Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (2/125)

A group of the early scholars (salaf) said: When Allah revealed this verse, certain Jews and Christians declared, “We are Muslims.” Allah, Exalted is He, then proclaimed:

“Pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to Allah by all people who are able to make the journey.” (Āl ʿImrān 3:97)

They replied, “We will not make the pilgrimage.” So Allah said:

“And whoever disbelieves—surely Allah is independent of all the worlds.” (Āl ʿImrān 3:97)

Thus, anyone who does not deem the pilgrimage to the House obligatory upon himself when he has the means is, by the unanimous agreement of the Muslims and as the Qur’an affirms, a disbeliever. The Jews and Christians do not regard it as binding, and therefore they are among the disbelievers. Indeed, a hadith traced back to the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—relates:

“Whoever possesses sufficient provisions and a mount that can carry him to the House of Allah, yet fails to perform the pilgrimage, let him die—if he wishes—as a Jew, or if he wishes, as a Christian.”

قَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ السَّلَفِ: لَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ قَالَ مَنْ قَالَ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى نَحْنُ مُسْلِمُونَ. فَقَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا} [آل عمران: ٩٧] فَقَالُوا: لَا نَحُجُّ فَقَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ} [آل عمران: ٩٧] فَكُلُّ مَنْ لَمْ يَرَ حَجَّ الْبَيْتِ وَاجِبًا عَلَيْهِ مَعَ الِاسْتِطَاعَةِ فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَمَا دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ. وَالْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى لَا يَرَوْنَهُ وَاجِبًا عَلَيْهِمْ فَهُمْ مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ حَتَّى أَنَّهُ رُوِيَ فِي حَدِيثٍ مَرْفُوعٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - " «مَنْ مَلَكَ زَادًا وَرَاحِلَةً تُبَلِّغُهُ إِلَى بَيْتِ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ يَحُجَّ فَلْيَمُتْ إِنْ شَاءَ يَهُودِيًّا وَإِنْ شَاءَ نَصْرَانِيًّا» " .