My mother is a psychiatric patient. She performs only a few prayers when she feels better. I will travel for ‘Umrah along with my husband and my son. Shall I perform ‘Umrah on behalf of my sick mother? If I am unable to do so, is it permissible for my husband to do that on her behalf? How to perform this ‘Umrah?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

For ‘Umrah on behalf of another living person to be valid, it is a condition that the latter suffers a state of incurable disability and that the first has performed ‘Umrah for himself already.

Therefore, if your mother suffers a state of incurable disability that causes her to be unable to perform ‘Umrah, then you can perform ‘Umrah on her behalf provided that you have performed ‘Umrah for yourself and she delegated you to ‘Umrah for her. It is also permissible for your husband to perform ‘Umrah on behalf of your mother if these conditions are met. The way of performing ‘Umrah, whether for oneself or on behalf of others, is the same, and the only difference is regarding the intention. After one has performed ‘Umrah for himself and has ended his state of Ihram (ritual state of consecration), he should go to the nearest place outside the sacred precincts of Makkah, which is At-Tan‘eem. A man is required to take off his form-fitting clothes and wear the Ihram clothes; a woman, however, can wear any type of clothes in her Ihram. Then one starts Ihram with the intention of performing ‘Umrah on behalf of so-and-so, goes for Tawaaf (circumambulation) and Sa‘y (going back and forth between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah) and finally shaves or shortens his hair. Having done that, the person dissolves Ihram as they have completed their ‘Umrah.

Allaah Kknows best.