Children can perform the Hajj rituals, despite the condition of puberty and the assignment of religious duties, according to Egypt’s Grand Mufti, Dr. Shawki Allam. In a fatwa published by Dar Al Ifta, Allam explained that performing the Hajj by a child, at any age, is acceptable in terms of Sharia. A child who has performed Hajj will receive rewards from Allah, and so will his father, whether the child has performed Hajj himself, his father has helped him perform it, or his father has performed it on the child’s behalf.
The traditional view in Islam is that one must have reached puberty to be able to perform Hajj, but Allam clarified that a child could still carry out the pilgrimage. The child would be performing it without it being compulsory, but this did not prevent the child from doing it.
The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and every Muslim who is physically and financially able should make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. With this new fatwa from the Grand Mufti of Egypt, parents can now take their children with them to perform the Hajj, without needing to wait until puberty.
This new ruling will undoubtedly bring joy to many families who had previously believed that their children could not perform the Hajj until they reached puberty. It also reinforces the importance of the Hajj in the Islamic faith and highlights the rewards that can be earned by both children and parents who undertake the pilgrimage.
