The Basic Conditions for Haj

THERE is a consensus among jurists concerning the prerequisites that must be fulfilled by a person for Haj to be incumbent on him or her. These are as follows:

He/she must be a Muslim.

He/she must be an adult.

He/she must be of a sound state of mind.

He/she must be a free person, i.e. not a slave.

He/she must have the necessary power and ability to undertake the journey to Makkah.

Anyone lacking any of the above conditions is not obliged to perform Haj. All these conditions are equally valid with respect to all other forms of worship in Islam. This is based on a Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) which says : "Three persons are not to be held accountable for their actions: a sleeping person until he wakes up, a child until he comes of age, and a mentally disturbed person until he regains his reason."

Freedom is an essential prerequisite for Haj, for this worship needs time as well as financial ability. The Qur'an says: "... And Haj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka'bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses ... " (3:97)