Is 'umroh' more important?

Is 'umroh' more important?

From Pikiran Rakyat

Going on an umroh (minor haj) has become popular in Indonesia. Maybe this is a trend. The umroh is usually combined with a trip to the Middle East or Europe.

Institutions, foundations, and travel agencies promote such packages, with guides for the devout, and they cost more than regular haj packages. From a commercial point of view, the umroh is very profitable. However, one must perform the haj before going on an umroh. To go on an Umroh outside the month of Dzulhijjah is not really permissible. According to the Koran, putting off the haj for the umroh is wrong. Most of the umroh tourists have never been on the haj.t t should be the other way round. This situation needs straightening out!

Special umroh tours may be taken by those who have performed a haj before.

The religious scholars should correct this mistake. They should clearly explain this to would-be umroh pilgrims to stop them from making a religious error.

Umroh should come after the haj, which is obligatory. It is wrong to delay, let alone forfeit, the haj -- an important duty of every devout Moslem.

DJOKO

Bandung, West Java