Q443 :Is it obligatory for a husband who has enough
financial resources to take his wife to pilgrimage? Does the sound
financial position of a man make pilgrimage obligatory for his wife, or
is it necessary for her to have her own money in order to discharge her
pilgrimage duty?
A443 : It is important to remember that pilgrimage
is like all other Islamic duties. They are imposed on every individual,
man or woman, in the same degree. When we stand before Allah on the day
of judgement, and our deeds are reckoned for or against us, and our
destiny is determined on the basis of what we had one in this life,
every one of us stands as an individual. The fate of any one of us is
never determined by what someone else has done for him or her. Nor is
the forgiveness of any person withheld as a result of someone else’s
failure to do what he is required to do for that person. Pilgrimage is
a duty required of every Muslim man or woman. But it does not benete a
binding duty until a person is able to undertake the journey, from
every point of views. That ability includes having enough funds,
transport, safety during travel, etc. It also includes in the case of a
woman having a male netpanion who is closely related to her and who is
known as “mahram.” When the conditions of ability are not met in the
case of any particular person, that person is not required to do the
pilgrimage as a duty. The same applies in the case of a married
woman. The conditions of ability must be met by her, not her husband.
Therefore, if she does not have enough funds to undertake the
pilgrimage, she is not required to go on pilgrimage as a duty. This is
true even if her husband is one of the richest people. Some people may
be stingy, even when they are rich. If we were to consider that
pilgrimage benetes a duty to a woman simply because her husband can
afford to give her what is enough for her trip, what would she do if he
does not readily nete out with the money? Islam does not require her to
implore her husband to take her to pilgrimage or to provide her
expenses. Further than that, a woman must not travel without being
acnetpanied by a mahram, who is her husband or a close relative who she
can never marry, such as her father, brother, nephew, etc. If she is
taking someone with her as mahram, she is required to pay his expenses.
Therefore, if she has sufficient funds for her own journey and
expenses, but she does not have an extra amount to cover the expenses
of her mahram, she is deemed not to be able to undertake her trip.
Obviously, it is possible that one of her mahrams may be going on
pilgrimage himself. She may acnetpany him without having to pay his
expenses. Having said that, I am only stating the rules. It is
needless to say that a husband who takes his wife to pilgrimage, paying
all her expenses, does something which is highly rewarding in more
senses than one. His wife will be ever grateful to him for enabling her
to go on this trip which ensures her forgiveness by Allah for all her
past sins. She feels that her husband is closer to her than ever
before. If they share this experience together, they will always have
something enjoyable and much more for every riyal he spends on the
pilgrimage of his wife. Muslims have realized this ever since the time
of the Prophet. It is gratifying to see the majority of Muslim men
always willing to take their wives to pilgrimage, whenever they can
afford that.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )