," nor did he say, "Whoever performs 'Umrah on the Night of Decree, such and such is for him." Rather, he said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 2193Sahih (Darussalam) And 'Umrah is not standing in prayer.
Then we say: whoever says that the Night of Decree is the night of the 27th, the Night of Decree may be on the 27th, it may be on the 25th, it may be on the 23rd, it may be on the 29th, and it may be on the even nights: the 22nd, 24th, 26th, 28th, and 30th. All of this is possible. Yes, the most likely of the nights is the night of the 27th. But that it is specifically that night every year, no. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he was shown the Night of Decree and that he would prostrate in the morning of it, meaning in the Fajr prayer of its morning, in water and mud. So it rained on the night of the 21st, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood to pray Fajr and prostrated in the water and mud in the morning of that night, the night of the 21st. Thus, the Night of Decree moves; it may be on the 27th this year and on the 29th or 25th the next year. It is not fixed to the night of the 27th. For this reason, we see that it is an error for some people to strive to stand in prayer on the night of the 27th and not stand in the other nights. All of this is based on the error in specifying the Night of Decree.
And the summary is that there is no merit for 'Umrah on the night of the 27th, and that the night of the 27th is not specifically the Night of Decree always and forever. Rather, the Night of Decree varies; in one year it is the night of the 27th, and in another year it is on a different night, and in other years it is on yet another.
And this is a matter that it is obligatory for the Muslim to correct his belief in, meaning to correct the belief that 'Umrah on the night of the 27th has a merit, and that the night of the 27th is the Night of Decree every year, because the evidence does not indicate this.
As for the action of the questioner, it is an erroneous action that contradicts the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:196] And the sa'y is from the 'Umrah; rather, it is a pillar in it. And on this basis, it is obligatory for them now to wear the clothes of ihram, and to go and perform the sa'y and cut their hair to complete their previous 'Umrah, and to avoid all the prohibitions of ihram from now on, along with repentance and seeking forgiveness from this sin that they committed. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : I say that I advise this questioner and those who are in his situation, who commit an error and then do not hasten to ask about it. This is a great negligence of the religion of Allah and His Shari'ah. It is astonishing that he and those like him choose the night of the 27th to perform 'Umrah, and performing 'Umrah in Ramadan is a recommended practice, and then they violate the sanctity of this 'Umrah by not completing it, and then they do not ask about what they did. We ask Allah for guidance for us and for them.
The questioner : O Allah, amen.
The Shaykh : And we are speaking first.
The questioner : Please, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : About the permissibility of 'Umrah on the night of the 27th, and about what they did by cutting off this 'Umrah.
As for the first point, which is the permissibility of 'Umrah on the night of the 27th, we say that there is no special merit for the night of the 27th in 'Umrah. And if a person believes that the night of the 27th has a merit in performing 'Umrah on it, then this belief is not based on a foundation. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say, "Whoever performs 'Umrah on the night of the 27th of Ramadan, such and such is for him," nor did he say, "Whoever performs 'Umrah on the Night of Decree, such and such is for him." Rather, he said:
Whoever spends the night of Lailat Al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, he will be forgiven his previous sins.
من قام ليلة القدر إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدّم من ذنبهThen we say: whoever says that the Night of Decree is the night of the 27th, the Night of Decree may be on the 27th, it may be on the 25th, it may be on the 23rd, it may be on the 29th, and it may be on the even nights: the 22nd, 24th, 26th, 28th, and 30th. All of this is possible. Yes, the most likely of the nights is the night of the 27th. But that it is specifically that night every year, no. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he was shown the Night of Decree and that he would prostrate in the morning of it, meaning in the Fajr prayer of its morning, in water and mud. So it rained on the night of the 21st, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood to pray Fajr and prostrated in the water and mud in the morning of that night, the night of the 21st. Thus, the Night of Decree moves; it may be on the 27th this year and on the 29th or 25th the next year. It is not fixed to the night of the 27th. For this reason, we see that it is an error for some people to strive to stand in prayer on the night of the 27th and not stand in the other nights. All of this is based on the error in specifying the Night of Decree.
And the summary is that there is no merit for 'Umrah on the night of the 27th, and that the night of the 27th is not specifically the Night of Decree always and forever. Rather, the Night of Decree varies; in one year it is the night of the 27th, and in another year it is on a different night, and in other years it is on yet another.
And this is a matter that it is obligatory for the Muslim to correct his belief in, meaning to correct the belief that 'Umrah on the night of the 27th has a merit, and that the night of the 27th is the Night of Decree every year, because the evidence does not indicate this.
As for the action of the questioner, it is an erroneous action that contradicts the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And complete the Hajj and 'umrah for Allah
وأتموا الحج والعمرة للهThe questioner : May Allah bless you.