Visiting relatives before Hajj/Umrah

[jimbo123]

Is there anything in the Quran or Sunnah which say that you HAVE to visit relatives before going on pilgrimage?

I know that it is probably a good thing but there are some cultures that go too far saying you HAVE to do this. I just wanted to clear things up on this because I can't find much information about it.

[ardianto]

In your culture, those who will go hajj visit the relatives. In my culture, those who will go hajj invite the relatives, make gathering or even party.

Both traditions are cultural.

[Ramadhan]

Is there anything in the Quran or Sunnah which say that you HAVE to visit relatives before going on pilgrimage?

I know that it is probably a good thing but there are some cultures that go too far saying you HAVE to do this. I just wanted to clear things up on this because I can't find much information about it.

Well, in Qur'an and sunnah, we are commanded to always renew and strengthen ties of silaturrahim with families, relatives, friends and neighbors.
So, visiting them is a good thing, no?
Also, this tradition stemmed from the old days where hajj trip was long, difficult, and arduous (in early 1900 for example, hajj trip from Indonesia could take few months because they had to go with ship. And especially for old people, sometimes it was the last trip they ever took because they died from illnesses, exhaustion, etc. Hence, visiting relatives etc also serve another important purpose: to ask forgiveness from them because you will never know if it's the last time you see them.

[jimbo123]

So basically, there is no need to do this? I didn't cut off ties with relatives. I am only asking because some people in my culture say you HAVE to do this it.

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[Ramadhan]

It's not compulsory because it is not part of ibadah. But if you do it, you get a lot of hasanah and barokah from Allah, but only if your intention is good (not riya' or anything like that).

[esperanza]

salam iwas also told by someone in myhusbands family that you should visit realtives before going to hajj..but my husbvand did not tell me this..and did not do so when we went to hajj

[Qaswa]

In hometown in India they announce in the masjid usually after a Jum'ah about so and so in the Muhallah going for Hajj. Sometimes the person who is going, will come forward and announce his journey himself. Then we go and visit him at his home, the purpose being to greet him and request him to ask Duah for us. Visiting relatives is a good thing but i have seen in some cases inviting relatives for gathering ends up in a big party with a lot of money spent it. And as jimbo123 says it becomes a compulsion to do this which is bad because not all people who set on this spiritual journey would be rich enough to afford such a gathering. They would have planned this with their hard-earned savings over many many years. When the tradition compels them to do such a thing its not good.