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Last Update: 04:16 GMT, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009

Living Shari`ah > Fatwa Bank

 

Question and Answer Details

Name of Questioner

Asma   - Ireland

Title

Hajj is Obligatory Once in a Lifetime

Question

Dear scholars , as-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatuh.

How many times should a Muslim perform Hajj?

Jazakum Allahu Khayran.

Date

19/Aug/2009

Name of Counsellor

Sayyed Sabiq

Topic

Hajj: Merits & Rulings

Answer

Wa`alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister in Islam, thanks for your question, which emanates form a God-fearing heart, since it shows your commitment to Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no true god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing Prayer, paying the Zakah, making the pilgrimage to the Sacred House (Hajj), and fasting the month of Ramadan.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari) Also, we’d would like to commend your pursuit of Islamic counseling.

In his famous book Fiqh-us-Sunnah, the late Egyptian scholar Sheikh Sayyed Sabiq, may Allah bless his soul, states:

Scholars have unanimously agreed that Hajj is obligatory only once in a Muslim's lifetime, unless he or she vows to perform extra Hajj, in which case he or she must fulfill his or her vow. Anything which is done over and above this is considered a voluntary or recommended act.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that one day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the people saying: "O people! Allah has prescribed Hajj upon you, so perform it." A man asked, 'Every year, O Messenger of Allah?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept silent. When the man repeated his question thrice, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Had I answered in the affirmative, it would have become a (yearly) obligation, and this would have been beyond your capacity." Then he added: "Leave me alone so long as I leave you alone (i.e. do not bother me with questions about things I didn't mention). What caused the destruction of the people prior to you was that they used to ask so many questions, and disagree with their Prophets. So when I command you to do something, you must obey me and do it to the extent of your ability, and if I forbid you from doing something, then you must avoid it." (Sahih Muslim, Book 7, Chapter 71, Hadith no. 3095)

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us saying: "O People! Hajj has been prescribed for you." At this Al-Aqra` Ibn Habis got up and asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Are we to perform Hajj every year?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Had I answered in the affirmative, it would have become a (yearly) obligation, and had it become so, you would have failed to observe it. Hajj is obligatory only once in one's lifetime. If one performs it more than once, it will be counted as a voluntary act." (SunanAbu Dawud)

Do keep in touch. If you have any other question, don't hesitate to write back.

Related Questions

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