Fatwa ID: 02062
Answered by Ustadha Umm Abdullah
Question:
Alhamdulillah, I have recently started married life less than a year ago. I have a question about whether I and my wife should post-pone having children in order to perform Hajj first.
I have performed my obligatory Hajj in 2012, however my wife has not. I noted that my wife received a lot of gold jewellery as wedding gifts and it is enough for her to pay for my Hajj and her own. Therefore, I have been contemplating to take her for Hajj in 2017 and then plan a family after that. She agrees to some extent but on occasion becomes anxious about having children first prior to going for Hajj. There is also a lot of pressure at times from both of our families to plan a family now
(i.e. before going for Hajj)
Should we post-pone going on Hajj and plan a family first or should we go on Hajj first? Is it my wife's Shariah right to have children? Please advise.
Answer:
Allah ﷻ states in the Qur’aan:
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ
“Hajj (pilgrimage to show love for Allah) to the house (the ka’bah) is a duty that people who are able to find a way there owe to Allah (therefore, Muslims who can afford to go to Makkah to perform Hajj have to do so). Whoever rejects (this obligation), then (it should be borne in mine that) surely Allah is Independent of the entire universe (Allah does not need man’s worship. Man benefits only himself by worshipping Allah).” [Surah Aal-Imraan:97]
From the above verse, the obligation of performing Hajj has been made apparent. It is fardh ain (an individual obligation) upon every Muslim who is able to fulfil it once in a lifetime.
Hajj is obligatory on every free, mature, sane, healthy Muslim. Furthermore, one must have sufficient wealth for travel, accommodation, and enough to leave behind as expenditure for his family. [1]
Hajj must be carried out as soon as the preconditions are found. A person who delays the performance of Hajj even though he had the means to perform it, and then dies, will be sinful and open to the punishment and displeasure of Allah ﷻ.
Abdullah ibn Abbas Radiallahu Anhu narrated that Rasulullah ﷺ has said, “he who intends to perform Hajj, should hasten to do so.” [2]
Hajj should not be postponed as one is unaware of what his circumstances will be like in the future. He may become unhealthy and unable to perform Hajj, or his financial status may change. Therefore, Hajj should be performed as soon as possible.
With regards to the aforementioned question, it is strongly advised that priority is given to your wife’s obligation of performing Hajj.
Only Allah Ta’ala knows best
Ustadha Umm Abdullah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham.
[1]
الحج واجب على الأحرار البالغين العقلاء الأصحاء إذا قدروا على الزاد والراحلة فاصلا عن المسكن وما لا بد منه وعن نفقة عياله إلى حين عوده
)الهداية ج١\ص٢٤٩، مكتبة رحمانيّة(
[2]
حدثنا مسدد، حدثنا أبو معاوية، محمد بن خازم عن الاعمش عن الحسن بن عمرو، عن مهران أبي صفوان، عن ابن عباس، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "من أراد الحج فليتعجل"
)سنن أبي داود ج١ \ص ٢٤٢، الميزان پبلشرز(
