Allah will not accept a worship done not for His sake. The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam prevented seeking worldly gains in the places of worship when he sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam said: “If you see a man indulges in a transaction in the mosque, say to him, ‘may Allah not render your trade profitable” If this strict attitude is taken against those who utilize places of worship for worldly gains, what about those who turn the worship itself into a means of attaining worldly gains? We find those requested to make Hajj on behalf of others bargain and ask for more money, which turn worship into a craft or profession. For this reason the Hanbali jurists maintained that it is invalid to hire a man to perform Hajj on behalf of another. Ibn Taimiyah declared that whoever makes Hajj only to attain hire will have no reward in the Hereafter. However, if proxy is made for a religious purpose, such as benefiting others with the reward of Hajj or aiming to increase acts of obedience through supplication and remembrance of Allah during the rituals of Hajj, Hajj by proxy will be valid in this case.

Those who charge for proxy in Hajj should devote their intention to seek the pleasure of Allah, aiming to exercise worships related to Allah’s House, remembering Him and supplicating Him, in addition to the fulfillment of the needs of their fellow Muslims who authorized them to make Hajj on their behalf. They should not pour all their attention on gaining worldly benefits, for if this becomes their sole interest, they will not be permitted to charge for proxy in Hajj. If one entertains a sound intention for proxy in Hajj, all the money he gets from the authorizing person will be his, unless the latter demand refunding remaining amounts after covering the costs of Hajj. The deputy person should intend to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah on behalf of the authorizing person, unless the former stipulates to perform ‘Umrah for his benefit. A person deputized to make Hajj on behalf of another person cannot deputize a third party, unless after obtaining the consent of the person who commissioned him to make Hajj on his behalf. All the reward of acts related to rituals of Hajj goes to the authorizing person, but the redoubling of reward through offering supererogatory prayers and Tawaf, as well as extra types of worship that exceeds the rituals goes to the authorized person. The representative in Hajj should exert the best of his efforts to accomplish the verbal and practical acts related to the rituals, since this is a kind of trust that he should fulfill duly. When pronouncing Talbiah, he should say: ‘labbaika ‘an fulan’ (O Allah I respond to Your Call on behalf of so and so.) If he forgets his name, he may intend it with his heart, saying: ‘labbayka ‘Amman anabani fi hathihil-‘Umrah, or Fi Hathal-Hajj’ (I respond to Your Call on behalf of one who authorized me to make this ‘Umrah or this Hajj.)

O servants of Allah! Fear Allah and do not pay much attention to the worldly gains, and do not turn worship into a means of attaining material gains! May Allah guide you and I to be sincere in our intentions and to perfect our deeds! May Allah guide you and I to the straightforward path, for He is Most Bounteous, Most Generous.