Can the people who put off Hajj guarantee that they will continue to be wealthy enough to perform it? Can they guarantee that they will not fall sick or die before they perform it? Do they have an agreement with the Angel of Death to delay their time until they perform it?
What are they waiting for?
Our Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said (as narrated by Ibn ’Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him): “Take advantage of five things before five other things occur: your youth before you become old, your health before you become sick, you wealth before you become poor, your spare time before you become busy, and your life before death.” [Al-Haakim, Ibn Al-Mubaarak, and others]
Islam gives stern warnings to those who do not perform Hajj although they are capable of doing so. Hilaal ibn ‘Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “He who possess enough food for the trip, a means of transportation to reach to Makkah, and yet does not perform Hajj, then he dies, he would then die as a Jew or a Christian.”[At-Tirmithi, Al-Bazzaar, and others]
In addition,Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him,narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “He who was not prevented by a valid excuse, sickness, or an oppressive ruler, yet did not perform Hajj, will die as a Jew or a Christian.”[Ad-Daarimi, Al-Bayhaqi, and others]
‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, once said, “I was on the verge of sending a group of men to the different Muslim states, in order to find out those who can afford Hajj yet do not perform it, so they would impose Jizyah (tax paid by non Muslims) upon them, because they are not Muslims, they are not Muslims.” [Sa’eed ibn Mansour]
What are the circumstances under which one is considered capable of performing Hajj? It might be that somebody was intending to perform Hajj for the first time, yet due to the quota restricting the number of people who can perform Hajj, or because they were prevented by the Israelis from leaving their country, or perhaps their city or village was militarily surrounded, or maybe there was another valid reason. In these cases, what should a person do?
The answer is that one must always have a firm intention to perform Hajj, and as soon as the chance materialises, then it must be taken. If a person was responsible for preventing them from going for Hajj, then the sin and subsequent blame would be on those who prevented and deprived them. If the person intending to go for Hajj was to die that year, they would not be considered sinful, but their inheritors must deduct a sufficient portion of the deceased’s bequest before distribution, in order to use it for performing Hajj on their behalf. If the inheritors fail to do so, then they will all be considered sinful. Again, one must have a firm intention to perform Hajj every year until they are allowed to do so, or until there is nothing preventing them from performing it.
Those who have already performed Hajj must give a chance to others who did not, because they are taking their place and depriving them. It is a great sin to deprive another person from performing their first Hajj, but if one is sure that he is not taking someone else’s place then there would be no sin incurred.
Moreover, those who intend to perform Hajj need to be familiar with the rules and regulations of Hajj. It is an obligation upon the pilgrim to learn and understand all the rituals of Hajj before going. You must implement these rulings and adhere to them, so that Allah The Almighty would accept your Hajj. This is especially so because you are responding to the call of Allah The Almighty and announcing your love and loyalty to Him alone.
Pilgrims from all over the world will be unified in one exclamation – a Divine exclamation, the cry of, “Labbaika Allahmma Labbaik, Labbaika La Sharika Laka Labbaik, Innal-Hamda Wan-Ni’mata Laka Wal-Mulk La Sharika Lak (I respond to Your call O Allah, I respond to Your call, and I am obedient to Your orders, You have no partner, I respond to Your call).”