Hajj And Qurbani

1999 September

Question:
I have started earning myself, but I am still unmarried. I give my salary wholly to my mother (she returned back more than half). Please tell me when the Qurbani on Eid-ul-Azha become ‘Fardh’ on a man.
Similarly, I have also learnt that if the Qurbani of a partner on the slaughter of cow is not accepted by Allah, then the Qurbani of the remaining partners also are not accepted. Why?

Answer:
Qurbani becomes obligatory on a person when he has 52.5 tolas of silver either in the form of money, jewelry or any other items of household which are in excess of one’s needs. It is not correct that if the Qurbani of one person is not approved by Allah, the Qurbani of other partners is also not approved. The fact is that Allah Almighty treats everyone according to his sincerity. However, if one partner takes part in a cow only to get the meat and not perform Qurbani, then it will not be allowed for other partners to offer that cow as a Qurbani. They should seek some other partner who takes share of the cow for the performance of Qurbani. If they fail to do so, their Qurbani will not be valid.


1998 June

Question:
The following problem has become a source of worry for me and I shall be deeply grateful if you could kindly let me know your opinion on the matter:
A welfare organization has put up the following banner on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
کھالیں دیکر انعام ہاتھ کے ہاتھ حاصل کریں
According to their scheme the condition for giving the- “gift” is laid down i.e. a certain “gift” for one skin, another for two skins and another for a cow skin etc.
Without donating the skin no gift is given. The gift for each type of skin and number of skins is fixed by them.
My desire is to know whether such a scheme is according to Shariat and the spirit of Qurbani. (H. Wahab)

Answer:
The hides of the animals slaughtered in Qurbani can be used directly by the person performing Qurbani. They can also be given as gifts to another person for his personal use. However, it is not permissible to sell the hides and use the price for one’s benefit. If somebody sells them it is obligatory on him to give the price so received in charity. The scheme of the gift you have referred to, is not in compliance with Shariah because the gifts being fixed they are tantamount to the price of the hides, therefore, one should not avail of this scheme. If somebody has acquired the gift he should give it to a poor person as charity.


2001 September

Question:
Why in Islam for a male child at the time of aqeeqah two sacrifices are offered while for a female child only One? (Khalid Baig)

Answer:
Before answering your question, it will be pertinent to make three points;
1) Aqeeqah is not an obligatory performance. It is only a Sunnah.
2) The sacrifice offered at the time of Aqeeqah is. a form of worship.
3) The forms of worship prescribed by Allah are just to test the obedience of the followers and it is not correct to seek reason behind them. The very purpose of worship is to display one’s total obedience and submission to Allah which includes that a person abides by His command even though he does not fully realise the wisdom behind it. One does not need to know or understand why two Rakats only are obligated for Fajr, three Rakats for Maghrib and four Rakats for Zuhr, Asr and Isha.
Keeping these points in mind it is not at all necessary to know or fully understand the reason why two goats are offered as sacrifice for Aqeeqah of a male child and only one goat in the case of a female child.

This is a Sunnah prescribed by the Holy Prophet ﷺ He has clarified in a number of ahadith that the female child is a blessing from Allah and by no means is lower than a male child. The Holy Quran and the Sunnah have also condemned the practice of the pagan Arabs who expressed grief when they were informed of the birth of a daughter. The Prophet ﷺ has in a number of ahadith explained the merits of a daughter and the rewards promised for a person who looks after his daughter or daughters with love and affection.


1438 Ramadan

Question:
In a hot western country the tails of sheep are docked (cut) for hygiene reasons, are we allowed to sacrifice these sheep for Qurbani?

Answer:
This kind of sheep is not allowed for the purpose of Qurbani.


2000 January

Question:
I am sorry for not being in touch for quite some time. The reason for my writing this letter is that I am planning, In sha Allah, to take my father for Umrah. My father is quite old (masha-Allah 84) and has problem of Hernia. Due to this and weak muscles, he has to frequently visit the toilet for urinating. This means for the duration of Umrah he would have to go in between the Umrah to the toilet. However, if he wears underwear then it helps and he can control his urine better and maybe can perform Umrah better and without interruption. In such a situation is it permissible if he wears underwear in Ihram? If yes, does he have to give any ‘Dum’ and is the Dum to be given in Saudi or can it be given outside?
Furthermore, he has arthiritis in his knees and wears knee bands for support (sort of round open ended socks on the knees). Is this and similarly a belt for the support of the back permissible in Ihram? I shall be grateful for your guidance with respect to this question.
(I. N, U.A.E)

Answer:
The principle of the state of Ihram is that wearing any garment which is sewn on the shape of a limb or any other part of the body is not permissible. The underwear being sewn on the shape of the body is not among the garments allowed in Ihram. However, the unsewn cloth wrapped around the relevant part of the body like langot can be used if it serves the purpose. In this case no kaffarah will be obligated. But if this type of cloth cannot serve the purpose and your father has to wear a sewn underwear in that case if the underwear is worn for 12 hours or more (beginning from the first recitation of Talbia upto the shaving of the head after performing the Umrah) then a dam (i.e. a goat) shall have to be sacrificed in the precinct of haram but if it is worn for less than 12 hours a Sadaqah in the amount of Sadaqa tul Fitr will be enough.
So far as the knee-cap is concerned it is not a sewn cloth, therefore, it has the status of a bandage which can be used during Ihram in the cases of medical need and no kaffarah is necessary for using it.


2000 June

Question:
I have been advised that due to the large crowds at the jamraat in Hajj, I should keep away and let my husband do the stoning on my behalf, I would like to attempt to do it myself as much as possible.

1) Could I do the stoning of the jamraat on the 10th of Zilhajj and then if needed let my husband do it the next day or the next 2 days? The reason I ask this is because I am told that either I should do all the stoning myself or let my husband do it all as it is not appropriate to split this, to be done by myself and my husband.
2) What is the procedure / niyyah to make, when one is stoning on behalf of someone else? (Sister, R)

Answer:
So long as you are physically fit for stoning the Jamraat yourself you are not allowed to make your husband your representative for this purpose. If you fear a large crowd at the Jamraat you can delay the stoning till evening and can do so even in the night. But it is not permissible to let your husband do it on your behalf. This is allowed only in a case when you are not physically fit to go to Jamraat in which case you can make any one your representative to do so on your behalf either for one or more days.


1426 Rabi’ al-Thani

Question:
Tawaf and Sa’ie on Wheel Chair
I performed Hajj along with my mother and wife this year. My mother is around 65 years old and is a heart patient. She takes medicines regularly.
My mother performed Tawaf and Sa’ie of Umrah (before Hajj) on foot. My mother complained for not feeling well few days before Hajj (maybe due to over-exertion). Her heart beat increased and she was feeling pain in her left leg. We referred to the doctor who said that problem could be due to too much walking/exercise etc. Doctor advised to use wheel chair for my mother.
Accordingly, I purchased a wheel chair for mother and made use of it wherever was possible. So, while performing the Tawaf-e-Ziarat and Hajj Sa’ie, my mother used wheel chair due to fear of health problems.
After performing Hajj, my mother was feeling a bit better and people’s crowd was also reduced, so my mother performed Tawaf-e-Wida on foot.
Please advise whether performing Tawaf-e-Ziarat and Hajj Sa’ie on wheel chair was right or we would have to pay some Sadaqah or Dam etc? (Abdul Haq)

Answer:
It was permissible for your mother to perform Tawaaf and Sa’ie on a wheelchair due to her medical condition. There is no Sadqah nor Dam that needs to be paid.


1424 Muharram

Question:
In Arafat do they combine Zuhr and Asr together even if they are praying in their tent and not in Masjid – Nimra? If yes, the combination of prayer would be done at the time of Zuhr or Asr? If they do combine Zuhr and Asr at the time of Zuhr would they be able to pray any nafl namaz after that?

Answer:
According to Imam Abu Hanifah combining the Zuhr and Asr prayers in Arafat is applicable only when a person prays behind the Ameer of Hajj in the prayer of Masjid Namirah. If someone is praying in his own tent or in some one else’s tent, though with Jamaat, he will perform both prayers at their normal times

Question:
With respect to Tawaf-e-Ziarat which includes Sayee as well, can they perform the Tawaf and Sayee separately at separate timings or do they have to do it in one go?

Answer:
It is a Sunnah to perform Sayee of Hajj immediately after Tawaf-e-Ziarat. However, a little gap for having some rest or doing some needful act in permissible, but delaying Sayee after Tawaf-e-Ziarat without any valid reason is Makruh. Therefore, it should be performed as soon as possible after Tawaf-e-Ziarat. However, if someone delayed it for a long time no compensation (dam) is obligatory on him – although it is Makruh.

Question:
With respect to slippers, do they have to wear “do patti ” chappal which they call here hawai chappal or can they wear slippers with one or two cross straps and one at the back of heal but the whole foot still shows except for the place with straps?

Answer:
The essential requirement with regard to footwear in Ihram is that the upper side of the foot from the conspicuous bone in the centre up to the ankles must be uncovered. If this requirement is fulfilled then it is permissible that the fingers are fully covered. Keeping this principle in view any footwear can be used.

Question:
One of the friends in the group is doing his second Hajj. He wishes to do this Hajj as Hajj badal for his late father for sawab. Can he do that in his niyat for Hajj.
Will he also get the sawab of Hajj for himself as well? The other friend is doing the Hajj for the first time. Can he also have the niyat to do Hajj badal for his late father? (I. N Sharjah UAE)

Answer:
The one who is performing Hajj for the first time cannot make Niyat of Hajj badal. He must perform Hajj for himself whereby his obligation of Farz Hajj will be discharged. However, the one who has performed his own Farz Hajj can make Niyat of Hajj Badal for his deceased father for the purpose of Sawab. In this case he will also get the sawab of Hajj. However, if the Hajj was Farz on his late father and he is performing his first Hajj as Hajj Badal then the Sawab of Hajj will be for his late father and he may be rewarded for doing this good act for his father.


1428 Muharram

Question:
My friends are going for 10 days for Hajj. Will they perform Qasr prayers all through their trip except when in Jamaat and the Imam is a Muqeem who prays full namaz?

Answer:
Since the whole trip of your friend does not exceed 10 days they will perform Qasr prayers. However, if they are performing the Salat behind a Muqeem Imam they will perform full prayer with him.

Question:
I refer to article in the Zulqadah\December 2006 Urdu Albalagh “Hajj ki Aasaaniya” by Respected Brother Mahmood Ashraf Usmani which I have found interesting.
May I refer to page 55 subheading “Libaas ke Sahoolat”:
“Agar kiesie shaksh ne abhie tak Hajj kay zaroorie waajibaat me se koi wajib mathlan Qurbani auf halq abhie tak nahie kieye tau bhie woh haalate ihraam hie me yeh tawaafe ziyaarat kar sakta he.”Does this mean that even before performing Halq Qurbani the Haji can perform the Tawaafe Ziyaarat? Are we not supposed to follow the Wajib Tarteeb of:
1) Pelt the big Jamaraat
2) Dame Shukr (Qurbani)
3) Halq
(Aboobaker Saley Mayet)

Answer:
Yes, Tawaf e-Ziyarat may be performed before Halq or Qurbani or even before pelting the big Jamarah. However, in thins situation it should be performed in Ihram. The wajib tarteeb is only for pelting the Jamarah, Qurbani and Halq. To perform tawaf-e-ziyarat after halq is sunnah and not wajib.

Fatawa by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani.