Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother in Islam,

Assalamu-alaikum,

May ALMIGHTY ALLAH give you jaza-e khair in this world and here after for helping the ummah in follwoing the correct path of Islam. Dear brother by the grace of ALMIGHTY ALLAH inshallah my mother will perform Hajj this year in this context I request you to please answer the follwoing querries.

 

1) My mother is old and it is difficult for her to walk long distances(Alhamdulillah she can walk but very slowly and her knees get swollen up if she walk long distances) . Is it permissible that she performs the Tawaaf and Sayee on wheel chair?.

2) Is it necessary that the wheel chair be driven by mehram or the Qadims present in haram can as well push the wheel chair?

3)  Is it allowed that she perform the tawaaf and saee of Hajj on 6th Dhull Hajj (before going to Minaa) instead of on 10th Dhull Hajj as there will be a large crowd on 10th Dhull Hajj.

4) Is it permissible that her ramee(throwing of stone to jamaraath) be done by her mehram or is it compulsory that she herself has to perform ramee during night.

 

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Answer:

 

Hajj issues

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Q-1: My mother is old and it is difficult for her to walk long distances(Alhamdulillah she can walk but very slowly and her knees get swollen up if she walk long distances) . Is it permissible that she performs the Tawaaf and Sayee on wheel chair?.

Ibn Abbas (r.a.) reported that during the Farewell Pilgrimage the Prophet (saws) performed ‘tawaf’ while riding his camel, and touched the Black Stone with a stick (that he (saws) carried). (Related by Bukhari and Muslim)

 

Jabir reported that during the Farewell Pilgrimage the Prophet (saws) performed the ‘tawaf’ and made ‘sai’ between Safa and Marwah while riding on his mount.

 

There is evidence in the Sunnah regarding the doing of ‘tawaf’ and the ‘sai’ while riding on a mount or a vehicle; thus there is absolutely no harm if due to old age or a valid reason, your mother chooses to perform her ‘tawaf’ and/or her ‘sai’ on a wheel-chair.

 

Q-2: Is it necessary that the wheel chair be driven by mehram or the Qadims present in haram can as well push the wheel chair?

There is absolutely no such condition in Shariah that the wheel-chair or mount or vehicle must be driven or pushed by a mehram relative while performing the ‘tawaf’ or the ‘sai’; if a mehram relative wishes to push the wheel-chair, it is fine and if a ‘khadim’ is engaged to push the wheel-chair, that too is fine.

 

Q-3:  Is it allowed that she perform the tawaaf and saee of Hajj on 6th Dhull Hajj (before going to Minaa) instead of on 10th Dhull Hajj as there will be a large crowd on 10th Dhull Hajj.

First and foremost brother, in our own humble experience, there is not a lot of difference in the crowd performing the ‘tawaf’ and ‘sai’ on the 6^th of Dhul-Hijjah or the 10^th.  Alhamdolillah, the ‘haram’ is extremely crowded during these auspicious days of Hajj.

 

Secondly, because your mother would be doing her ‘tawaf’ and her ‘sai’ on a wheel-chair, it would be advisable to do so on the first or second floor, which is obviously much less crowded than the ground floor.

 

If your mother makes intention to perform the ‘Hajj-e-Ifrad’, then she has the option of performing the ‘tawaf-kudoom’ and the ‘sai’ before going to Muna….and there would be no need to do the ‘sai’ again on the Day of Eid.  But she would be required to perform the ‘tawaaf’ of Hajj on the Day of Eid, and the ‘tawaaf-ul-wida’ (farewell tawaaf) when she intends to leave Makkah for her final destination.

 

But if the intention of your mother is to perform the ‘Hajj-e-tamatto’, then it would be necessary for her to perform both, the ‘tawaaf’ and the ‘sai’ before the Hajj for her Umrah; then perform the ‘tawaaf’ and the ‘sai’ for the Hajj; and then perform the ‘tawaaf-ul-wida’ when she finally intends to leave Makkah. 

 

Q-4: Is it permissible that her ramee(throwing of stone to jamaraath) be done by her mehram or is it compulsory that she herself has to perform ramee during night.

There is indeed allowance in Shariah that one can deputize any other person, mehram or non-mehram, to do the ‘ramee’ or the stoning of the Jamarahs on their behalf.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan