Short answer
The Quran makes Hajj a duty on everyone able to make the journey, calls it a call of Ibrahim answered from every distant land, and asks pilgrims to keep it free of sin and quarrelling. The Prophet ﷺ said an accepted Hajj has no reward but Paradise, that it wipes away sins, and that it is the best jihad for women.
Hajj is fard once in a lifetime on every adult, sane Muslim with the means, and in the Hanafi school it should be done in the first year one is able. The four schools agree it is a pillar of Islam.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
In the Quran:
- 3:96 to 97: the first House at Makkah, and Hajj is owed to Allah by whoever is able.
- 22:27 to 29: Ibrahim told to call people to Hajj; they come on foot and on lean camels to witness benefits, remember Allah over the sacrificial animals and circle the ancient House.
- 2:196 to 203: the rules: complete Hajj and umrah, the sacrifice, the ransom, the months of Hajj, no sexual relations, sin or arguing, Arafah, Muzdalifah and the days at Mina.
- 2:158: Safa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.
In the hadith:
- An accepted Hajj is among the best deeds after faith and jihad.
- Whoever performs Hajj without obscenity or sin returns like the day he was born (see does Hajj erase all sins).
- For women, the best jihad is an accepted Hajj.
- There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the day of Arafah (see the day of Arafah).
- Hajj demolishes what came before it.
These texts are the basis of the rulings across our Q&A: see who must perform Hajj, fard and wajib acts of Hajj and Hajj mabroor. Our Hajj guide follows the days in order, and Surah al-Hajj has the full chapter named after it.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan 3:97
فِيهِ ءَايَٰتٌۢ بَيِّنَٰتٌۭ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۖ وَمَن دَخَلَهُۥ كَانَ ءَامِنًۭا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ حِجُّ ٱلْبَيْتِ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًۭا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ﴿٩٧﴾
In it are clear signs [such as] the standing place of Abraham. And whoever enters it shall be safe. And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves - then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.
Hajj is a duty on those able.
Quran, Surah Al-Hajj 22:27
وَأَذِّن فِى ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًۭا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍۢ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍۢ ﴿٢٧﴾
And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass -
The call of Ibrahim to Hajj.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:197
ٱلْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌۭ مَّعْلُومَٰتٌۭ ۚ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ ٱلْحَجَّ فَلَا رَفَثَ وَلَا فُسُوقَ وَلَا جِدَالَ فِى ٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ يَعْلَمْهُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَتَزَوَّدُوا۟ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَٱتَّقُونِ يَٰٓأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ ﴿١٩٧﴾
Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of ihram], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do - Allah knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah. And fear Me, O you of understanding.
The months and manners of Hajj.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1519
Sahih... أي الأعمال أفضل قال إيمان بالله ورسوله قيل ثم ماذا قال جهاد في سبيل الله قيل ثم ماذا قال حج مبرور ...
"He was asked which deed is best. He said: faith in Allah and His Messenger. Then what? Striving in Allah's path. Then what? An accepted Hajj."
Hajj is among the best deeds.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2784
Sahih... لكن أفضل الجهاد حج مبرور ...
"But the best jihad is an accepted Hajj."
Said to A'ishah about women's jihad.
Sahih Muslim 1348
Sahih... ما من يوم أكثر من أن يعتق الله فيه عبدا من النار من يوم عرفة ...
"There is no day on which Allah frees more servants from the Fire than the day of Arafah."
The virtue of the day of Arafah.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Hajj, opening section. Hajj is fard once on whoever meets its conditions.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.