A woman says: I intended to perform Hajj this year with my small son, who is two years old. Is it sufficient for him if his father intends it for him and carries him during the tawaf and sa'y, or
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The questioner : I intended to perform Hajj this year, and I have a small son who is two years old who wants to perform Hajj with us. Is it sufficient for him if his father intends it for him and carries him during the tawaf and sa'y, or should his father perform tawaf and sa'y for himself and then perform tawaf and sa'y on behalf of the son?
The Shaykh : What I see is that in this era, due to the large number of pilgrims and the hardship of the crowds, one should not enter into the state of ihram for small children, because this Hajj that they perform is not sufficient for them. If they reach puberty, it becomes obligatory for them to repeat it. It is a recommended practice (sunnah), meaning there is a reward for the guardian of the child, but this reward that he expects may cause him to miss many more important things, because he will remain occupied with this child during the tawaf and sa'y. Especially if this child does not have discernment, it is not permissible for him to carry him during his tawaf while intending the tawaf for himself and for this child.
Because the stronger opinion in the issue of carrying children during the tawaf and sa'y is: if they understand the intention, and their guardian tells them, "Intend the tawaf, intend the sa'y," then there is no harm in carrying them while he is performing his tawaf and sa'y.
As for if they do not understand the intention, it is not sufficient for him to perform tawaf with them while he is performing tawaf for himself, or to perform sa'y with them while he is performing sa'y for himself, because a single action cannot bear two intentions for two people.
The Shaykh : What I see is that in this era, due to the large number of pilgrims and the hardship of the crowds, one should not enter into the state of ihram for small children, because this Hajj that they perform is not sufficient for them. If they reach puberty, it becomes obligatory for them to repeat it. It is a recommended practice (sunnah), meaning there is a reward for the guardian of the child, but this reward that he expects may cause him to miss many more important things, because he will remain occupied with this child during the tawaf and sa'y. Especially if this child does not have discernment, it is not permissible for him to carry him during his tawaf while intending the tawaf for himself and for this child.
Because the stronger opinion in the issue of carrying children during the tawaf and sa'y is: if they understand the intention, and their guardian tells them, "Intend the tawaf, intend the sa'y," then there is no harm in carrying them while he is performing his tawaf and sa'y.
As for if they do not understand the intention, it is not sufficient for him to perform tawaf with them while he is performing tawaf for himself, or to perform sa'y with them while he is performing sa'y for himself, because a single action cannot bear two intentions for two people.