Is Walking to Hajj Correct? Insights from Prophet’s Teachings

Should You Walk to the House of Allah for Hajj? Key Insights

Traveling on Foot to the House of Allah with the Intention of Performing Hajj

These days, many people want to know whether it is correct to travel on foot to the House of Allah with the intention of performing Hajj, especially when there are so many travel conveniences available.

When we look for the answer to this question in the Hadiths of the Prophet (PBUH), we find several narrations that mention that during the time of the Prophet (PBUH), some companions made vows to walk to the Ka’bah to perform Hajj. However, when the news reached the Prophet (PBUH), he forbade them from traveling on foot and instructed them to use transportation. Below, I will mention two or three of these Hadiths:

First Hadith:
Anas (RA) said:
نذرَتِ امرأةٌ أن تمشيَ إلى بيتِ اللَّهِ فسُئِلَ نبيُّ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهِ عليهِ وسلَّمَ عن ذلِكَ فقالَ إنَّ اللَّهَ لغَنيٌّ عن مَشيِها ، مُروها فلتَركَبْ (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 1536)
Translation: A woman made a vow to walk to the House of Allah. When the Prophet (PBUH) was asked about this, he said: “Allah is needless of her walking; command her to ride.”

Second Hadith:
Anas (RA) narrated:
مرَّ النَّبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بشيخٍ كبيرٍ يتَهادى بينَ ابنيْهِ فقالَ: ما بالُ هذا. قالوا: يا رسولَ اللَّهِ نذرَ أن يمشي. قالَ: إنَّ اللَّهَ لغنيٌّ عن تعذيبِ هذا نفسَهُ. قالَ فأمرَهُ أن يرْكب (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 1537)
Translation: The Prophet (PBUH) passed by an elderly man who was walking with the support of his two sons. He asked, “What is wrong with him?” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, he made a vow to walk.” The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Allah is needless of this man torturing himself.” Then he instructed him to ride.

Third Hadith:
‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir al-Juhani (RA) said:
أنَّهُ قالَ للنَّبيِّ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليْهِ وسلَّمَ إنَّ أختي نذرت أن تمشيَ إلى البيتِ , فقالَ إنَّ اللَّهَ لا يصنعُ بِمَشيِ أختِكَ إلى البيتِ شيئًا (Sunan Abu Dawood: 3304)
Translation: He said to the Prophet (PBUH), “My sister made a vow to walk to the House of Allah.” The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “Allah will not benefit from your sister’s walking to the House of Allah.”

To understand this issue, these three Hadiths are sufficient. From these narrations, the most important thing we learn is that, with transportation and conveniences available, no one should walk from distant places to the House of Allah for Hajj. If anyone does so, they are disobeying the command of the Prophet (PBUH).

The second point is that those who think walking to the House of Allah is an act of worship and earns extra reward should understand that this notion is incorrect, as Allah is needless of this action.

The third point is that walking to the House of Allah, while there is transportation available, unnecessarily burdens the body, and Islam has forbidden us from imposing such hardship upon ourselves. Allah is needless of such painful actions.

The fourth point is that some people make this arduous journey to the Ka’bah, especially in the hope of earning more reward (and sometimes even for fame). However, the Prophet (PBUH) has informed us that there is no reward in doing so. If the intention is fame, then Hajj will be a burden.

Anyone who loves Allah and His Messenger and wants their Hajj to be accepted as a “Mabrur Hajj” (a Hajj accepted by Allah) will perform Hajj as the Prophet (PBUH) did. In fact, the Prophet (PBUH) commanded us to learn the method of Hajj from him. Hazrat Jabir (RA) narrates:
رأيتُ النبيَّ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ يرمي على راحلتِه يومَ النَّحرِ، ويقول :لِتأْخذوا مناسكَكم . فإني لا أدري لعلِّي لا أحُجُّ بعدَ حَجَّتي هذه (Sahih Muslim: 1297)
Translation: I saw the Prophet (PBUH) throwing pebbles on his camel on the Day of Sacrifice and saying, “Take your rites of Hajj from me, for I do not know if I will perform Hajj after this year.”

The Prophet (PBUH) traveled from Medina to Makkah on his mount, and he also performed Hajj while riding, as mentioned in the Hadith above.

Here, it is also important to understand that the purpose of worship is never to harm the human body, whether it is in prayer, fasting, or Hajj. Yes, if some hardship is endured during acts of worship, such as during Tawaf or Sa’i, a person will be rewarded for that difficulty. However, if a person intentionally causes hardship to themselves, they will not be rewarded for it. Please see this Hadith, which clarifies this point:

عنِ ابنِ عبَّاسٍ قالَ : بينما النَّبِيُّ صلَّى اللَّه عليه وسلم يخطبُ إذا هوَ برجلٍ قائمٍ في الشَّمسِ فسألَ عنْهُ قالوا هذا أبو إسرائيلَ نذرَ أن يقومَ ولاَ يقعدَ ولاَ يستظلَّ ولاَ يتَكلَّمَ ويصومَ. قالَ مروهُ فليتَكلَّم وليستظلَّ وليقعد وليتمَّ صومَهُ (Sunan Abu Dawood: 3300)
Translation: Ibn Abbas (RA) said: While the Prophet (PBUH) was delivering a sermon, he saw a man standing in the sun. He asked about him, and the people said, “This is Abu Israel. He made a vow to stand without sitting, not seek shade, not speak, and fast.” The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Command him to speak, seek shade, sit, and complete his fast.”

Summary: It is not correct for any Muslim to undertake a journey on foot from their country to Makkah to perform Hajj when there is transportation available. The beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) prohibited this, so we should follow his Sunnah and take the easier path, just as the Prophet (PBUH) always sought ease for the Ummah and saved them from hardship.

Do not misunderstand a Hadith from Ibn Majah, which says that the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions walked from Medina to Makkah. In reality, this Hadith is weak.

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (RA) said:
حجَّ النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ وأصحابُهُ مشاةً منَ المدينةِ إلى مَكَّةَ وقالَ اربُطوا أوساطَكم بأزُرِكم ومشى خلطَ الهرولةِ (Da’if Ibn Majah: 610)
Translation: The Prophet (PBUH) and his companions walked from Medina to Makkah for Hajj, and he said, “Tie your waist clothes, and walk with a pace that includes both walking and running.”

In reality, the Prophet (PBUH) traveled on his camel, and some companions walked due to the lack of transportation. This is the meaning of the 27th verse of Surah Al-Hajj: “Those who have means should ride, and those without should walk.” Since today transportation is not an issue, we should opt for the easier way instead of putting ourselves in unnecessary danger.

Maqbool Ahmad Salafi – Taif