Hotels in Makkah raising their rates in Hajj and 'Umrah seasons

2-7-2009 | IslamWeb

Question:

I have visited holy makkah twice for my umrah and i have observed that hotels hike their rates during peak season of umrah like ramadan and hajj.
I understand it is busy period that can fetch maximum profits, but is it right to earn money like this. Isn't it encashment of holy place and people's belief in it.
Why there are no stable rates for piligrimages accomodation through out the year. I don't mind if the accomodation is graded facility and qulaity wise, from 5 star to 2 star, but multiplying the rates as per their wishes, isn't it a haraam income.
Pls clear my doubt am i wrong in asking this question

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

 

First of all, we would like to say that Muslim jurists differed about the ruling on renting out and selling the places of residence in Makkah. Some scholars prohibited this, and this is the opinion of Maalik, Abu Haneefah and Ahmad. Other scholars, like Ash-Shaafi‘i and Ahmad in his second opinion, permitted this, and this is the preponderant opinion that we adopt in Islamweb. So, in principle, it is permissible to rent out Makkah's hotels to the pilgrims coming for Hajj or ‘Umrah.

As for raising the rent in some seasons, if the tenant agreed on the price offered by the hotel, it is – in principle – permissible, and the rent does not become ill-gotten money for the owner of the hotel. In case he raised the price much higher than normal price, then permissibility in this case is questionable.

We know that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia determines the rent of the hotels during the seasons of Hajj and ‘Umrah and other occasions, but some hotels do not abide by that.

Allaah Knows best.