Hajj & Umrah

Going to Madina before Makkah

Q: If a person is planning to perform umrah, should he go to Makkah first or he may go to Madina first and then Makkah? Some ulma say that it is good to go to Madina first, visit shuhada-e-uhud as according to a Holy prophet's one quotation implies that it makes our prophet more happy if one visits shuhada-e-uhad before he makes ziarat of the holy prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and after spending his planned days in Madinah finally goes to makkah and performs umrah if one seeks the best from Allah. Is this thought valid? And if one performs his umrah in this manner keeping this in mind, would that umrah be valid?

Is performing umrah fardh

Q: A person has not yet performed his fardh hajj because it will cost about 5 lakhs to go for hajj, but he has 50,000 rupees with him with which he can go for umrah. Now does umrah become fardh upon him or he should save that 50,000 for performing hajj?

Doubts with regards to one's Hajj being valid

Q: I am an extremely doubtful person. I always have doubts about purification. I always feels I had missed something in wudhu and ghusl. I had performed hajj 3 years ago alhamdulilah. I had performed all thing step by step there was no doubt at that time. After that sometimes a doubt came in my mind whether I had done wudhu and ghusl properly and completely or I had missed something at time of Tawaf-E-Ziyarat. I am also not sure about this. I try to remember but I can't. So should I give dam for this doubt? And my wife would be halaal for me? Please kindly advice me. I am very frustrated with this.

Area below the navel becoming exposed while making tawaaf in ihraam

Q: When wearing the ihraam cloth and making tawaf around the ka'bah, I am afraid that part of my awrah (just below the navel) will be visible at times, especially when flipping the cloth to the idhtibaa' position etc, since I am not used to wearing this cloth. If my awrah shows, will the tawaf still be valid. Will I have to pay any compensation for it?

Making the intention of nafl hajj

Q: Last year I had gone for hajj with my family (mother and wife). Before leaving for hajj (during it's preparation) I had made my wife owner of the amount which was to be spent on her for hajj (Rs.2.5 lakh). During the journey I instructed her to make niyat for Fardh Hajj as she was made owner of money. But by mistake she made niyat for Nafl Hajj and completed the Hajj journey. I would like to ask whether the Hajj she did would be counted as Fardh or Nafl. If Nafl, does she have to do Fardh Hajj now again. At present neither me nor she has any money. She has only her jewellery. If ruling is for Fardh Hajj and either me or she dies before doing it, then what happens. I would like to make it clear it was 1st Hajj for myself and wife.