Expenses of Hajj are prohibitive (too high)

18/10/2009| IslamWeb

Question:

I am thinking about performing Hajj in the month of Dhul-Hajj, but sadly the high cost of going on Hajj is always a problem and millions of other Muslims feel that way. I need your help to find a solution for me or at least some advice.

Fatwa:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

There is no doubt that pilgrimage (Hajj) is one of the best actions by which a person gets nearer to Allah and repents.  Bukhari reported that Abu Hurairah (Radiya Allahu Anhu) narrated that "The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) was asked about the best action.  He replied, ‘To believe in Allah and His Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam)’.  He was then asked: “What is the best action after this?”  He replied, ‘To fight in the path of Allah’.  He was then asked, “What then?” (What next).  He replied, ‘An accepted Hajj’."  [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim].

In another Hadith reported by Nasa’e and on which Albani said 'it is a sound Hadith,' that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Fighting in the path of Allah for elderly and young people, as well as for the weak and women, is to perform Hajj and Umrah."

There are many Ahadith about the excellence of Hajj and encouraging people to perform it.  The scholars mentioned that spending on Hajj equals spending (when fighting) on the path of Allah.  The evidence is the saying of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) "Spending on Hajj is like spending when fighting in the path of Allah, it is multiplied 700 times." This Hadith is narrated by Ahmed, and Arnaout said that 'it is an authentic Hadith.'

On this basis, whoever is able to perform Hajj or is eager to perform Hajj and this does not harm him or his dependents and wants to perform it should not consider the amount of money he spends for this purpose as being too much, because the more a person spends in the way of Allah, the more reward he gets.

Allah knows best.