CHAPTER 3

       Before You Leave

3.1 General

      Ḥajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. All Muslims who fulfill certain conditions must perform Ḥajj at least once in their lifetime. What are these conditions? Are there any prerequisites of Ḥajj? The answers to these and many other similar questions can help you in making decisions, and in planning for Ḥajj in a better and more efficient manner.

3.2 Who Must Perform Ḥajj

      Every Muslim who fulfills the following conditions must perform Ḥajj at least once in his lifetime:

      a: He must be of sound mind and in full control of his mental faculties.

      b: He must be sufficiently old and mature to understand the full import and significance of what he is setting out to do.

      c: He must be sound enough financially to be able not only to bear all of his expenses for Ḥajj but also to provide adequately for his dependants during his absence and until his return.

      NOTES(1) Those who are old or permanently incapacitated, but are otherwise fully capable of meeting their financial obligations in respect of Ḥajj, may pay someone else to perform it on their behalf. It is preferable, though not essential, that their delegate has himself been to Ḥajj before undertaking this responsibility on their behalf.

      (2) Adult children may also perform Ḥajj on behalf of their deceased parents.

3.3 Prerequisites of Ḥajj

      Since Ḥajj is an act of worship, it must be performed in peace and with single-minded devotion. There are a number of simple, yet important, things you can do to get in the right frame of mind for this unique experience. All of these are self-evident and are based on common sense. They are reiterated below for completeness of the discussion and as a reminder:

      a: Your intention must be to perform Ḥajj solely for the sake of Allah. Considerations of pleasing or impressing others with your show of piety should never be a factor.

      b: All Ḥajj expenses must be paid out of money obtained through legitimate (ḥalāl) means. Money obtained through illegitimate or doubtful means is not acceptable.

      c: All of your debts and financial obligations must be fully discharged before you start your journey and, where necessary, a receipt of the transaction obtained for future use.