Question:

I have been told that Hajj badal must take place by sending someone from your location. Nowadays, you can appoint someone who is a resident in Saudi Arabia to do Hajj badal on your behalf. Is it permissible to pay for their cost instead as it will be much cheaper? [Question Published as Received]

The Fatwa

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Answer

The Fiqh of The Answer

The Shariah provision of Hajj al-Badal allows an individual to delegate another to perform the Hajj on their behalf in certain scenarios. The substitute ideally steps into the position of the person they represent, replicating as closely as possible the circumstances under which the original person would have performed their Hajj. However, certain conditions and provisions apply.

According to the  jurisprudence outlined by the Fuqahā’, if a living person, due to a valid excuse such as a chronic illness, wishes for someone to undertake this religious duty on their behalf, the appointed person should perform the Hajj from the country of residence of the individual making the request. Maydānī (d.1298 AH) in his commentary on the Mukhtaṣar of Imām al-Qudūrī (d.428 AH), explains that the proxy carrying out Hajj al-Badal essentially stands in the shoes of the person who appointed them, following the conditions that would apply to the original person.

Therefore, it becomes obligatory for the person acting on behalf of another to perform Hajj from the home country of the person who appointed them. This regulation ensures that the substitute fulfils the obligation in a manner that mirrors the conditions under which the original person would have performed their Hajj, embodying the spirit of Hajj al-Badal. This has been echoed by the great contemporary jurist, Mufti Radhā ul-Haq in his collection of Fatāwā, as well as the author of Ahsanul Fatāwā, Mufti Rashīd Ludhyānwī (d.1422 AH).

A critical point to consider is that the obligation to perform Hajj is conditional upon a person’s ability, both physically and financially. Ibn Māzah al-Bukhārī (d.616 AH) states that if an individual did not have the financial capacity to perform Hajj during their years of health, the Hajj would not become Farẓ (obligatory) upon them. In such a scenario, the individual is not obliged to appoint a proxy to perform Hajj on their behalf, neither from their country of residence or elsewhere.

Nonetheless, the desire for Hajj may still remain strong in the hearts of those unable to fulfil such a great act of worship. In such cases, the individual can include a provision for Hajj al-Badal in their will as part of their Waṣiyyah. If there is still insufficient wealth at the time of the individual’s passing to cover the costs of Hajj from his home country, Mufti Radhā ul-Haq states that his heirs would be permitted out of necessity (Istihsān), to arrange for Hajj to be performed from a location that is financially feasible.

And Almighty Allah Alone Knows Best

Maulana Ammar Y Badat
Trainee Mufti

Reviewed and approved by
Mufti Faraz Adam
Darul Iftaa Muadh ibn Jabal
www.darulfiqh.com 

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إذا أوصى بأن يحج عنه، وهو في منزله، إن بين مكاناً، يحج عنه من ذلك المكان بالإجماع، وإن لم يبين مكاناً بالحج عنه من وطنه عند علمائنا رحمهم الله؛ لأن الوصية بالإحجاج أمر بإقامة غيره مقام نفسه في الحج، فإنما ينصرف مطلق هذا الأمر إلى ما كان واجباً على المنوب عنه، والواجب على المنوب عنه الحج من وطنه، حتى لا يجب عليه ما لم يملك من الزاد والراحلة قدر ما يحمله من وطنه إلى مكة ويرده إلى بلده، وهذا إذا كان ثلث ماله يكفي الحج من وطنه، فأما إذا كان لا يكفي كذلك، فإنه يحج عنه من حيث يمكن الإحجاج عنه؛ لأنه يقدر صرف مطلق الأمر ههنا إلى الإحجاج من وطنه، هكذا ذكر في «الجامع» وإليه أشار في «الأصل» . ( المحيط البرهاني )

الثامن أن يحج عنه من وطنه إن اتسع الثلث أي ثلث مال الميت، وإن لم يتسع أي الثلث يحج عنه من حيث يبلغ، أي استحساناً .. … لعل المكان مقيد بما قبل المواقيت وإلا فبأي شيء يمكن أن يحج عنه من مكة، وكذا الحكم إذا أوصى أن يحج عنه بماله وسمى مبلغه، فإنه إن كان يبلغ أن يحج عنه من بلده حج عنه منه وإلا فمن حيث يبلغ. ( شرح لباب المناسك )

(ومن أوصى بحجة الإسلام أحجوا عنه رجلا من بلده) ؛ لأن الواجب الحج من بلده، ولهذا يعتبر فيه من المال ما يكفيه من بلده، والوصية لأداء ما كان واجباً عليه يحج عنه راكباً، فإن لم تبلغ الوصية النفقة أحجوا عنه من حيث تبلغ. ( اللباب للميداني )

سوال : اگر کسی کے ذمہ حج فرض ہے اور اس کا انتقال ہواوہ ہندوستان میں رہتا تھا اب اگر کوئی شخص اس کی طرف سے بجائے ہندوستان کے جنوبی افریقہ سے حج کرے تو یہ درست ہوگا یا نہیں ؟ الجواب: آمر کے وطن سے حج کرنا ضروری ہے ، جب کہ متروکہ تہائی مال میں گنجائش ہو ورنہ میقات سے پہلے پہلے جس جگہ سے ہو سکے استحسانا وہاں سے کرا دیا جائے ،لہذا صورتِ مسئولہ میں بھی آمر کے وطن یعنی ہندوستان سے حج کرائے ۔ ( فتاوى دار العلوم زكريا )

اگر زندہ معذور کے امر سے یا مردہ کی وصیت سے حج بدل کیا جارہا ہو تو موصی یا آمر کے وطن سے حج کرنا ضروری ہے، اگر ثلث مال نا کافی ہو اور ورثاء زیادہ کی اجازت نہ دیں تو جہاں سے بھی ثلث مال سے حج ہو سکے ، اگر موصی یا آمر نے خود کوئی جگہ یا کچھ مال متعین کر دیا ہو تو وہیں سے کیا جائے اگر چہ ملکہ ہی سے ہو مگر صاحب استطاعت کے لیے ایسا کرنا مکروہ ہے اگر حج کا امر یا وصیت نہیں کی بلکہ کسی کی طرف سے تبرعا کوئی شخص حج کرنا چاہتا ہے، تو مکہ سے بھی جائز ہے، البتہ صاحب استطاعت کے لیے میقات سے کرانا افضل ہے۔ ( احسن الفتاوى )