Performing Hajj on Behalf of Deceased Father

13-8-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

My father died following illness. Unfortunately, he did not perform Hajj. Can I do Hajj and make that Hajj for him and then make another one for me? Please, advise me with the proper Hadith (s) that can answer my question.
Answer:

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 sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The Muslim scholar have two different opinions concerning the person who has not performed his own obligatory Hajj; is it permitted for him to offer Hajj on behalf of another person or not?

1) It is permissible as reported from Imams Abu Haneefah and Maalik may Allaah have mercy upon them. But Imam Maalik permitted doing so only on behalf of a dead person. However, it is desirable to perform one’s own obligatory Hajj first.

2) It is not permissible to perform Hajj on behalf of others if he has not performed his own obligatory Hajj. Even if he offers Hajj on behalf of someone else the Hajj becomes his own obligatory Hajj. This opinion is reported by Imams Ash-Shaafi'i and Ahmad may Allaah have mercy upon them.

The second opinion is the preponderant one for the Hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbas may Allaah be pleased with him that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) heard a man saying: "‘Labbayk on behalf of Shubrumah.’ He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) asked: ‘Who is Shubrumah’? He replied: 'A brother or relative of mine'. He asked: ‘Have you performed Hajj on your own behalf?’ He said: ‘No.’ Then, he said to him: ‘Perform Hajj on your own behalf, then perform it on behalf of Shubrumah." [Abu Daawood and Ibn Maajah]

Therefore, dear brother, do not perform Hajj on behalf of your father till you perform your own Hajj.

Allah knows best.

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