“ʿUmrah to ʿUmrah is an expiation for what is between them, and an accepted Ḥajj has no reward except Paradise.”

Narrated by al-Bukhārī (No. 1773) and Muslim (No. 1349), from the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him.

Brief Explanation of the Hadith

Among the mercy of Allah, Exalted be He, toward His servants is that He has prescribed for them acts of obedience and made them causes for the forgiveness of sins, the multiplication of good deeds, and elevation in ranks. Among these are the immense rewards and noble virtues associated with ʿumrah and ḥajj, as stated in this ḥadīth: “From one ʿumrah to the next is an expiation for what is between them.”
The meaning is that whoever performs ʿumrah and then performs another ʿumrah, this becomes a cause for expiating what is between them of minor sins, so long as major sins are avoided. If there are no minor sins, then it is hoped that even the major sins will be expiated. Then he clarified the virtue of ḥajj by his statement: “and an accepted ḥajj…”. An accepted (mabrūr) ḥajj is that which is not mixed with sin; it is derived from birr (righteousness and obedience), and that its expenditure be from lawful wealth. This is the ḥajj about which the Prophet may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him said: “It has no reward except Paradise.”
In this is an indication of the great reward of ḥajj, and that it is not limited to the expiation of some sins; rather, it elevates its performer—when the conditions of righteousness are fulfilled—to the greatest reward, which is entry into Paradise.
Thus, the ḥadīth combines encouragement toward ʿumrah and clarification of its effect in expiation, along with magnifying the status of ḥajj and the loftiness of its rank.
The ḥadīth also encourages performing these two acts of worship, along with being keen to carry them out in the legislated manner, so that one may attain what the Lawgiver has arranged for them of forgiveness and divine pleasure.