The Virtues and Rulings of Hajj
Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah and be dutiful to Him, for piety is the best provision for the Last Day and by it, Allaah improves the affairs of His servants, as He says which means, “…And whoever fears Allaah – He will make for him of his matter ease.” (At-Talaaq: 4)
Brethren in Faith! Be aware that worship is the right of Allaah alone and it is an obligation upon mankind and the jinn. Allaah says which means, “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Adh-Dhaariyaat: 56)
Acts of worship are the best deeds with which Allaah honors His slaves and by which He elevates the pious among them. They illuminate the hearts, refine the souls, reform one’s manners and please the Lord; acts of reverence also raise one’s rank in Paradise, expiate the sins and multiply the rewards.
Furthermore, it is from Allaah’s favors upon us that He sent to us, the best of His creation in order to explain to us sayings, deeds and beliefs that can make us win the pleasure of our Lord, and to warn us against all that can make Him displeased with us. Allaah says which means, “Just as We have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom and teaching you that which you did not know. So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.” (Al-Baqarah: 151-152)
Had Allaah not sent the Messengers and revealed the Books, mankind would have been worse than animals, but He blessed humanity by establishing a religion and laying out the straight path for them; so, the fortunate ones received guidance and the wretched ones went astray.
Among the blessings of Allaah upon His slaves is that He ordained for them acts of worship that can reform their souls, like prayer, alms giving, fasting, Hajj (major pilgrimage) and other such deeds so that man may become fully nurtured and purified in all aspects. Allaah says which means, “…Allaah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.” (Al-Maa’idah: 6)
Hajj is a pillar of Islaam in which Allaah has combined all types of ‘Ibaadah (worship). It comprises the testimony that there is no God but Allaah and that Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam is His Messenger, as well as prayer, spending in the way of Allaah, fasting (for those who cannot afford to pay for the sacrificial animal), enjoining good and forbidding evil, (characteristics of) patience, perseverance, mercy and abstention from forbidden things.
Hajj is one of the greatest signs of Allaah that what Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam has come with, is in reality the religion of truth, for no human power can gather pilgrims every year from all parts of the world; (pilgrims) with hearts full of yearning and love, who experience difficulties yet rejoice at leaving their homes and families, feeling that the hours of performing Hajj are the greatest of their lives and spending generously for this purpose. Indeed, it is only Allaah who can bring about such a situation. He says which means, “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 – That they may witness (i.e., attend) benefits for themselves and mention the Name of Allaah on known (i.e., specific) days over what He has provided for them of (sacrificial) animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.” (Al-Hajj: 27-28)
The interpreter Ibn Jareer, may Allaah have mercy upon him, and others, reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “When Allaah commanded Prophet Ibraaheem to proclaim Hajj among people, he said: ‘My Lord, how can I convey the message to the people as my voice cannot reach them?’ Allaah said, ‘You call; it is Our duty to make it reach (everyone)!’ So, he stood in his position and said, ‘O you people! Your Lord has chosen a House, so perform pilgrimage to it.’ It was said that the mountains became leveled and his voice reached all parts of the earth and all that are in the wombs and loins of men were made to hear the call and everything that heard it, responded. So those for whom Allaah has decreed to perform Hajj till the Day of Judgment responded with the saying, ‘Labbayka Allaahumma Labbayk (Here I am at your service, O Allaah, here I am).’ ”
Dear Muslims! Purify your intention for Allah in your Hajj and emulate the Messenger of Allaah in all its rites, for he, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, has said, “Take your Hajj rites from me.” (Muslim) If you do so, your Hajj will be accepted; the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, “Whoever performs Hajj and does not engage in sexual relations nor acts sinfully, he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) like (he was) the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Bukhaari & Muslim) He also said, “Performing ‘Umrah after ‘Umrah will erase the sins committed between them and the well-performed Hajj has no reward but Paradise.” (Bukhaari & Muslim) The good Hajj is the one done with sincerity, according to Prophetic guidance and in which one abstains from sins and harming other Muslims.
It is obligatory for the pilgrims to be aware of the rituals of Hajj and to perform its pillars accordingly. The pillars of Hajj are: Ihraam (the state of a pilgrim in which he performs Hajj and ‘Umrah, and during which he is prohibited from certain acts that are lawful otherwise), staying at ‘Arafah, the Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah (circumambulation of the Ka’bah on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah) and the pacing between Safa and Marwah. He should also perform the obligatory acts of Hajj which are: Ihraam from the Meeqaat (the place from where people must get into the state of Ihraam), standing at ‘Arafah till sunset, passing the night at Muzdalifah, throwing the stones (at the Jamaraat, i.e., three stone-built pillars in Mina), shaving or trimming of the hair, spending the nights at Mina, sacrificing an animal if necessary (according to the type of Hajj one is performing) and doing the farewell Tawaaf (circumambulation).
On the day of slaughtering (i.e., the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah), the pilgrim throws stones at the Jamrat Al-‘Aqabah, slaughters, runs between Safa and Marwah and performs Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah. Once he does the first three acts, all the prohibitions stipulated by Ihraam are removed for him except sexual intercourse. However, if he has performed Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah in addition to that, everything becomes permissible for him again, including sexual relations.
It is recommended for the pilgrim to increase in the performance of acts of worship and in Talbiyah (a prayer recited by pilgrims going to Makkah) till he starts throwing the stones at ‘Aqabah. He should endeavor to read the Qur’aan and supplicate much, especially on the day of ‘Arafah, for the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, “The best supplication is that of (the day of) ‘Arafah, and the best word that I and all Prophets have said on the day of ‘Arafah is, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu lahul-mulk walahul hamd, wahuwa ‘alaa kulli shay’in qadeer’ (None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is Able to do all things).” (Tirmidhi) The pilgrim should also guard his tongue and abstain from backbiting, fighting and arguments.
The Muslim should also recite the prescribed Takbeer from right after Fajr (dawn) prayer on the day of ‘Arafah till the afternoon of the 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah. The Takbeer is as follows, “Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, La ilaaha illallaah, wallaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar walillaahil hamd.” It is also recommended for the pilgrims and others to perform many good deeds in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, “There are no days in which good deeds are dearer to Allaah than in these days (i.e. the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah).” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allaah! Not even Jihaad in the way of Allaah?” He replied, “Not even Jihaad in the way of Allaah, except for a man who goes out for Jihaad with his life and wealth and comes back with none of the two.” (Bukhaari & Muslim)
Fellow Muslims! The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are the best days in the sight of Allaah; He terms them “the well-known days” in His Book, according to Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him. It is recommended, therefore, to remember Allaah much in the mosques, streets, marketplaces and everywhere during this period.
The day of ‘Arafah occurs in these days and if you do not have the opportunity to be at ‘Arafah on that day, you can fast. The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was asked about the fasting of that day, so he said, “It erases the sins of the previous year and the present one.” (Muslim)
Dear pilgrim! Allaah says which means, “Hajj is (during) well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein (by entering the state of Ihraam), there is (to be for him) no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do – Allaah knows it. And take provision, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allaah. And fear Me, O you of understanding.” (Al-Baqarah: 197)
Hold fast unto the sublime Islaamic manners and let your Hajj be an act of repentance from (previous) sins, and (a source of) reform and piety for the rest of your life. Thank Allaah and praise Him for His bountiful blessings of peace, faith and worldly commodities; and (also for) the opportunities He affords you to do righteous deeds and for the disasters He has averted from befalling you.
by Sheikh 'Ali al-Huthaifie.