Question
A person had the niyyat to pay for someone’s Haj.
Early last year the arrangements were made and bookings were made and the funds given to the donee who in turn paid the travel agent,
Haj did not take place. The funds were returned to the donee and not the donor. And the funds are still with the donee.
i.e. The donee has been made Malik of the funds now.
1. Does the responsibility remain on donee to fulfil the haj with this money?
2. Can the donee invest the money in the interim until hajj becomes easy?
3. The proceeds of the investment now can be used for what purpose? Is the donee free to use the proceeds as he wishes it must it be pooled with the haj money.
Answer
Considering that the donee was made the Maalik (owner) of the donation, as stated in the question, he will be at liberty to do as he wills with the money. Hajj however will still remain incumbent upon him as he now possesses the required amount to complete his Hajj.
Due to Hajj not being possible immediately, he could invest the money in some Halaal investment and use the proceeds once the process becomes easier. He is however, not bound to use the exact funds for his Hajj.
One must keep in mind that once Hajj becomes compulsory, he will have to make Wasiyyat of Hajj before his death, if for some reason he does not get the opportunity to perform the Hajj.
References
الصدقة بمنزلة الهبة في المشاع وغير المشاع وحاجتها إلي القبض إلا أنه لا رجوع في الصدقة إذا تمّت [الفتاوي الهندية ج4ص406]
(ولا تثبت الإستظاعة ببذل الغير مالا أو طاعة ملكا أو إباحة)..قالوا وكذا لو تصدق به عليه أو وهبه إنسان مالا يحج به ولا يجب عليه القبول عندنا..(فإن قبل المال وجب)أي عليه الحج إجماعا
[مناسك ملا علي القاري ص460]
ولو لم يكن له مسكن ولا خادم وعنده مال يبلغ ثمن ذلك ولا يبقي بعد ذلك قدر ما يحج به فإنه لا يجب عليه الحج[البحر الرائق ج2ص313]
هذا محمول علي ما قبل حضور الوقت الذي يخرج فيه أهل بلده فلو حضر تعين أداء النسك عليه…[منحة الخالق ج2ص313]
فإن قدر ثم عجز قبل الخروج إلي الحج تقرر دينا في ذمته فيلزمه الإحجاج [الرد المحتار ج2ص459]