Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … “Sarurah” is derived from “sarr”, which means to withhold or prevent. That is, a person who, despite having the ability, abandons Hajj, withholds himself from goodness. This hadith is weak, but there is no allowance for not performing Hajj when one has the means. To create such an allowance is the characteristic of those who sit over their treasures like snakes and consider themselves the providers of their own sustenance. These are such disinterested people in whom the longing to visit the House of Allah (Baytullah) and the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi) has become extinct. In this context, the following blessed hadith also holds great importance: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id Khudri and Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhuma that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

((إِنَّ اللّٰہَ یَقُوْلُ: إِنَّ عَبْدًا أَصْحَحْتُ لَہٗجِسْمَہٗ،وَوَسَّعْتُعَلَیْہِ فِیْ الْمَعِیْشَۃِ، تَمْضِیْ عَلَیْہِ خَمْسَۃُ أَعْوَامٍ لَایَفِدُ إِلَیَّ، لَمَحْرُوْمٌ۔)) (Bayhaqi 5/262, Ibn Hibban: 960, Sahihah: 1662)

“Allah, the Exalted, says: I made a servant’s body healthy, I expanded his livelihood, but five years passed in this state and he did not come to Me; such a person is deprived.”

Sayyiduna ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab radi Allahu anhu said:

((لَقَدْ ھَمَمْتُ اَنْ اَبْعَثَ رِجَالًا اِلٰی اَھْلِ الْاَمْصَارِ فَیَنْظُرُوْا کُلَّ مَنْ کَانَ لَہٗجِدَۃٌ وَلَمْ یَحُجَّ فَیَضْرِبُوْا عَلَیْہِ الْجِزْیَۃَ مَا ھُمْ بِمُسْلِمِیْنَ، مَا ھُمْ بِمُسْلِمِیْنَ۔))

“I have intended to send some men to the people of the cities, so they may see who, despite having financial means, does not perform Hajj, then they should impose jizyah (tax) upon them. They are not Muslims, they are not Muslims.”