or ownership of that by which it is obtained, based on the evidence of the situation if the donor were a stranger. Moreover, since he is not the owner of the provisions and the mount, nor of their price, Hajj is not incumbent upon him, just as if his father had offered them. We do not concede that no burden (minnah) is imposed upon him, and even if we were to concede it (13), the argument would be invalidated by the offering of a mother (14), or the offering (15) of one who has many obligations and favors (16) upon the recipient.

Section: Whoever undertakes Hajj when it is not incumbent upon him, if he can do so without harm befalling another—such as by walking and earning through a craft like sewing, or by assisting someone who will provide for him, or by being hired for his provisions, without asking people for help—then Hajj is recommended for him, due to the saying of Allah the Almighty: {And they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel} (17), as He mentioned those on foot first. Furthermore, there is in this an exaggeration in the obedience of Allah the Almighty, and an exit from the [juridical] disagreement. If he has to ask people, Hajj is disliked for him because he constricts people and becomes a burden upon them in undertaking that which is not incumbent upon him. Imam Ahmad was asked about someone who enters the desert without provisions or a mount, and he said: I do not like that for him; this person is relying on the provisions of others.

Section: The stipulation of a mount is specific to someone who is far, for whom the distance between him and the House is the distance for shortening prayers (qasr). As for the one who is close and for whom walking is possible, the availability of a mount is not considered in his case, because it is a short distance and it is possible for him to walk to it, so it is incumbent upon him, like going to the Jumu'ah prayer. If he is someone for whom walking is not possible, the availability of a mount is considered in his case because he is unable to walk, so he is like the distant person. As for provisions, they are indispensable; if he does not find provisions and is unable to earn them, Hajj is not incumbent upon him.