Hajj is the 5th pillar of Islam that every Muslim must at least perform once in his/her life. Moreover, it is something that holds great importance in the life of Muslims. It begins from the 7th day of the Dhu-Al-Hijjah. Whereas, it ends on the 12th day of the same Islamic month. It is obligatory on Muslims that are financially and physically able to perform the pilgrimage only if their absence will not affect his/her family adversely. Individuals can perform Hajj by appointing any relative or friend at his/her place. On the contrary, Umrah (minor pilgrimage) is the direct Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), and it can be performed anytime in the year which can be performed after booking umrah packages all-inclusive. However, Umrah is not an obligation.
Who is obligated to perform Hajj?
Before going to the Hajj, certain conditions set by Islamic law and the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia need to be followed, such as he/she should be an adult, sane, should have arrangements for the accommodation, transportation, food, etc. He/she should have enough time to reach Mecca and perform the acts. Moreover, an individual intending for Hajj should have enough assets left that can support the family while he/she goes for Hajj. Moreover, Hajj is not obligatory on a person who borrows money for the hajj and later does not have assets to pay the taken debt. Haram money (illegally earned money) cannot be used to perform the hajj, even if the money of Ihram or payment of sacrifice is from Haram money, the Hajj is invalidated.
Who can perform Umrah?
Most importantly, the pilgrimage to Kaabah can only be offered by Muslims. According to Islamic law, non-Muslims are denied to enter the premises of the Masjid al-Haram. Moreover, being a Muslim, the person on Umrah is bound by some arrangement of rules and guidelines. The conditions for performing Umrah with the help of Trusted Hajj Umrah Travel Agency in UK are either set by the specialists of Islamic law or by the local administration of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is likewise a de-facto custodian of the holiest Muslim site of Kaabah, Masjid e Nabvi, Masjid al-haram, and other holy sites under in Saudi Arabia. In this way, the Umrah visa applicant needs to adjust to the visa policy of the government. You can check eligibility criteria for the Umrah visa application on the official site of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj. If you need to find out about who can perform Umrah, here are a couple of points to consider that will address all your Umrah related concerns.
• All adults can perform Umrah until they can bear the stress of the financial expenses of the journey.
• Women under 45 years are not permitted to perform Umrah without Mahram.
• Mahram must be 17 or above in age.
• Women more than 45 in age are permitted to perform Umrah without Mahram.
• Recent Muslim converts having non-Muslim names are likewise permitted. However, they have to submit documented evidence.
Can we do Hajj with gift money?
There is nothing bad or there is no reason why a friend, family, or close friend should not gift you money to perform Hajj. Hajj is no doubt a very sacred practice, and if you are helping someone performing this duty, there are rewards for you. However, Islam has some rules for the one who is donating the money or gifting the money. The person who is helping someone else in performing Hajj should have performed Hajj himself earlier because there is no point in delaying your religious obligation to help someone else. On the other hand, before accepting the gift, one should properly investigate if the money is earned in a halal way or not. However, if you investigate fully from your side, and you don’t find anything haram at that time, but once you are done with Hajj, and you find out that it was not earned by halal means, then it becomes obligatory on you to return the gift money to him to save your hajj going in vain. It is preferred to do Hajj with your own money, but it is also considered good if you help someone doing it who is not fit financially. Allah explains in the Quran that all Muslims should help other Muslim brothers/sisters in Al-Bir And At-taqwa.
Is it permissible to gift loan money for Hajj or Umrah?
Hajj is an obligation, while Umrah isn’t. Therefore, we can’t compare hajj and Umrah. Most of the researchers and scholars agree on a similar point that it isn’t possible to perform Umrah with loan money. Interest is haram, and one should not use haram money to perform such sacred worship. However, some scholars have different opinions on this issue. The choices concerning an advance for Umrah remain like Hajj in all fiqh. Some others take a less inflexible view and grant Umrah loans. In any case, scholars allow Umrah with Loan on two conditions:
• You should have enough assets to pay the loan after umrah
• Your bank doesn’t have any issue with your leaving for Umrah.
There is a difference between borrowing the money or taking any loan from the bank. Likewise, if your bank or creditor agrees to pass the loan without any interest in it, and you have assets to pay the loan back, then there is no objection.
Sending your parents on Hajj before yourself?
If a person can do Hajj, then he needs to do Hajj that year. Moreover, it is not permissible for him to delay Hajj for the sake of anyone else, even his parents. However, a scholar’s point on this issue is that honoring parents and helping them to do Hajj is very recommended, but you should do Hajj for yourself first, and if you are already done with Hajj obligation, then your parents should be your first choice to help in this matter. Moreover, you can go with them if they are old and help them out to earn great rewards from Allah.