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

Thanks for your question and your care to know the teachings of Islam. May Allah help you to perform Hajj and protect your wife against all evils.

The general consensus of Muslim scholars say that Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation on every Muslim capable of performing it; and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked if Hajj is to be performed every year, he answered, "If I say yes, it will be an obligation and then you will not be able to [perform it]" (Al-Bukhari). But does Hajj become an obligation that requires immediate performance whenever the person becomes capable? Or is it an obligation that does not require immediate performance? The majority of Muslim jurists agree that Hajj is an obligation that requires immediate performance and delaying it to the following year after being capable is impermissible; however, there are certain exceptions for this ruling.

Responding to your question, prominent Muslim scholar Dr. `Abdullah Al-Faqih, supervisor of Fatwa Center at www.islamweb.net, says,

Hajj is an obligation on every Muslim capable of performing it as long as the conditions that require it are available. Almighty Allah says, {Pilgrimage thereto is a duty people owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey) (Aal `Imran 3:97).

Asking about the meaning of the above Qur'anic ayah, a man said to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), "What is the meaning of [those who can]{afford the journey}? He said, 'It is the journey provisions and the mount (means of transportation)'" (Al-Daraqutni and Al-Hakim).

Moreover, Imam `Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Perform Hajj before you become unable to" (Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Hakim).

Having stated the above, it should be clear that Hajj is an instant obligation that Muslims should carry out once they become capable of it. May be something will come up next year and prevent you from performing this obligation. Therefore, if you can find a mahram (unmarriageable relatives) or a good practicing Muslim woman to stay with your wife, it will be good to do so. Otherwise, do not leave your wife alone in a place where she has no relatives, especially when she is pregnant.

Furthermore, Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever is not prevented [from performing Hajj] by illness, a real necessity, an extreme difficulty, or an unjust ruler and does not perform Hajj, then he may die a Jew, if he wills, or die a Christian, if he wills." (Sa`eed Ibn Mansour, Imam Ahmad, and Abu Ya`ala).

Finally, we see that your necessity is a real one; therefore it justifies postponing your Hajj until next year, in sha' Allah.

Editor's Note

In order to understand the correct meaning of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "then he may die a Jew, if he wills, or die a Christian, if he wills," we cite here what Sheikh`AtiyyahSaqr's, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, said, "the hadith does not mean that he becomes a kafir because of delaying Hajj provided that he doesn't deny its obligation in Islam. However, it signifies recommendation to hasten to perform Hajj."