Is Hajj-e-Badal permissible?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

For those of our readers who don't know what Hajj-e-Badal means:  It's the act of performing Hajj on behalf of another person who is either deceased or not healthy enough to perform Hajj for themselves.  According to Shariah, Hajj-e-Badal can only be performed by a person who has already performed Hajj for themselves.   So, where do these rules come from?  Surely not from the Quran.

Let's briefly check what the Quran says about Hajj and the concept of dedicating your good deeds to others. 

The Noble Quran gives a very detailed account of how to perform Hajj, it's purpose and benefits.  To know the complete list of information mentioned in the Quran about Hajj, please read our post What does the Quran say about Hajj?  The entire contents of this post have direct references to the Quran.  You will observe that the Quranic information on Hajj is very extensive, complete and inclusive of all significant aspects.  But Allah has not mentioned any such ideas of one person performing Hajj for another.  Kindly check it for yourself.

The other very important information contained in the Noble Quran is the truth about the independence of each soul created by Allah.  Allah says in the Quran, loud and clear, that every soul is responsible and answerable for its own deeds.  This concept is one of the cornerstones of the Glorious Quran.

"And no burdened soul can bear another's burden,"  (35:18)
 
"And guard yourselves against a day when no soul will in aught avail another, …"   (2:48)

"He who groweth (in goodness), groweth only for himself, (he cannot by his merit redeem others). Unto Allah is the journeying."    (35:18)

Allah has inspired each human soul (separately) with a conscience and awareness of right & wrong.  It’s the responsibility of every individual to select their path of conduct.  Those who allow their conscience to grow are the successful ones in His sight, while those who keep it stunted are the losers.
 
"And a soul and Him who perfected it
And inspired it (with conscience of) what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it.
He is indeed successful who causeth it to grow,
And he is indeed a failure who stunteth it."   (91:7-10)  Ash-Shams

All of the above verses clearly indicate that there are absolutely NO concepts such as one person's deeds being transferred to another for their benefit.

The idea of Hajj-e-badal has crept into the Muslim culture through the stories of Hadith.  From all the Quranic evidences provided above, it's not at all hard to perceive that the concept of Hajj-e-badal in Hadith is NOT compatible with the Quran, rather it quite obviously clashes with Quranic principles.

The following are the UNAUTHENTIC Ahadith that are responsible for bringing this unwarranted practice within Islam.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.418 Narrated by Ibn Abbas
A woman came to the Prophet (saws) and said, "My mother vowed to perform the Hajj but she died before performing it. Should I perform the Hajj on her behalf?" He (saws) said, "Yes! Perform the Hajj on her behalf. See, if your mother had been in debt, would you have paid her debt?" She said, "Yes." He (saws) said, "So you should pay what is for Him, as Allah has more right that one should fulfill one's obligations to Him."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.589    Narrated by Abdullah bin Abbas
Al-Fadl ibn Al-Abbas was riding behind Allah's Messenger (saws) and a woman from the tribe of Khath'am came. The woman said, "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! The obligation of Hajj enjoined by Allah on His devotees has become due on my father and he is old and weak, and he cannot sit firm on the mount; may I perform Hajj on his behalf?" The Prophet replied, "Yes, you may." That happened during the Hajj-al-Wida (of the Prophet (saws)).

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 1806  Narrated by Abu Razin
A man of Banu Amir said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws), my father is very old, he cannot perform hajj and umrah himself nor can he ride on a mount.’ The Prophet (saws) said: ‘Perform hajj and umrah on behalf of your father.’


The rule of Hajj-e-badal being performed by a person who has already performed Hajj for himself first comes from the following Hadith:

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 1807  Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas
The Prophet (saws) heard a man say: ‘Labbayk (always ready to obey) on behalf of Shubrumah.’  He (saws) asked: ‘Who is Shubrumah?’ He replied: ‘A brother (or relative) of mine.’  The Prophet (saws) asked: ‘Have you performed hajj on your own behalf?’  He said: ‘No.’  The Messenger of Allah (saws) then said: ‘Perform hajj on your own behalf, then perform it on behalf of Shubrumah.’

As you can see, the Hadith lies about the Prophet (pbuh) with a lot of confidence.  The Hadith conveniently forges very authoritative statements which are not at all in conformity with Quranic information and dumps them on the Prophet (pbuh).  This is a mean game and please do not fall for it.  The reason for this being that the Hadith narrators & compilers wanted to change Islam.  And since none of them were aware of Quranic information, therefore their haphazard lies contradicted the Quran very blatantly.  Yet the Muslims are not able to read in between the lines and separate truth from falsehood. 

I ask the mainstream Muslims, in the presence of the Noble Quran, would the Prophet (pbuh) so authoritatively overlook Quranic laws and principles and implement his own rules that contradict the contents of Allah's Final Message?  The answer is a firm NO.

Conclusion:  Hajj-e-badal is not a Quranic law and it clashes with Quranic principles.

[muslima]

Aoa

jazak Allah sis heba  may Allah reward u to write on very interesting topic

i really don't understand what is the logic behind  Hajj-e-Badal ?? whats wrong with muslims ??why people do that Only of being called hajji ?? hajj -e-badal become a fashion amongst Muslims .what 's the point if you don't experience the hajj, no benefit if you don't perform hajj by your own .we can't transfer experience ,feelins of soul and The person who sends another man to perform Hajj on his behalf can't see the benefits of Hajj with his/her own eyes and Quran has clarified the both purpose of the Hajj 
1.that they may witness (see with their own eyes) 22:28 
2.Hajj is prescribed only for those who can afford the journey.3:97

That they may witness things that are of benefit to them, and mention the name of Allah on appointed days over the beast of cattle that He hath bestowed upon them. Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor unfortunate 22: 28

we will be judge by Allah on our own strength,own practise , own performance
our own faults , own acts  53::38 - 41

That no laden one shall bear another's load, 53:38
And that man hath only that for which he maketh effort 53:39
And that his effort will be seen.53:40
And afterward he will be repaid for it with fullest payment 53:41

very sad muslims are following only bukhari and imams made sharia .and overlooking Quran 

Regarding changing the divine law on the behalf of  false claim saying by the enimeies of our beloved prophet(pbuh) let me re-call few verses it can shake the soul of beliver.seriously we are not realizing  what we are doing 

 
 surah al haqqah  69: 43-47

It is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds
And if he had invented false sayings concerning Us,
We assuredly had taken him by the right hand
And then severed his life-artery,
And not one of you could have held Us off from him

[Zainab_M]

Thanks sis.  Superb work.  I was thinking of preparing this post myself after I got a newsletter from Radiant Drops that they are starting the process of registering for Hajj-e-Badal.  And I thought to myself .. that Muslim women who don't have a mahrem male to accompany them are not allowed to perform Hajj at all, and here people are being allowed to perform Hajj on behalf of others.

Yes sister Muslima, I too don't understand the logic behind it except that it's been made a practice that's not warranted by the Quran.   And thank you sister for quoting those additional Verses .. and V.22:28 which states one of the purposes of Hajj so that believers can witness or see the important landmarks. 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

JazekAllah khair for your understanding, dear sisters. 

Now I also want to ask the imams, will they start Hajj-e-Badal on behalf of those women whom the Saudi government doesn't allow to perform Hajj because they don't have a mehram male to accompany them? 

[N. Truth Seeker]

Thanks a lot sister Heba.   I read this yesterday but was in a hurry and didn't have time to comment.  It's a very good read and hope our readers find it useful.  The hadith idea of hajj-e-badal is a very old one.  It has no standing according to the Quran.  Just as bulk of the Hadith rules contain very little logic, so does this one.  Hajj is a form of worshiping Allah.  How can one person be told to perform worship for another person?  Doesn't make sense.  It's a bit like saying, "oh, I'm not feeling well .. can u please offer my fajr prayer for me."  If we feel unwell and cannot offer our salat, all we can do is to sincerely ask forgiveness of Allah and Allah is Merciful and He knows the truth of every heart.  If He wants He will forgive.  That's as far as we can go.  Similarly, Allah has said that those who are able to go for Hajj must go i.e. those who can financially afford it and who are physically & mentally normal.   For those who don't fit into these categories, it's up to Allah to forgive them.  But I don't see how they can earn Allah's blessings by sending someone else in their place. 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Hajj is a form of worshiping Allah.  How can one person be told to perform worship for another person?  Doesn't make sense.  It's a bit like saying, "oh, I'm not feeling well .. can u please offer my fajr prayer for me." 

LOL!  very correct point brother. 

[Ruhi_Rose]

The idea of hajj-e-badal just doesn't sound right. Over and above that, there are so many obscurities.  For whom is one performing hajj-e-badal?  Someone might be sent to perform hajj-e-badal for his deceased relative or friend who was a secularist and never thought of Allah.  Moreover, if men can perform hajj-e-badal for others, why not women?  And yeah, the Saudi government stops scores of women from performing hajj because there's no one of accompany them.  It doesn't even allow women to perform hajj in groups unless at least one male mahrem is present.  Yet I never hear anyone performing hajj-e-badal for these unfortunate women who are being prevented to perform their duty toward Allah. Where does the Quran say that women cannot visit the Kaa'ba without a male mahrem?   Not that hajj-e-badal would be the right solution for resolving the problem of those women.  But what I mean to say is that the shariah guys cannot even construct a law fairly.

[Zainab_M]

Thanks a lot sister Heba.   I read this yesterday but was in a hurry and didn't have time to comment.  It's a very good read and hope our readers find it useful.  The hadith idea of hajj-e-badal is a very old one.  It has no standing according to the Quran.  Just as bulk of the Hadith rules contain very little logic, so does this one.  Hajj is a form of worshiping Allah.  How can one person be told to perform worship for another person?  Doesn't make sense.  It's a bit like saying, "oh, I'm not feeling well .. can u please offer my fajr prayer for me."  If we feel unwell and cannot offer our salat, all we can do is to ask forgiveness of Allah and Allah is Merciful and He knows the truth of every heart.  If He wants He will forgive.  That's as far as we can go.  Similarly, Allah has said that those who are able to go for Hajj must go i.e. those who can financially afford it and who are physically & mentally normal.   For those who don't fit into these categories, it's up to Allah to forgive them.  But I don't see how they can earn Allah's blessings by sending someone else in their place.  This might be accepted by Allah as a charitable act, just like all other acts of charity.  But it's not at all the same as performing Hajj oneself. 

So correct brother.

It's a bit like saying, "oh, I'm not feeling well .. can u please offer my fajr prayer for me."

Very interesting analogy

[Zainab_M]

....... there are so many obscurities.  For whom is one performing hajj-e-badal?  Someone might be sent to perform hajj-e-badal for his deceased relative or friend who was a secularist and never thought of Allah.  Moreover, if men can perform hajj-e-badal for others, why not women?  And yeah, the Saudi government stops scores of women from performing hajj because there's no one of accompany them.  It doesn't even allow women to perform hajj in groups unless at least one male mahrem is present.  Yet I never hear anyone performing hajj-e-badal for these unfortunate women who are being prevented to perform their duty toward Allah. Where does the Quran say that women cannot visit the Kaa'ba without a male mahrem?   Not that hajj-e-badal would be the right solution for resolving the problem of those women.  But what I mean to say is that the shariah guys cannot even construct a law fairly.

You've raised some very thoughtful points sister for which I'm sure our clerics have no answers.

[muslima]

JazekAllah khair for your understanding, dear sisters. 

Now I also want to ask the imams, will they start Hajj-e-Badal on behalf of those women whom the Saudi government doesn't allow to perform Hajj because they don't have a mehram male to accompany them? 

if any imam have fear of Alllah he should think once 

apart all this issu i guess saudi government pass this law to consider their own corrupted sense. they are sex sick.the truth is women need mahram for the protection from muslim men STRANGE  BUT TRUE !! on the security level ITS SUCH A SHAME ON SAUDI GOVERNMNET !! womens are certainly not safe walking on saudi soil.one of my friend she lives in jeddah she told me she never go out alone even for grocery. she was eyewtiness on how two saudi men forced a woman coming out of a mall into thier car and sped away..

[muslima]

Thanks sis.  Superb work.  I was thinking of preparing this post myself after I got a newsletter from Radiant Drops that they are starting the process of registering for Hajj-e-Badal.  And I thought to myself .. that Muslim women who don't have a mahrem male to accompany them are not allowed to perform Hajj at all, and here people are being allowed to perform Hajj on behalf of others.

Yes sister Muslima, I too don't understand the logic behind it except that it's been made a practice that's not warranted by the Quran.   And thank you sister for quoting those additional Verses .. and V.22:28 which states one of the purposes of Hajj so that believers can witness or see the important landmarks. 

u are welome sis

Quran is our book of law and guide not the saudi governments laws or men made sharia.Allah never set such restrictions in the Quran on women. Quran dose NOT prohibits women to travelling without mahrams, the prohibition is found ONLY in the false hadith.men made sharia and such hadiths rob the Women right of worship. And muslims all over the world sealed their mouth against this law.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

womens are certainly not safe walking on saudi soil.one of my friend she lives in jeddah she told me she never go out alone even for grocery. she was eyewtiness on how two saudi men forced a woman coming out of a mall into thier car and sped away..

OMG!    really ??   Ya Allah!  Did anyone watching this crime phone the police?   Although I don't think the Saudi police will apprehend men kidnapping women.  On the contrary, the police will only join in with those criminal men.

apart all this issu i guess saudi government pass this law to consider their own corrupted sense. they are sex sick.the truth is women need mahram for the protection from muslim men STRANGE  BUT TRUE !! on the security level ITS SUCH A SHAME ON SAUDI GOVERNMNET !!

That's very correct.  The Saudis know how insecure their society is for women so they don't trust themselves even during Hajj.  Allah will deal with these sinful munafiqs on the Day of Judgment. 

[Zainab_M]

womens are certainly not safe walking on saudi soil.one of my friend she lives in jeddah she told me she never go out alone even for grocery. she was eyewtiness on how two saudi men forced a woman coming out of a mall into thier car and sped away..

Isn't this shocking !! ?   But I'm not surprised.  The Saudi society is notoriously  unsafe and unjust.  And yes, the Saudi police are just as bad as the criminals. 

When I was in my country of origin, my colleague at workplace recounted a similarly astonishing incident that happened with the family of her neighbor's son living in Saudi Arabia .... probably Riyadh or Jeddah .. not sure which place but Saudi Arabia for sure.   The son, his wife and their teenage daughter were going to visit a family friend.  They were stopped by the police at a checkpoint and asked to show certain documents.  But they didn't have those papers with them in the car, so the police told the man to go home and bring the papers.  The police also insisted that he should leave his wife and daughter at the police checkpoint as a proof of his commitment that he will return with the necessary documents.  So, he had no other choice but to leave his wife and daughter in police custody. He trusted the police and was quite sure the ladies would be safe. But to his utter shock, when he returned he found his wife and daughter had disappeared.  When he asked the police where they were, the police acted as if they never knew anything about it.  For several years after I was told this horrific story, my colleague received no news from her neighbors about locating the 2 kidnapped ladies.  The man was so upset that he almost lost his mind.   Such a heart breaking story.  I don't know if now those 2 sisters have been found.    These Saudis are the enemies of Allah.  May Allah burn them in the depth of Hellfire.  ameen.

[muslima]

womens are certainly not safe walking on saudi soil.one of my friend she lives in jeddah she told me she never go out alone even for grocery. she was eyewtiness on how two saudi men forced a woman coming out of a mall into thier car and sped away..

OMG!    really ??   Ya Allah!  Did anyone watching this crime phone the police?   Although I don't think the Saudi police will apprehend men kidnapping women.  On the contrary, the police will only join in with those criminal men.

apart all this issu i guess saudi government pass this law to consider their own corrupted sense. they are sex sick.the truth is women need mahram for the protection from muslim men STRANGE  BUT TRUE !! on the security level ITS SUCH A SHAME ON SAUDI GOVERNMNET !!

That's very correct.  The Saudis know how insecure their society is for women so they don't trust themselves even during Hajj.  Allah will deal with these sinful munafiqs on the Day of Judgment. 

They are munafiqs .
ah police are highly prejudiced and corrupt to the core then why call police ?.their strict rules are only to scare foreigners NO  sis ! no one has really courage even can't imagination to take step to deal with against injustice..

[muslima]

womens are certainly not safe walking on saudi soil.one of my friend she lives in jeddah she told me she never go out alone even for grocery. she was eyewtiness on how two saudi men forced a woman coming out of a mall into thier car and sped away..

Isn't this shocking !! ?   But I'm not surprised.  The Saudi society is notoriously  unsafe and unjust.  And yes, the Saudi police are just as bad as the criminals. 

When I was in my country of origin, my colleague at workplace recounted a similarly astonishing incident that happened with the family of her neighbor's son living in Saudi Arabia .... probably Riyadh or Jeddah .. not sure which place but Saudi Arabia for sure.   The son, his wife and their teenage daughter were going to visit a family friend.  They were stopped by the police at a checkpoint and asked to show certain documents.  But they didn't have those papers with them in the car, so the police told the man to go home and bring the papers.  The police also insisted that he should leave his wife and daughter at the police checkpoint as a proof of his commitment that he will return with the necessary documents.  So, he had no other choice but to leave his wife and daughter in police custody. He trusted the police and was quite sure the ladies would be safe. But to his utter shock, when he returned he found his wife and daughter had disappeared.  When he asked the police where they were, the police acted as if they never knew anything about it.  For several years after I was told this horrific story, my colleague received no news from her neighbors about locating the 2 kidnapped ladies.  The man was so upset that he almost lost his mind.   Such a heart breaking story.  I don't know if now those 2 sisters have been found.    These Saudis are the enemies of Allah.  May Allah burn them in the depth of Hellfire.  ameen.

 ya Allah tauba ! my friend was right they are the criminals anothers real scary heart breaking story ah those poor sisters and their family 
yes sis inshallah the will be questioned ,they will be burn in the depth of hellfire  ameen.i wish Allah give them lesson in this world too for this corruption in islam .. saudis damaged the whole structure,and the teachings of our beloved prophet (pbuh)