Umrah in Rajab and Sha'ban 1448Dates, virtue and planning

What scholars say about Umrah in Rajab

Rajab is a sacred month

Allah says in the Qur'an that four months are sacred (Qur'an 9:36). The Prophet ﷺ named them in his sermon at the Farewell Hajj: Dhul Qa'dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab, which comes between Jumada and Sha'ban (Sahih al-Bukhari 3197).

Scholars say good deeds in the sacred months are encouraged and wrongdoing in them is more serious. Whether Umrah in Rajab carries its own reward is a separate question.

The report about the Prophet's Umrahs

Mujahid and Urwa found Abdullah ibn Umar near Aishah's room and asked him how many times the Prophet ﷺ performed Umrah. He said four, and that one of them was in Rajab. Urwa put this to Aishah. She said the Prophet ﷺ never performed an Umrah without Ibn Umar being with him, and he never performed one in Rajab (Sahih al-Bukhari 1776).

Anas listed the Prophet's four Umrahs, and said they were in Dhul Qa'dah apart from the one he joined with his Hajj (Sahih al-Bukhari 1780).

The mainstream view

From these reports, many scholars say no authentic hadith gives Umrah in Rajab a special virtue. IslamQA answer 36766 says there is no report from the Prophet ﷺ of a particular merit for it. It calls singling out Rajab for Umrah an innovation, and adds that someone who goes in Rajab because the timing is easier, without believing in a special reward, has done nothing wrong. The same answer notes that Umrah in Ramadan does have a proven virtue.

If someone tells you Umrah in Rajab carries a fixed reward, ask which hadith and how it is graded. We could not find a published Hanafi fatwa on Umrah in Rajab itself, so if you follow the Hanafi school, ask a scholar you trust.

27 Rajab and 15 Sha'ban

Many families in Pakistan mark the night of 27 Rajab and the night of 15 Sha'ban (Shab-e-Barat). Scholars differ on what is established about these nights, and we do not take a view here. We know of no authentic report that links Umrah itself to either date. If you want to be in Makkah on one of those nights for your own reasons, we can plan around it. Ask a scholar you trust about what to do on those nights.

On the expected calendar, 27 Rajab falls on 05/01/2027, and the night of 15 Sha'ban begins on the evening of 22/01/2027 (Makkah Live lists 15 Sha'ban as 23/01/2027). Both can move by a day with the moon sighting.

Sha'ban: the month before Ramadan

Aishah said she never saw the Prophet ﷺ fast more in any month, outside Ramadan, than in Sha'ban (Sahih al-Bukhari 1969). That hadith is about fasting. No authentic report gives Umrah in Sha'ban its own reward either.

Families who travel in Sha'ban usually have practical reasons: the cool weather, no leave in Ramadan, or a wish to go before the Ramadan crowds and prices. Some stay on into the first days of Ramadan. If that is your plan, read our Umrah in Ramadan guide first, because in recent years Nusuk has issued only one Umrah permit per person in Ramadan. The 2027 rule is not announced yet.

Weather in Rajab and Sha'ban

These are long-term averages from Jeddah Regional Climate Center data, as published in Wikipedia's climate tables for Makkah and Madinah (checked 19/10/2026).

Makkah days are warm but easy to walk in. Madinah nights get cold, so pack a jumper or shawl, and socks for Fajr. If your parents struggle in the heat, this is the gentlest time of year for them. See Umrah with elderly parents.

Crowds before Ramadan

• Mid to late December and the New Year week are busy, because many families in Pakistan, the UK, the USA, Canada and the Gulf have winter holidays then. Pakistan's 2026 to 2027 winter vacation had not been announced on 20/10/2026; last year Punjab closed schools from 22/12/2025 to 10/01/2026.
• Saudi Arabia's own mid-year school break can also bring large numbers of Saudi families to Makkah. Its dates are set by the Saudi Ministry of Education, so ask us to check them against your weeks.
• Once the winter holidays end, hotels near the Haram usually have more choice, which is a fair sign of lighter crowds. Nobody can promise a quiet mataf on a given day.
• The last week or two of Sha'ban gets busier as people arrive for the start of Ramadan.

For tawaf, the General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques lists 10pm to 4am and 9am to 4pm as light hours and 5pm to 9pm as peak (August 2026 guide, reported by AJEL). In winter the late morning is pleasant and easier on children and parents.

Prices in Rajab and Sha'ban

Hotels near the Haram price by demand. The Christmas and New Year weeks usually cost more. Mid-January to early February often costs less than both December and Ramadan, and prices climb again towards the end of Sha'ban. We don't publish one figure because hotel rates change week to week; ask us for today's price for your dates.

If you're flexible, start after the New Year week and come home before the last week of Sha'ban. The catch for families in Pakistan is school: that window usually falls after the winter vacation has ended, so it suits retired parents and adults better than children. If you need the holiday weeks, see December Umrah packages.

How long to stay

The rites of Umrah take a few hours. Most families stay 10 to 15 nights to have time in both Makkah and Madinah, and a week can work if you are short of time. Our guide on how long Umrah takes has sample 7, 10 and 14-night plans.

Planning checklist

1. Choose your weeks inside Rajab or Sha'ban, and check them against school holidays.
2. Decide which city comes first. Madinah first is calmer for parents; Makkah first means you perform Umrah while you are fresh.
3. Book hotels and transport. The visa application needs them first.
4. Apply for the visa. We don't issue visas and can't promise one. The Saudi authorities decide. We make the hotel and transport bookings the application needs and help you through it.
5. Book your Umrah permit in the Nusuk app once the visa is issued.
6. Pack for cool nights, especially in Madinah.

How Maqam e Haram helps

From our office in Islamabad, on GT Road and easy to reach from Rawalpindi, we plan winter trips for families from across Pakistan, with flights, hotels in Makkah and Madinah, transport and ziyarat. Our own team in Makkah and Madinah meets you, helps elderly parents find the easier routes and stays on WhatsApp for the whole trip.

If you are thinking of Rajab or Sha'ban, message us on WhatsApp or call +92 309 9022120 with your dates. You can also see our Umrah packages from Islamabad and family Umrah packages.

Questions and answers

Related pages

• Umrah calendar 1448Every Hijri month and the season deadlines.
• Best time for UmrahAll months compared.
• Umrah in RamadanThe month after Sha'ban.
• How long does Umrah takeSample trip lengths.
• Umrah with elderly parentsPace and hotel choice.
• December Umrah packagesThe winter holiday weeks.
• Umrah packages from IslamabadTrips from our home city.