The Case of One Who Performs al-Hajj on Behalf of His Relatives, Partially or Altogether

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ’Can I perform al-Hajj and consider my father as my partner in it?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Yes, you can do so.’ I then asked, ‘Can I perform al-Hajj and consider my brothers as my partner in it?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Yes, you can do so; Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, will make one al-Hajj for you and one al-Hajj for them, besides the reward for you because of maintaining good relations with them.’ I then asked, ‘Can I perform al-Hajj and consider a man or woman in al-Kufah as my partner in it?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘You can do so. At the beginning of such Tawaf say, “O Allah, accept it from so and so,” mention the person on whose behalf it is.”’”

“I performed al-Hajj with my father and I was al-Sarura (one who performs al-Hajj for the first time). I said that I like to perform al-Hajj for my mother who was dead. He said allow me to ask abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about it. ’Ilyas then spoke about it with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when I was listening. ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, my son, this one, is al- Sarura (one who performs al-Hajj for the first time). His mother has died and he likes to perform al- Hajj for her, if it is permissible. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘It will be written for him and for her and for him a reward for kindness will also be recorded.’”

“I once went to visit abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah also came and said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause. I have a daughter who looks after every one of my things and she is the first one. Can I assign my al-Hajj for her? He (the Imam) said, ‘The reward for al-Hajj will be for her and you will have a similar reward without any reduction in her reward.’”

“I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about a man who assigns his al-Hajj or al-‘Umrah or part of his Tawaf for his family who is absent in some other land; if it reduces from his reward. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is for him and his companion, and he will have additional rewards because of maintaining good relation.’ I then asked, ‘If that party is dead will it reach him?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, even if that party is subject to anger, he will be forgiven or if he is under pressure, he will be relieved.’ I then asked, ‘Will he notice that such a deed has approached him?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he will notice.’ I then asked, ‘Even if he is hostile to ’A’immah, will it benefit him?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it will provide him relief.’”

“I once said to abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), in al-Madinah after my return from Makkah that I wanted to assign my al-Hajj for my daughter. He (the Imam) said, ‘Assign it for her now.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about assigning a share of one’s al-Hajj for his father, brother or relatives. He (the Imam) said, ‘Obviously, al-Hajj will be written for you like their al-Hajj, in addition to the reward for your maintaining good relation, with relatives.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘For keeping good relations if one joins his father or relatives in the reward of performing Tawaf, he receives his reward completely; and one, for whom Tawaf is made, receives his reward, and for keeping good relations, there is additional reward like one more Tawaf.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If one performs al-Hajj and assigns the reward for it to a relative, he will have the reward for a complete al-Hajj and a similar reward is for one on whose behalf al-Hajj is performed. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, is the one who expands such a reward.’”

“I once returned from Makkah and met abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), in the Masjid sitting between the pulpit and the grave. I said, ‘O child of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, when I go out to Makkah, perhaps a man asks me to perform a Tawaf and two Rak‘at Salat (prayer) for him, but I become busy and cannot do so. When I return I do not know what to say to him. He (the Imam) said, ‘When you go to Makkah and complete the acts, perform a Tawaf and two Rak‘at Salat (prayer). Then say, ‘O Lord, this Tawaf and these two Rak‘at are for my father, mother, wife, children, my protectors, and for all of the people of my city, the free and slaves, white and black.’ Thereafter if you say to a man that you have performed Tawaf and two Rak‘at Salat (prayer) for him, you will be truthful. When you come to the grave of the Holy prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to your cause, after completing what is obligatory upon you, perform two Rak‘at Salat (prayer). Then stand near the head of the Holy prophet (a.s.), and say, ‘I offer you greeting of peace, O the Holy prophet of Allah. I do this for my father, mother, wife, children, all of my protectors, all people of my city, the free ones, the slaves, the white and black ones.’ Thereafter if you say to a man that you have offered greeting of peace to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, for him, you have remained truthful.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), as to with how many people I can share my al-Hajj. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can share with whatever number of people you want.’”

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said that abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ’Even if you share your al-Hajj with a thousand people, still there will be one al-Hajj for every one without any reduction in your al-Hajj.’”