My father died about 10 years ago. He never did the hajj pilgrimage. I now want to pay for someone to do it on his behalf.
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:
Assalamu alaikum
Hope you are well. I would greatly appreciate if you could answer my question.
My father died about 10 years ago. He never did the hajj pilgrimage.
I now want to pay for someone to do it on his behalf. Who is the best person to
do it? Should someone who has already done hajj before do it? Or can it be
anyone? Or is it best for myself or one of my other siblings do it?
Thank you very very much in advance
Khuda Hafiz (also why do some people say that one should say allah hafiz...is
it wrong to say khuda hafiz?) If it is wrong - i apologise - Allah Hafiz
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Answer:
Hajj for parents father
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 no one (no idol, no
person, no grave, no prophet, no imam,
no dai, nobody!) worthy of
worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His
slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Your Question: My father died about 10 years ago. He never did the
hajj pilgrimage.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.418 Narrated by Ibn Abbas
A woman came to the Prophet (saws) and said,
"My mother vowed to perform the Hajj but she died before performing it.
Should I perform the Hajj on her behalf?" He (saws) said, "Yes!
Perform the Hajj on her behalf. See, if
your mother had been in debt, would you have paid her debt?" She said, "Yes." He (saws) said,
"So you should pay what is for Him, as Allah has more right that one
should fulfill one's obligations to Him."
Your Question: Who is the best person to do it?
The
absolute best person to perform the ‘hajj-e-badal’ for one’s parents would be
one amongst their siblings, or a close relative like brother, sister, uncle,
etc., or a close friend of the deceased.
Your Question: Should someone who has already done hajj before do
it?
It is
preferable that the one who is going to perform a ‘hajj-e-badal’ on another’s
behalf, should have performed their obligatory rite of hajj prior to their
performing the pilgrimage on anothers behalf.
Your Question: I now want to pay for someone to do it on his
behalf.
If one
cannot find a close relative or loved one to perform the hajj for their deceased
parents, there is absolutely no harm in paying for someone to perform the hajj
for their deceased parents.
Your Question: Or is it best for myself or one of my other
siblings do it?
The absolute best
would obviously be for one of the off-springs to perform the ‘hajj-e-badal’ for
their deceased parents.
Your Question: Khuda Hafiz (also why do some people say that one
should say allah hafiz...is it wrong to say khuda hafiz?) If it is wrong - i
apologise - Allah Hafiz
The
term ‘Khuda’ is not an Arabic term, but probably rather derived from a ‘Farsi’
(Iranian) term which they would use for
‘God’ or ‘gods’. Although, if when one
says ‘Khuda-Hafiz’ with the intention and to mean that one go in the protection
of the One and Only True Lord God Who Created, there is absolutely no harm.
But
a more appropriate and better phrase for the believers to say when departing
would be the Arabic phrase ‘Fee-Amaan Allah’ meaning (…in the protection of
Allah), or ‘Allah-Maak’ (…may Allah be with you), or ‘Ma-as Salaama’ (….with
you be peace), or even ‘Allah-Hafiz’ meaning (….may Allah protect you).
With
a little practice, these terms would become second nature and a good salutation
to say to one’s brother or sister when departing.
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