ARE THREE UMRA EQUIVALENT TO HAJJ?

I praise the Almighty for the blessings of taking 10 days during the month of Ramadan to make an 'umrah in 1988, during my residence in Egypt. I was fasting and visiting Medina, Mecca and the stations for the Hajj. According to the Sunnah, I understood from my teachers that an 'umra fasting during Ramadan is given the blessings of hajj, and may count for hajj. In your article, you mentioned it as the "small hajj." For reasons of health, money, conditions of the journey, currently, I would highly appreciate if you could tell me if indeed it may count for hajj. I could have from my 'umrah during Ramadan 1988. I am 67 years old.
A. Making `umrah (lesser pilgrimage) during Ramadan three times, according to many scholars, is rewarded like the Hajj. However, it does not eliminate the obligation of Hajj. You will be given the reward (fadilat) of Hajj without fulfilling its obligation. Even if you did thousands of `umrah in Ramadan it would not eliminate the requirement for making the Hajj. Unless you do the actual Hajj during its season with its required rites, you will not be considered to have completed this requirement of the faith. Nowhere is it mentioned in Quran or hadith that this, the 5th pillar of Islam can be substituted by `umrah during Ramadan. Since you were able to do the `umrah, it means you are able to do Hajj, and this is what is advised.