Is it better to perform Hajj on foot or by modern means of transport?

The Shaykh : The question asked today is: Is it better to perform Hajj to the House of Allah the Exalted on foot, or by these modern means of transport that Allah has created for us? Many people imagine that performing Hajj to the House of Allah on foot is better than performing it by car, plane, or the like. We say, with complete clarity and confidence, that the best way to perform Hajj to the House of Allah the Exalted is by the means that is made easy for the pilgrim, which falls under the general meaning of the statement of Allah the Exalted: So, if a person finds it easy to perform Hajj only on foot, then that is his obligation. If he finds it easy to do so on a mount, that is his obligation. If he finds it easy to do so by car, that is his obligation. If he finds it easy to do so by plane, that is the last thing we have reached in this era. Now, if a person finds all these means easy, which one is better? Some people say that performing Hajj on foot is better because for every step he takes, he earns a good deed or ten good deeds. We say, in response to this: If performing Hajj on foot were better, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would have performed Hajj on his feet. As you know, he performed Hajj on his she-camel al-Udhibah. Why did he not perform Hajj on his feet? Because he was merciful and compassionate to the believers, as our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) described him in the Noble Qur'an: So why should a person burden himself with hardship when Allah has made easy for him what removes that hardship? Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to intentionally perform an act of worship in a difficult way when he has been made easy to perform that act of worship in a gentle and easy way. Here, the issue of maslakh al-mursalah (unrestricted public benefit) comes into play. Now, this car is a maslakh al-mursalah, so we do not say that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed Hajj on al-Udhibah, the she-camel, and therefore the Sunnah is for us to perform Hajj on camels, because this is a means, not an end. Since Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has created a new means for His servants, such as the car, we ride in it and thank Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for guiding us to what He has created for us. So we do not say that riding in a car is a bid'ah (religious innovation). Why? First, because it is an innovation outside of the religion, and bid'ah is what is introduced into the religion. As for innovation in worldly matters, there is absolutely no harm in it. In fact, it was reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in Sahih Muslim that when he passed by a group of men who were pollinating the date palms—and pollination is what you know as fertilization—he asked them why they were doing it. They told him that this was pollination. He said to them: "If you left it as it is, it would be better." They obeyed the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because the Muslim is naturally inclined to obey, in accordance with the statement of Allah the Exalted: So they left it alone. When the time for harvesting the fruit came, the fruit came out dry and pithy. As stated in the hadith, it came out "shaysh." What is "shaysh"? It means there is no pulp, no flesh; it is just the pit with something like a shell around it. They came to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, you passed by us and told us to do so, and we heard and obeyed, and look, the fruit has come out dry and pithy." He said (peace and blessings be upon him), and here is the point: So there is no pride for these disbelievers who have invented these inventions for us, such as the car, this recorder, the radio, and so on. There is no pride for them, because they were created for this, as Allah the Exalted said about them that He stamped them with this nature. He said about them: So, you are more knowledgeable about your worldly affairs. Therefore, if we innovate or invent something in worldly matters, there is no harm in that for us. And if we use it, there is also no harm in that for us, unless we use it in disobedience to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Examples of this have been mentioned previously. This is a recorder that records good, so it is good, and you use it for good. And this is a recorder that records singing and forbidden entertainment, so it is evil. As for the means itself, it has not changed. It is most similar to these means that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) created through human effort. Many things Allah created directly. He created man, as He said, in the best of forms. Part of this goodness is that He gave him a speaking tongue by which he fulfills his needs and communicates with people. This tongue is a means. If you use it to recite the Qur'an, it is a means of good. If you use it to recite songs and commit a great sin, it is a means of evil. This means is of this nature. So, if you use this tongue for good, it is good, and if you use it for evil, it is evil. This is said about means, and the rule of maslakh al-mursalah (unrestricted public benefit) is connected to them. This is the difference between maslakh al-mursalah and bid'ah al-dalalah (misguiding innovation). And perhaps this extent is sufficient.