Abu Hurairah relates that one day Allah’s Prophet ﷺ addressed people saying: “O people! Allah has prescribed Hajj upon you, so perform it.” A man asked, ‘Every year, O Messenger of Allah?’ The Prophet ﷺ kept silent. When the man repeated his question thrice, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Had I answered in the affirmative, it would have become a (yearly) obligation, and this would have been beyond your capacity.”
Then he added: “Leave me alone so long as I leave you alone (i.e. do not ask questions about things I didn’t mention). What caused the destruction of the people before you was that they used to ask so many questions, and disagree with their Prophets. So when I command you to do something, do it to the extent of your ability, and if I forbid you from doing something, avoid it.”
(Muslim)
Hajj is an indispensable pillar of Islam. Another hadith narrated by Abu Huraira highlights the importance of Hajj. Allah’s Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever performs Hajj for Allah’s pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his wife, and does not do evil or sins then he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew.” Despite this great significance of Hajj, it is enough to do Hajj only one time in one’s whole life.
Unlike business trips and leisure journeys, in which we do not seek any higher, sublime purpose, the journey of Hajj is quite different in nature. We undertake it solely for Allah and the fulfilment of the duty He prescribed.
