Hajj; an Obligatory Pillar of Islam

The pilgrimage of Hajj is compulsory in the life-time of every adult Muslim, man or woman who is in a position to undertake the journey in accordance with the Divine proclamation. But before going to Mak`kah a certain number of conditions must be met:

One must be Muslim.
One must be in a position to pay for the cost of journey and the expenses of stay, as well as for the upkeep of one’s family, back home, during his absence with money earned by honest means.
There should be peace and tranquility in way to pilgrimage.
One must be in a sound physical and material position to accomplish the pilgrimage.
One must be of sound mind and in full possession of one’s mental faculties.
One must have reached puberty.
It should be the appropriate time for Hajj.

With above conditions fulfilled, the Hajj becomes an obligation and the pilgrimage to the House becomes a duty towards God. One who accomplishes this duty is rewarded, while one who gives it up is sinner and shall be punished while one who refutes its obligatory nature is an infidel before Allah. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) also declared: “God has prescribed unto you a pilgrimage, therefore accomplish it.”
There is a notion among some people that if a young girl in the family is awaiting marriage, the obligation of Hajj is not applicable. There are no basis of this notion and it is false.
Some people of means think that it is the parents who should perform Hajj before them. This is incorrect. If they have the means to support their family members including children, they should go all including the parents. A male member should not delay his pilgrimage, if he has the means, to wait for the accumulation of so much means as to include other members of the family.
One who has acquired the means should not delay the pilgrimage. If case the died he will be a sinner.

Pilgrimage becomes compulsory for a woman, too, who have her own means to meet the expenses of self and her Mahram that may be father, son, brother or husband. A trusted woman friend can also accompany even if she not a relative.

Hajj; an Obligatory Pillar of Islam

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Learn the issues ralated Hajj

Duties towards Fellow Humans

Important Things to Know

Circumambulation (Tawaf)

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Certificate of Authenticity

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Necessary precautions

A Lifelong Charity

Chronicals from the Prophet’s words

Mak`kah and the sanctified House of Allah

The Prophet’s edict about Ka`abah

The Excellence of Black stone

Some sayings of the Prophet about Hajj

Hajj, The obligatory Pillar of Islam

Kinds of Hajj

Journey to Madinah

The Hajj

Umrah