Q 4: A wife cannot afford Hajj, but her husband is rich. Should he pay for her Hajj?

A: A husband is not obliged by Shari‘ah (Islamic law) to cover the expenses of his wife’s Hajj, even if he is rich. This is done by way of kind treatment. She is not obliged in this case to perform Hajj, since she cannot afford it. Q 7: I am an Egyptian citizen, married, and the father of two children. My salary in Egypt barely covers the necessities of living. I do not have any other income. I worked in one of the Gulf countries for four years and saved a sum of money. I deposited it in one of the Islamic banks to provide me with an income that helps me meet the different needs of life. My salary and the income from this investment are just sufficient for my family and myself. In the light of these circumstances, am obliged to spend some of this deposited money to perform Hajj? It should be noted that if I take an amount of my bank account to cover Hajj expenses, this will affect my monthly income and will make things very difficult for me financially. What do you advise me to do? (Part No. 11; Page No. 36) May Allah reward you with the best. A: If your situation is as you mentioned, you are not obliged to perform Hajj, because you lack the ability to do so, according to the criteria stipulated by Shari‘ah. Allah (Glorified be He) says: And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allâh, for those who are able to undertake the journey. He (Exalted be He) also says: So keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him as much as you can And: ...and He has not laid upon you in religion any hardship May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.