A general definition, its excellence and prerequisites
Allah, the Exalted One, says: "The first House (of worship) appointed for men was
that at Bakka; (Bakka is one of the names of Makkah) full of blessings and guidance
for all kinds of beings: in it are signs manifest (for example), the station of
Abraham-- whoever enters it attains security; pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe
to Allah--those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands
not in need of any of His creatures" (Qur'an 3.96-97).
The majority of the scholars hold that Hajj was prescribed in the sixth year after
Hijrah (Migration of the Prophet (peace be upon him) from Makkah to Madinah) for
it was then that the following verse concerning it was revealed: "And complete the
Hajj and 'Umrah in the service of Allah" (Qur'an 2.194). This conclusion is based
on the understanding that the "completion" in the above verse in fact refers to
the time when it was first made obligatory. This view is also supported by 'Alqamah,
Masrouq, and Ibrahim An-Nakh'i, who substitute "And establish" for "And complete"
in the above verse, as reported by At-Tabarani on sound authority. Ibn-al-Qayyim,
however, is inclined to the view that Hajj was made obligatory in the ninth or the
tenth year of Hijrah.
The Divine Law Giver exhorted Muslims to perform Hajj. In this regard we may refer
to the following:
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was once asked: "What
is the best deed?" He replied: "To have faith in Allah and His Messenger." The enquirer
asked: "What next?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "To strive in the cause
of Allah." "What is the next best thing?" He replied: "Hajj Mabrur (a faultless
Hajj that is free of sin and is graced with Divine acceptance and pleasure)."
Al-Hasan said: "It means that a person after performance of Hajj should desire and
be inclined to the life of the Hereafter rather than the material pleasures of this
world." Another report transmitted on sound authority from the Prophet (peace be
upon him) says that a righteous performance of Hajj is crowned by feeding the needy
and speaking kind words to men.
Al-Hasan ibn Ali says that a man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said:
"I am a coward and a weak person. Is there anything I can do?" The Prophet (peace
be upon him) said: "You may go for a jihad (striving) that involves no fighting,
that is, Hajj." This is reported by Abdur Razzaq and At-Tabarani, and all its narrators
are trustworthy.
Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Hajj is the jihad
for the old, the weak and the women." (This is reported by Nasa'i with a reliable
chain of narrators)
'Aishah reports that she once said: "O Prophet of Allah! Jihad (striving or fighting
in the cause of Allah) is the best deed. Should we (women) then, not actively participate
in it?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "The best jihad for you is Hajj
Mabrur." (Bukhari and Muslim)
In another report 'Aishah says: "I once asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'O
Prophet of Allah! Should not we (women) strive and actively participate in the Islamic
war with you?' The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: 'The best and the most beautiful
striving for you in the cause of Allah is Hajj Mabrur."' (Bukhari and Muslim) 'Aishah
commented: "After hearing this from the Prophet (peace be upon him) I shall never
cease performing Hajj."
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "He who performs
Hajj for Allah's pleasure and avoids all lewdness and sins will return after Hajj
free from all sins as he was the day his mother gave birth to him." (Bukhari and
Muslim)
'Amr ibn al-'As says: "When Allah guided me to Islam, I went to the Prophet (peace
be upon him) and said to him: 'O Prophet of Allah! Stretch out your hand so that
I may pledge my allegiance to you.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) stretched out
his hand to me, but I withdrew my hand. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: 'O
'Amr! what is the matter with you?' I said: 'I would like to stipulate a condition!
' The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: 'What is it?' I said: 'That all my past
sins be forgiven!' The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'O 'Amr! Do you not know
that Islam wipes off all past sins, and hijrah (leaving one's home and hearth for
Allah's cause) wipes off all sins, and (similarly) Hajj wipes off all past sins!"'
(Muslim)
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Alternate
between Hajj and 'Umrah (regularly), for these two remove poverty and sins just
as the blacksmith's bellows removes all impurities from metals like iron, gold and
silver. The reward for Hajj Mabrur is nothing short of Paradise." (Nasa'i and Tirmizhi,
who regards it a sound hadith)
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Pilgrims and those
performing 'Umrah are Allah's guests; their prayers are answered and their supplications
for forgiveness are granted. This is reported by Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzaimah
and Ibn Hibban in their collections of Sahih hadith. In the last two we read: "And
Allah's guests are three: A pilgrim performing Hajj, one performing 'Umrah, and
a person who fights in the cause of Allah."
Abu Hurairah says the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "All sins committed in between
the performance of one 'Umrah and another are expiated and erased, and the reward
of Hajj Mabrur is nothing save Paradise." (Bukhari and Muslim)
In another sound hadith Ibn Joraij relates from Jabir that the Prophet (peace be
upon him) said: "This House of Allah (the Ka'bah) is the pillar of Islam, so whosoever
heads to it with the intention of performing Hajj or 'Umrah is under Allah's security.
If he should die (during his trip) he is granted Paradise, and if he returns home
safely, he returns with reward and gain."
Buraidah reports the Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: "Spending during Hajj
is akin to spending in the cause of Allah, and every dirham thus spent will be rewarded
seven hundred times over.'' (Reported by Ibn Abi Shaibah, Ahmad, At-Tabarani and
Al-Baihaqi)
There is consensus among Muslim scholars that Hajj is obligatory only once during
the lifetime of a Muslim, unless someone vows to perform extra Hajj, in which case
he must fulfil his vow. Whatever is done over and above is supererogatory or optional.
Abu Hurairah narrates that once, in a sermon, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"O people! Allah has prescribed Hajj for you, so you must perform it." A man asked:
"Every year, O Prophet of Allah?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) remained silent.
When the man repeated it thrice, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Had I said
'yes', it would have become a yearly obligation, and this would have been beyond
your power." Then he added: "Leave me alone so long as I leave you alone (i.e.,
do not pester me with questions about things which I omit and do not mention). Some
people who lived before you were destroyed because they asked too many questions
and disagreed with their Prophets. So when I command you to do something, you must
obey and do it to the best of your power, and if I forbid you from something, then
avoid it." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Ibn 'Abbas narrates that once the Prophet (peace be upon him) addressed us and said:
"O People! Hajj has been prescribed for you." At this Al-Aqra' bin Habis stood up
and asked: "O Prophet of Allah! Are we to perform Hajj every year?" The Prophet
(peace be upon him) said: "Had I said 'yes', it would have become a (yearly) obligation,
and had it become a (yearly) obligatory duty you would have failed to keep it. Hajj
is obligatory only once in one's lifetime. Whatever one does over and above this
is supererogatory (a voluntary act) for him. (Reported by Ahmad, Abu Daw' ud, Nasa'
i and Al-Hakim, who regards it a sound hadith)
Ash-Shafi'i, Ath-Thawri, Al-Awza'i and Mohammad bin al-Hasan are of the opinion
that Hajj may be performed at any time during one's life, and there is nothing wrong
if someone, for whom it is obligatory, delays it until a later date in his (or her)
life, for, although Hajj was prescribed in the 6th year of Hijrah, the Prophet (peace
be upon him) delayed it until the 10th year of Hijrah when he performed it along
with his wives and many of his companions. Had performing it earlier been essential
the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have never delayed it.
Ash-Shafi'i says: "We, therefore, are convinced that Hajj is obligatory upon a Muslim,
male or female, from the age of puberty until before his death."
Abu Hanifah, Malik, Ahmad, some of Ash-Shafi'i's followers and Abu Yusuf are of
the opinion that Hajj must be performed as soon as one is (physically and financially)
in a position to do so. This opinion is based on a hadith that is related by Ibn
'Abbas that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "He who intends to perform Hajj
let him do so expeditiously, for he may well fall sick, may lose his mount (ability
to bear expenses of the jaurney) or he may be prevented by some other exigency.''
(Reported by Ahmad, Al-Baihaqi, At-Tahawi and Ibn Majah) In another report by Ahmad
and Al-Baihaqi, we read that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Hasten to perform
Hajj - the basic obligation - for you don't know what might happen to you," meaning
"one may fall sick or be prevented by some other exigency." The earlier scholars
interpreted these ahadith saying it was commendable for a person to perform Hajj
as soon as possible provided he had the ability to do so.
There is a consensus among jurists concerning the prerequisites that must be found
in a person for Hajj to be incumbent on him:
1. He must be a Muslim.
2. He must be an adult.
3. He must be of a sound state of mind.
4. He must be free.
5. He must have the necessary power and ability.
Anyone lacking any of these conditions is not obligated to perform Hajj. All these
conditions, that is, being a Muslim, being of adult age and of sound mind, being
free, and possessing the power to discharge a duty are equally valid with respect
to all other forms of worship in Islam. This is based on a hadith of the Prophet
(peace be upon him) which says: "Three persons are not to be held accountable: a
sleeping person until he awakes, a minor until he comes of age, and a mentally disturbed
person until he regains his reason."
Freedom is an essential prerequisite for Hajj, for this worship needs time as well
as financial ability. A slave lacks both, for all his time is spent in the service
of his master, and financially he lacks the ability to undertake this obligation.
The Qur'an says: "Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah - those who can
afford the journey" (3.97).
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