Is Hajj on behalf of another person restricted to parents only?

The questioner : Do you allow me to continue?

The Shaykh: Go ahead.

The questioner : If my memory is not failing me, I heard from you in Damascus that you hold the view that Hajj on behalf of another person is not valid, except for a child performing it on behalf of one of the parents. As far as I know, most of the narrations that have come down involve a question about performing Hajj for one’s mother or father. There is only one narration, the narration of Shubrumah. How do you reconcile it so that...

The Shaykh : What is in your memory is part of what I used to say and still say, namely that it is valid in addition to carrying out the bequest of one who bequeathed that Hajj be performed on his behalf.

The questioner : Even if they were not his parents?

The Shaykh : If he bequeathed it, yes, it has no connection to the parents. As for the narration of Shubrumah, my brother, I am amazed at how distinguished scholars argue from it regarding the issue of Hajj on behalf of another person. The narration states that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) heard a man saying the talbiyah: “Labbaik Allah, on behalf of Shubrumah.” He said: The man said: “He is my brother or a relative of mine.” I did not find them discussing this or the emotion involved. Is it for the sake of doubt or for reconciliation? Reconciliation is obviously impossible here; because it is one man. So it is doubt. The question arises: from whom did the doubt come? Directly from the one being asked, or from one of the narrators, from someone below him? It does not matter whether it went up or down; it cannot be from the one being asked himself.

The questioner : Because he knows for whom he is performing Hajj.

The Shaykh : Ah, he knows first of all. Then, if he said it, it means he is doubling up on the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), wasting his time, as some do today. We see people like those we are arguing with; he is twisting it, and I am twisting it in his favor, but the poor man does not know that he is trying to deceive me so that I give him an answer according to his way. But, my brother, it is discovered that the man’s story is not as he says. Sometimes he says this, or he himself says this, and this is an error. The important thing is that it is certain that this doubt is from someone other than the one being asked. So, now, after this clarification and careful examination of this narration, we do not have an answer regarding the identity of the person for whom Hajj was performed. Is that clear?The questioner : Today, and we see people like those who are fighting; he is going around and I am going around for his benefit, but the poor man does not know that he is trying to deceive me so that I give him an answer according to his way. But, my brother, he will discover that the man's story is not as he says it is. Sometimes he says this or that, or he himself says this, and this is a mistake. The important thing is that this doubt is from the irresponsible person. So, now, after this clarification and careful examination of this narration, we do not have an answer regarding the identity of the one being argued with, is that clear?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Good. So, it is not permissible for us to take a general indication from the narration, because some of them are...