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:

Why we find in india people after performing haaj do write like al-haaj or hajji before their name.as for example say Abdul Rahim writes Hajji Abdul Rahim or say Al- haaj Abdul Rahim. is it a title that one gets after performing haaj or is it a creation of the haajis themselves. is it allowed in islam?As fas as my knowledge i do not found any such socalled alhaaj or hajji before the names of the shaahabi or any great scholors of islams please answer in detail if one should write it or not.
yours faithfully

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Answer:

Title of Hajji or Al-Hajj

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.

Beloved Brother in Islam, you are absolutely right in your deduction that in the annals of Islamic History nowhere does it relate that even one of the tens of thousands of noble companions of the Prophet (saws) added the title of ‘Al-Haaj’ to their names after they performed the obligatory visit to the Sacred House of Allah Subhanah! It is indeed unfortunate that this self-declaration of titles of honor are added to ones names simple because they have fulfilled one of the obligatory commands of Allah Subhanah.

Just as the true believer who prays regularly does not add the title of ‘Al-Musalli’ to his name, or the one who fasts does not add ‘Al-Saayim’ to his name, it is not appropriate for one to add titles of self-honor to ones name in the guise of religion. If one adds such title to his own name just because he has fulfilled one of the commands of Allah, then it would constitute a form or manifestation of ‘show’ and ‘pride’, and these shallow means of self-appreciation like ‘show’ and ‘pride’ are neither permissible nor encouraged in Islam.

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