That servant who allows 5 years to pass by without visiting my house...
Submitted by Mohammed Gilani on
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدِ الْخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : يَقُوْلُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ : إِنَّ عَبْدًا صَحَحْتُ لَهُ جِسْمَهُ ، وَوَسَّعْتُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الْمَعِيشَةِ ، تَمْضِي عَلَيْهِ خَمْسَةُ أَعْوَامٍ لَا يَقِدُ إِلَيَّ ، لَمَحْرُومُ . ( رواه ابن حبان في صحيحه والبيهقي)
Abu Saeed Khudri (Radiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullaah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Allaah says: 'That servant of mine whom I have given health and sufficient sustenance and he allows five years to pass by without visiting My House, he is verily deprived of great goodness and many blessings
This is not the only Hadith of this kind. Many others with similar contents can be mentioned. It would appear that according to this Hadieth it would have been obligatory for every healthy person who has the means, to perform Hajj once in every five years. But because of other Ahaadieth where it is clearly stated that Hajj is only obligatory once in a lifetime, this Hadieth is interpreted thus; that it is advisable for such people to perform Hajj after every five years.
No one can deny the fact that failure to visit the Holy Ka-bah under such circumstances deprives one of great blessings, especially when we take into consideration that all wealth and health comes from Allaah, and that Allaah Ta'ala Himself speaks in this Hadith about giving health and wealth.
Hence, if any worldly needs seem to prevent our visit to the Holy Places, it should not be allowed to keep us away. However, if any religious need keeps us away after we have already performed the obligatory Hajj, then such a need should be given preference over our desire to perform a nafl Hajj. For example when there are a large number of people around us in need of food, clothes, drink, then in such a case it is more virtuous and rewarding to give charity than to proceed for nafl Hajj.
(Fazaail e Hajj)