What is the ruling on appointing an agent for stoning the pillars in Hajj, where some elderly men and elderly women appoint us young people to perform the stoning on their behalf?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on appointing an agent for stoning the pillars in Hajj, where some elderly men and elderly women appoint us young people to perform the stoning on their behalf? Is this permissible for us?
The Shaykh : We say that stoning the pillars is a ritual of Hajj that it is obligatory for the pilgrim to perform himself, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:196] Just as a person does not appoint someone to spend the night in Muzdalifah for him, or to perform circumambulation for him, or to walk between al-Safa and al-Marwah for him, or to stand at 'Arafah for him, so it is not permissible for him to appoint someone to stone the pillars on his behalf. However, if the pilgrim is unable to stone the pillars due to weakness in his body, or because he is elderly and unable, or because he is blind and it is extremely difficult for him to go to the stoning of the pillars, or if it is a pregnant woman who fears for herself and for what is in her womb, then in this case, appointing an agent is permissible out of dire necessity. And were it not for the fact that it was narrated from the Companions that they used to stone the pillars on behalf of children, we would have said that whoever is unable to stone the pillars is excused from it, like other obligatory acts. But given that it was reported from the Companions that they used to stone the pillars on behalf of children because the children were unable to stone them themselves, we say that likewise, whoever is similar to them in being unable to stone the pillars himself, it is permissible for him to appoint an agent.
However, there is an issue here: some people are unable to stone the pillars during the crowd, but if the crowd were light, they would be able to stone them. We say to such a person: It is not permissible for you to appoint an agent in this case. Rather, wait until the crowd lightens, and then stone the pillars, either at the end of the day or at night. Because the stronger position among the opinions of the scholars is that there is no harm in stoning the pillars at night for the day that has passed. So a person can stone the pillars on the eleventh day after the sun sets or after the 'Isha' prayer. At this time, he will find the crowd light and be able to stone the pillars himself. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. A question from a female listener of the program, who says:
The Shaykh : We say that stoning the pillars is a ritual of Hajj that it is obligatory for the pilgrim to perform himself, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And complete the Hajj and 'umrah for Allah
وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِHowever, there is an issue here: some people are unable to stone the pillars during the crowd, but if the crowd were light, they would be able to stone them. We say to such a person: It is not permissible for you to appoint an agent in this case. Rather, wait until the crowd lightens, and then stone the pillars, either at the end of the day or at night. Because the stronger position among the opinions of the scholars is that there is no harm in stoning the pillars at night for the day that has passed. So a person can stone the pillars on the eleventh day after the sun sets or after the 'Isha' prayer. At this time, he will find the crowd light and be able to stone the pillars himself. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. A question from a female listener of the program, who says: