Performance of Hajj Cannot be delayed just as Salaah and Fasting Cannot be Postponed once Fard
Title: Performance of Hajj cannot be delayed just as Salaah and Fasting cannot be postponed once Fard
Aayah 97 Surah Aal Imran
ولِله عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ
“Hajj is fardh up the people as a duty to Allah for whoever is able to make his way there. But whoever disbelieves – then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.”
Hajj is a Spiritual journey for believers wherby they go to Makkah, Minaa, Arafah and Muzdalifah. Then every lover of Nabi ﷺ would also want to go to Madeenah Munawwarah. It is a Beautiful and wonderful experience.
Hajj became fardh in 9 A.H. Nabi ﷺ Sent Abu Bakr Radhiallahu anhu with a group of sahaaba. Nabi ﷺ was not commanded by Allah Taala to perform Hajj this year. There were still disbelievers present in Makkah who would make tawaaf unclothed, thinking it to be an act of piety, since they thought that it would be wrong to carry out this act of worship in clothes with which they had sinned. This is the harm of being a free thinker, trying to use logic in understanding deen. This can lead a person to think a wrong action to be right.
Ali Radhiallahu anhu was sent with Abu Bakr Radhiallahu anhu to announce :
Aayah 28 Surah Taubah:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَٰذَا
“The mushrikeen are impure and they should not come close to Musjid ul Haraam after this year”
9 A.H was the last year that non Muslims were allowed after which they were banned right up to this day . One reason for this is that the kufr in their hearts attract the wrath of Allah Taala and these are sacred places where believers perform Hajj. A person feels privileged to make hajj with an Ustaad, Sheikh or Aalim. All the piety of everyone, cannot equal the rank of the lowest sahaabi. All Sahaaba can’t come close to any Nabi, and All ambiyaa cannot equal Nabi ﷺ. Then this very Nabi ﷺ with 124000 sahaaba gathered in Hajj. What a Hajj that must have been.
Hajj is just fardh just like Salaah or Fasting. Sometimes a person has money, but says I’m not ready. The person feels I’m not ready for change. Not ready to get pious etc. so he procrastinates in performing Hajj. Can we do this for the fast of Ramadhaan? That I will postpone my fasting to another month? Likewise, immaterial of how a person feels, he has to perform his Hajj. Similarly, if a person has sufficient, even for just the days of hajj, then also he has to perform his Hajj. Even if it is just for the last 5 days only with no hotel etc. then too he still has to go if it is possible. Sometimes a person has sufficient for himself to go, but not enough to take his wife with. He cannot say that he will save, then go when there is sufficient for the both of them. It might sound romantic, but if maut comes, he died without fulfilling fardh. Youngsters who are baaligh and have sufficient wealth, the parents cannot hold them back. If it is is fardh, at least put in the application, and make dua.
Those that are going, they are honoured. We should meet such people and request their duas. They are the ambassadors of the Ummat. They will be going to the royal court of Nabi ﷺ. Request them to also convey our salaam. May Allah Taala accept the Hajj of the Hujjaaj and their duas etc.