Is the obligation of Hajj immediate or deferred for the one who is able?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
May Allah reward you. The questioner, Abu Muhammad, says: I am forty years old and I have not performed Hajj to Makkah until now. He says: This is because I have many jobs, and he asks about the verse in which Allah the Exalted said:[Ali 'Imran 3:97] So what do you advise me to do?
Answer:
Yes, if you are able to find the way to perform Hajj, you have the provisions, you have the mount, and you have what is sufficient for your children until you return to them, in addition to the debts you owe, then it is obligatory for you to hasten to perform Hajj. This is because Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2609Sahih (Darussalam) the House of Allah the Sacred, so it is one of the pillars of Islam. You are required to do it immediately, as Allah the Exalted said: [Ali 'Imran 3:97] The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Riyad as-Salihin 1272 The default ruling for a command is that it is for immediate performance, and it is not permissible to delay it except for a valid religious excuse. So you must hasten to perform the obligation of Hajj and do not be lazy. Worldly affairs are not an excuse for the obligation of Hajj, because Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. If its conditions are met and you have not performed Hajj, it is obligatory for you to hasten to perform it.
May Allah reward you. The questioner, Abu Muhammad, says: I am forty years old and I have not performed Hajj to Makkah until now. He says: This is because I have many jobs, and he asks about the verse in which Allah the Exalted said:
And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًاAnswer:
Yes, if you are able to find the way to perform Hajj, you have the provisions, you have the mount, and you have what is sufficient for your children until you return to them, in addition to the debts you owe, then it is obligatory for you to hasten to perform Hajj. This is because Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Islam is based upon five: the testimony of La Ilaha Illallah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, the establishment of the Salat, giving the Zakat, fasting (the month of) Ramadan, and performing Hajj
بني الإسلام على خمس شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمدا رسول الله، وإقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، وصوم رمضان، وحجAnd [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًاThe Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delivered a Khutbah and said, "O people! Hajj (pilgrimage to the House of Allah) has been made incumbent upon you, so perform Hajj."
صلى الله عليه وسلم أيها الناس إن الله قد كتب عليكم الحج فحجوا
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 6645- هل وجوب الحج على القادر على الفور أم التراخي؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.