the pillars of Islam, by the unanimous agreement of the Muslims. The proof for its obligation is Allah’s statement: “Pilgrimage to the House is an obligation owed to Allah by all people who are able to find a way to it; and whoever disbelieves—surely Allah is independent of all the worlds.”
This verse was revealed in the ninth year after the Hijrah, the year known as “the Year of the Delegations,” and with it the Hajj was enjoined. As for His words in Surah al-Baqarah, “And complete the Hajj and the ʿUmrah for Allah,” they impose the obligation of completing these rites, not of initiating them. The initial obligation came in the ninth year through the verse in Surah Al-ʿImran, whereas the obligation of maintenance and completion was conveyed in the verse of al-Baqarah in the sixth year after the Hijrah.
Allah, the Exalted, said: “Pilgrimage to the House is an obligation owed to Allah by all people who are able to find a way to it.” “Upon the people” means upon every one of them; however, we do not command a disbeliever to perform Hajj until he accepts Islam. As for the Muslim, we instruct him to perform Hajj provided the condition Allah has set—“whoever is able to find a way to it”—is met; that is, whoever is able to reach Mecca. Whoever lacks the means because of poverty bears no obligation, and whoever is incapable because of physical weakness is assessed: if the incapacity is permanent and he has the financial means, he must appoint someone to perform Hajj on his behalf. If the incapacity is expected to disappear—such as a temporary illness that afflicts him during the season—he waits until Allah grants him recovery, then performs Hajj himself.
The author next cites the hadith of Ibn ʿUmar—“Islam is built upon five”—which has already been discussed, so there is no need to repeat it here; the point of relevance is his saying: “and pilgrimage to the Sacred House.” Hajj is only required once in a lifetime, unless a person vows to perform it—in that case he must fulfill his vow. Without such a vow, it is not obligatory more than once, for when the Prophet was asked, “Every year?” he replied, “Had I said ‘Yes,’ it would have become obligatory, and you would not have been able to do it.”