Fatwa ID: 05649
Answered by: Mufti Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia
Question:
Will it be okay if I donate the cost of Qurbani and Haj towards a charity particularly for an educational purpose?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In regards to your question:
- Hajj:
Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime upon one who satisfies six conditions, they are:
- To be a Muslim
- To be Mature and Adult
- To be Sane
- To be a Free Male (not a slave)
- To have the Financial means- which is to have sufficient funds to pay for the Hajj package and also if travelling alone to leave behind funds for the family which will suffice for them during the absence
- To have knowledge that Hajj is obligatory (for someone that has accepted Islam)
(Nurul Idha, Pg 24, English Translation)
Allah mentions in the Qur’an:
And it is the duty of mankind toward Allah to make the pilgrimage to the House —for those who can afford the journey to it— and should anyone renege [on his obligation], Allah is true without need of the creatures. (Surah Al-Imran- Chapter 3, V 97)
On the authority of Abdullah, the son of Umar ibn al-Khattab (RadiAllahu Anhu), who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, “Islam has been built on five [pillars]: testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the salah (prayer), paying the zakat (obligatory charity), making the hajj (pilgrimage) to the House, and fasting in Ramadhan.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
Ibn Umar (RadiAllahu Anhu) narrated:
“A man came to the Prophet and said: ‘O Messenger of Allahﷺ! What is it that makes Hajj obligatory?’ He said: “The provisions and a means of conveyance.”(Sunan Tirmizi)
From the above Quranic verse and Ahadith we come to know that, if a person has the means to go for Hajj and still doesn’t travel and performs the Hajj, the person has violated and neglected one of the main pillars of Islam. Therefore, if the means are available one should go for Hajj. But if the means are not available, a person should save up and make a saving plan so Insha’Allah in the near future Hajj can be performed.
If a person gives away the money towards a charity, thinking that the Hajj obligation will be fulfilled, this is not correct and the person will still have the obligation of performing Hajj.
For the above ruling, we will take a deductive analogy, which is mentioned in ‘Aap Ke Masa’ail Aur Unk Hal’:
“Q: If a person gave money to his parents to perform Hajj, but the parents rather spent the money in charity and gave it in charity, what is the ruling?
A: The son will be rewarded for this kind act, but if the Parents hadn’t performed Hajj previously and they had the means and were capable when the child gave them financial support to perform Hajj, still they didn’t perform Hajj and gave that fund for charity and they died, they will be sinful and will be incumbent upon them that before they die they make a will and appoint someone to perform ‘Hajj Badal’ on their behalf. (Aap ke Masa’ail aur unk Hal, Vol 4, Pg 39, Maktabah Ludhyanvi)
- Qurbani:
The act of sacrifice on the 10th of Dhul-HIjjah is called ‘Qurbani or Udhiyyah’. A legacy of The Prophet Ibrahim (Alayhi Salaam). We come to know from the Prophetic traditions that The Prophetﷺ also carried out the action and rituals of Qurbani.
- Saaidah Aaisha Radiallahu Anha narrates that the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam said “On the 10thof Zul Hijjah no action can be performed which is more beloved to Allah (SWA) than the spilling of blood. The animal shall come on the Day of Judgement with its horns, hair and hoofs. Allah (SWA) accepts the blood of the animal, before even reaching the ground. Thus, sacrifice your animal with an open, happy heart.” (Sunan Tirmizi)
Qurbani will be compulsory and obligatory upon every Male or Female, reached the age of puberty; they are Muslim, sane and who is Moqeem (not a traveller), who has got savings or wealth, which is equivalent to the Nisab of Zakat (612.36g of silver). (Aap ke Masa’ail aur unke Hal Vol 4, Pg 173, Maktabah Ludhyanwi)
The Nisab and calculation are approximately £268.34.
Any person who has in his ownership wealth equivalent to 612.36g of silver or 87.48g of gold on the Day of Eid is compelled to give Sadaqatul Fitr for Eidul Fitr or sacrifice an animal for Eidul Adha. (Raddul Muhtar p.171 v.3, Darul Alamil Kutub)
If the days of Qurbani have passed and due to laziness, unaware and forgetfulness a person didn’t perform Qurbani, It will be compulsory upon them to give the price of Qurbani in charity to the poor. But if someone looks for a loophole and gives the amount in charity and doesn’t do Qurbani, this is not permissible and the person will be sinful. By giving the amount in Charity the obligation won’t be fulfilled. (Aap ke Masa’ail aur unk Hal, Vol 4, Pg 178, Maktabah Ludhyanwi)
Only Allah Knows best.
Written by Mufti Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
