Hajj: The Pilgrimage to
Mecca
Questions and Answers
- Question: Is it permissible
to put on the ihrãm for hajj from the city of
Jeddah? If it is not permissible, what should one do since the plane
lands in Jeddah?
Answer: Jeddah is neither a miqãt
nor parallel to any of the miqãts; therefore, it is not in order
to put on the ihrãm from there for ‘umrah or hajj.
However, if one knows that between Jeddah and the Haram [the holy territory
around Mecca], there is a place which is parallel to one of the miqãts
—this is not improbable, if one looks for a parallel of Juhfah— he can put
on the ihrãm from there by offering nadhr. [Nadhr
means making a vow in the name of Allãh that he will put on the ihram
from place x.]
- Question: While shaving the head in
Mina, if the pilgrim’s head is injured and blood flows out, what should he
do in that case? And what are the implications [as far as penalty is concerned]?
Answer: If the injury was not intentional,
there is nothing upon him.
- Question: It is recommended to perform
hajj every year. However, there are many poor Muslims who are in dire
need of food and clothing in various Muslim countries. If it comes to making
a choice between spending the money for hajj repeatedly or ziyãrat
(pilgrimage to the shrine of one of the Infallibles [a.s.]) and between giving
in charity for those believers—which is more meritorious?
Answer: In principle, helping those needy
Muslims is better than a recommended hajj or ziyãrat
of the holy shrines. However, at times the hajj or the ziyãrat
is associated with certain other issues that can elevate them to the same
or even higher status of virtue.
- Question: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
assigns the places for pilgrims in ‘Arafãt and Mina. We do not know
whether or not those appointed places are within the boundaries required by
the shari‘a? Are we obliged to inquire and ask about the matter?
Answer: If it is within the known boundaries
and the signs that are normally known for religious rites from generation
to generation, it is not necessary to inquire about it.
- Question: It has been said that some
parts or the entire area of slaughtering in Mina is outside the boundary.
Is it therefore obligatory upon us to ascertains the fact before the slaughtering?
Knowing that ascertaining about one area and then going towards the other
and again ascertaining about it is a difficult task, especially on the day
of Eid, as you yourself know, where the time is also a factor. So what
is the solution?
Answer: It
is obligatory to ascertain in order to do the slaughtering inside Mina. If
it is not possible because of overcrowding in Mina, it is permissible to do
it in the valley of Muhassar. Moreover, the timing of slaughtering is not
restricted to the day of Eid; it can be done till the last day of the days
of tashríq [i.e., till the 13th of Dhu ’l-Hijja].
- Question: Pilgrims are faced with one
more problem regarding slaughtering, which poses more of a mental anguish:
the animals slaughtered [in Mina] are wasted in spite of the fact that there
are many poor people amongst us spread all over the Muslim countries who go
without tasting meat for days! So is it acceptable for us to do the slaughtering
in our own cities; or is there a religious solution that you can suggest for
the people?
Answer: It is necessary to fulfill the
religious duty by doing the slaughtering in Mina. As for the sin of wasting
the meat of the animals slaughtered, if it actually happens, it is on the
shoulders of the authorities in charge.
- Question: If the exam schedule for
a student conflicts with the timing of the hajj, is it permissible
for him to postpone the hajj that year especially if the exam was very important
for him?
Answer: If he is sure that he will be
able to perform hajj in the following year, it is permissible for him
to postpone it; otherwise, it is not permissible. However, if postponing the
exam will cause difficulty to such an extent that it is normally unbearable,
it is not obligatory on him to perform hajj that year.
- Question: A person on whom hajj
had become obligatory but he has not yet fulfilled it—is such a person allowed
to go for ‘umrah in the month of Rajab? What if hajj became
obligatory on him in Ramadhãn, can he go for ‘umrah [before
performing hajj]?
Answer: The ‘umrah mufrada (minor
pilgrimage done off-season) is permissible for him. However, if going to ‘umrah
would financially prevent him from going for hajj, then it is not permissible
for him to do ‘umrah.
- Question: A single young man has become
capable to perform hajj; he is also thinking about marriage. Now if
he goes for hajj, his marriage ceremony will be delayed for a while.
Which of the two is preferable [marriage or pilgrimage]?
Answer: He should perform the hajj
and postpone the marriage unless postponing the marriage entails difficulty
to the extent that it be comes unbearable. And Allah knows the best.