Question Summary:
I have been blessed by Allah (S.W.T) with the privilege of residing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Alhamdulillah I have made intention to perform my 1st Hajj this year. (May Allah (S.W.T) accept it & make it

Question Detail:

I have been blessed by Allah (S.W.T) with the privilege of residing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Alhamdulillah I have made intention to perform my 1st Hajj this year. (May Allah (S.W.T) accept it & make it easy; Ameen). As we are in the months of Hajj now, am I able to make Umrah in these months? I was told by a friend that a person having intention for Hajj cannot perform Umrah in the months of Hajj (Shawaal, Dhul Qada and beginning of Dhul Hija) due to the fact that i will be entering and exiting Ihram. Is this valid? And if I do perform an Umrah in these months, then I will need to offer an additional sacrifice as Damm. Is this true? Note: I have made intention fro Tamattu Hajj
Your advice and knowledge is deeply appreciated.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
The rewards for performing haj are indeed very great. Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم  said:
عن أبى هريرة قال قال رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « من أتى هذا البيت فلم يرفث
ولم يفسق رجع كما ولدته أمه ».
Whoever visits this house (i.e. the Kaba) and does not commit any obscene acts or indecent speech he returns as the day his mother gave birth to him (free of sin). 
The ruling for those who live within the boundaries of the miqat is that they are not allowed to perform tammatu haj (join haj and umrah in one journey). If they do perform tamattu, the umrah will be valid but they will be sinful for going against the commands of Shariah. Also they would have to slaughter an animal but this will not be as shukr (out of gratitude) (as is normally for the one who performs tamattu) but it will be as a compensation for his wrong doings (Jinayah).
 
مناسك ملا علي قاري 274
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ishaq E. Moosa,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah