They did fourteen laps of sa‘i for ‘umrah out of ignorance; is their ‘umrah valid?
Question

                My parents went for ‘umrah this year, after dreaming of it for approximately ten years or more. When they went to do sa‘i between as-Safa and al-Marwah, they did 14 laps instead of seven, because they thought that one lap was going from as-Safa to al-Marwah and back again. Is their ‘umrah valid like this or do they have to do it all over again?
Praise be to Allah.
	Firstly:

	What every 
	Muslim must do is learn what he needs to know about his religion so that his 
	belief and worship will be correct. This is what the Prophet (blessings and 
	peace of Allah be upon him) instructed his companions to do, during the Hajj 
	that he performed with the people. He said to them: “Learn from me your 
	rituals (of Hajj), for I do not know, perhaps I will not perform Hajj again 
	after this Hajj of mine.” Narrated by Muslim (1297)

	An-Nawawi (may 
	Allah have mercy on him) said:

	This is an 
	instruction, and what is meant is that these things that I have done during 
	my pilgrimage of words, actions and ways of doing things are how Hajj is to 
	be done, and they are your rituals, so learn them from me, accept them and 
	keep them in mind; learn them and teach them to the people.

	It was said to 
	Imam Ahmad: Is seeking knowledge obligatory?

	He said: Yes, 
	about your religion; whatever you need to know, you should learn it.

	He also said:

	It is obligatory 
	for him to seek knowledge of whatever will help him to practice his religion 
	and he should not be negligent concerning it.

	He was asked: 
	Must he learn all the knowledge he needs in order to practice his religion?

	He said: He 
	should learn obligatory matters that he himself is required to do. He has no 
	choice but to seek knowledge of them.

	He was asked: 
	Such as what?

	He said: 
	Whatever he cannot afford not to know such as prayer, fasting and so on.

	Al-Adab ash-Shar‘iyyah 
	by Ibn Muflih (2/99-100)

	Secondly:

	As your parents 
	did more laps due to their ignorance of the ruling, their ‘umrah is valid. 
	They did the seven laps of sa‘i that are required, and whatever was surplus 
	to that is not counted and there is no ruling concerning it.

	Shaykh Ibn Baaz 
	(may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:

	I did sa‘i 
	between as-Safa and al-Marwah, but I did each lap on the basis that going 
	from as-Safa and back to as-Safa was one lap. Do I have to do offer any 
	compensation for that?

	The Shaykh 
	replied:

	This was 
	something extra that you did. You did fourteen laps when what is required is 
	seven, so the other seven do not count, because they were contrary to what 
	is required by Islamic teaching. You are excused because of your ignorance, 
	but you have to repent to Allah from that, and not do that again if you go 
	for Hajj or ‘umrah, because you did what was required of seven laps, from 
	as-Safa to al-Marwah, then from al-Marwah to as-Safa, starting with as-Safa 
	and ending with al-Marwah, seven laps. End quote.

	Majmoo‘ 
	Fataawa Ibn Baaz 
	(17/341-342)

	See: Fataawa 
	ash-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (22/424)

	For a 
	description of ‘umrah please see the answer to question no.
	31819

	And Allah knows 
	best.