Ibn ‘Abbaas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) met some riders at Ar-Rauhaa’. He asked them, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are Muslims.” They then asked, “Who are you?” He said, “I am the Messenger of Allaah.” Upon this, a woman raised a boy towards him and asked, “Is there Hajj for this boy?” He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied, “Yes, and you will have the reward.” [Reported by Muslim, no. 1336a, and Abu Dawoud no. 1736]
Explanation:
The author [Imaam An-Nawawi (Rahimahullaah)] mentioned what he narrated from ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Abbaas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) met a group of riders at Ar-Rauhaa’ — a place between Makkah and Al-Madinah. This was during the Farewell Pilgrimage. He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) asked them, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are Muslims.” Then they asked, “Who are you?” He replied, “I am the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).” Upon this, a woman raised a boy towards him and asked, “Is there Hajj for this boy? He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied, “Yes, and you will have a reward.“
This Hadeeth highlights that helping someone perform an act of obedience grants a reward. In this case, the woman caring for her child during Ihraam, Tawaaf, Sa’i, and during the standing, and in everything – will receive a reward, as he (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “He has a Hajj, and you will have a reward.”
This is like what is previously mentioned regarding the one who equips a warrior or looks after his family in his absence; he (too,) will have the reward of the warrior.
Benefits and Lessons:
- Among the benefits of this Hadeeth is that a person should ask about what he is unaware of, if there is a need for it to gain awareness/ clarity and understanding of the situation. This is because the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) asked, “Who are you?” fearing that they may be from the enemy, and they may betray or deceive.
However, if there is no necessity, one should not ask about the person. For, (in such a circumstance,) asking, “Who are you?” might fall under matters that do not concern you. And “from the excellence of a person’s Islam is leaving that which does not concern him.” [This is the meaning of a Hadeeth reported by At-Tirmidhi in Az-Zuhd no. 2317, and Ahmad in his Musnad (1/201)]
- In this Hadeeth, there is evidence that it is permissible to describe oneself with praiseworthy attributes if one does not intend to boast, rather intends to introduce/identify himself.
This is because when these Sahabah were asked: ‘Who are you?’ They said: ‘We are Muslims,’ and Islam is undoubtedly a praiseworthy description. However, if a person talks about himself and says: I am a Muslim, I am a Mu’min (believer), or similar statements merely to inform, not to boast, then there is nothing wrong with that.
Likewise, if one says it as a way of expressing (proclaiming) the blessing of Allaah, such as he says: “All Praise is for Allaah, Who made me one of the Muslims,” and the like, then there is no harm in it, rather it is praiseworthy if no prohibition occurs (because of it).
- Among the benefits of this Hadeeth is that if a person describes himself with a quality/characteristic that he possesses without boasting, then this is not considered self-praise or self-exaltation, which Allaah forbade in His saying in Surat An-Najm (53:32),
فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ
“Ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allaah.”
4. This Hadeeth also states that one should take advantage of the presence of a scholar/knowledgeable person because when these people were informed by the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) that he was the Messenger of Allaah, they began (seeking knowledge by) asking him. Therefore, one should seize the opportunity of being in the presence of a scholar in order to ask him about anything that may not be clear to him.
5. Also from its benefits is that if a boy is taken for Hajj by his guardian, then the guardian will receive a reward but the Hajj will be for the child, and not for the guardian.
It is commonly believed among the general public that a boy’s Hajj is for his father, but this has no basis. Rather, the boy’s Hajj is for the boy himself because of the saying of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) when the woman asked, “Is there Hajj for this boy?” He (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Yes, and you will have a reward.” So Hajj is for the child, and let it be known that a boy/ girl, who has not reached puberty, the reward is written for him, but not the sins.
Some scholars have deduced a ruling from the Prophet’s (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) statement, “Yes, he has Hajj,” that if the boy enters into the state of Ihraam, then all requirements/obligations of Hajj are binding upon him; Tawaaf, Sa’i (between Safa and Marwah), standing at Arafat, spending the night at Muzdalifah and Mina, and throwing the pebbles at the Jamaraat. The child should do whatever he is capable of, and what he is unable to do, should be done on his behalf except Tawaaf and Sa’i, for which he is carried and taken through them.
Some of the scholars said: There is no harm if a child exits (the state of) Ihraam even if without a valid reason, because the pen has been lifted from him, and he is not Mukallaf (accountable).
Since the child is originally/essentially from those who are not Mukallaf – therefore, we do not oblige him with anything while he is not Mukallaf. This is the opinion of Abu Hanifa (Rahimahullaah) that the child is not obligated to complete the Hajj, nor to fulfill its obligations, nor to avoid its prohibitions. Whatever acts of worship he performs are accepted, and that which he omits, he is not questioned about.
It often happens amongst people nowadays; they put their boys in Ihraam and when the boy gets tired, and refuses to continue/complete it, they take off his Ihraam.
According to the Madhhab of the majority of scholars, we must oblige him to complete. (However,) according to the Madhhab of Abu Hanifa – towards which inclined the author of Al-Furoo’ (Rahimahullaah), one of the companions of Imam Ahmad (Rahimahullaah) and a student of Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (Rahimahullaah) said – that the child is not obligated (to complete it) because he is (yet) not amongst the Mukallaf (who are accountable).
6. This Hadeeth also has what proves that the boy, even though he is Ghayr Mumayyiz (i.e., has not yet reached the age of discernment or understanding, non-discerning), his Hajj is correct – but how can his intention be valid if he is Ghayr Mumayyiz?
The scholars said: His guardian makes the intention on his behalf in his (guardian’s) heart that he is entering him into the state of Ihraam, and the guardian performs everything that the child is unable to do.
We would like to clarify whether it is obligatory for someone who has entered the state of Hajj to make a separate intention for Tawaaf (circumambulation), and a separate intention for Sa’i, and a separate intention for Ramy (stoning) as well, or is this not a condition?
There is a difference of opinion amongst the scholars about this issue. There are some scholars who said, “If a person enters the state of Ihraam for Hajj and performs Tawaaf and Sa’i based on the initial intention – meaning he does not renew his intention for Tawaaf or Sa’i, then his Hajj is valid.”
They justified this by saying: “Tawaaf, Sa’i, standing at Arafah, Ramy, and staying overnight are all parts of (the one same) act of worship, so the initial intention is sufficient — just as when a person prays, and he makes an intention at the time of entering/beginning the Salaat that he is beginning the Salaat, and it is not required from him to specifically intend for bowing, prostration, standing, or sitting because these are parts of the (same act of) worship – the same applies to Hajj.”
This opinion should be followed in cases of necessity. For example, if someone asks for a Fatwa, saying, “I entered Al-Masjid al-Haraam and performed Tawaaf, but at that time, I had no intention.” Here, it is required to issue a Fatwa that there is nothing on him, and that his Tawaaf is correct. However, at times when it is feasible, it should be said: “If you intend, it is better.”
Anyway, one must intend for the Tawaaf, but sometimes it slips one’s mind that it is the Tawaaf which is pillar of the Hajj and Umrah, or it is the voluntary Tawaaf and so forth.
Source:
Sharh Riyaadus-Saliheen, Hadeeth no. 179, by Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (Rahimahullaah) [Paraphrased and summarized]
