The Ruling on Not Performing Hajj Personally Despite Having the Ability
Source: Fatāwā Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
❖ Question:
If Hajj becomes obligatory on a person, and he has the ability to perform it but does not go himself, rather he sends someone else on his behalf — will his obligation be fulfilled?
❖ Answer:
When Hajj is obligatory and a person has the ability to perform it, then it is necessary for him to perform it personally. He cannot send another person in his place.
However, if he possesses financial ability but lacks physical strength to perform the rituals of Hajj, then another person may perform Hajj on his behalf, provided that the one performing has already completed his own obligatory Hajj.
✿ Evidences from Hadith
✔ Narrated by Abdullah ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
إن امرأة من خثعم سألت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، زاد ابن خشرم وابن هاشم غداة النحر قالوا: والفضل رديفه فقالت: إن فريضة الله فى الحج على عباده أدركت أبى وهو شيخ كبير لا يستطيع أن يستمسك على الرحل فهل ترى أن يحج عنه قال: نعم
“A woman from the tribe of Khathʿam asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (in the narration of Ibn Khushram and Ibn Hashim: on the morning of ʿĪd al-Naḥr, while al-Faḍl was riding behind him): O Messenger of Allah, Allah has made Hajj obligatory upon His servants. It has become obligatory on my elderly father, but he cannot sit firmly upon a mount. Can Hajj be performed on his behalf? The Prophet ﷺ replied: Yes.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1513, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1334, Al-Muntaqā Ibn al-Jārūd: 497)
✔ Narrated by Abdullah ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
إن فلانا الجهني سأل النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: إن أبى شيخ كبير مات ولم يحج أو قال: لا يستطيع الحج، قال: فحج عنه
“A man from the tribe of Juhaynah asked the Prophet ﷺ: My father is very old and has died without performing Hajj, or (in another narration) he was unable to perform Hajj. Should I perform Hajj on his behalf? The Prophet ﷺ replied: Perform Hajj on his behalf.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1325 – abridged, Musnad Aḥmad: 1/244-279, Al-Muntaqā Ibn al-Jārūd: 498)
✿ Statement of the Scholars
✔ Imam Ibn al-Mundhir رحمه الله (319H) said:
أجمعوا أن من عليه حجة الإسلام، وهو قادر لا يجزئ إلا أن يحج بنفسه، ولا يجزئ أن يحج عنه غيره
“The scholars are unanimously agreed that when Hajj is obligatory upon a person and he is able, it is not sufficient unless he performs it himself. If someone else performs it on his behalf, it will not fulfill his obligation.”
(Al-Ijmāʿ, p. 77)
