Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
I was sitting in the company of two women speaking. The one lady said that her brother had sent her a ticket to London. She then said that she had to postpone her trip due to the travel ban on Saudi Arabia. So, the friend said to her why doesn’t ask her brother if she could use the money and purchase a ticket for hajj. The lady then implied that there was no need to go to Mecca for the hajj. You can perform hajj from your home. The other woman was in shock because she had never heard such a thing before. Is this true?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah guide every dimension of our lives to that which pleases Him.
Performing Hajj is one of the five cardinal acts of servitude in Islam. It is impossible to fulfill the obligations of Hajj except on Mina, ‘Arafa, Muzdalifa, and Makka.
The sister may have been referring to attaining the reward of Hajj, and there is a way that one could earn a reward that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) equated to a complete Hajj. The Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) teaching emphasizes the tremendous reward of the acts described below, and Allah knows best.
Earning the Reward of Hajj from Home
Anas Ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Whoever offers his Fajr prayer in congregation, and then remains seated in the remembrance of Allah until [approximately 15 mins after] sunrise, then offers two units of prayer (Ishraq), will receive the reward of one Hajj and ‘Umra–complete complete complete.” [Tirmidhi with a sound chain]
Other narrations mention other deeds that also earn similar rewards, and Allah knows best.
I pray this is of benefit and that Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar, Shaykh Taha Karaan.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and pursuing his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.