Question:
Asalaamu Alaikum. I was just wondering I am in poor health and wondered since Hajj is coming up if I could perform something like Hajj and still reap the benefits and the closeness to Allah is there anything close to Hajj that I can do instead of the journey? I have a bad heart and do not think I could take the walking running and everything. Please direct me in this matter. Shukran.
Fatwa:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
If you did not perform your obligatory Hajj and you have a chronic disease and you are unable to perform Hajj because of your disease and it is not hoped that you will become cured from it, and you are financially able to perform it, then in this case you are obliged to appoint someone to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah on your behalf.
If the person whom you appoint performs Hajj on your behalf, then you become acquitted from the obligation of performing Hajj. It is by appointing someone to perform Hajj on your behalf that serves as if you have performed it yourself.
Believing that you may not be able to walk or perfrom Sa’i may have resulted from hearing people talk about the difficulties faced during Hajj. Indeed you may get on a wheel chair (which is available for elderly, sick or weak people) when performing Tawaf or Sa’i and in all the rituals of Hajj. The matter is easy, praise be to Allah. If you are able to get on a wheel chair, then you are obliged to perform Hajj yourself.
However, if you had already performed your obligatory Hajj, then you are not obliged to appoint someone to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah on your behalf. Donating the costs of Hajj to the needy may in some cases be better than optional Hajj even though the optional Hajj is in principal better than optional charity donation.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said: ‘‘Performing Hajj as legislated is better than the non-obligatory charity donation. However, if a person has needy relatives, then donating to them is better; the same applies if there are people who are in urgent need for this donation. However, if both Hajj and donating in charity are optional, then Hajj is better because it is a physical and financial act of worship.’’
Allah Knows best.
Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb