JEDDAH – New advertisements, offering hajj to those unable to perform it against financial amounts, have flooded social media, with Saudi scholars discouraging the practice for being prohibited in Islam.

“I am charging SR4,000 for the service,” an individual who offers the Hajj service, who requested anonymity, told Al-Madina Arabic daily, Saudi Gazette reported on Tuesday, August 30.

“We need the full name of the person if he/she is dead and we should know the person is really weak in case of sick people,” the man added.

Working for a local hajj service agency, the man said his potential clients include those who have died without being able to perform the religious duty as well as people who are weak and sick and unable to perform the fifth pillar of Islam.

The money is either paid in cash or transferred to his account before hajj.

After the end of the rituals, a video of the rituals is sent from the holy sites to the client’s mobile phone.

“We go for hajj together. The fee we charge is to meet the expenses of transport to enter Makkah unofficially as well as expenses of housing, food and drink,” said an Arab member of a group of non-Saudis.

“SR3,500 should be paid as an advance and the remaining SR1,000 after hajj,” he added.

Muslims from around the world pour to Makkah every year to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.

Hajj consists of several ceremonies, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.

Discouraged 

The new trend has been discouraged by Muslim scholars, saying it is not allowed to make money by performing hajj for others.

“Such services offered by individuals and companies will increase the practice and some people will promote it as a profitable business,” Dr. Abdul Rahman Bin Awad Al-Qarni, associate professor at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, and a Shariah consultant for the Prophet’s Sunnah Network, told Al-Madina.

“It will also encourage lazy people to authorize others to perform hajj on their behalf,” he explained.

He quoted the famous Islamic scholar Ibn Taimiyah as saying that it is not the sign of good Muslim to make money from religious and charitable matters.

“Making money will be the main intent of those performing hajj on behalf of others,” Al-Qarni pointed out.

“Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, has emphasized the importance of annual pilgrimage and its reward. It has been made mandatory only on those who are physically fit and financially capable.”

“If a person is physically unfit and financially capable, he/she can authorize another person to perform hajj on his/her behalf, and the person who performs hajj or Umrah on his/her behalf is allowed to receive a financial reward for that service. Individuals can also authorize their relatives or non-relatives to perform hajj on their behalf after paying its expense,” he said.