Hadrat ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhuma reported that the Messenger of Allah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam stated, “‘O People! Allah has made Hajj incumbent upon you.’ Hadrat Aqra’ ibn Habis stood up and inquired, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is it incumbent each year?’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘If I say ‘yes,’ then it would be made obligatory and incumbent upon you each year, and if it were to be made incumbent each year, you would not be able to fulfill this religious duty. Thus, Hajj is only once in a lifetime, and those who exceed this (do it more than once), then the (extra) is nafl (optional).’” [Mishkat, Kitab al-Manasik, Page 221]
From this, we understand that the Holy Prophet has full power, control, and authority over Shari’ah and Sacred Islamic Laws. If the Messenger of Allah desired, he could have made Hajj obligatory and incumbent each year. For a detailed treatise on this topic, please read Muniyyat al-Labib Anna al-Tashri’a biyad al-Habib (1311AH ) by Imam Ahmed Rida Khan.
Hadrat ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhuma reported that the Messenger of Allah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam said, “He who intends to perform hajj should hasten to do so.” [Sunan Darimi, Vol. 2, Page 27]
Hadrat ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu reported that the Messenger of Allah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam said, “Make the Hajj and the Umrah follow each other closely, (wear the Ihram for Qiran, in which the intention of Hajj and ‘Umrah is done, or perform both the Hajj and ‘Umrah consecutively), for they remove poverty and sins as a furnace removes impurities from iron, gold, and silver; and Hajj, which is accepted, its reward is Paradise.” [Sunan Tirmidhi, Abwab al-Hajj, Vol. 1, Page 167]
