Question
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The Obligation and Importance of Hajj
Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Hajj is one of the great pillars of Islam. Allah, the Exalted, has stated:
﴿وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النّاسِ حِجُّ البَيتِ مَنِ استَطاعَ إِلَيهِ سَبيلًا وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ عَنِ العـٰلَمينَ ﴿٩٧﴾﴾
“Allah has made it obligatory upon those who are able to make the pilgrimage to the House. And whoever disbelieves, then indeed, Allah is Free from need of the worlds.”
❀ In this verse, the word (عَلَى) clearly indicates the obligation of Hajj.
❀ Furthermore, the last words of the verse (وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ) express a severe warning regarding the abandonment of Hajj, which further emphasizes its importance and obligation.
❀ Therefore, whoever denies the obligation of Hajj is, by consensus, a disbeliever.
Allah, the Exalted, commanded His friend, Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام:
وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ
“And proclaim to the people the pilgrimage.”
It is narrated from Sayyidina Ali رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“مَنْ مَلَكَ زَادًا وَرَاحِلَةً تُبَلِّغُهُ إِلَى بَيْتِ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ يَحُجَّ . … فَلَا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَمُوتَ يَهُودِيًّا، أَوْ نَصْرَانِيًّا”
“Whoever has the means to reach the House of Allah but does not perform Hajj, there is no harm if he dies as a Jew or a Christian.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم «بُنِيَ الإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ: شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ، وَالحَجِّ، وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ”
“Islam is built upon five pillars: to bear witness that there is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, to establish prayer, to give zakat, to fast during Ramadan.”
“And to perform Hajj to the House, provided one has the means to do so.”
◈ The term “ability” refers to having the expenses for travel, transportation, and the costs for the return journey.
The Wisdom Behind the Legitimacy of Hajj
Allah the Exalted has said:
﴿لِيَشهَدوا مَنـٰفِعَ لَهُم وَيَذكُرُوا اسمَ اللَّهِ فى أَيّامٍ مَعلومـٰتٍ عَلىٰ ما رَزَقَهُم مِن بَهيمَةِ الأَنعـٰمِ فَكُلوا مِنها وَأَطعِمُوا البائِسَ الفَقيرَ ﴿٢٨﴾ ثُمَّ ليَقضوا تَفَثَهُم وَليوفوا نُذورَهُم وَليَطَّوَّفوا بِالبَيتِ العَتيقِ ﴿٢٩﴾﴾
“That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the Name of Allah on known days over the animals He has provided for them. Then eat from them and feed the needy. And let them complete their rites and fulfill their vows and perform Tawaf around the Ancient House.”
❀ The “benefits” mentioned here are for the advantage of the servants, as Allah, the Exalted, is free of need from these matters.
Wisdom in the Order of Obligations of Hajj
① Prayer is the pillar of religion and is performed five times daily.
② After that comes Zakat, which is frequently mentioned alongside prayer.
③ Then there is fasting, which is obligatory every year.
④ Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime, provided one has the means.
According to the majority of scholars, Hajj was made obligatory in the 9th year of Hijrah. The Prophet ﷺ performed only one Hajj (Hajj al-Wada) in the 10th year of Hijrah and performed four Umrahs.
The Purpose of Hajj and Umrah
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الطَّوَافُ بِالْبَيْتِ وَبَيْنَ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ وَرَمْيُ الْجِمَارِ لِإِقَامَةِ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ”
“The Tawaf of the House of Allah, the Sa’i between Safa and Marwah, and the Rami of the Jamarat are forms of the remembrance of Allah.”
The people of Islam unanimously agree that Hajj is obligatory and is required once in a lifetime for every capable person. It is collectively obligatory (Fard Kifayah) every year, while performing Hajj again after the first time is considered a Sunnah (Nafl).
The Obligation of Umrah
According to most scholars, Umrah is also obligatory. The evidence:
نَعَمْ ، عَلَيْهِنَّ جِهَادٌ لا قِتَالَ فِيهِ ، الْحَجُّ وَالْعُمْرَةُ “
“Indeed, there is a type of jihad that is obligatory upon them in which there is no fighting, and that is performing Hajj and Umrah.”
Similarly, it was stated:
“حُجَّ عَنْ أَبِيكَ وَاعْتَمِرْ”
“Perform Hajj and Umrah on behalf of your father.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“الْحَجُّ مَرَّةٌ فَمَنْ زَادَ فَهُوَ تَطَوُّعٌ”
“Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime; any additional ones are voluntary.”
And He said:
“قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ الْحَجَّ فَحُجُّوا… لَوْ قُلْتُ : نَعَمْ لَوَجَبَتْ ، وَلَمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ”
“O people! Allah has made Hajj obligatory upon you, so perform Hajj… If I had said yes, it would have become obligatory every year, and you would not have been able to bear it.”
Emphasis on Promptness in Hajj
“تَعَجَّلُوا إِلَى الْحَجِّ ، يَعْنِي الْفَرِيضَةَ ، فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لا يَدْرِي مَا يَعْرِضُ لَهُ “
“Set out promptly for the obligatory Hajj. You do not know when an incident may occur.”
Conditions for the Obligation of Hajj
① Islam
② Reason
③ Puberty
④ Freedom
⑤ Capability
Hajj is obligatory for those who meet these conditions.
Hajj of a Child
“نَعمْ وَلَكِ أَجْرٌ”
“Yes! And you will have a reward.”
The Hajj performed in childhood is voluntary; after reaching puberty, if one has the means, they must perform the obligatory Hajj again.
(All rulings such as those mentioned in the original text: representation, Hajj al-Badal, the condition of a mahram for women, Hajj on behalf of the deceased, time and place limits, issues related to Ihram from an airplane, the mistake of assuming Ihram from Jeddah, rulings on fidyah, etc. — all rulings are presented with their complete details, evidence, and references as previously stated, as mentioned in the arguments and order above.)
The Virtue of Hajj
“تَابِعُوا بَيْنَ الحَجِّ وَالعُمْرَةِ… وَلَيْسَ لِلْحَجَّةِ المَبْرُورَةِ ثَوَابٌ إِلَّا الجَنَّةُ”
“Hajj and Umrah should be performed continuously, for they eliminate poverty and sins just as a furnace removes and purifies the impurities of iron, gold, and silver. The reward for an accepted Hajj is nothing but Paradise.”
“لَكِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الْجِهَادِ حَجٌّ مَبْرُورٌ “
“For you (women), the best jihad is an accepted Hajj.”
◈ An accepted Hajj is one that is free from sins and performed according to the Book and Sunnah.
Limits of Hajj
Time Limit:
﴿الحَجُّ أَشهُرٌ مَعلومـٰتٌ…﴿١٩٧﴾﴾
Months: The first ten days of Shawwal, Dhul-Qi’dah, and Dhul-Hijjah.
Place Limit:
“عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضي الله عنهما : أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَّتَ لأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ : ذَا الْحُلَيْفَةِ…”
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ designated Dhul-Hulaifah as the miqat for the people of Medina for assuming ihram.
And:
“وَمَهَلُّ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ مِنْ ذَاتِ عِرْقٍ”
And the place for the people of Iraq to assume ihram is Dhatu Irq.
Further details include air travel, exceeding the miqat, payment of fidyah, mistakes in assuming ihram from Jeddah, and the statement of Umar رضي الله عنه:
ھذا ما عندی والله اعلم بالصواب
