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Q&A · Hajj

What happens if a pilgrim dies during Hajj or while still in ihram?

Ibn 'Abbas reported that while a man was standing at 'Arafah with the Prophet (ﷺ), he fell from his mount and broke his neck and died. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Wash him with water and lote-leaves, shroud him in his two garments, and neither perfume him nor cover his head, for he will be raised on the Day of Resurrection reciting the Talbiyah" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1265; Sahih Muslim 1206). So a pilgrim who dies in ihram is prepared for burial in that very state, and is given this great glad tiding. The remaining rites are not completed on his behalf — the Prophet (ﷺ) gave no such instruction. If the obligatory Hajj had already become binding upon him before he died, the Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold that Hajj al-badal must be performed for him and funded from his estate before the inheritance is divided, while the Hanafis and Malikis require it only if he bequeathed it. And the believer takes heart from the principle Allah states about one who leaves his home for His sake and is overtaken by death on the way: "...his reward has already become due upon Allah" (Quran 4:100).

Evidence — the daleel
Sahih al-Bukhari 1265 ṢaḥīḥSahih Muslim 1206 ṢaḥīḥQuran 4:100
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Informational, not a personal fatwa. Consult a qualified scholar for rulings on your situation.

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