Islam Guidance

Delay from the year of Capability is Harām

Delay from the year of Capability is Harām
 

Hajj is from those obligatory duties that must be performed immediately, if it is possible to do so. Not only is failure to perform Hajj a greater sin, but postponing it, is also a greater sin, even if it be for a year. Hajj has to be performed the very year, in which one is capable of doing so.

 Muhaqiq says in Shariatul Islam that delay from the year of capability is a deadly (Great) sin. ShahÄ«d Thani (the second Martyr) says in Masālik, “There is no difference of opinion among the Shia Scholars regarding this matter and there are sufficient proofs from the Qur’an and traditions that delay from the year of capability is a Greater Sin.” It is therefore clear that any delay in performing Hajj amounts to not giving it the importance which is due to it.

 Qur’anic ayats and traditions of Ma’sÅ«mÄ«n (a.s.) equate failure to perform Hajj with infidelity. It is a denial of Allah (S.w.T.) and a sort of polytheism. The Almighty Allah says in the Holy Qur’an,

 “…and pilgrimage to the House is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, (upon) everyone who is able to undertake the journey to it and whoever disbelieves, then surely Allah is self-sufficient, above any need of the worlds.”

(Surah Ä€li- ‘Imran 3: 97)

 Imam Sadiq (a.s.) says,

“By the words ‘whoever disbelieves’ is meant the one who does not perform it.”

‘Ali Ibn Ja’far records in his Sahih that, “My brother Imam MÅ«sa Ibn Ja’far (a.s.) says,

‘Indeed, the Almighty Allah has made Hajj incumbent on those who are capable. That is if they do not perform Hajj in the year of capability the omitted Hajj will become incumbent on them every year till the end of their lives.’”

For further explanation of this statement the book Urwathul Wuthqa can be referred.

‘Ali Ibn Ja’far says: I asked Imam (a.s.) whether those of us who did not perform Hajj would become infidels? Imam (a.s.) said,

“No, but the one who denies Hajj and does not give it due importance. He shall be a Kafir.”

Zarih Muharibi writes in his Sahih a tradition from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.):

“If a person dies without performing the obligatory Hajj while there was nothing that prevented him from doing so, that is, he was not having any need or problem and neither was he sick and nor any strong person stood in his way, then Allah shall raise him in Qiyāma with the Christians or Jews.”

(Wasa’il ul-Shia Vol. 8 page 20)

 Imam (a.s.) also said,

“A person who delays Hajj intentionally till such a time that he dies, will be raised by Almighty Allah on the day of Qiyāma in the form of a Jew or a Christian.”

(Wasa’il ul-Shia Vol. 8 page 21)

Muhaddith Faiz says in the book Wafi regarding above tradition that “need” means a necessity that impoverishes or that which will impoverish him in the future. Also, Imam (a.s.) has said that a person who fails to perform Hajj without a valid excuse will die as a Christian or a Jew. This implies that he has no faith in this important Islamic tenet. Otherwise in the absence of any obstruction he would have performed it immediately, considering the possibility that he may not be alive the next year.

Ishaq Ibn Ammar narrates from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) that he said,

“One who dies (without performing Hajj) while he was healthy and wealthy is like the one regarding whom Allah says that, ‘We shall raise him blind in Qiyāma.’”

Ishaq was surprised and he asked Imam (a.s.) whether that person will be actually blind in Qiyāma? Imam (a.s.) said,

“Yes! Allah will blind him from seeing the path to Paradise.”

(Wasa’il ul-Shia)

Muhammad Ibn Fuzail says that he asked Imam MÅ«sa Ibn Ja’far (a.s.) regarding the ayat,

 “And whoever is blind in this, he shall (also) be blind in the hereafter and more erring from the way.”

(Surah al-‘Isrā’, 17: 72)

 Imam (a.s.) said,

“It is the one who delays Hajj even in the event of his being financially capable. He keeps saying he would perform Hajj the coming year till he dies without performing Hajj.”

(Wasa’il ul-Shia Vol. 8 page 18)

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