Asalam alaikum, I would like to know if it is better to make Umrah prior to hajj if the person is currently not able to afford hajj but can afford a umrah? Also, I would like to know if there if sawab in spending on your children's Islamic education meaning paying expensive tuitions to ensure they stay in an islamic school even though this choice entails giving up many other things such as traveling, saving money for the future, purchasing a house etc. I sincerely appreciate a response to my questions, Jazak Allah koll kheir and may Allah reward you for your efforts.

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, sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

If the person has not yet performed ‘Umrah and is (financially and physically) capable of performing it, he should hasten to perform it and should not delay it until he performs Hajj first. This is so because `Umrah is obligatory on an immediate basis once in a lifetime. Ibn Muflih said, “It is impermissible for a person for whom Hajj or ‘Umrah is obligatory (due to being capable financially and physically of performing it) to delay performing it; rather it is incumbent on him to hasten to perform it …” [Al-Furoo‘]

Please refer to Fatwa 82165 on the permissibility of performing ‘Umarh before Hajj and the fact that performing ‘Umrah is obligatory for the Muslim who is able to perform it according to the majority of the scholars.

Parents will be rewarded for providing a good education to their children and paying their tuition fees. However, this should be done according to reasonable terms without committing excess. It should be noted that enrolling the children in Islamic schools whose fees are higher than other regular schools, where children's religiosity may be jeopardized, in order to foster and shield their religiosity is not considered extravagance. Rather, it is commendable under Sharee'ah and the parents will be rewarded for it, given the preservation of the children’s religiosity which it entails.

Allaah Knows best.