Lesson 09: Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Hajj (Pilgrimage):

Hajj is a comprehensive ritual worship. This is an important pillar of Islam. This is obligatory on every sane and adult Muslim once in a lifetime.

i. Literal Meanings of Hajj:

In Islamic terms, Hajj means to visit house of Allah and to perform rituals of Hajj with specific conditions during particular days.

ii. Importance of Hajj in the light of Quran:

The significance of hajj among pillars of Islam can easily be known by this verse of Quran:

وَلِلهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا، وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَلَمِينَ

( سورة آل عمران : 97)

Translation: And (due) to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House for whoever is able to find there to a way, But whoever disbelieves then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.

It means that this comprehensive worship has been made mandatory for the sake of Allah and it is His right on the slaves. More, there is no personal benefit of Allah in this ritual but people are benefited through this act of worship. Its biggest advantage is the forgiveness of sins.

iii. Significance of Hajj in light of Ahadees:

The holy Prophet said:

مَنْ حَبَّةٍ لِلَّهِ فَلَمْ يَرْفُتُ وَلَمْ يَفْسُقُ رَجَعَ كَيَومِ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّه (بخاری)

Translation: Anyone who performs Hajj in obedience of Allah's commandment and stays away from sins and bad deeds during Hajj. He returns purified against sins in a state as he was just born from his mother's womb..

Arrangement of Purifying His slaves in this world from sins is the evidence of Allah's mercy and not being benefited from this mercy is the extreme thanklessness and bad luck. Hazrat Muhammad said;

މ ވ "مَنْ لَّمْ يَمْنَعُهُ حَاجَةٌ ظَاهِرَةٌ أَو سُلْطَان جَائِرٌ أَو مَرَضٌ حَابِسٌ فَلَمْ يَحمَّ فَلْيَمُتُ إِنْ شَاءَ يَهُودِيًا وَإِن شَاءَ نَصْرًا نِيَا -

Translation: A person to whom any apparent need does not stop from Hajj and neither any cruel king is a hurdle on his way and nor a disease he has which stop him and if he dies without performing Hajj. Then he will not have the death of a Muslim but he will have the death of a jew or a christian.

iv. Comprehensiveness:

The spirit of all other worships is included in an Ibadah such as Hajj. From departure for Hajj and till returning, during journey, closer to Allah is sought with offering prayer spending money for Hajj resembles spending wealth for Zakah. Avoiding sensual desires and immoral acts have the spirit of fasting in itself. In going away from home and toil of journey, there is color of Jihad. The mother of believers, Hazrat Ayesha narrated a tradition that Prophet of Allah said, "The most prestigious jihad is Hajj Mabroor (the accepted one). Due to this saying of Prophet Muhammad. Hazrat umar used to say, "Keep prepared the goods for Hajj as it is also a Jihad".

v. Hajj Mabroor:

By Hajj Mabroor, it means that Hajj which is for the sake of Allah only and there is no personal interest in it. Such pilgrim is called "Hajj Mabroor".

Feelings of Kabah visitors (Philosophy of Hajj)

When rituals of Hajj are observed, it is known that every stage has the source of moral and spiritual training in it. When a person gives up his relations and worldly. interests behind and while wearing unsewed clothes and reciting." Allah huma Labaik' is present in House of Allah, then this journey resembles his journey for the Hereafter.

When that person performs Hajj rituals in this religious atmosphere, then his inner feelings are awesome. In the stay of plane of Arafat he remembers that tiding in which Allah has described His blessing in the form of completion of religion Islam. We remember the matchless instructions of Holy Prophet's address. That person remembers this instruction, "You should hold. Quran and Hadees strongly after me to. avoid being astray.

While giving sacrifice, we remember then a matchless sacrifices of Hazrat Ibrahim He thinks that what is the comparison of little sacrifices of his own desires with other sacrifices. My life and death should be for sake of Allah only. He says these words then:

إِنَّ صَلاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِله رَبِّ العلمينَ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وانا اول المُسْلِمِينَ

Translation: Indeed, my prayer, and my sacrifice and my life and my death are for the sake of Allah who is the lord of all worlds: He doesn't have partners. And I have been ordered to be the first among Muslims.

The pilgrim throws stone towards Satan, at Mina with this determination that Satan will try to interfere between him and his Lord and he would not commit mistake in recognizing Satan. When he goes in front of House of Allah. Then his soul gets excitement with this thought that he sees that house for which he longed to visit. Feeling of turning his attention towards Allah supports the pilgrim. After Tawaf, he, does saee between safa and Marwa. In other words he says that I will spend this power of faith which I have got due to your closeness for the propagation of Islam and I would try to follow the footsteps of Hazrat Muhammad for the whole of my life. Then this earnest desire of his heart and soul.comes to his lips in these words.

اللَّهُمَّ اسْتَعْمِلْنِي بِسُنَّة نَبِيِّكَ وَتَوَفَّنِى عَلَى مِلَّتِهِ وَأَعِذْ نِي مِنْ مُّضِلَّاتِ النَّفْسِ

Translation: Allah! Put me on the way of your Prophet and I keep on following that until I meet you and protect me against evil desires.

Manasik -e- Hajj: Rites of Pilgrimage, The followings are manasik-e-Hajj.

Ahram: Wearing ahram is obligatory, which is dress of a hajji, a pilgrim wears it from meeqat after taking bath. It consists of two unstitched sheets of cloth. 

Talbih: Lubaika Allahuma Lubaik' is called Talbih and a pilgrim recites it frequently after wearing ahram.

Tawaf: Taking round of the house of Allah (baitullah) seven times is known as Tawaf. It has three kinds.

Tawaf-e-Qadum: After reaching Makkah, first of all, doing Tawaf of Baitullah is regarded as Tawaf-e-Qadum.

Tawaf -e-Ziarat: After returning from Mina, it is done on 10th or 11th Zil Hijja and it is in the category of mandatory.

Tawaf -e- Wida: After performing Hajj, doing Tawaf before returning is called Tawaf-e-Wida.

Saee: Running between Safa and Marwa bare footed and completing seven rounds is called Saee.

Stay at Mina; At 8th of Zil Hijjah, pilgrim stay at mina during night and move to plane of. Arafat at 9th from the same place and sacrifice is also given at mina. Rami is also done there. There is a stay of three days there: Staying there till 12th zil hajj is obligatory.

Waquf-e- Arafat: Waquf-e-Arafat is the most important pillar of Hajj. On 9th Zil Hijj pilgrims gather at Arafat. Pilgrims pray to Allah at the same place, Imam-e-Hajj delivers address of Hajj (Khutba-e-Hajj). Moreover, the prayers of Zuhr and Asr are offered collectively in the mosque of. Namra.

Departure to Muzdalfa: After returning from Arafat; the night of 10th Zil Hijja.

Rami Jamarat: Three pillars are installed at mina which are called Jamrat. During 10th 11th and 12th zil Hijja, these pillars are hit by seven stones daily.

Sacrifice: (Qurbani): Pilgrims give sacrifice after doing Rami and after that pilgrims open their ahram.

Shaving off heads (Halq raas): After giving sacrifice at mina, pilgrims shave their heads or trim their head hair. It is called "Halq Raas".