Ruling on Appointing a Proxy for Stoning the Jamarat on Behalf of a Woman
Source: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
A woman returned from Muzdalifah during the last part of the night and appointed her son to perform Ramy al-Jamarāt on her behalf, even though she was physically able to perform it herself. What is the Shariah ruling in this case?
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
Ramy al-Jamarāt is one of the important rituals of Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ commanded it and personally performed it. He ﷺ said:
«اِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الطَّوَافُ بِالْبَيْتِ، وَبِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ، وَرَمْیُ الْجِمَارِ لِاِقَامَةِ ذِكْرِ اللّٰهِ»
“Indeed, the Tawaf of the House, the Sa’i between Ṣafā and Marwah, and the stoning of the Jamarāt have only been prescribed to establish the remembrance of Allah.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Ḥadīth: 1888; Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, Ḥadīth: 902; Musnad Aḥmad, 6/64)
❀ Stoning the Jamarāt is an act of worship to draw closer to Allah.
❀ It is to be done sincerely, with humility and attentiveness.
❀ If performing later allows for more calmness, focus, and humility, it can be preferable.
❀ The Prophet ﷺ taught that in worship, the quality of devotion can take precedence over the earliest time, as in the hadith:
«لَا صَلَاةَ بِحَضْرَةِ الطَّعَامِ وَلَا هُوَ يُدَافِعُُ الْأَخْبَثَانِ»
“There is no prayer when food is present, nor while one is resisting the two impurities.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth: 560)
The Prophet ﷺ allowed the weaker members of his household to leave Muzdalifah during the last part of the night to avoid the post-Fajr crowd.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَأَتِمُّوا الحَجَّ وَالعُمرَةَ لِلَّهِ﴾ (al-Baqarah: 196)
“And complete the Hajj and ʿUmrah for Allah.”
Under this command, Ramy al-Jamarāt is an act of worship that must be performed personally by anyone capable of doing so.
Therefore:
❀ Whether man or woman, if one is capable of stoning, appointing a proxy is not permissible.
❀ Every able person must perform Ramy themselves.
❀ Only for those who are sick, physically unable, or in the case of a pregnant woman where stoning could harm the pregnancy.
❀ The woman in question was able to perform Ramy but appointed someone else.
❀ This was incorrect.
❀ As a precaution, she should slaughter one sacrificial animal (Fidyah) and distribute the meat to the poor of Makkah to make up for leaving a Wājib.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(This is my opinion, and Allah knows best what is correct.)
Source: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
Question
A woman returned from Muzdalifah during the last part of the night and appointed her son to perform Ramy al-Jamarāt on her behalf, even though she was physically able to perform it herself. What is the Shariah ruling in this case?
Answer
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
Ramy al-Jamarāt is one of the important rituals of Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ commanded it and personally performed it. He ﷺ said:
«اِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الطَّوَافُ بِالْبَيْتِ، وَبِالصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةِ، وَرَمْیُ الْجِمَارِ لِاِقَامَةِ ذِكْرِ اللّٰهِ»
“Indeed, the Tawaf of the House, the Sa’i between Ṣafā and Marwah, and the stoning of the Jamarāt have only been prescribed to establish the remembrance of Allah.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Ḥadīth: 1888; Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, Ḥadīth: 902; Musnad Aḥmad, 6/64)
Importance of Ramy al-Jamarāt
❀ Stoning the Jamarāt is an act of worship to draw closer to Allah.
❀ It is to be done sincerely, with humility and attentiveness.
Performing at the Beginning or End of the Time
❀ If performing later allows for more calmness, focus, and humility, it can be preferable.
❀ The Prophet ﷺ taught that in worship, the quality of devotion can take precedence over the earliest time, as in the hadith:
«لَا صَلَاةَ بِحَضْرَةِ الطَّعَامِ وَلَا هُوَ يُدَافِعُُ الْأَخْبَثَانِ»
“There is no prayer when food is present, nor while one is resisting the two impurities.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth: 560)
Teachings of the Prophet ﷺ
The Prophet ﷺ allowed the weaker members of his household to leave Muzdalifah during the last part of the night to avoid the post-Fajr crowd.
Ruling on Appointing a Proxy (Wakīl)
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَأَتِمُّوا الحَجَّ وَالعُمرَةَ لِلَّهِ﴾ (al-Baqarah: 196)
“And complete the Hajj and ʿUmrah for Allah.”
Under this command, Ramy al-Jamarāt is an act of worship that must be performed personally by anyone capable of doing so.
Therefore:
❀ Whether man or woman, if one is capable of stoning, appointing a proxy is not permissible.
❀ Every able person must perform Ramy themselves.
When Is Proxy Permissible?
❀ Only for those who are sick, physically unable, or in the case of a pregnant woman where stoning could harm the pregnancy.
Ruling on the Present Case
❀ The woman in question was able to perform Ramy but appointed someone else.
❀ This was incorrect.
❀ As a precaution, she should slaughter one sacrificial animal (Fidyah) and distribute the meat to the poor of Makkah to make up for leaving a Wājib.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(This is my opinion, and Allah knows best what is correct.)
