Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and is obligatory for a person who is physically and financially able to perform it at least once in his or her life. Due to its importance as a Holy ritual and the emphasis put by Allah Almighty and Prophet (PBUH) on its performing, every Muslim dreams to be able to perform Hajj.
The importance of Hajj is evident from Quran teaching, Allah Almighty has time and again emphasized on its importance. Besides being a religious ritual, it carries some universal messages as well. The lines below give the major religious acts re-enacted during Hajj along with the universal messages it conveys to humanity.
Acts Re-Enacted During Hajj:
There are three major religious acts of Holy personalities re-enacted during the performing of Hajj:
Adam & Eve- The first experience relived by pilgrims is the experience of exile of Adam and Eve from Heaven. From Heaven when they were banished to earth, they wandered separately and when they met, they both asked for the forgiveness of Allah Almighty in the valley of Mecca.
Hagar- The second experience relived by pilgrims is of Abraham’s wife Hagar. She ran between the hills of Safa and Marva in search of water for his thirsty son. As per Muslim beliefs, her running was answered by Allah Almighty with the well of ZamZam.
Abraham- The third act relived by pilgrims is in commemoration of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son on the order of Allah Almighty, which was then substituted by ram by Gabriel.
These are the three acts, which pilgrims re-enact during Hajj. However, beyond the religious significance, there are different universal messages which the ritual of Hajj conveys to all of humanity. The three major universal messages conveyed by Hajj are given below.
The Place of Women:
The first universal message that Hajj conveys to humanity is the equality of gender and the place which Islam gives to women. During Hajj, women are the same with men, they do all the rituals, they strive the way men do, they pray the way they do, so it would be false to think that Islam somehow undermines women, rather Islam conveys the message of giving respect and dignity to women on equal levels as men possess. If you read Holy Quran, Allah Almighty clearly says in it:
“I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you who labors in my way, be it man or woman; each of you is equal to the other.” (Quran 3:195)
If Allah Almighty thinks of men and women as equal, then who are we to regard women as lesser beings? Moreover, all the acts of Hajj clearly show that Allah Almighty has the same orders for women as they are for men; therefore, there is no discrimination. Hence, the message of gender equality and the place of women in Islam is the universal message conveyed by the event of Hajj.
Equality:
The second universal message conveyed by Hajj, of which the world is in most need of is the equality of people. During Hajj, one observes Muslims from all across the world, from different geographical locations, different practices, different culture, different linguistic features, different color, ethnicity, social status and so on. All these people from different backgrounds circle around Kaba side by side, they say prayers standing with one another, they cast stones regardless of who is standing next to them. Allah Almighty says in Quran:
“We created you from a single pair of a male and female (Adam and Eve), and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other and not that you might despise each other. The most honored of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you.” (49:13)
Hajj is the embodiment of this ayah. All the Muslims from different countries perform Hajj the same way without any gender, cast, color, nationality or status discrimination, thus Hajj gives the message of universal equality among mankind.
Humility:
The other universal message conveyed by the event of Hajj is of humility and submission to the supremacy of Allah Almighty. The saying’s of prayers, the wearing of only Ihram, the flip-flops, the constant praise of Allah Almighty, all these teach the lesson of humility to mankind, and tells them that there is one Supreme Power and He is the one to Whom everyone has to return, thus the need of being humble in our lives.
Conclusion:
In short, Hajj; besides being a ritual of Muslims that brings countless blessings, is also an event that conveys the universal messages of humility, equality of people and gender to mankind. An observant of Hajj would always agree to the universality of these messages and believe in the universality of Islam.
The lines below cover the rest of the tips pertaining to preparation for hajj. The tips emphasis on preparing for Jamarat, and the things those need to be taken on the trip.
Jamarat Tips:
Pertaining to arriving at Jamarat, the pilgrims go there after spending the night at Muzdalifah. The first day will not be crowded, as people tend to leave at different times from Mudalifah. However, the rest of the two days will never be the same as the first one, and the following things should be remembered pertaining to those two days:
The first thing to remember is that the casting of stones is after Fajr for the first day, but it is not the case for the remaining two days. Rather for the remaining days, the time for casting of stones is after adhan of Dhuhr. Therefore, no stone would be valid before that no matter whatever your travel agents says.
Secondly, the travel agents in order to get rid of you as quickly as possible would tell you that some anonymous scholar has approved the casting of stones before Duhr. It will be plainly wrong. The only time the casting of stones is legitimate for the last two days of Jamarat is after Duhr. Therefore, never hurry, instead utilize your time saying Nawafil andread Quran.
Thirdly, as people know that adhan of Dhuhr is the signal for casting stones on the second and third day. Therefore, a huge crowd of people would be waiting for Adhan to be called out and then would rush to cast stones. This is the time when most of the pilgrims are stampeded. Therefore, the wise thing to do would be to wait until the crowd is a little less, but never wait for it to finish as it never finishes.
Fourthly, a pilgrim can break Ihram after first day at Jamarat. There is no compulsion on what to wear on the later two days. Thus wear whatever you feel comfortable in, however, when it comes to shoes, lose the flip-flops and wear long tennis shoes. Wearing harder shoes might harm other pilgrims, while going barefooted might harm your own feet due to the rocky terrain.
Fifthly, it is preferable that women throw their stones themselves. However, scholars agree that a man can also do it on behalf of the woman. Therefore, if a woman is afraid of crowd or the crowd is too frenzy, then the man can cast the stones on behalf of woman.
Sixthly, pertaining to the entrance to Jamarat, due to the obviousness of upper entrance, most of the crowd will enter through their which is a single passage. The rush can be avoided by opting for the lower entrance that looks like a garage.
Things to Take Along:
Regardless of its spiritual and religious importance, hajj is a journey and therefore, requires preparations to be made. Some of the things that a pilgrim needs to take on hajj and that can come in handy are discussed below.
Take Vaseline or any other fragrance-free ointment with you. If you plan to walk from Arafat to Muzdalifah, then you might face problem of rash among thighs. In such situation, rubbing Vaseline can help you keep the surface smoother and avoid irritation during the performing of different activities.
Alum or Shabbah in Arabic is the crystal you need to have before starting pilgrimage if you any sweating or odor problem.
Flip-flops are a must for men in Ihram, and are also necessary for daily coming and going from and to the masjid. Sandals are also acceptable in view of scholars, as long as the heel is not stitched from behind.
Tennis shoes can come in handy on the later two days of Jamarat.
Take a photocopy of all your documents, tickets, and passport with you.
There is no need for taking any exchange currency, as it is easily available in the markets of Saudi Arabia.
In short, like any other foreign journey, hajj also requires preparation. However, the importance of its preparation increases significantly, as millions of people perform hajj. Thus, the crowd and rush needs to be anticipated and necessary preparations should be made and respective measures taken before leaving for pilgrimage.
Hajj is one of the important pillars of Islam. It is mandatory for every person who is capable to arrange the means for it. Millions of Muslims across the globe perform this ritual every year. Among Muslim it is considered as one of the most honored and holier ritual.
Hajj is not a ritual, which is subjected to the will of a person. Rather, for an able person hajj is a duty, which a person with resources must perform at least once a year. There are several mentions of performing of hajj and the blessing it brings in the Holy Qur’an. This post is the first part of the tips for Muslims who are preparing to perform hajj in the coming days. The general preparation and critical tips for hajj are discussed below.
General Preparation Tips:
Some general tips pertaining to the preparation for performing hajj are:
The wise choice for men would be to wear Ihram in their homes before leaving for hajj, as they are not accustomed to wearing it and find it difficult and attention diverting during performing hajj. As far as the wearing of Ihram is concerned, wrap it like a towel around your body, and instead of using belts, and pins, roll the top edge of Ihram over the initial wrap three to four times. This way the base wrap will stick to the body firmly.
The Ihram clothes must be void of any scent or perfume. Therefore, they must be washed in an unscented detergent and kept aside from other clothes that contain fragrance.
Before wearing Ihram, the Sunnah way is to take bath and say two Rakats prayer.
Use of any scented deodorant in case of sweating is prohibited. You can use the unscented crystal called “alum” for such purposes. The crystal is called “Shabbah” in Arabic and is easily available in the spice markets of Saudi Arabia and Gulf.
For women it is not allowed to clip nails, remove hairs etc, while wearing Ihram. Therefore, women must try to practice (before leaving for hajj) binding hairs in such a way that it does not require brushing for a few days.
While flying to Saudi Arabia, when during the flight the captain announces approaching “Meeqat”, it is the signal that you must know set intentions (NIYYAH) for your hajj.
When you arrive at Jeddah airport, you need to be cautious about your prayers timings, as the Adhan is not called at the airport on loudspeakers.
Critical Tips:
Although hajj is a religious ritual, where the pilgrim performs religious activities, like saying prayers, the running between saffa-marwah, indulging in noble Quran recitation and so on, however, there some behavioral and critical factors that a person has to consider, as during hajj millions of people are also there besides you. Some critical tips pertaining to hajj are given below:
The slippers must be kept besides you, as leaving them in the shoe racks comes with the chances of them being misplaced, as numerous other slippers can resemble yours.
Never lose your temper. Seeing such a crowd of people may look frantic to you, therefore, always remain calm and don’t get irritated.
Do not search for Baab as-Salaam (The entry door through which Prophet (PBUH) used to enter Ka’ba) as it is closed due to the rush. There is an alternate stairs route a few steps away from it, that takes you to Safa and Marwa.
For women it is advised to take some ‘mahram’ with them during the hajj. There are conditions when women may require a mahram, such as at night in Muzdalifah, and at Jamarat. Therefore, women must try to have a mahram companion with them for hajj.
Never, ever leave your belongings on any bus. During the hajj time, there is abundance of buses and transport, leaving your belongings on a bus, which you won’t be able to find again might result in permanently losing the belongings.
After the day of Arafat, you will need to spend the night at Muzdalifah. It is about six miles from Arafat. Sunnah is to leave Arafat right after maghrib and take a walk to Muzdalifah. Therefore, you must prefer walking to Muzdalifah unless you have some physical problem, in which case you can take bus, but it takes a lot of time.
When in Muzdalifah, you must collect extra stones for the Jamarat. It is probable that some of the stones may miss the mark; therefore, carrying extra stones always comes in handy. You can carry the stones in some empty bottle and carry it with you.
General practice among religious circle is that the youth of a person is dedicated towards worldly affairs, and it is the later part of the life that is dedicated in performing the religious rituals and becoming pious. Although there is no age limit for religious inclination, but youth is the age when Allah Almighty best rewards the performed religious rituals. Hajj is one such ritual, which Muslims in general observe when they have grown old.
Every Muslim dreams of performing Hajj in his or her life. However, most of them dream of performing it when they are less involved in the worldly affairs, and when they have nothing else to do but to praise Allah Almighty (in their old age). If the performing of Hajj be viewed on logical basis, the best time to perform is during the youth. The lines below give the reasons why young age is the best time to perform Hajj:
1. Life Is Short
At the time of youth, although a person is resourceful, but if he or she thinks that they will perform Hajj in later years, such Muslims should think again. Muslims who recite and understand Quran knows the sayings of Allah Almighty about the duration of life:
“You stayed not but a little- if only you had known. (Qur’an 23:114)
This ayah clearly shows that life is short and uncertain. Therefore, if a person is able enough to perform Hajj in youth, it surely must not be left for the later age, as it is possible that there be no later age, or the person won’t be able enough to perform Hajj at that time.
2. Fulfillment of Ahadith
Regarding Hajj, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“Expedite the performance of Hajj. For nobody knows what may obstruct one.” (Ibn Majah, Ahmad)
The ahadith clearly shows that Prophet (PBUH) has instructed Muslims to perform Hajj at the earliest. No one should consider postponing of Hajj, especially to the later years of life. Moreover, in another ahadith, Prophet (PBUH) conveys the message of Allah to Muslims:
“Any of my slaves who is healthy and are of the means for five years, and did not visit my house, he is mahroom.” (Ibn hibban and Musnad Abu Ya’laa 3703:1031)
Both these ahadith of Prophet (PBUH) persuade a person to perform Hajj as early as possible. Therefore, if a young person who is able, performs Hajj in youth, fulfills the instructions of Prophet (PBUH) and receives the blessings of Allah Almighty.
3. Purification From Sin
It is the time of youth when a Muslim is most attacked by the devil. QualifiedQuran tutors and scholars address the young people to abstain from sins, and devote this golden age to the praise and worshiping of Allah Almighty. However, if a person has committed some sin in youth, the best way to do away with it is to perform Hajj.
“One who comes to this House for Hajj and avoids all lewdness and sins, he returns as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Perhaps a young person can have no better feeling than a guilt free conscience and a sin free soul. Thus, performing Hajj during youth is priceless and a dream comes true for a young Muslim.
4. The Best Supplication
Every Muslim supplicates to Allah Almighty, but there are certain supplications that are better than the most and that are answered immediately compared to the others. The supplication made on the day of Arafah during Hajj is one such mighty supplication. Prophet (PBUH) said:
“The warrior in the path of Allah, the one performing Hajj and the one performing Umrah are the delegations of Allah. If they call on Allah they are answered and if they ask Him for anything it is given to them.” (Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibban)
What else can a young person want? If a person performs Hajj while young, then the supplications of arafah can help the person ask anything from Allah for the later part of the life and the world hereafter. On the other hand, an elderly person performing Hajj, can and does only ask for the life hereafter. Therefore, performing Hajj in youth proves advantageous.
5. Decrease in Poverty
Most Muslims refrain from performing Hajj as they think that after performing Hajj, they will go down on wealth or won’t be able to meet their expenses. Such Muslims need not to worry as Prophet (PBUH) has already addressed this matter by saying:
“Keep on doing Hajj and Umrah, because they both eliminate poverty and sins just like a furnace eliminate the dirty impurities of iron, gold and silver. And an accepted Hajj has no reward less than Paradise!” (Tirmithi, Nissai, Ahmad).
The ahadith shows that doing Hajj in no way reduces the wealth of a person; rather it eliminates poverty and sins and serves as a purifier. Therefore, in youth, all one requires is stay away from poverty in later age, and Hajj is the best means to it.
Conclusion
Without any argument, youth is the best age of a person’s life and Hajj is the best Islamic rituals. Therefore, to reap the best fruits of Hajj, it needs to be performed during the young age, and it will bring benefits in the form of a sin free soul, decrease in poverty, and best of all, the fulfillment of Ahadith and the instructions of Allah Almighty.
There are countless attributes that make Islam quite different from other major religions preceding it. The biggest virtue of Islam is that creator of the universe, Allah Almighty, has declared it as a religion of His preference that shall serve to guide humanity till The Day of Resurrection.
In fact, there are a few verses describing precisely about this in Holy Quran, such as:
Aal-e-Imran [3:85] If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah) never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).
Comprehensiveness Of Islam
As mentioned earlier, there are countless attributes that set Islam quite distinctively from other religions, one of them being beholder of the widest canvass that addresses all spheres of life, rather than just focusing on typical religious facet.
Islamic Concept Of Months
That is why Islam is also referred as a religion that offers complete code of life. It serves to address everything, from faith to practicalities of life, taking into account finer details of life. Qur’an, the book of Allah bestows its followers even the mechanism of months, describing it in detail, as mentioned in the following verse:
At-Taubah [9:36] The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year)― so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred; that is the straight usage. So wrong not yourselves therein and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together. But know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves.
Not only has this beautiful verse made it clear that Allah Almighty has eased out humanity by giving them an order of 12 months to mark an year, but it also makes clear that Allah Almighty holds 4 months sanctified than the rest, i.e. Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also signified this fact in his last sermon during his last Hajj in the following words:
“One year consists of twelve months, of which four are sanctified months, three of them are in sequence; Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and the fourth is Rajab.”
Sanctity Of Muharram
This article concerns with one of them majorly, i.e. Muharram, a sacred month that marks the beginning of the lunar Hijjrah Calendar. Though every month of the year is important, but there are some events of historical or religious importance associated with some months which make them a bit special than others. Same is the case with Muharram. Some of the significances of Muharram are listed here:
Fasting During Muharram
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once said:
‘The best fasts after the fasts of Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram.”
This is very much of self explanatory hadhith that clearly signifies the importance of this month. The importance of fasts is very obvious to Muslims and when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) specifically mentions them with respect to a particular month other than Ramadan, there should be no doubt whatsoever about the sanctity of such a month, which is Muharram in this case. More important is the fact that these fasts are not mandatory, but they are promised of great rewards, and can be observed during whole month.
The Sacred “Ashurah” Day
As mentioned previously, every single day of Muharram is sanctified, but the 10th of Muharram holds the highest significance among all other days, also referred commonly as “Ashurah”. Ibn-e-Abbas, a revered companion of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) narrates:
The Prophet (PBUH), when migrated to Madinah, found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which the Prophet Musa (Moses), alayhis salam, and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously and the Pharaoh was drowned in its waters. On hearing this from the Jews, the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said, “We are more closely rotated to Musa, alayhi salam, than you,” …and directed the Muslims to fast on the day of ‘Ashura’. (Abu Dawood)
Conclusion
Islam is definitely a religion that not only offers a code of conduct for life, but also bestows its followers with countless bounties engulfed within its teachings. This becomes even clearer to us by virtue of Quran learning, offering us blessings, as well as awakening of mind and soul.
Muslims should try their level best to follow the guidelines of the greatest and truest religion (Islam) blessed to them by Allah Almighty, and not only observe the sanctity of Muharram, but all through the year and all through their lives.
Islamic calendar comprises of 12 different months, each of them having its own significance; “Dhul-hijjah” being the last of them and perhaps the most important of them as well, because it offers Muslims all around the world the honor of “Hajj”, followed by “Eid-al-Adhaa”.
The two of these are considered to be the most revered of religious occasions (celebrations, in fact) for Muslims. This post serves to furnish you with some basic information about both “Hajj” as well as “Eid-al-Adhaa”.
Hajj – The Annual Religious Pilgrimage
“Hajj”, also referred as the “Annual Pilgrimage to Makkah”, is basically a special way of worship performed during designated days of this month. Hajj is one of the most important ways of worship practiced in Islam. In fact, it is taken as 5th pillar of Islam along with Shahadah (acknowledgment of Allah’s oneness and acceptance of Prophet Muhammad PBUH as His last Prophet), Salah(5 times daily prayers), Sawm (fasting during the month of Ramadan), and Zakat (sparing a fixed amount from your wealth to the poor and needy ones).
Al-Baqara[2:197]Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of Ihram], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do – Allah Knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah. And fear Me, O you of understanding.
Hajj, being extremely significant element of Islamic ideology, needs detailed elaboration, which is not possible in this short space. In fact, there are many detailed books available on the topic, explaining the essence and details of the philosophy and rituals of Hajj. Given below is only the most basic and most important information about it:
Hajj is an obligation for every adult Muslim (for males as well as females) who is physically and financially sound enough to understand and carry out the rituals of Hajj, at least once in their life.
One needs to dress up in a specific manner (different for males and females) before reaching Makkah to perform Hajj rituals.
According to some, the essence of Hajj is the recital one needs to practice while circling around “Haram”. It translates as:
“Here I am at Thy service O Lord, here I am. Here I am at Thy service and Thou hast no partners. Thine alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty. Thou hast no partners.”
Eid-al-Adhaa (The Sacrifice)
Eid-al-Adhaa can be referred as the culmination of Hajj, where Hujjaj (the ones who performed Hajj) and all other Muslims around the world who afford to do so, sacrifice an animal in the name of Allah, to please The Mightiest. In fact, sacrificing an animal is considered being an act of sacredness in all religions beholder of Divine Book. Even societies other than those also considered sacrificing of an animal as an act to please their God(s).
The process of sacrifice follows very much after Hajj, when Hujjaj sacrifice an animal (only from the “halaal” or permitted to consume ones) as a commemoration and homage in association to the act of Prophet Abraham (A.S) who vowed to sacrifice his son Ismael (A.S) as his ultimate love and submission to Allah Almighty. The following verse from Quranalso highlights the act of sacrifice:
Al-Baqara [2:196] And complete the hajj or `Umrah in the service of Allah. But if ye are prevented (from completing it) send an offering for sacrifice, such as ye may find and do not shave your heads until the offering reaches the place of sacrifice. And if any of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp, (necessitating shaving) (he should) in compensation either fast, or feed the poor, or offer sacrifice; and when ye are in peaceful conditions (again) if anyone wishes to continue the ‘Umrah on to the hajj, he must make an offering such as he can afford, but if he cannot afford it, he should fast three days during the hajj and seven days on his return making ten days in all. This is for those whose household is not in (the precincts of) the Sacred Mosque. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is strict in punishment.
Conclusion
Dhul-Hijjah is a month that bestows Muslims with the opportunity to end their year reverting to Allah Almighty, courtesy to Hajj and Eid-al-Adhaa; thus helping them seek the accord of their Lord. May Allah bless us with the honor of understanding and performing an activity as revered as Hajj.
For Muslims, true success lies in submitting themselves wholly to the wish and will of The Mightiest, living their lives as a means to appease Allah Almighty, following all the obligations of their religion. The religion for a true Muslim remains insignificant without observing five aspects, referred commonly as “Five Pillars of Islam”. They include
Testimony of faith
Prayers (Salath)
Fasting during the month of Ramadan (Sawm)
The Pilgrimage to Makkah (Hajj)
Giving charity (Zakat)
In addition to these, equipping one’s self with essential and blessed knowledge of Holy Quranis also deemed as an act of high gratitude towards Allah Almighty. Out of the 5 pillars of Islam mentioned above, testimony of faith is something that a Muslim has to adhere to, every second of their life; while all other pillars are specific to a special time, special place, or both.
In this article, however, we are going to comprehend on the rituals of “The Pilgrimage to Makkah” or Hajj. Allah Almighty, being the most gracious and the most merciful, though holding Hajj to be an obligation for Muslims, offers great relaxations.
There are specific conditions under which Hajj becomes obligatory to Muslims. If any Muslim fails to fulfill those criteria, the obligation of Hajj is deemed wavered off, as described by Muslim scholars. These include:
Being A Faithful Muslim
Being faithful to Allah Almighty and submitting yourself to Allah’s will completely without any kind of doubt and ambiguity on any of His commandments is primary, not only to all acts of worship (including Hajj), but also to maintain the status of being a Muslim in the first place. Without establishing a clear faith upon The Mightiest and all His commandments, a person is not considered “momin” by Allah Almighty and no act of his worship can gain him Allah’s will.
“And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allaah and in His Messenger” [al-Tawbah 9:54]
Holding Soundness Of Mind
No one is more just than Allah Almighty
Al-Anaam [6:62] Then they are returned to Allâh, their Maulâ [True Master (God), the just Lord (to reward them)]. Surely, for Him is the judgment and He is the Swiftest in taking account
Therefore, He does not make it mandatory for a person whose soundness of mind is questionable. Hajj is only mandatory for a Muslim whose mental health and soundness is beyond question.
Being An Adult
Similarly, Hajj is deemed mandatory only for adults (not children) who are grown up and sensible enough to handle different kinds of situations and take care of themselves appropriately. In fact, Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once said:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The pen is lifted from three [and does not record their deeds]: from one who is sleeping, until he wakes up; from a child until he reaches puberty, and from one who is insane until he comes to his senses.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4403; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Being Free
Allah has only obligated Hajj on a Muslim who is totally free and not being enslaved (or servant) to someone who might not let his slave to go for Hajj for any possible reason.
In A Position To Do It
Allah Almighty is the most just anyone could ever be, as made clear to us from learning Quran. Therefore, Hajj becomes obligation only to those who are able to do it:
“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence)” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:97]
Scholars elaborate that “being able to do it” includes one’s financial as well as mental and physical ability to perform Hajj.
Conclusion
The fact of the matter is that Hajj or “The Pilgrimage to Makkah” is one of the most honored and exalted moments that Allah Almighty bestows to anyone who strives for it. It is such a life-transforming event that no other event or incidence can ever be compared to it. May Allah Almighty honor every single one of faithful Muslims to fulfill this religious obligation promised of countless worldly and heavenly benefits.
