Hajj Badal Explained - A Sacred Trust, A Warning to the Ummah

Before You Trust Anyone Offering Hajj Badal

There are matters in Islam that are not meant to be commercialised or treated as services.

Hajj Badal is one of them.

It is an act of worship built upon responsibility, sincerity and trust before Allah ﷻ. It is performed on behalf of someone who has passed away or is permanently unable to perform Hajj themselves.

Yet today, across the UK and globally, we are seeing a rise in unverified individuals and organisations offering Hajj Badal services with unclear processes, unrealistic pricing and no transparent proof of completion.

This is not written as promotion.

It is written as a warning, and as a reflection of something we personally witnessed during Hajj 2018.

What Is Hajj Badal in Islam

Hajj Badal is when one person performs Hajj on behalf of another Muslim who is either deceased or physically unable to perform it.

It is an act rooted in mercy and love.

For families, it often represents:

• A child fulfilling the obligation of a parent

• A loved one completing a final wish

• A family seeking ongoing reward for someone they have lost

This is not a transaction.

It is worship performed sincerely for the sake of Allah ﷻ.

Our Previous Hajj Badal Service at Ibadah Tours

At Ibadah Tours, we previously facilitated Hajj Badal with full transparency at £799 per person.

It was structured, accountable, and treated with seriousness, not as a product, but as a trust.

Breakdown of £799:

• £675 → Paid directly to the individual performing Hajj

• £75 → Allocated fully to Sadaqah Jariyah projects

• £0 admin fees on charity portion

• ~£49 → Operational oversight, coordination, certification

Who performed Hajj Badal?

Those selected included:

• Students of knowledge in Saudi Arabia

• Huffadh

• Orphans

• Trusted helpers already present during Hajj season

Importantly:

• All individuals were already legally present in Saudi Arabia

• All access was authorised through valid means (education, service, or Hajj-related roles)

• Nothing was informal or unlawful

Everything was structured and verified.

Why We Stopped Offering Hajj Badal

The structure of Hajj has changed significantly in recent years.

Today, Hajj is fully centralised and strictly regulated.

The Nusuk Hajj platform is now the only official route for international pilgrims to obtain Hajj permits and authorisation.

There is no legitimate alternative system that allows informal arrangements.

Modern Hajj also reflects this reality, with packages often beginning at around £6000 or more, along with strict quotas, controlled allocations and regulated selection processes.

This leads to a serious concern.

How are Hajj Badal services still being advertised for between £1000 and £4500 when the actual cost and permit structure of Hajj itself is significantly higher and strictly controlled

The reality simply does not align.

The Growing Problem of Hajj Badal Misuse

Over recent years we have been contacted by individuals who paid for Hajj Badal services elsewhere and later discovered that something was not right.

Common issues reported include no proof of completion, no certificates, no communication after payment, providers becoming unreachable and families left in emotional distress.

This is not simply poor service.

It is the exploitation of grief, trust and love for deceased parents.

A Moment we Will Never Forget Hajj 2018

There is a reason this moment has stayed with us ever since.

Because it did not happen in a planned or structured environment.

It unfolded naturally in the middle of Hajj itself.

We were staying in the same building in Azizia before moving towards Mina. Multiple Hajj groups from different organisations were housed together under one huge building as is the case for many Pilgrims choosing the shifting packages. Pilgrims, guides and support staff for groups are usually all accomodated in the same building.

It was there that our Director noticed an Imam sitting alone.

He was not part of our group but was staying in the same building with another UK based Hajj group.

What stood out immediately was his condition.

He was visibly burdened. Not physically exhausted in the usual sense of Hajj, but emotionally overwhelmed in a way that could not be ignored once noticed. Walking back and forth attending phone calls.

I asked our Director what he thought was wrong with him.

He looked at him and said calmly that Hajj is meant to be a struggle and that this is why the reward for an accepted Hajj is so huge.

Then he smiled and added that there is no problem that cannot be solved with the help of Allah ﷻ and a nice ice cream.

We then walked together to a small ice cream stall just outside the building.

At that moment it felt like a simple break in the day.

But it was not simple at all. We purchased an Ice cream each and one for the Imam.

The Schocking Conversation

Our director handed over an ice cream to the Imam, and asked him if everything is ok?The Imam opened up and explained his situation.

He had been sent as a spiritual guide for a UK based Hajj group. However, shortly before departure, he was also given logistical responsibility for the entire operation. Something he had not signed up to but had no choice as the supporting the Pilgrims meant more.

The company had sold multiple Hajj Badal packages internationally, but had not secured enough authorised pilgrims on the ground to fulfil them.

For days the Imam had been trying to resolve the issue by speaking to students of knowledge, pilgrims who had already completed Hajj and others within the groups, asking them to change intention where possible to complete Hajj Badal.

Some agreed. Many could not.

Then came the most difficult part.

A sister from America was repeatedly calling him in distress. She was crying and panicking as she was being told that her father’s Hajj would not be completed. The company responsible had stopped responding to her entirely.

The emotional burden had fallen entirely on him.

Seeking Guidance Before Acting

At this point nothing had been decided.

Our Director did not rush into any action.

Before making any decision, he first went to speak with our own scholar and spiritual guide who was present with our group in Hajj.

He explained the entire situation in detail and asked for guidance on whether it would be appropriate to intervene, especially as it was not part of our bookings or responsibility.

Only after receiving clarity and instructions from our scholar did he return.

The Decision

Our Director then said that he would personally step in and perform one of the remaining Hajj Badal cases to resolve the situation for the affected family.

No one had asked him to do this.

The Imam immediately hesitated.

Not because he doubted sincerity, but because he knew the weight our Director was already carrying.

He was already personally looking after a pilgrim with multiple sclerosis during Hajj and was deeply involved in his own group responsibilities.

It felt like too much to ask.

But our Director responded with calm certainty.

He said that we are not separate teams here and that we are part of the team of Islam.

He then said that everything happens only by the will and mercy of Allah ﷻ.

There was no hesitation in his decision.

Only certainty.

The Detail Often Missed

During this same journey, our Director was also quietly caring for a sick stray kitten. He was feeding it, taking it for treatment, ensuring it was safe and even begging with hotel staff to allow it to stay with him.

None of this was public. None of it was documented.

It was simply mercy in action. Now the cat, the person he was caring for, his whole group and the responsibility of Hajj Badal as well as fixing other Pilgrims issues was on the head of our director, the guy was Calm, relaxed and just laughed through hurdles. I mean, here is one brother, ready to sacrifice his own Hajj, go through the struggles of co-ordinating his group etc and on another side is a corrupt organisation who have just mis sold products without giving it a second thought.

What Happened After Hajj

After Hajj had concluded and the intensity of the journey had settled, the Imam approached our Director with gratitude and insisted on handing over the payment connected to the Hajj Badal arrangement.

Our Director refused to accept it.

For him, the matter was never financial.

Instead, he esnured the payment was given to an orphan who had been assisting pilgrims during Hajj. A simple decision, but one that carried sincerity and impact beyond the moment itself.

By the permission of Allah ﷻ, that same orphan still works alongside us today.

Before parting ways, the Imam requested something deeply important.

He asked our Director to speak to the sister from America as she was on a call to the Imam and inform her that her father’s Hajj Badal had been completed, and that it was our Director who had undertaken it on behalf of her family.

It was not about recognition.

It was about closure for a grieving heart that had been left in uncertainty for too long.

And so that is how it ended.

Not as a transaction.

But as a trust fulfilled.

Why This Matters Today

Hajj Badal is not a service.

It is an amanah.

It represents:Responsibility before Allah ﷻTrust on behalf of a grieving family and sincerity in action, not words

When done correctly, it brings mercy and reward.

When done incorrectly, it leads to confusion, emotional harm and broken trust.

Final Warning on Hajj Badal Services

Today all Hajj must be conducted through official systems.

The Nusuk Hajj platform is the only authorised route for international pilgrims.

Any Hajj Badal service that cannot provide verification, offers unrealistic pricing, avoids transparency or operates outside official systems should be treated with extreme caution. Unfortunately the Nusuk system does not allow for Hajj Badal, our team at Ibadah Tours have tried to persuade them to allow for it if possible, but as of yet there has been no response, it has been a few years.

Final Reminder

At the end of everything, the intention is between the individual and Allah ﷻ.

But trust between people is a responsibility that must be protected.

Because behind every Hajj Badal request is a family, a loss, and a hope for reward in the hereafter.

And that should never be taken lightly.

Our reward is not with people.

It is only with Allah ﷻ. May ALLAH ﷻ protect you all, always. Ibadah Tours