The Necessity of Performing Hajj
Allah said,
﴿æóááøóåö Úóáóì ÇáäøóÇÓö ÍöÌøõ ÇáúÈóíúÊö ãóäö ÇÓúÊóØóÜÚó Åöáóíúåö ÓóÈöíáÇð﴾
(And Hajj to the House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, for those who are able to undertake the journey) ﴿3:97﴾.
This Ayah established the obligation of performing Hajj. There are many Hadiths that mention it as one of the pillars and fundamentals of Islam, and this is agreed upon by the Muslims. According to texts and the consensus of the scholars, it is only obligatory for the adult Muslim to perform it once during his lifetime. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah once gave a speech in which he said,
«ÃóíøõåóÇ ÇáäøóÇÓõ ÞóÏú ÝõÑöÖó Úóáóíúßõãõ ÇáúÍóÌøõ ÝóÍõÌøõæÇ»
(O people! Hajj has been enjoined on you, therefore, perform Hajj.)
A man asked, "Is it every year, O Allah's Messenger'' The Prophet remained silent until the man repeated the question three times and he then said,
«áóæú ÞõáúÊõ: äóÚóãú áóæóÌóÈóÊú æóáóãóÇ ÇÓúÊóØóÚúÊõã»
(Had I said yes, it would have become an obligation and you would not have been able to fulfill it.) He said next,
«ÐóÑõæäöí ãóÇ ÊóÑóßúÊõßõãú ÝóÅöäøóãóÇ åóáóßó ãóäú ßóÇäó ÞóÈúáóßõãú ÈößóËúÑóÉö ÓõÄóÇáöåöãú æóÇÎúÊöáóÇÝöåöãú Úóáì ÃóäúÈöíóÇÆöåöãú¡ æóÅöÐóÇ ÃóãóÑúÊõßõãú ÈöÔóíúÁò ÝóÃúÊõæÇ ãöäúåõ ãóÇ ÇÓúÊóØóÚúÊõãú¡ æóÅöÐóÇ äóåóíúÊõßõãú Úóäú ÔóíúÁò ÝóÏóÚõæå»
(Leave me as I leave you, those before you were destroyed because of their many questions and disputing with their Prophets. If I command you with something, perform it as much as you can. If I forbid something for you, then refrain from it.) Muslim recorded similarly.