according to the manners given to us by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Thus, after taking absolute care and exercising full responsibility we should be very hopeful to the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ for our good deeds to be accepted and we should leave the acceptance of deeds to the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

Remember! To intentionally become lazy in learning rulings and after performing acts of worship incorrectly, if we are still hopeful for them to be accepted, is not a wise act. How necessary it is to learn Shar’i rulings in order to perform acts of worship in the correct manner can be judged by this, that talking about the importance of Hajj, our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم commanded us to learn its rulings.

Part of religion

Sayyiduna Abu Sa’eed رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: Learn the rulings of Hajj because it is a part of your religion. (Kanz-ul-‘Ummal, vol. 3, pp. 12, Hadees 11893)

Let us now listen to the prerequisites of performing Hajj.

Prerequisites of Hajj being obligatory

The renowned scholar of Shari’ah and Tareeqah, ‘Allamah Maulana Mufti Muhammad Amjad ‘Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: There are eight prerequisites of Hajj which are obligatory. When all these prerequisites are met, only then will Hajj become obligatory, otherwise it will not. Those eight prerequisites are as follows:

1.         Islam (Being a Muslim)

2.         Being healthy (i.e. his body should be safe, he should not be blind because those whose arms or legs are disabled or paralysed, or the elderly who cannot sit in their vehicles on their own, for them Hajj is not obligatory).

3.         Being sane (i.e. Hajj is not obligatory for those who are insane).