The Ruling on Appointing a Proxy for Hajj and 'Umrah on Behalf of the Capable and the Deceased

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, regarding Hajj and 'Umrah, is it permissible to appoint a proxy for a capable person for Hajj and 'Umrah?

Answer:
It is permissible to appoint a proxy for a capable person, or for a deceased person who had previously performed Hajj and 'Umrah. Is it permissible to appoint a proxy for these people? For the deceased, it is permissible to appoint a proxy, or for a voluntary act, because he is dead and unable to do so, and regarding Hajj and 'Umrah on his behalf, even if it is voluntary, it increases his reward, because his deeds have been cut off, so he is in need of good. Therefore, it is permissible to act as a proxy for the deceased, whether for the obligatory Hajj and 'Umrah or for a voluntary one. As for the living person, there is a distinction: if he is capable, he must perform the Hajj of Islam and the 'Umrah of Islam himself. If he is unable, he appoints someone to perform the Hajj of Islam and the 'Umrah of Islam on his behalf, based on what came in the hadiths that Abu [Qatadah] said: "My father was overtaken by the age of Allah, and he was unable to sit on a mount. Should I perform Hajj on his behalf?" He said: "Perform Hajj on behalf of your father." We rely on this for the obligatory act. As for the voluntary act, I have not found, to my knowledge, any evidence that a living person may appoint a proxy for him in voluntary Hajj or voluntary 'Umrah. This is only mentioned regarding the obligatory act. Yes.