Makkah and Jeddah residents should not delay performing Umrah until the end of Ramadan because the severe heat and crowds can harm them and cause inconvenience to other pilgrims from abroad, said Dr. Ali Bin Abbas Al-Hakami, a member of the Board of Senior Ulema. Al-Hakami said that there is no text in Islam that declares performing Umrah (minor Haj) toward the end of Ramadan to be better than at the beginning of the holy month. Performing Umrah in Ramadan is considered special, but there is no mention of a specific time. Al-Hakami said there is a set reward in the Hereafter for those who perform the minor Haj in Ramadan, whether they have performed it at the beginning, middle or in the last few days. Al-Hakami said some worshippers prefer to perform Umrah in the last 10 days of Ramadan because these days are very special. There are the nights in which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) intensified his worship of Allah. Among these nights is “Lailatul Qadr, a night more blessed than a thousand months”. He said Umrah in Ramadan, like any other form of worship, should be undertaken without causing harm to oneself or others. This is confirmed in the Prophet's Hadith, “There shall be no infliction of harm on oneself or others.” He said some Makkah and Jeddah residents deliberately delay their Umrah in Ramadan to the end of the month when crowds are at a peak. This causes hardship to other worshippers who come from all corners of the world to perform the Ramadan Umrah. Al-Hakami appealed to Makkah and Jeddah residents and those living in the proximity of the holy city to select an appropriate time to perform Umrah. This would make it easier for pilgrims traveling from other countries. Seeking hardship in Umrah or other acts of worship is not permissible because Almighty Allah says in the Holy Qur'an: “No burden do We place On any person, but that Which he can bear.” __
