Do some pilgrims stay overnight in Makkah during the days of Tashreeq and appoint a relative to stone the pillars on their behalf?
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The questioner : Some pilgrims who came from Egypt to perform the obligatory Hajj stay overnight in Makkah during the days of Tashreeq and appoint a relative to stone the pillars on their behalf. Is this permissible? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Stoning the pillars is one of the acts of Hajj, and it is an obligatory part of Hajj, so it is not permissible for anyone to appoint someone to stone the pillars on his behalf. Likewise, it is not permissible for him to appoint someone to perform the circumambulation (tawaf) on his behalf, or to walk between al-Safa and al-Marwah (sa'y) on his behalf, or to stand at 'Arafah on his behalf, or to stay overnight at Muzdalifah on his behalf. This is because Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:196] And completing the Hajj and 'Umrah means performing all of their actions and words, obligatorily in what is obligatory and as a recommended practice in what is recommended.
Yes, if it is assumed that a person is unable to reach the pillars due to illness or something else, he may appoint someone to stone the pillars on his behalf. This is because it is reported from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that they used to stone the pillars on behalf of the young ones. If it had not been reported from the Companions that they stone the pillars on behalf of the young ones, we would have said that one who is unable to stone the pillars owes nothing, because obligatory acts are dropped due to inability. But since the Companions used to stone the pillars on behalf of the young ones, we said: One who is unable to stone the pillars appoints someone to stone the pillars on his behalf.
But if he says: "I am able, but I fear the crowd," we would tell him: Delay the stoning to a time when there is no crowd. If we assume that the crowd becomes intense in stoning the three pillars after the sun passes its zenith and after the 'Asr prayer, let him delay it to the night, because stoning at night is permissible, especially when there is a need.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Stoning the pillars is one of the acts of Hajj, and it is an obligatory part of Hajj, so it is not permissible for anyone to appoint someone to stone the pillars on his behalf. Likewise, it is not permissible for him to appoint someone to perform the circumambulation (tawaf) on his behalf, or to walk between al-Safa and al-Marwah (sa'y) on his behalf, or to stand at 'Arafah on his behalf, or to stay overnight at Muzdalifah on his behalf. This is because Allah the Exalted said:
And complete the Hajj and 'umrah for Allah
وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِYes, if it is assumed that a person is unable to reach the pillars due to illness or something else, he may appoint someone to stone the pillars on his behalf. This is because it is reported from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that they used to stone the pillars on behalf of the young ones. If it had not been reported from the Companions that they stone the pillars on behalf of the young ones, we would have said that one who is unable to stone the pillars owes nothing, because obligatory acts are dropped due to inability. But since the Companions used to stone the pillars on behalf of the young ones, we said: One who is unable to stone the pillars appoints someone to stone the pillars on his behalf.
But if he says: "I am able, but I fear the crowd," we would tell him: Delay the stoning to a time when there is no crowd. If we assume that the crowd becomes intense in stoning the three pillars after the sun passes its zenith and after the 'Asr prayer, let him delay it to the night, because stoning at night is permissible, especially when there is a need.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.