A man performed Hajj on behalf of another, but he had not performed Hajj for himself except for the money. Is the money lawful for him, and does the Hajj reach the person for whom it was performed, who is deceased?

The questioner : The honorable Shaykh is asked: A man performed Hajj on behalf of another for a sum of five thousand riyals, and he had not performed Hajj except for this money. Is this sum lawful for him? And does the Hajj reach the person for whom it was performed, who is deceased, if that was the intention of the pilgrim? We hope for a detailed answer to this question because of the urgent need for this answer, as one of the preachers in one of the cities preached on this topic, and some of the common people opposed him after the prayer. So I wrote this question to your eminence to answer it in detail so that I can send it to him?

The Shaykh : What did the preacher say, and what did the questioner say? In any case, let us assume that the preacher said it is not permissible, and the one who opposed him said it is permissible. Let us assume this, for we do not know what each one said. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them), including Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, said: "Whoever performs Hajj to take money has no share in the Hereafter, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: But as for the one who takes [money] to perform Hajj and fulfill his brother's need, and he benefits from the dirhams or what is added to them, there is no harm in that. A person is [judged] by his intention."