When to Walk on Foot for al-Hajj and When to Ride Transporting Animals

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّا نُرِيدُ أَنْ نَخْرُجَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ مُشَاةً فَقَالَ لَنَا لَا تَمْشُوا وَ اخْرُجُوا رُكْبَاناً- قُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنَا عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ص أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَحُجُّ مَاشِياً فَقَالَ كَانَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ ع يَحُجُّ مَاشِياً وَ تُسَاقُ مَعَهُ الْمَحَامِلُ وَ الرِّحَالُ.

“I once said to abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), that we want to leave for Makkah on foot. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not go on foot. Go riding/ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, we are told that al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.), would perform al-Hajj on foot.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Al-Hassan, ibn Ali (a.s.), performed

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَحُجُّ مُشَاةً فَبَلَغَنَا عَنْكَ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَمَا تَرَى قَالَ إِنَّ النَّاسَ لَيَحُجُّونَ مُشَاةً وَ يَرْكَبُونَ قُلْتُ لَيْسَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ أَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ فَعَنْ أَيِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ سَأَلْتَ قُلْتُ أَيُّهُمَا أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ أَنْ نَصْنَعَ قَالَ تَرْكَبُونَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَقْوَى لَكُمْ عَلَى الدُّعَاءِ وَ الْعِبَادَةِ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about performing al-Hajj on foot, a Hadith that had been narrated from him (the Imam) and his view about it. He (the Imam) said, ‘People perform al-Hajj both on foot and riding.’ I then said that that is not my question.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What was your question?’ I asked, ‘Whic

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْمَشْيُ أَفْضَلُ أَوِ الرُّكُوبُ فَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ مُوسِراً فَمَشَى لِيَكُونَ أَقَلَّ لِنَفَقَتِهِ فَالرُّكُوبُ أَفْضَلُ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about traveling for al-Hajj if on foot is more virtuous or riding. He (the Imam) said, ‘If one is affluent and he travels on foot to reduce his expenses then riding is more virtuous.’”

بَلْ رَاكِباً فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص حَجَّ رَاكِباً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about traveling for al-Hajj if on foot was more virtuous or riding. He (the Imam) said, ‘Riding is more virtuous because the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, traveled for al-Hajj riding.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ مَشْيِ الْحَسَنِ ع مِنْ مَكَّةَ أَوْ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ قَالَ مِنْ مَكَّةَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ إِذَا زُرْتُ الْبَيْتَ أَرْكَبُ أَوْ أَمْشِي‌[1] فَقَالَ كَانَ الْحَسَنُ ع يَزُورُ رَاكِباً وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرُّكُوبُ أَفْضَلُ أَوِ الْمَشْيُ فَقَالَ الرُّكُوبُ قُلْتُ الرُّكُوبُ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْمَشْيِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ لِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص رَكِبَ‌[2].

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of al-Hassan (a.s.), and his walking on foot; if it was from Makkah or al-Madinah. He (the Imam) said, ‘It was from Makkah.’ I then asked, ‘If I visit the House, should I walk on foot or riding?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Al-Hassan (a.s.), would visit riding.’ I then asked

سَأَلْتُهُ مَتَى يَنْقَطِعُ مَشْيُ الْمَاشِي قَالَ إِذَا رَمَى جَمْرَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ وَ حَلَقَ‌ رَأْسَهُ فَقَدِ انْقَطَعَ مَشْيُهُ فَلْيَزُرْ رَاكِباً[1].

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man traveling on foot; where it stops? He (the Imam) said, ‘When one throws the pebbles on Jamarah al-‘Aqabah and shaves his head his walking stops, and he must visit riding.”’

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ فِي الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الْمَشْيُ فِي الْحَجِّ إِذَا رَمَى الْجِمَارَ زَارَ الْبَيْتَ رَاكِباً وَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ[2].

‘When one throws pebbles on Jamar, he can visit the House riding; and he is not obligated for anything in this matter.’”