After this week’s announcement by Saudi Arabia that Hajj 2020 will be limited to only residents of the Kingdom, Muslims across the globe have questions.
With a prediction of 3 million would-be-pilgrims performing Hajj this year, many are wondering how this decision was reached.
Are Hajj bans common?
When looking back at previous Hajjs, we know that due to various conflicts and diseases, there were times when authorities cancelled Hajj.
One time, extremists entered Al-Masjid al-Haram, murdered all the pilgrims and stole the Black Stone. Naturally, this terrified Muslims and kept a lot of them away from performing Hajj for years to follow.
But throughout the many trials and sicknesses that have come through Makkah, never before has there been such official ban for 99.9% of Muslims.
So, why is this year different and how could this decision have been made since there is no history of banning Hajj in the past?
Modern knowledge or past experiences?
Do our Islamic scholars need to have past precedents on a matter in order to issue a fatwa?
Well, ask yourself, did scholars of the 1800’s hear the latest news on the cholera outbreak on Facebook?
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These days, communication is near instantaneously. We now know more about the spread of diseases and how viruses work. Should our scholars use this information when issuing fatwa or should they only base their decisions on past fatwas regarding Hajj during hardships? For the 3 million Muslims that intended to perform Hajj this year, will they be rewarded for their Hajj?
Sheikh Yasir Qadhi answers all of these questions in this enlightening video. If you find this information beneficial, please share with others.
