Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever performs Hajj to this House (Ka`ba) and does not approach his wife for sexual relations nor commits sins (while performing Hajj), he will come out as sinless as a newlyborn child. (Just delivered by his mother).
Hadith Text and Context
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever performs Hajj to this House (Ka`ba) and does not approach his wife for sexual relations nor commits sins (while performing Hajj), he will come out as sinless as a newlyborn child." (Sahih al-Bukhari 1819)
Scholarly Commentary
This noble hadith establishes the immense spiritual reward for performing Hajj with proper devotion and adherence to its sacred restrictions. The Prophet (ﷺ) emphasizes three essential conditions: performing the pilgrimage to the Sacred House, abstaining from sexual relations during the state of ihram, and avoiding all sins throughout the pilgrimage.
The comparison to a newborn child signifies complete purification from sins, as an infant carries no burden of transgression. This metaphor illustrates the transformative power of an accepted Hajj, where the pilgrim returns spiritually reborn, free from the weight of previous wrongdoings.
Classical scholars explain that this complete forgiveness applies specifically to sins between the servant and Allah, not to rights owed to other people, which must still be fulfilled. The condition of avoiding sins indicates that the pilgrim must maintain taqwa (God-consciousness) throughout the journey.
Legal and Spiritual Dimensions
The prohibition of sexual relations during Hajj is among the fundamental restrictions of ihram, the sacred state entered for pilgrimage. Scholars classify violating this prohibition as one of the major violations that require expiation.
The comprehensive avoidance of sins mentioned encompasses both major and minor transgressions, reminding pilgrims that Hajj is not merely a physical journey but a spiritual transformation requiring complete submission to Allah's commands.
This hadith serves as both an encouragement for righteous pilgrims and a warning against treating Hajj as a mere ritual without spiritual significance. The promised reward motivates believers to approach the pilgrimage with sincerity, reverence, and mindfulness of Allah throughout their sacred journey.