Q429 :You have mentioned that a Muslim is not
obliged by duty to take his wife to pilgrimage. Does the same apply to
one’s father? A friend of mine says that he has sent money to his
father to help him offer the pilgrimage. Need he not have done
so?
A429 : As I have explained, pilgrimage is an
individual duty. If a person meets the conditions of ability to offer
the pilgrimage, then it is a duty incumbent on him. If he is unable to
offer the pilgrimage, that duty does not apply to him. An Islamic duty
is not made dependent upon someone else. Otherwise, we will be
accountable to Allah for that over which we have no control. Allah is
too merciful to put us in such a difficult position. In the case of a
father and son, if the father does not himself meet the conditions of
ability to offer the pilgrimage, the duty does not apply to him. If he
dies without offering pilgrimage, Allah will not hold him to account
for any omission. However, the case of his son being able to bear the
expenses of his pilgrimage is not of dutifulness. A person may argue
that he is not required to fulfil the religious duties of his father.
But is he? The Prophet was asked once by one of his netpanions whether
he should offer the pilgrimage on behalf of his father who died before
netpleting that duty. The Prophet asked him: “Had your father left some
debts unpaid, would you pay them on his behalf?” When the son answered
in the affirmative, the Prophet said: “A debt owed to Allah has a
better claim to be paid.” This Hadith show clearly that a son is
responsible to settle his father’s debts. If a son is required to offer
the pilgrimage on behalf of his father after his death, then it stands
to reason that helping a father offer the pilgrimage himself is far
better. Not only would he be bringing happiness to his father, but also
he will benefit by his father’s supplication to Allah in the Haram and
in Arafat and the other places to help, protect and be pleased with his
son. A parent’s prayer is certainly answered. Moreover, the son would
earn the meritorious position of being dutiful.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )