Physically unable to perform Hajj
2-12-2008 | IslamWeb
Question:
asalamu alaikum I was just wondering I am in poor health and wondered since hajj is coming up if I could perform something like a hajj and still reap the benefits and the closeness to Allaah (swt) is there anything close to hajj that I can do instead of the journey I have a bad heart and don’t think I could take the walking running and everything please direct me in this matter shukran wakid amin muhammed
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.
If you did not perform your obligatory Hajj and you have a chronic disease (from which there is no hope of cure) and you are unable to perform Hajj because of this disease while being financially able to perform Hajj; then in this case you are obliged to appoint someone to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah on your behalf.
If the person whom you appoint performs Hajj on your behalf, then you become acquitted from the obligation of performing Hajj. Appointing someone to perform Hajj on your behalf serves as if you have performed it yourself.
Believing that you may not be able to walk and do Sa’y (walking between mounts Safa and Marwah) may be just a doubt which is due to people frightening others about the difficulty of Hajj. Indeed you may get on a wheel chair (which is prepared for elderly and weak people) when performing Tawaaf, Sa’y or any of the rituals of Hajj. Things have become much easier than before, praise be to Allaah. Therefore, if you are able to get on a wheel chair, then you are obliged to perform Hajj by yourself.
However, if you had already performed your obligatory Hajj, then you are not obliged to appoint someone to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah on your behalf. Donating the cost of Hajj to the needy may in some cases be better than optional Hajj even though the optional Hajj is, in principle, better than donating optional charity.
Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah 
said: ‘Performing Hajj as legislated is better than donating non-obligatory charity. However, if a person has needy relatives, then donating to them is better; the same applies if there are people who are in urgent need for this donation. But if both Hajj and donating in charity are optional, then Hajj is better because it is a physical and financial act of worship.’
Allaah Knows best.