Discussion of the conditions of Hajj.

The Shaykh : So we say regarding Hajj: Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam upon which it is built, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): . The Muslims have reached scholarly consensus on its obligatory nature; no two Muslims have differed in that Hajj is an obligation, and it is known by necessity in the religion. All Muslims know that Hajj is an obligation, but it is not obligatory except with conditions. The first condition is Islam, and its opposite is disbelief. So it is not obligatory for a disbeliever to perform Hajj, nor is he commanded to do so. It is said to the disbeliever: "First become a Muslim, then pray, then give zakah, and then we will command you with the rest of the legislations of Islam." If a disbeliever performs Hajj, his Hajj is not valid; his Hajj is not valid. Based on this, we mention an issue that may be problematic: the Hajj of one who does not pray. Is his Hajj valid and accepted from him, or not? No. Why? Because he is not a Muslim. It is not permissible to allow one who does not pray to enter the boundaries of the Haram, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted: . And if one has with him, meaning in his company, someone who does not pray, then it is obligatory for him to say to him: "Become a Muslim, or we will prevent you from entering the boundaries of the Haram." The second condition is reaching maturity, and its opposite is being a minor. So it is not obligatory for a minor to perform Hajj, but it is valid from him and does not suffice for him. It is not obligatory for him, it is valid from him, and it does not suffice for him. The evidence that it is valid from him is . But we ask now: Is it better for one who has children to have them perform Hajj or not? We say that in our era, we see that he should not have them perform Hajj, due to the hardship of the crowds for them and for their guardians. And since Allah the Mighty and Majestic has not made Hajj obligatory upon them, let us enjoy this ease. Then, many scholars say that if a person circumambulates with his child, his circumambulation does not suffice for him; rather, he must first circumambulate for himself and then circumambulate with his child second. This is undoubtedly a severe, great hardship. For this reason, we advise our brothers who have male or female children below the age of maturity not to allow them to perform Hajj, for their ease and the ease of their families. And Allah the Mighty and Majestic loves from His servants and desires for His servants ease, and does not desire for them hardship. The third condition for the obligation of Hajj is intellect, and its opposite is insanity. So if a person was insane and deranged before reaching maturity, having no intellect, then Hajj is not obligatory upon him; Hajj is not obligatory upon him, because the pen is lifted from him. Even if he is from the children of the wealthy, there is no Hajj upon him, and we are not required to perform Hajj on his behalf, because Hajj is dropped from him, just as prayer is dropped from him, and fasting is dropped from him. It is not obligatory for the insane person from the five pillars except one pillar, which is zakah. The fourth condition is freedom, and its opposite is slavery. So it is not obligatory for a slave to perform Hajj, but it is valid from him and does not suffice for him. What is similar to him from those mentioned before? The minor. It is not obligatory for him, it is valid from him, and it does not suffice for him. It is not obligatory for the slave, it is valid from him, and it does not suffice for him. This is the well-known view among most scholars of knowledge. The fifth condition is the ability to perform it, based on His saying the Exalted: . So it is not obligatory for the poor person to perform Hajj, except if he is close to Makkah and can walk on his feet, in which case it is obligatory for him. But if he cannot walk on his feet and does not have money to hire a mount to take him to Makkah, then there is no Hajj upon him; it is not obligatory for him. But suppose he endures hardships, endures hardships, and goes with the people and performs Hajj; does it suffice for him or not? It suffices for him. So if one who cannot afford it with his money performs Hajj and endures the hardships, his Hajj is valid from him and suffices for him. Part of the ability is that there be no debt upon the person. If there is a debt upon the person, then Hajj is not obligatory upon him; it is not obligatory upon him because he is not able. The debt is a right of a human being, and it is based on strictness, so the human being does not forgive his right. If you pay his right in this world, otherwise he will take it from you on the Day of Resurrection from your good deeds. But the right of Allah is based on forgiveness. For this reason, Hajj is not obligatory upon one who has a debt except in one case: if the debt is deferred, meaning installment-based, and the debtor is confident of its repayment whenever an installment is due, finding the repayment in his possession, and he has money in his hand at the time of Hajj. Then Hajj is obligatory upon him because he is able. But if he is not confident of the repayment of the debt, then Hajj is not obligatory upon him, even if the debt is large. Some people, when the debt becomes large, say: "The debt is large, and even if you provided the cost of Hajj, it would not pay off anything of the debt." We say this is a wrong theory. Suppose the debt is ten million, and you provided two thousand riyals from the cost of Hajj. If you pay it, how much debt will be upon you? Ten million minus two thousand. So it is dropped, and you are mindful of Allah as much as you are able. So it is amazing that some people, due to their intense longing for the Sacred Mosque, you say to them: "My brother, Hajj is not obligatory upon you, because you are in debt and do not have the ability to repay. Pay your debt and perform Hajj." And if you meet Allah the Mighty and Majestic and do not perform Hajj, there is no sin upon you, just as there is no zakah upon the poor person. If he meets Allah the Mighty and Majestic, will He punish him for not giving zakah? No, because he does not have wealth. This is also the case for the debtor who wants to perform Hajj. We say if you meet Allah, there is no sin upon you, because one of the conditions of Hajj is that you have money in excess of the debt upon you. When the conditions are met, it is obligatory for the person to hasten to perform Hajj and not delay, based on the saying of Allah Blessed and Exalted is He: , . And what was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said regarding one who wants to perform Hajj: . When the conditions, the conditions of obligation, are met, it is not permissible for the person to delay; rather, he performs Hajj.