Can we perform Umrah/Hajj/Tawaf on behalf of others?

While living in Saudi Arabia, it might have come to your mind if we can perform Hajj, Umrah, or Tawaf on behalf of someone else. We are here with the answers;

Performing Hajj on behalf of others

Performing Hajj is a fard act upon those Muslims who have the financial and physical ability to do so. You can perform Hajj on behalf of others if all the below conditions are fulfilled;

• The person does not have the ability to perform Hajj – Sahih al-Bukhari 1853
• You have already performed Hajj yourself – Sunan Abi Dawud 1811

Financial Issues: It is worth mentioning that if someone cannot perform Hajj due to financial issues and you want to perform Hajj on his behalf, it is better to finance his Hajj rather than perform it yourself.

Health Issues: You can perform Hajj on behalf of others if they are not physically fit for the journey or they have died.

Busy Schedule: Keep in mind that if someone is physically and financially fit but cannot go for Hajj due to his busy schedule, you cannot perform Hajj on his behalf.

Performing Umrah on behalf of others

Performing Umrah is a Nafal prayer and it is not allowed to perform Umrah on behalf of a living person. However, you can perform Umrah for someone who has died for his Thawab.

The logic is that would you ever pray Nafal Salah for your mother, father, or brother who is already alive? No, you won’t. In the same way, you cannot perform Umrah on behalf of a living person.

Performing Tawaf on behalf of others

Tawaf is a sunnah act and one cannot perform Tawaf on behalf of anyone whether he is alive or dead. The logic is that you offer nafal prayers for your loved ones who have passed away, but you don’t pray Sunnah for them.

• 5 types of Tawaf in Islam

Source: Arab News