CONDITIONS WHICH MAKE HIJJATUL ISLAM OBLIGATORY The First Condition...

CONDITIONS WHICH MAKE HIJJATUL ISLAM OBLIGATORY The First Condition: Puberty Pilgrimage is not obligatory on any person who has not attained puberty, even if he was approaching it. A pilgrimage, performed by a child will not be counted as Hijjatul Islam, even if it is performed properly. Rule 4: If a boy of means leaves for pilgrimage and attains puberty before wearing ihram at the meeqaat, his pilgrimage is valid as Hijjatul Islam.

However, if he attains puberty after wearing ihram and before the stay at Muzdalifah, he should complete the pilgrimage and it would be valid as Hijjatul Islam. Rule 5: If a person performs an optional pilgrimage believing himself not to have attained puberty but discovers during the pilgrimage or after its completion that he had already attained puberty, his pilgrimage will be counted as performance of an obligatory pilgrimage.

Rule 6: It is recommended for a mature child to perform a pilgrimage but according to majority of the scholars it is conditional on the consent of his guardian. Rule 7: The consent of parents is not necessary for the validity of a pilgrimage of one who has attained puberty. However, if departure to perform a recommended pilgrimage displeases either or both of them, for the fear, for example, of the dangers in the journey, then it is not permitted to depart on a pilgrimage.

Rule 8: It is recommended that in respect of a child, male or female, who is not intelligent, the guardian should make him or her muhrim, that is to say, help him wear the ihram, instruct him to recite the talbiyya and advise him to be reciting it if he is capable of understanding, or else he should recite it for him. He must also restrain him from all matter's which a muhrim must avoid. It is permissible to delay removing the clothes of a child till reaching Fakh if that route is taken.

The child must then be instructed to perform all such acts in the pilgrimage that he can and the guardian should perform on his behalf what he is unable to do. The guardian should make the child perform tawaaf, saee between Safaa and Marwah, stay in Arafat and Macer, throw the stones if he is able to, else throw them on his behalf, recite prayers after the tawaaf, get his head shaved and the remainder of the acts.

Rule 9: There is no objection to a guardian assisting a child to wear ihram although he is not in a state of ihram himself.