The Conditions for the Obligation of Hajj
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As for the conditions of obligation: Islam, sanity, maturity, freedom, and the ability to perform it.
Islam: Its opposite is disbelief, so it is not obligatory for a disbeliever to perform Hajj.We say: First, he must bear witness to the oneness of Allah and embrace Islam.Then we say: It is obligatory for you to perform Hajj.
Intellect: Its opposite is insanity. So, if we suppose that a person—may Allah grant us well-being—has been insane since childhood and then dies, he owes no Hajj; because all acts of worship are dropped from an insane person except for one, which is zakah, for it is obligatory on the property of the insane person; because the place of zakah is the property, not the person’s liability. This is a useful rule for the student of knowledge.
The third: Reaching puberty. So, it is not obligatory for a child to perform Hajj, even if he enters the state of ihram.For example: A man has a boy with him who is ten years old. He entered ihram, then he got annoyed with the ihram and took it off. Is that permissible or not? It is permissible; because he is not accountable. So, it is not obligatory for a child to perform Hajj, neither to start it nor to continue it. So, by what is puberty attained? Puberty is attained by one of three things for males.And one of four matters for women: The first: completing fifteen years of age. And on this basis, a man might be an adult at the end of the day, but not an adult at the beginning of the day?For example: If we suppose that his birth was at twelve o’clock on the second day of Dhul-Qa’dah, and on this day he completes fifteen years. At the beginning of the day, before twelve o’clock, is he an adult or not? He is not an adult. And at the end of the day, he is an adult. This is one.
Second: The growth of pubic hair.Meaning: The coarse hair around the private parts, whether of a male or a female.
Third: The emission of semen with desire, whether awake or in sleep.
These are three signs of puberty for males and females. There remains a fourth matter for women only, which is menstruation. So, when a woman menstruates, even if she is only ten years old, she is an adult.
The fourth condition: Freedom, and its opposite is slavery. It is not obligatory for a slave to perform Hajj; because he cannot. For the slave’s wealth belongs to his master, even if he has a million riyals. His wealth belongs to his master.As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his family said: (Whoever sells a slave who has wealth, the wealth belongs to the one who sold him, unless the buyer stipulates it) He said: (to the one who sold him) and did not say: the wealth belongs to him. Rather, it belongs to the one who sold him, who is his master.
The fifth: Ability.
and she: That he is able to perform Hajj physically and financially. It is not obligatory for a poor person to perform Hajj, as long as he needs money. So, it is not obligatory for him to perform Hajj. But if he does not need money, as if we suppose that he is from the people of Makkah and he is poor, but he is able to walk to ‘Arafah, then here we do not stipulate that he must have money. Why? Because he is able, and he does not need money.
Physical: That he is able with his body to perform the rites. So, if he is unable,So, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said: If his inability is permanent and he has money, he appoints someone to perform Hajj on his behalf, like an old man, or a person sick with a disease from which recovery is not expected. So, it is not obligatory for him to perform Hajj himself, but if he has money to appoint someone to perform Hajj on his behalf, he does so. And if he is unable with a temporary inability from which recovery is expected, like a person sick with a fracture, and the fracture will heal,For example: He was struck with a fracture in the first month of Dhul-Hijjah and cannot [perform Hajj]. So, is the fracture expected to heal or not? It is expected to heal.We say: He does not go out this year. He performs Hajj next year if he has money, and he does not appoint anyone; because appointment is only for permanent inability. As for temporary inability that can be removed, here he waits until his inability is removed.
If a person has money and he has a debt,For example: He has ten thousand and he has a debt of ten thousand. Is Hajj obligatory for him?
It is not obligatory for him; because paying off the debt is obligatory. So, he must pay off the debt first, then perform Hajj after paying off the debt if he has money left.When he says: If he has a debt that becomes due after a year, and he has money with which he can perform Hajj this year, is it obligatory for him?We say: If he hopes that he will find the means to pay it off when the year is complete, let him perform Hajj. And if he does not hope so, he does not perform Hajj.The one who hopes, for example: A person is an employee currently and does not have what to pay it off, but if the year passes, he will be able to pay it off.We say: He performs Hajj. And among those are those who have installments for the Real Estate Development Bank. He has money now to pay the installment, but the installment has not become due yet, and in his hope, when the installment becomes due, he will pay it. So, does he perform Hajj or not? He performs Hajj. There is no obstacle now. These are the conditions for the obligation of Hajj.
And among the blessings of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is that He made conditions for acts of worship so that people are regulated, and it is known who the act of worship is obligatory upon and who it is not obligatory upon. And if these conditions were not there, the matter would be chaos.Each one will say: Hajj is obligatory upon me.And each one says: Hajj is not obligatory. So, these conditions that Allah and His Messenger placed in worship are undoubtedly in accordance with wisdom; because they regulate people, and it becomes clear who the act of worship is obligatory upon and who it is not obligatory upon, and people are on clarity in their religion. And if he wants to perform Hajj, let him choose companionship that has knowledge and religion. As for knowledge, so that he does not fall into disobedience without knowing. And as for religion, so that there is no negligence in some of the rites of Hajj. So, choose that your companion in the Hajj journey be from those who have knowledge and religion. And because a person, when he chooses companionship with knowledge and religion, he acquires from them knowledge and religion. And how many a person acquired good or much evil by the companionship of a person in a journey. And let him be with his companions of good character. He should be cheerful, easy, soft, helpful, active in work, serving his companions in pouring water, cooking food, and the like; because this is among the beauties of character.And it is said: The journey is called a journey because it reveals the characters of men.“Yasfir” means: It clarifies and displays the characters of men.
And strive to have extra money with you beyond your need; because perhaps matters will arise that are not on your mind. So, if you have money, you can meet this need from the money with you.And it is enough for you to say: “Oh so-and-so, lend me,” “Oh so-and-so, give me charity.” Increase in spending as much as you are able as long as you find [the means]. And perhaps the need will be for someone else from the companionship. He needs something, so you help him or lend to him. So, carrying extra spending is among the required matters.
And strive to perform the prayer in congregation.Do not say: I am a traveler. So, the traveler must perform the prayer in congregation just as it is obligatory for the resident. Have you not seen that Allah, the Exalted, revealed to His servant His saying: [An-Nisa: 102] So, Allah obligated the prayer in congregation even in fear; because the congregation is an obligatory duty, until the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The congregation is a condition for the validity of the prayer. So, whoever prays alone while he is able to join the congregation, he has no prayer.But the correct view: Rather, he has a prayer, but it is very deficient.
And strive to perform the rites in the required manner, as will be explained, if Allah wills, in the coming meetings.
I ask Allah to grant us and you beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds.
And from the ability: That a woman must have a mahram. So, a woman does not perform Hajj without a mahram, even if she remains for years. And if she meets her Lord and she has not performed Hajj due to the absence of a mahram, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will not hold her accountable and will not punish her; because Hajj was not obligatory upon her, since she is unable to perform Hajj due to the absence of a mahram. Therefore, they informed the women who do not have mahrams and whose hearts are distressed if they do not perform Hajj. They informed them, rather they gave them good news, that there is no blame on them, and that Hajj is not obligatory upon them just as zakah is not obligatory upon the poor. And they gave them good news of good.And say to them: As long as you do not find a mahram, there is no Hajj upon you. And if you find a mahram and the conditions are met, then perform Hajj.
And up to here, this speech has ended. We ask Allah to make it beneficial.
Islam: Its opposite is disbelief, so it is not obligatory for a disbeliever to perform Hajj.We say: First, he must bear witness to the oneness of Allah and embrace Islam.Then we say: It is obligatory for you to perform Hajj.
Intellect: Its opposite is insanity. So, if we suppose that a person—may Allah grant us well-being—has been insane since childhood and then dies, he owes no Hajj; because all acts of worship are dropped from an insane person except for one, which is zakah, for it is obligatory on the property of the insane person; because the place of zakah is the property, not the person’s liability. This is a useful rule for the student of knowledge.
The third: Reaching puberty. So, it is not obligatory for a child to perform Hajj, even if he enters the state of ihram.For example: A man has a boy with him who is ten years old. He entered ihram, then he got annoyed with the ihram and took it off. Is that permissible or not? It is permissible; because he is not accountable. So, it is not obligatory for a child to perform Hajj, neither to start it nor to continue it. So, by what is puberty attained? Puberty is attained by one of three things for males.And one of four matters for women: The first: completing fifteen years of age. And on this basis, a man might be an adult at the end of the day, but not an adult at the beginning of the day?For example: If we suppose that his birth was at twelve o’clock on the second day of Dhul-Qa’dah, and on this day he completes fifteen years. At the beginning of the day, before twelve o’clock, is he an adult or not? He is not an adult. And at the end of the day, he is an adult. This is one.
Second: The growth of pubic hair.Meaning: The coarse hair around the private parts, whether of a male or a female.
Third: The emission of semen with desire, whether awake or in sleep.
These are three signs of puberty for males and females. There remains a fourth matter for women only, which is menstruation. So, when a woman menstruates, even if she is only ten years old, she is an adult.
The fourth condition: Freedom, and its opposite is slavery. It is not obligatory for a slave to perform Hajj; because he cannot. For the slave’s wealth belongs to his master, even if he has a million riyals. His wealth belongs to his master.As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his family said: (Whoever sells a slave who has wealth, the wealth belongs to the one who sold him, unless the buyer stipulates it) He said: (to the one who sold him) and did not say: the wealth belongs to him. Rather, it belongs to the one who sold him, who is his master.
The fifth: Ability.
and she: That he is able to perform Hajj physically and financially. It is not obligatory for a poor person to perform Hajj, as long as he needs money. So, it is not obligatory for him to perform Hajj. But if he does not need money, as if we suppose that he is from the people of Makkah and he is poor, but he is able to walk to ‘Arafah, then here we do not stipulate that he must have money. Why? Because he is able, and he does not need money.
Physical: That he is able with his body to perform the rites. So, if he is unable,So, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said: If his inability is permanent and he has money, he appoints someone to perform Hajj on his behalf, like an old man, or a person sick with a disease from which recovery is not expected. So, it is not obligatory for him to perform Hajj himself, but if he has money to appoint someone to perform Hajj on his behalf, he does so. And if he is unable with a temporary inability from which recovery is expected, like a person sick with a fracture, and the fracture will heal,For example: He was struck with a fracture in the first month of Dhul-Hijjah and cannot [perform Hajj]. So, is the fracture expected to heal or not? It is expected to heal.We say: He does not go out this year. He performs Hajj next year if he has money, and he does not appoint anyone; because appointment is only for permanent inability. As for temporary inability that can be removed, here he waits until his inability is removed.
If a person has money and he has a debt,For example: He has ten thousand and he has a debt of ten thousand. Is Hajj obligatory for him?
It is not obligatory for him; because paying off the debt is obligatory. So, he must pay off the debt first, then perform Hajj after paying off the debt if he has money left.When he says: If he has a debt that becomes due after a year, and he has money with which he can perform Hajj this year, is it obligatory for him?We say: If he hopes that he will find the means to pay it off when the year is complete, let him perform Hajj. And if he does not hope so, he does not perform Hajj.The one who hopes, for example: A person is an employee currently and does not have what to pay it off, but if the year passes, he will be able to pay it off.We say: He performs Hajj. And among those are those who have installments for the Real Estate Development Bank. He has money now to pay the installment, but the installment has not become due yet, and in his hope, when the installment becomes due, he will pay it. So, does he perform Hajj or not? He performs Hajj. There is no obstacle now. These are the conditions for the obligation of Hajj.
And among the blessings of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is that He made conditions for acts of worship so that people are regulated, and it is known who the act of worship is obligatory upon and who it is not obligatory upon. And if these conditions were not there, the matter would be chaos.Each one will say: Hajj is obligatory upon me.And each one says: Hajj is not obligatory. So, these conditions that Allah and His Messenger placed in worship are undoubtedly in accordance with wisdom; because they regulate people, and it becomes clear who the act of worship is obligatory upon and who it is not obligatory upon, and people are on clarity in their religion. And if he wants to perform Hajj, let him choose companionship that has knowledge and religion. As for knowledge, so that he does not fall into disobedience without knowing. And as for religion, so that there is no negligence in some of the rites of Hajj. So, choose that your companion in the Hajj journey be from those who have knowledge and religion. And because a person, when he chooses companionship with knowledge and religion, he acquires from them knowledge and religion. And how many a person acquired good or much evil by the companionship of a person in a journey. And let him be with his companions of good character. He should be cheerful, easy, soft, helpful, active in work, serving his companions in pouring water, cooking food, and the like; because this is among the beauties of character.And it is said: The journey is called a journey because it reveals the characters of men.“Yasfir” means: It clarifies and displays the characters of men.
And strive to have extra money with you beyond your need; because perhaps matters will arise that are not on your mind. So, if you have money, you can meet this need from the money with you.And it is enough for you to say: “Oh so-and-so, lend me,” “Oh so-and-so, give me charity.” Increase in spending as much as you are able as long as you find [the means]. And perhaps the need will be for someone else from the companionship. He needs something, so you help him or lend to him. So, carrying extra spending is among the required matters.
And strive to perform the prayer in congregation.Do not say: I am a traveler. So, the traveler must perform the prayer in congregation just as it is obligatory for the resident. Have you not seen that Allah, the Exalted, revealed to His servant His saying:
And when you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you and let them carry their arms. And when they have prostrated, let them be [in position] behind you and have the other group come forward which has not [yet] prayed and let them pray with you, taking precaution and carrying their arms.
وَإِذَا كُنْتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلاةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا فَلْيَكُونُوا مِنْ وَرَائِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَائِفَةٌ أُخْرَى لَمْ يُصَلُّوا فَلْيُصَلُّوا مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْAnd strive to perform the rites in the required manner, as will be explained, if Allah wills, in the coming meetings.
I ask Allah to grant us and you beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds.
And from the ability: That a woman must have a mahram. So, a woman does not perform Hajj without a mahram, even if she remains for years. And if she meets her Lord and she has not performed Hajj due to the absence of a mahram, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will not hold her accountable and will not punish her; because Hajj was not obligatory upon her, since she is unable to perform Hajj due to the absence of a mahram. Therefore, they informed the women who do not have mahrams and whose hearts are distressed if they do not perform Hajj. They informed them, rather they gave them good news, that there is no blame on them, and that Hajj is not obligatory upon them just as zakah is not obligatory upon the poor. And they gave them good news of good.And say to them: As long as you do not find a mahram, there is no Hajj upon you. And if you find a mahram and the conditions are met, then perform Hajj.
And up to here, this speech has ended. We ask Allah to make it beneficial.