Egypt's Dar al-Ifta Issues Fatwa Permitting Delegated Hajj Due to Illness

Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta has issued a religious ruling (fatwa) permitting individuals suffering from chronic illness or old age to commission others to perform the Islamic pilgrimage of hajj on their behalf.

The fatwa, grounded in Islamic tradition, cites a narration from Abdullah Ibn Abbas in which a woman sought the Prophet Muhammad’s guidance about her elderly father’s inability to undertake the hajj pilgrimage. The Prophet reportedly responded affirmatively, permitting her to perform hajj on his behalf — a narration found in the collections of Bukhari and Muslim.

According to the fatwa, those classified as ma'dub — individuals permanently incapable of travel due to health or age — may delegate someone else to fulfill the religious obligation.

Dar al-Ifta outlined several conditions for the permissibility of such delegation:

The expenses for the pilgrimage must come from the person commissioning the hajj, whether living or deceased, or from donated funds if the deceased did not leave instructions.

The person performing the hajj must clearly intend to do so on behalf of the one who is unable to go.

The agent must have already completed their own obligatory hajj.

The ruling underscores Islamic jurisprudence’s flexibility in accommodating individuals facing physical hardship.