‘Haj Al-Badal’ is new fad on social media

JEDDAH: Ads titled “We will perform Haj for you” are increasingly circulating on social networking websites ahead of the start of the Haj season.
Upon contacting one of those people who posted such ads, he said: “We perform Haj on behalf of the disabled and dead people whose relatives contact us to do so.” “It costs SR4,500 for one person. And you can pay in cash or by transferring the money. Photos and videos showing the whole process of Haj will be sent to the mobiles of those who requested the service,” he added.
Prof. Abdulrahman bin Awad Al-Qarni of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, warned against such practices. “The companies, individuals posting proxy Haj ads for money are setting a competitive trend,” Al-Qarni said.
“Such kind of competition is not permitted because performing Haj is not intended to be a profession for getting money. In addition, this service may encourage some lazy people not to perform Haj themselves, and to hire others to do that for them.”
source:Arab News