Allah the most supreme, has made it a neccessity for every Muslims, the five pillars of Islam which started with Faith and ends with Pilgrimage to the holy land, Hajj.
In so many verses of the Holy Qur’an, Allah has mentioned Hajj and it’s importance. Categorically in Surat Ali Imran, Allah speaks about the neccesity for performing Hajj.
Surat Al Imran is the third chapter of the Quran with two hundred verses. Imran in Islam is regarded as the father of Mary. This chapter is named after the family of Imran, which includes Imran, Saint Anne, Mary, and Jesus. It contained 200 verses, 3,503 words and 14,605 letters. It is classified in Juz’ 3 – 4 of the holy Qur’an and was revealed in Al Madinah.
In verse 97,.Allah says;
Allah said,
﴿وَللَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَـعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً﴾
(And Hajj to the House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, for those who are able to undertake the journey) ﴿3:97﴾.
This Ayah established the obligation of performing Hajj. There are many Hadiths that mention it as one of the pillars and fundamentals of Islam, and this is agreed upon by the Muslims. According to texts and the consensus of the scholars, it is only obligatory for the adult Muslim to perform it once during his lifetime. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah once gave a speech in which he said,
«أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ فُرِضَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْحَجُّ فَحُجُّوا»
(O people! Hajj has been enjoined on you, therefore, perform Hajj.)
A man asked, “Is it every year, O Allah’s Messenger” The Prophet remained silent until the man repeated the question three times and he then said,
«لَوْ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ لَوَجَبَتْ وَلَمَا اسْتَطَعْتُم»
(Had I said yes, it would have become an obligation and you would not have been able to fulfill it.) He said next,
«ذَرُونِي مَا تَرَكْتُكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ بِكَثْرَةِ سُؤَالِهِمْ وَاخْتِلَافِهِمْ عَلى أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ، وَإِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ فَأْتُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ، وَإِذَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ فَدَعُوه»
(Leave me as I leave you, those before you were destroyed because of their many questions and disputing with their Prophets. If I command you with something, perform it as much as you can. If I forbid something for you, then refrain from it.) Muslim recorded similarly.
Credit: Tafsir Ibn Kathir
