Performing Hajj on Behalf of Another (Baddal Hajj)
Also known as “Proxy Hajj,” Hajj Badal refers to the act of performing Hajj on behalf of someone who is unable to perform Hajj themselves. This includes people who are deceased, chronically disabled, or sick.
Although Hajj Badal has been practiced since the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), today, the significance of Hajj Badal is supported by many a fatwa (input of Islamic scholars).
Keep reading to learn more about Hajj Badal and its importance in Islam.
What Is Hajj Badal?
Based on the Islamic history and terminology, Hajj is one of the five compulsory pillars of Islam along with Shahada, Salat, Fasting, and Zakat. It can be defined as the act of performing the Pilgrimage to the House of God or the Holy Ka’bah, in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Hajj demonstrates the submission of Muslims to Allah (SWT) and their solidarity. It is said that performing Hajj or Umrah purifies a person’s heart and soul by freeing them from all worldly sins.
Hajj Badal, also known as Hajj e Badal in Urdu and Proxy Hajj, is when some who are unable to perform Hajj by themselves get a compulsory Hajj performed by another person on their behalf.
In other words, Hajj Badal is when you perform Hajj on behalf of someone (a loved one) who is sick and has no cure, is old, is disabled, or has passed away.
Whilst there are criteria that exclude some people from the obligation of Hajj, this does not always translate into the individual being eligible for someone else to complete Hajj Badal.
According to Fiqh literature, the person (Muslim) who performs the act of Hajj Badal – performing Hajj on someone else’s behalf – is called Ma’moor. However, that someone on whose behalf you are performing Hajj Badal is called Aamir.
Moreover, based on the teachings of all four schools of thought, Hajj Badal can only be performed for a person once a year. Also, one will only be eligible to perform Proxy Hajj once they have completed the obligation of performing Hajj themselves.
Hajj Badal for Deceased – Is This Permissible?
Hajj Badal can be performed for someone who is deceased or dead (not in this world anymore). It is supported by a narration of Ibn’Abbas, who said that once a woman from Juhaynah came to meet Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and asked,
“My mother vowed or intended to go for Hajj, but she was unable to go for Hajj before she died. Should I perform Hajj on her behalf?”
To which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) replied,
“Yes, do Hajj on her behalf. Do you not think that you would pay it off for her if your mother were in debt? Pay off the debt that is owed to Allah, for Allah is more deserving than what is owed to Him should be paid off.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1754)"
In simpler words, if a Muslim who has fulfilled all other obligatory rituals of Islam and had enough to perform the obligation dies without performing Hajj, in such a case, it is an obligation that their family (children) perform Hajj Badal on their behalf from the wealth he has left.
Also, Allah (SWT), having complete knowledge, knows the hearts and affairs of his worshippers and their intentions.
Therefore, if someone with sufficient wealth to perform Hajj dies without fulfilling the obligation, they shall fear that Allah (SWT) may question them for delaying Hajj unnecessarily.
Hajj e Badal in Quran or Hadiths
In the Holy Quran, Allah (SWT) on the significance of Hajj for Muslims says:
“And Pilgrimage to the House is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, (upon) everyone who can undertake the journey to it; and whoever disbelieves, then surely Allah is Self-sufficient, above any need of the worlds.” (Al-Imran, Verse – 97)
Ibn Abbas narrated that once Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) heard a man reciting “Labbayka a Shabrama” meaning “instead of someone named Shabrama.” So Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked the man if he had performed Hajj himself. The man said no.
Then Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told the man that he should first perform it himself, then on behalf of another Muslim. (Abu Dawud).
Benefits
Hajj Badal is performing Hajj on behalf of someone who is either unable to or medically unfit or dead. Listed below are some common benefits of Hajj Badal:
Benefit 1: You Can Perform Hajj Badal on Behalf of the Deceased
As stated earlier, on several occasions, when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was questioned if someone could perform Hajj on behalf of their deceased parents, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told them that they should.
Hajj Badal allows you to perform Hajj on behalf of your deceased parents, children, and relatives. Allah (SWT) rewards both the Aamir and the Ma’moor for the holy act. In other words, by performing Hajj Badal, one can donate the reward to the deceased loved one.
Benefit 2: You Can Perform Hajj Badal on Behalf of Someone Who’s Sick or Disabled
According to Abdullah bin Abbas’s narration, one day, his brother Al-Fadl was riding behind Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) when a woman from the Khath’am tribe approached them and said,
“O Allah’s Apostle! 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 firmly on the Mount; may I perform Hajj on his behalf?” To which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) replied, “Yes, you may.” That event happened during the Hajj-al-Wada (of the Prophet SAW). (Sahih Al-Bukhari 2.589)
The aforementioned incident proves that one can perform Hajj Badal for their old or disabled parents, grandparents, relatives, and children.
Summary – Hajj Badal
Hajj e Badal or Hajj Badal is the act of performing the compulsory obligation of Hajj on behalf of someone else. You can only perform Hajj Badal on one condition – that on behalf of the one you are performing it for has either died, is ill or disabled, or is too old to perform Hajj.
Since the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Muslims worldwide have been actively performing Hajj Badal.
Performing Hajj on Behalf of a Deceased Person
The best way to honor your deceased parents
The best way in which a person can honour his parents is the way taught by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), which is to make du’a for them, pray for forgiveness for them, honour their friends and uphold the ties of kinship, for you have no ties of kinship except through them.
This is what was stated by the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when someone asked him: “O Messenger of Allah, is there anything I can do to honour my parents after they die?” This is the reply that he gave.
Voluntary Hajj on behalf of deceased parents
As for doing Hajj on their behalf , offering sacrifices on their behalf , and giving charity on their behalf , that is undoubtedly permissible, and we do not say that it is haram, but there is something that is better than that, because du’a is better than that.
So make these deeds that you want to do on their behalf on your own behalf – do Hajj on your own behalf, give charity on your own behalf, offer a sacrifice on behalf of yourself and your family, spend money on building mosques and on jihad for the sake of Allah on your own behalf.
You will need righteous deeds just as your parents do, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has taught you what is best and most beneficial for your parents. Do you think that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was unaware that it is better for you to do Hajj and give charity?!
No, we can never believe that the Messenger was unaware of that. We know that the Messenger chose these four things: du’a, praying for forgiveness, honouring one’s parent’s friends and upholding the ties of kinship, because these are honouring one’s parents in a real sense.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When a person dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity (sadaqah jariyah), beneficial knowledge, or a righteous son who will pray for him.”
He did not say: or a righteous son who will give charity on his behalf, or offer a sacrifice on his behalf, or perform Hajj on his behalf, or fast on his behalf – even though the hadith speaks of righteous deeds.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not suggest doing good deeds on behalf of the deceased and suggested making du’a instead.
We bear witness to Allah and we know with certainty that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would not have turned to something inferior and ignored that which is better, because he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most knowledgeable and most sincere of people.
If giving charity, offering a sacrifice, praying or performing Hajj had been prescribed in this case, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would have told us about it.
I say to the seekers of knowledge concerning such matters where the common folk follow the inferior way, that they should explain to them and say, Show me a single text in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) enjoined observing a voluntary fast or giving voluntary charity on behalf of one's parents. You will never find one.
Rather he said: “If a person dies owing obligatory fasts, his heir should fast on his behalf.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) enjoined observing obligatory fasts on behalf of the deceased, not voluntary fasts.
Search through the entire Sunnah from beginning to end; can you find any mention that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) enjoined giving charity on behalf of one's parents, or observing voluntary fasts on behalf of one's parents, or performing a voluntary Hajj on behalf of one's parents, or spending money on the public interest on behalf of one’s parents? No, you will never find any such things.
The most that can be said is that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) approved of this, and approval of a thing does not mean that it is encouraged in shari’ah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) approved of Sa’d ibn 'Ubadah when he asked for permission to give his garden as charity on behalf of his mother, and said, “Yes.” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also approved of the one who said, “My mother has died, and I think that if she could have spoken, she would have given charity; can I give charity on her behalf?” He said, “Yes.”
But did he command his ummah to do voluntary acts for the sake of Allah and give the reward to the dead? This is not the case, and anyone who can find such a report, let him tell us about it. The only exception is obligatory acts, for what is obligatory must be done.” (Fatawa Ibn Uthaymin, 21,267).
And Allah knows best.