What is the ruling on the woman who travels a distance equals ‎to the distance that allows shortening prayer to perform Hajj without ‎accompanying a Mahram (non-marriageable) man:

Question ‎

What is the ruling on the Hajj of a housemaid, who does ‎not have a Mahram? Is the employer of this housemaid ‎considered Mahram to her? Is her Hajj valid or not? Please, ‎advise us, may Allah reward you. ‎

Answer ‎

It is impermissible for the woman to travel without accompanying a Mahram man ‎whether to perform Hajj or anything else, as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi ‎wa sallam, said: “It is not permissible for a woman who believes ‎in Allah and the Last Day to make a journey of one day and ‎night unless she is accompanied by a Mahram.” ‎

Hence, it is impermissible for a woman to travel without a ‎Mahram man. ‎

It was also reported that a man said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have been enrolled for such and such expedition, and my wife left for Hajj.'' He said to him: "Go and perform Hajj with your wife.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

A woman, who wants to travel to perform Hajj, must be accompanied by a Mahram man.

However, if this housemaid is living in Makkah, then Hajj is not considered a travel, because the sanctuaries are in Makkah. In such a case, it is permissible for her to go to perform Hajj with a trustworthy company. Her master may let her come with his wife or sisters and she must be wearing her full Hijaab. In this case, it is allowable because the person who lives in Makkah does not travel to perform Hajj as long as this distance is less than the distance that allows one to shorten prayer.

Allah Knows best.

The ruling on performing Hajj by a man on behalf of a woman and vice versa:

Question

A friend is asking me to perform Hajj on behalf of his dead wife, because he will perform Hajj for the first time. I had intended to perform Hajj this year, so, what is the ruling on this?  What am I required to do regarding the intention if I accept to perform the Hajj on her behalf?

Please advise me, may Allah reward you.

Answer

It is permissible if the husband, who has not performed obligatory Hajj for himself, to ask another man to perform the Hajj on behalf of his wife. It is permissible for a man to perform Hajj on behalf of a woman and vice versa. It was reported that a woman went to the Messenger and said, "When Hajj became obligatory, my father had become too old to sit straight on a riding mount. May I perform Hajj on his behalf?'' The Prophet said: "Yes, perform Hajj on his behalf.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

This Hadeeth proves that a man can perform Hajj on behalf of a woman and vice versa. Hence, this is permissible whether that man is Mahram to the woman or not.

There is no doubt that if you accept to perform Hajj on behalf of the woman who did not perform Hajj, which was obligatory upon her, is considered cooperation in goodness and piety.

As for her husband, his Hajj will be for himself if he is performing it for the first time. If you perform Hajj on her behalf, that woman will be considered to have fulfilled the duty of Hajj.

Allah Knows best.

If one moved from his Meeqaat to another one, he should enter the state of Ihraam at the latter:

Question

A man, who works in Riyadh and his family is living in Tihamah region, intends to perform Hajj with his family. Should he enter the state of Ihraam (sacral state) at the Meeqaat (place of entering Ihraam) of the people of Najd or at Yalamlam?

Please, advise me, may Allah reward you.

Answer

The person who travels from Riyadh to the south may enter the state of Ihraam at the Meeqaat of the people of the South, ‎as long as he is outside the borders of the Meeqaat (Yalamlam)‎, because the first journey was for a need, while the second one was for Hajj.

For example, if one travels to Baha or Abha, then his Meeqaat becomes the Meeqaat of the people of the South instead of the Meeqaat of the East, as Meeqaats are determined according to the four main geographical directions: North, South, East and West.

Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that, “The Prophet made Thul-Hulayfah Meeqaat for the people of Al-Madeenah; Al-Juhfah for the people of Ash-Shaam; Qarn-Al-Manaazil for the people of Najd; and Yalamlam for the people of Yemen; and these Meeqaats are for the people at those very places, and besides them for those who come thorough those places with the intention of performing Hajj or 'Umrah.”

These Meeqaats are defined according to the directions, hence if one travels from the East to the West, South or North without entering the borders of the Meeqaats, he should postpone his Ihraam until reaching the latter Meeqaat. In such a case, one is not required to enter the state of Ihraam at As-Sayl, but at Yalamlam as long as he will pass by it.

Similarly, if one is from Al-Madeenah and wants to travel to Yanbu‘, then he should enter the state of Ihraam at Raabigh, as Yanbu‘ is a coastal city and its Meeqaat is the Meeqaat of the people of the West and As-Shaam.

It was reported that the Messenger of Allah set out for Hajj and so did his Companions. He sent a batch of his Companions by another route and Abu Qataadah was one of them. The Prophet said to them: "Proceed along the seashore till we meet all together." So, they took the route of the seashore, and when they started, all of them assumed Ihraam except Abu Qataadah .

Abu Qataadah did not enter the state of Ihraam until he reached Raabigh (Juhfah), because after reaching the coast, his Meeqaat became the Meeqaat of the people of the coast.

However, the Companions chose to do what is best and entered the state of Ihraam at Thul-Hulayfah. Hence, Abu Qataadah delayed Ihraam to the last Sharee`ah- appointed Meeqaat.

This proves that whoever moves or travels from one Meeqaat to another should be considered one of the people whose Meeqaat is the latter Meeqaat.