Introductory issues of Hajj

 Islam is a true religion and a complete code of life.  A person enters this religion with affirmation of the Oneness of Allah Most High and the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Salaat, fasts, Zakaat and Hajj are its pillars.

 

Hajj is a very great act of worship.  There are various opinions as to when Hajj was made obligatory on this Ummah. 6 Hijri, 7 Hijri, 8 Hijri, 9 Hijri.  The author of Seerat Halabiyya said: 6 Hijri.  The majority of the scholars accept this opinion.  Imam Rafa’ee and Imam Nawawi (May Allah shower His Mercy on them both) also consider it correct.  As mentioned in Seerat Halabiyya, Vol. 3, in the chapter of the Farewell Hajj, on Pg No.283.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) performed three Hajj after declaration of Prophethood and one Hajj after it was made Obligatory (Fardh). This last Hajj is called as Hujjat Ul Wada'a or the Farewell Hajj, Hujjat ul Islam (The Hajj of Islam), Hujjat ul Balagh (roughly the Haj of conveying).  This was the great Hajj for which the Companions came from the corners of the world and benefited from the company of the Master of the world, the teacher of the Book and wisdom, the lawgiver, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  They performed all the rites of the Hajj under the watchful eyes of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

On whom exactly is Hajj Obligatory

 

Allah says about this:

 

…..the Pilgrimage to this House is prescribed for the people for the sake of Allah whoever may afford its journey...  Surah Al Imran (3:97)

 

There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with them), he says:  One person came to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and said: O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  What obligates Hajj?  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The provision and the conveyance.  (Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 818)

 

The jurists have clarified that this means if a person has such an amount of money over and above his basic needs that he can bear the expenses of going to the Ka’aba and staying there and can arrange for the needs of the family for this entire period, then he is deemed to be a man wealthy enough for Hajj to be obligatory on him.

 

For Zakaat, among other rules, it is necessary that one year should have passed on the wealth and that the wealth should be of an increasing nature.  For Hajj, it is not necessary that one year should pass on the wealth and that the wealth should be of an increasing nature.  Neither that the wealth should reach a prescribed limit of wealth, simply if a person has wealth enough to bear the traveling expenses and enough for the needs of the family for when he is gone for Hajj.

 

If someone has an extra house apart from the actual residence and by selling that, one gets money enough to bear the traveling expenses and fulfill the needs of the family until he comes back, then Hajj is obligatory on that person.

 

Going for Hajj with others’ money

 

If someone doesn’t have money to go for Hajj and some other person agrees to bear the expenses for that person’s Hajj, is such a Hajj valid?

 

By being able to go for Hajj, acquiring wealth, transportation, etc. is not meant.  What is meant here is the ability of physically going to Makkah and the Ka’aba, regardless of whether this is done on one’s own or with somebody’s help.  Thus, Hajj was not Obligatory (Fardh) on that person as he/she didn’t have the money for it.  However, somebody gifted money to that person.  On accepting that money, Hajj had become obligatory on that person.

 

With this Hajj itself, that person’s Obligatory (Fardh) Hajj has been completed.  If Allah has grants that person to perform Hajj once again, then this Hajj will be a Supererogatory (Nafl) Hajj.

 

Taking loan and going for Hajj

 

….The Pilgrimage to this House is prescribed for the people for the sake of Allah whoever may afford its journey...  Surah Al Imran (3:97)

 

There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with them), he says:  One person came to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and asked: O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  What obligates a Hajj?  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The expenses and the conveyance.  (Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 818)

 

The jurists have clarified that this means if a person has such an amount of money over and above his basic needs that he can bear the expenses of going to the Ka’aba and staying there and can arrange for the needs of the family for this entire period, then he is deemed to be a man wealthy enough that Hajj is obligatory on him.

 

For a very dire need, there is a possibility of taking a bank loan.  Apart from this, it is not permissible to take a loan from a bank.

 

As per the aforementioned details, if someone doesn’t meet the criteria mentioned, Hajj is not obligatory on them at all.  However, it is permissible to take a non-interest based loan and go for Hajj.

 

Which Hajj for those living in Jeddah and so on?

 

Those who live within Sacred Sanctuary of Makkah are called “Harami.”  For these people, for Hajj the boundaries they cannot cross without being in Ihraam (Meeqaat) is the Sacred Sanctuary itself and for ‘Umrah, it is Hill, which is the outlying area of the Sacred Sanctuary, like Masjid ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) J’irrania, etc.

 

The area outside the actual boundaries of the Sacred Sanctuary is called Hill.  Those who live between Hill and the Meeqaat are called Hilli.  For e.g. those who live in Jeddah and so on.  For them, the Meeqaat is Hill.  If they want to go for Hajj or ‘Umrah, they should wear the Ihraam from their own places.

 

Those who live outside the Meeqaat are called “Aafaaqi”.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has decreed different Meeqaat for those who come from different parts of the world, so that they wear the Ihraam from those places.

 

There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them), he says that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) decreed Dhul Hulaifah as the Meeqaat for Madina, Johfa for those who come from Syria, Qarn Ul Manaazil for those who come from Najd, and Yalamlam for those who come from Yemen. (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 1526)

 

There is a Hadith in Sahih Muslim:

 

Translation: For those who come from Iraq, the Meeqaat is Dhaat ‘Irq.  (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2867)

 

There are 4 Meeqaat around the Ka’aba:

 

(1)  For those who come from Madina, “Dhul Hulaifa”.

 

(2)  “Johfa” for those come from Egypt and Syria.

 

(3)  “Qarn” for those who come from Najd.

 

(4)  “Yalamlam” for those who come from Yemen, Hindustan, Pakistan and such areas.

 

(5)  “Dhaat ‘Irq” for those who come from Iraq.

 

For those who live in Makkah and within the boundaries of the Sacred Sanctuaries (Meeqaat), there is only Hajj Ifraad.  They cannot perform Hajj Tamattu’ or Hajj Qiraan.

 

Jeddah is within the Meeqaat.  If someone lives in Jeddah, that person cannot perform Hajj Qiraan or Hajj Tammatu’.  As mentioned in Fatawa A’alamgiri, Kitab Ul Manasik.