Hajj performed by child does not clear obligation of Hajj
Fatwa No: 95916

Question

I am a little child who lives in the USA. I would like to ask whether the Hajj performed by a child is accepted. Please give as much evidence as possible.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Let us first welcome our brother, the little child, and express our happiness with his communication with us. We ask Allaah to guide him to what He likes and is pleased with. We have previously issued a Ftwa in which we clarified that although the Hajj that is performed by a child is valid, it does not suffice him for the obligatory Hajj imposed by Islam. If a child performs Hajj, then his Hajj will be valid, and it is expected to be accepted by Allaah, the Almighty. However, once he attains the age of competence for religious assignments, then the Hajj imposed by Islam becomes due on him because the Hajj that he performed when he was a child does not suffice him for the obligatory Hajj imposed by Islam.

The evidence for the validity of the Hajj performed by the child is taken from the narration of Muslim in his Saheeh, which says that a woman raised a child and said, “O Messenger of Allaah! Is the Hajj performed by this (child) valid?” He said, “Yes, and you will have a reward (for enabling him to do it).

The evidence of the obligation of performing another Hajj after the child attains maturity and that the Hajj performed by him when he was a child is not sufficient to meet the obligation is taken from the statement of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “Any child who performs Hajj and then attains the age of puberty, another Hajj becomes due on him.” [At-Tabarani, Al-Bayhaqi and others]

Allaah Knows best.

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