Fatwa ID: 02652

Answered by:  Ustaadha Bint Salih

Question

Asalamualaikum.

Hazrat, I am planning to perform Umrah in Ramadan next year, Insh'Allah. I wanted to clarify a few things:

1)      Much extension work is going on in the Haram, and I perform salah in any way of the new buildings the Hadith which, says one salah in the Haram is multiplied by 10 fold will still apply?

Answer

It was narrated that Anas bin MalikRadiAllahu Anh said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘A man’s prayer in his house is equal (in reward) to one prayer; his prayer in the mosque of the tribes is equal to twenty-five prayers; his prayer in the mosque in which Friday prayer is offered is equal to five-hundred prayers; his prayer in Aqsa Mosque is equal to fifty thousand prayers; his prayer in my mosque is equal to fifty thousand prayers; and his prayer in the Sacred Mosque is equal to one hundred thousand prayers.”
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 1413)

The above diagram displays the boundaries of the haram which includes everything in the green section. The extensions which are taking place are of the Masjid, not of the actual haram. Therefore the virtues mentioned in the various ahadeeth of increased reward will still apply, even in the extended areas.

2)      Is it permissible to engage in the congregation du'a that takes
place in the Witrsalah? I believe they perform 2 rakats, and one extra
solo.

In order to avoid ikhtilaaf (differences), it is best to follow and pray with the congregation as they are. However in the Hanafi Fiqh, witr is not prayed in this manner, therefore, one will have to perform the witr later on.

Below is a brief guideline of how the Hanafi Fiqh differs from the other three schools of thought in regards to the Witr prayer:

‘According to the Hanafi Fiqh, the Witrsalah consists of three rakaats with one salaam at the end. 
Imam Malik , Imam Shafee and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbalsay that the Witrsalah is between one and seven rakaats. 
Generally, the followers of the respective aforementioned scholars will perform the Witr by praying two rakaats with one salaam and then another rakaat separately with one salaam.’
(DarsTirmizi p.215 v.2)

3) It is permissible to do as many Umrah on desires even though on cannot regard it Sunnah?

Abu Hurairah RadiAllahu Anh narrated that the Messenger of Allah  said:

"Umrah to 'Umrah atones for the sins between them, and for Al-Hajj Al-Mabrur there is no reward except Paradise."
(Jami Tirmizi, Hadith 933)

Although RasulullahSallallahuAlaihiWasallam did not perform more than one umrah per visit, if one did so he will still get the reward since it is still an act of worship, the virtues for which can be seen from ahadeeth like the one stated above. 

4)      Is it permissible to do ziyarah of historical places even if it
means missing a salah in Jammat in the Haram, but will still perform at
any other mosque?

Praying every single salah in congregation in Masjid al Haram is not necessary, even though the merits of doing so are very great. If one wanted to visit historic places with the intention of gaining reminder and out of love for Islam and its history and he safeguards his salah by praying in other masaajidetc, it would be allowed and there is no sin in doing so.

Only Allah knows best.

UstaadhaBint Salih.

DarulIfta Birmingham

Checked and approved by Mufti Tosir Miah