O Traveller to the Haram! Part II

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Continued…

Hajj

For those going first time it is easy to get lost, there are a lot of hotels and sometimes they all look the same to you and you might be quite a distance from the Haram. For the first few days go with someone to the Haram, and remember the walk back and picture a big hotel or shop nearby, e.g my hotel is near Hilton or behind Movenpick. Keep the hotel card, especially if you have elderly parents with you.

Remember, those going for Hajj there will be approximately 3 million people in Hajj. Thinking of that should give you the ability to be more patient. Hajj is nothing but an expression of love. During the journey towards Allah, the haji bears all difficulties with great patience. Also, bear in mind there will be delays. If you arrive late at Arafat or Muzdalifah you will still be rewarded for your intention so do not fret or frown. Arafat day try and spend the most time in Dua from Dhuhr to Maghrib in a standing position (as long as possible). Arafat to Muzdalifah is usually a difficult one as most if not all of the people take the buses as it is dark after Maghrib. It is ideal to walk the rest of Hajj, saves you from the headache of buses. If your bus is late, spend the time in dhikr and Qur’an not talking or gossiping or on WhatsApp and social media. Don’t let Shaytan take advantage.

Can I also say about keeping yourself clean during the days of Hajj? Please don’t neglect personal hygiene and yes stick to the restrictions…but there’s going to be millions of people there and there will be germs everywhere, keep a fragrance free hand gel and keep washing your hands to stop spreading any unwanted germs. When sneezing and coughing remember to use tissues and wash your hands if possible after.

Allah SWT has made things easy for us now, personal hygiene is more important at times like this not just for you but to take other people into consideration too, the elderly the sick those who have terminal illnesses who will be around if you’re not washing to keep clean you will spread germs.

There are even some things that recite the talbīyah alongside a muḥrim when one recites it. “There is no Muslim who recites the talbīyah during the Ḥajj andʿUmrah but that everything which is to his right and left also recite it with him. Whether it is rocks, trees or even soil, to the farthest ends of the earth in each direction, from here and from there.” (Tirmidhī)

THE SIGNS OF HAJJ E MABROOR & HAJJ E MAQBOOL

Hajj e mabroor is where no mistake is made for which penalty will have to be given.

Hajj e maqbul is the hajj which has been accepted by Allah, this also includes performing the hajj with lawful money.

Sometimes both these words are used for the term accepted hajj.

A sign of an accepted hajj is that the pilgrims life changes from bad to good , love for the hereafter increases and the desire for the worldly things decline.

Five times daily salah ,zakah, fasting in the holy month of Ramadhan and for women a full sharee purdah.

Previous fasts and salah must be completed through qadha, unpaid zakah must be paid and the sunnah of Rasulullah SAW must be learned and practised upon.

Become a practising muslim and abide by the laws of Shariah.

Allah grant all the hajis and hajyanis hajj e mabroor and maqbool Ameen thumma Ameen

Miscellaneous

Daily Items to take to the Haram/Masjid: Draw string bag for slippers, musalla, water bottle, Qur’an, dua books/tasbih, mobile phone and money.

Janazah Salah Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah ﷺ said: “Whoever attends the funeral procession and offers the Janazah Salah, will get a reward equal to one ‘qirat’, and whoever accompanies it till burial, will get a reward equal to two ‘qirats’. It was asked, “What are two qirats?” He answered, “Like two huge mountains.” (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 1325 and Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 945)

For those travelling for the first time, there will be Janazah Salah after every Fardh Salah almost. You will hear an announcement, “As-Salah ala Al-Amwaat” or “As-Salah ala Al-Atfaal” (Prayer for the deceased or prayer for children). We should seize the opportunity as it takes only a few minutes to pray. As a lot of people tend to forget the method and women may never have prayed Janazah Salah, the method is here:

Method of Janazah Salah:

The manner of performing Salatul Janazah is as follows:

The body of the deceased must be placed in front of the Imam who leads the Salah.

The Imam stands on line with the chest of the deceased.

Everyone in the congregation must have the intention of performing Salaah Al Janazah for the sake of Allah and in prayer for the deceased.

Make the intention of praying behind Imam.

One must then say Allahu Akbar while raising both hands as in Takbeer At Tahreema (the same manner in which one raises his hands to begin the daily Salah).

Then fold your hands as one does in his daily Salah.

At this time, one must recite the 1) Thana. The Thana is:-

“Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdika wa Tabarakasmuka wa Ta’aala Jadduka wa laa ilaha Ghairuka.”

2) After this, a person must say Allahu Akbar again, but must not raise his hands.

At this time, one will recite the Durood, (preferably the same as recited in the daily Salah).

3) Then say Allahu Akbar once again without raising the hands. After this takbeer, one will make the dua for the deceased.

Based on who the deceased is, one will recite the relevant dua. That is, there is a special dua for adults, and one for a minor boy and another for a minor girl.

The dua for an adult is:

Allaahurnmaghfir li hayyinaa wa mayyitinaa wa shahidi­naa wa gha-ibinaa wasaghiri­naa wa kabirinaa wa dhakari­naa wa unthanaa,

Allaahumma man ahyaitahu minnaa fa’ahyihi ‘alal islam wa man tawaffaitahu minnaa fatawaffahu ‘alal imaan.

O Allah! Forgive those of us that are alive and those of us who are dead, those of us that are present, those of us who are absent, those of us that are young and those of us that are adults; our males and our females. O Allah! Whomsoever of us you keep alive let him live as a follower of Islam and whomsoever you cause to die, let him die as a believer.

The dua for a girl child is :

Allaahum maj ‘alhaa lanaa fa-ra—tanw waj ‘alhaa lana aj-ranw wa zukhranw waj ‘alhaa lana shaafi’atan wa mushaf-fa;ah

O Allah, make her our forerunner, a source of reward and treasure and make her plead for us and one whose plea has been accepted.

The dua for a boy child is:

Allaahum maj ‘alhu lnaa fa-ra—tanw waj ‘alhu lana aj-ranw wa zukhranw waj ‘alhu lana shaafi’an wa mushaf-fa’aa

O Allah, make him our fore runner, a source of reward and treasure and make him a pleader for us and one whose plea has been accepted.

NOTE: If you don’t know any of the above Duas then pray Rabbana Aatina Fid Dunya hasanah wa fil Aakhirati Hasanah wa qina azaaban naar.

When the Salatul Janazah is finished the body should be taken to the cemetery for burial.

And Allah knows best.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is not permissible even if claims are restricted to exceptional circumstances. Hadhrat Mufti Taqi Uthmani (madda zilluhu) writes in his book, contemporary fatawa : “It is a well-settled principle of Sharî’ah that every transaction between two parties in which the payment by one party to the other is certain while payment by the other party depends upon a contingency (which may or may not occur) is included in Qimâr (gambling) and gharar (deception) and is, therefore, unlawful. (Page 122) “….all the insurance policies available with traditional insurance companies run on a commercial basis have an element of interest or Qimar or both. Hence, they are not allowed in Shari’ah.” (page 164)  Allah (SWT) Knows Best.

Women and Jamat

As most women don’t attend the Masjid for Salah in UK, they may not know how to perform missed Rak’aat with the imam:

You will stay in sitting position with imam in the last Rak’at for tashahhud until he does second salam incase he does sajdah e sahw after the first salam. So as soon as he finishes his second salam you will stand up to finish your missed rakats.

Method:

1 RAKAAT MISSED The Muqtadi must recite Surah Faatiha and a Surah.

2 RAKAATS MISSED The Muqtadi must recite in both Rakaats Surah Fatiha and a Surah.

3 RAKAATS MISSED In the first Rakaat, the Muqtadi must recite Surah Fatiha and a Surah and then sit for Tashahhud.

After Tashahhud, he must stand up for the second missed Rakaat and recite Surah Fatiha and a Surah.

In the third missed Rakaat, he must recite Surah Fatiha only.

4 RAKAATS MISSED In the first two Rakaats recite Surah Fatiha and a Surah.

In the second two Rakaats recite only Surah Faatiha. (Shami vol 2 pg. 346)

Witr in Ramadhan

Those who go for Umrah in Ramadhan, usually have a dilemma whether or not to pray Witr with the imam. As the imam will pray 2 rak’ah then 1 separate. It is allowed for Hanafis (people who follow Hanafi fiqh) to follow the imam in Witr. Please see fatwa below:

https://nawadir.org/2016/04/02/witr-salah-in-makkah-and-madinah/

The preferred view of Hadhrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmani Saheb (hafidhahullah) is pray 2 rak’ah nafl with the imam and then don’t pray the 1 rak’ah separate, just make dua in the qunoot/dua after rukoo.

Also, after Taraweeh Salah there is no announcement for Witr like the Masajid in England. So many people stand up for Witr thinking it is still Taraweeh and their intention will still be for Taraweeh, which will invalidate the Salah. It would be nice if they could announce Witr Salah in the Haram, otherwise we must keep a track of Rak’ahs.

Thieves

Keep your belongings with you at ALL times. In the hotel keep your suitcase and luggage locked, do not trust anyone, not even the workers. Take minimum money to the Haram, 40-50 Riyal. You should not need more than that, maximum 100 Riyal. The day you decide to go shopping, take extra money. But on a daily basis, you might need money for a drink/ice cream or something to eat. There are thieves everywhere! As blessed as Haramayn Shareefayn are, unfortunately the thieves are NOT. They will cut your pockets and run. Men should try and sew pockets into their trousers for safety. Keep your mobile and money in there. Women keep small handbags and keep close to you, not dangling off your shoulder. Then there are other thieves or beggars who make stories up! They lost their passports or documents. Or even say they lost their wife and children. I personally do not give a Riyal to any of these guys, not because I am stingy but I want my money to go to the right place. If you don’t believe me, read this:

https://babarahmad.com/2016/08/29/pilgrims-guide-to-predators-on-hajj/

If you want to give Sadaqah or Zakah give it to the cleaners in Haram. With Zakah, you have to let them know it is Zakah.

If your belongings do get stolen or lost, there is a lost and found office called “daftarul mafqoodaat” in Arabic. It is near Safa and Marwa but far, far behind it. You have to go outside and it is a long walk, I’ll be honest. Try praying these duas:

1.

اللَّهُمَّ رَادَّ الضَّالَّةِ وَهَادِي الضَّالَّةِ أَنْتَ تَهْدِي مِنَ الضَّلَالَةِ ارْدُدْ عَلَيَّ ضَالَّتِي بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَسُلْطَانِكَ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ عَطَائِكَ وَفَضْلِكَ

“O Allah, the Returner of the lost, and the Guide of the lost, You guide the lost. Return to me what I have lost by Your power and Your domain, for surely It was Your gift and grace in the first place”.

(Al Hisnul Haseen)

2.

يا جامع الناس ليوم لا ريب فيه

اجمع بيني وبين مالي إنك على كل شيء قدير.

Allahuma ya jami’ an-naas li yawmin laa rayba feeh ijma’ bayni wa bayna dhaallati.

“O Allah, Gatherer of mankind on the day in which there is no doubt. Connect me with my lost item.”

(Fathul qadeer)

فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ

In it are clear signs (among which is) the Maqam-e-Ibrahim.

Maqam-e-Ibrahim refers to the stone on which Nabi Ibrahimﷺ would stand when he was building the Ka‘bah. As the height of the building rose, the stone would automatically rise, lifting Nabi Ibrahimﷺ so that he could continue to build the Ka’bah, and when it was time for Nabi Ibrahim ﷺ to return to the ground, the stone would automatically descend.

The impression of the blessed footprints of Nabi Ibrahim ﷺ can be seen in the stone until today. It is obviously a miracle for a stone to automatically rise and descend, based on the need of the person standing on it, and for a hard stone to soften sufficiently so that it could be imprinted with his footsteps. It is for this reason that Allah Ta‘ala says that the Maqam-e-Ibrahim contains clear signs (that will guide one to recognize Allah Ta‘ala).

The Maqam-e-Ibrahim is housed in a round structure made from glass and metal, located on the mataf, close to the door of the Ka‘bah.

‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah ﷺ said, “The Hajr-e-Aswad and Maqam-e-Ibrahim are two precious stones from the precious stones of Jannah. Allah Ta‘ala has extinguished their radiance. Had Allah not extinguished their radiance, they would have illuminated everything between the east and the west.” (Sunan Tirmidhi #878)

Take it easy

If you are going for Umrah in Ramadhan, take it easy as you are fasting as well as doing Tawaf and other acts of Ibadah. Sometimes just going to and from the Masjid can be tiring. Be sure to look after the elderly and those in your group too. If you are going for Hajj, do not tire yourself before Hajj. Some people do excessive Tawaf and Umrah before the days of Hajj then feel weak before Hajj. Remember you are “there for Hajj” make the most of it and be prepared for the 5 main days in sha Allah.

Waqf

Ibn Majah (757) narrated a hadeeth, “Whoever removes anything harmful from the mosque, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.”

Anything found in the masjid is Waqf, please us it carefully, including the cups for Zamzam. Many people waste the cups and do not dispose of them correctly. A masjid MUST be kept clean; whether it is your local Masjid or Masjid Haram. Just because it is an extremely large Masjid does not mean it can be littered. Also on a side note, I would just like to mention here, many mothers make their children wear socks or t-shirts with picture or cartoons. This is completely Haraam! Please avoid this.

Purpose

Keep on remembering the purpose you are here for, make a daily schedule/routine. When the heat overburdens you, remember the heat of hell fire. If you are stood in long queues or waiting amongst crowds of people, think of Qiyamah and the multitudes of people. I believe Haram Shareef is the only place you can depict Qiyamah, truly. When listening to the Qur’an in Salah, imagine the time when Jibreel AS descended upon the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him).

Halal Food

Beware. Not all food is reliable in Saudi Arabia, especially chicken as we all know a LOT of the chicken is imported. Try and ask a reliable mufti saheb in the UK for an up to date list of reliable restaurants/takeaways. Please don’t be naive and think it is a Muslim country, so everything is Halal. Ask the workers if the chicken is “Watani” which means local/slaughtered in Saudi Arabia. When I went for Umrah in Ramadhan 2018, I asked Mufti Ibrahim Saheb Raja of Blackburn as Mufti saheb visits Haramayn ever year. He enumerated the following: in Makkah alTazaj in Bin Dawood and also the McDonald’s, he said near Ibrahim Khaleel road there are many Pakistani restaurants that serve Watani chicken, you just need to ask and confirm. In Madinah, there are much more. To name a few, Rawi, At-Tabakh, Nirala, Miraj and Dawoodiya.

Niqab

Ma Sha Allah! I will always praise and support women who wear the niqab, it is one of the greatest Jihads of the time – whether home or away. But, sadly, many women go to the holy lands and stop wearing their niqab or it becomes part-time. My dear sisters, simple advice is that you wear a niqab for many years. Some of you since you were teenagers. Not a single non-mahram has seen your face! Then you go for Hajj/Umrah and uncover your face because it’s too hot or at lunchtime for ease or in the hotel because you feel suffocated. Remember, there will be many men travelling with you from your locality and relatives who have never seen your face. Is it worth it for a few weeks to lose this modesty? Stay strong in sha Allah, Allah’s Jannah awaits you. You will be the queens of Jannah.

Madinah Munawwarah

Shaykh Haji Faruq Saheb (Allah have mercy on him) would say, on the road to Madinah try and pray Surah Kawthar 1000 times. Once you enter Madinah start continous durood, so before you reach Masjid Nabwi ﷺ your salutations reach the beloved Prophet ﷺ.

“There are angels of Allah SWT who convey to me the salutations of the Ummah.” (an-Nisai)

Take a booklet of forty duroods and pray daily along with a fixed amount of other duroods, 100, 200 etc.

Read Seerah books beforehand or take one with you to inculcate the love of the Prophet ﷺ

The rule is not to harm anyone, anywhere. But in particular, make an extra effort in Madinah Shareef not to argue or cause inconvenience to anyone. Even the animals, birds, plants etc. This is the City of the Prophet ﷺ, the City of Mercy.

DO NOT COMPLAIN! If you do not like something, stay quiet. Women, in particular, have a habit of commenting and criticising negatively. Such silly mistakes can deprive someone of visiting the holy lands again. There is a famous story of a man who visited Madinah and had some yoghurt. He found the yoghurt sour and complained! The same night the Prophetﷺ came in his dream and said, “If you don’t like the yoghurt of my city, then don’t come again.”

Mount Uḥud even loves those who obey Allāh and His Messengerﷺ

“Uḥud is a mountain which loves us and which we love.” (Bukhārī)

Imām al-Nawawī (Allah have mercy upon him) comments and says: “Mount Uḥud truly loves us because Allāh has endowed it with a quality whereby it is able to feel love.” (Sharḥ al-Nawawī)

 

Salat was Salam upon our beloved Prophet ﷺ be done from anywhere in Masjid Nabwi but better in front of the Rawdhah Mubarak.

Try and pray at least two Rak’ah in Riyadhul Jannah, without pushing or causing inconvenience.

Shaykhul hadith Hadhrat Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya (Allah have mercy upon him) would say, “When shopping in Madinah, make an intention to benefit the people of Madinah.” And I would like to add, do not haggle too much with the residents of Madinah.

Try and visit the place of Badr about 2 hours from Madinah Shareef. And there is a well on the way Bi’r Shifa. The water is known for Shifa/cure.

For those who do not know much about which dates to buy, I am no expert but the standard dates which people generally buy are:

Ajwa

Kalmi

Sukary

Safawi

Sugai

Ambar

Try and go to a date farm rather than the date market, the farms are not far from Masjid Nabwi ﷺ. And remember each type of date has its quality. E.g. You will get cheap Ajwa 40 or 50 Riyal per kilo but that will be low quality. Whereas the 60-70 Riyal per kilo will be higher quality, much larger and softer.

There are many suggestion boxes, usually near the doors/gates. Feel free to make positive suggestions. There are definitely many improvements to make in both places, we need to think of them and criticise constructively. We need to become a thinking Ummah, we need to produce deep thinkers in sha Allah. Also, take a notebook and pen and write down any thoughts you get. Sitting in the Haram you get some remarkable thoughts, don’t let them go! It could be changes to your life or something beneficial for the Ummah. Alhumdu Lillah, both parts of these blogs were a result of taking a notepad and jotting things down which I thought would benefit people. If you are a poet, writer, blogger, pen down your love and contemplations for these places to spread the respect and sanctity of these places. Here are two poems I wrote:

https://mylittlebreathingspace.wordpress.com/2018/06/01/centre-of-the-world-centre-of-islam/

https://mylittlebreathingspace.wordpress.com/2018/06/07/under-the-green-dome/

Lastly, use your time wisely and make it fruitful and productive. You never know when you will go again. Avoid arguments, this is not the place for arguments. Please don’t treat it like a holiday, you are not in Dubai or Morocco! They said in Arabic, “al-Istiqamah fawqa alf Karamah.” Steadfastness is better than 1,000 miracles! When you return back to the UK, keep up with your Salah, wearing Hijab or keeping a beard and practising every Sunnah. Especially those Sunnah connected with Hijab. Reflect on your age and life. How you can change and remove sin and vice from your life.

Allah accept your Hajj/Umrah and make it easy and bring you back safely. Fi Amanillah.

Please pray for me too.

Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)

1 Dhul Qa’dah 1439

Madinah 1907 C.E.

O Traveller to the Haram! Part I

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship (2:185)

The Rihal on the motorway, which indicates you have entered Makkah

Alhumdu Lillah, I have just returned from my trip to Umrah for the month of Ramadhan. As always an amazing, joyous, marvellous and memorable experience! I thought I would pen down some of my thoughts and recollect my memories and experiences as guidance and advice for the benefit of the Ummah, in sha Allah. Many of the pieces of advice can be used for Hajj as well, as you will read in sha Allah. A wise man once said, “The best gift you can present to someone is good advice.” Feel free to add comments below and make any corrections, I am no expert of Hajj/Umrah or of the Haramayn. This is not a guide to Hajj/Umrah, it is just advice which I feel will help you and lighten your burden hopefully. And there is some fiqh/masail, because I feel knowledge is extremely important especially in Hajj and Umrah.

Travelling and Hardship

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ السَّفَرُ قِطْعَةٌ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ يَمْنَعُ أَحَدَكُمْ نَوْمَهُ وَطَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ فَإِذَا قَضَى أَحَدُكُمْ نَهْمَتَهُ مِنْ

وَجْهِهِ فَلْيُعَجِّلْ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ ‏

From Abu Hurayrah (Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Travelling is a portion of the torment. It denies you your sleep, food, and drink. When you have accomplished your purpose, you should hurry back to your family.” (Muwatta Malik).

Normally, we are in our daily routine, we do the same thing every day. We do not realise things about ourselves, our habits and temperaments etc. When we travel on a journey, especially with others these habits come out. Like we can see from the above Hadith, travelling deprives us of our food, sleep and drink etc. We all know what happens when we take a man’s sleep or food away. The quote of Umar (Allah be pleased with him) is famous, how you truly know a person once you have travelled with him.

Umar (Allah be pleased with him) asked about a man who had given testimony, wanting to find out whether anyone could vouch for him. A man said to him: “I will vouch for him, O’ Ameer al-Mumineen, ‘Umar asked, “Are you his neighbour?” He said, “No.” He then” asked, “Did you mix with him for a day and come to know his character?” He said, “No.” He asked next: “Did you travel with him, for travelling and being away from home reveal a man’s true essence?” He said, “No.” ‘Umar said, “Perhaps you saw him in the-mosque, standing, sitting and praying?” He said, “Yes.” ‘Umar said, Go away, for you do not know him.”

Source: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab His life and times (‘Umar ibn al-Khattab shakhsiyatuhu wa ‘asruhu), Volume 1, page 272-273 Written by Dr. ‘Ali Muhammad as-Sallabi, Translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab

A very profound saying, when travelling with others especially in a group, our true colours are revealed through our conduct as:

1. Much patience is required because people desire & think differently.
2. Whilst we should neither keep others waiting nor impose our views on the rest, we should be prepared to be delayed by others as that is part of group travel.
3. We should be ready to serve the rest.
4. We should abstain from petty complaints.
5. We must be considerate of others esp. the weak, elderly & children.

Pray the Travel/Safar Duas and memorise them for the plane and coaches etc.

My advice first and foremost is to select your companions carefully and wisely. He/she should be smart, decisive and sharp. The journey is a blessed one but not an easy one, I like to give a true picture and not make it sound like a walk in the park. At times you have to make difficult decisions on the spot, a good companion will help at such times. People reading this blog will be from different spheres of life, some may never have travelled abroad before. Or they have travelled, but not to Haramayn Shareefayn. It is not like a visit to the local mosque, where you have 200-300 people praying. Brace yourself! You can get pushed in Salah, knocked about in Tawaf, it can be extremely hot, things go missing and your possessions can get stolen, which I will elaborate on later. Going to such a beautiful and holy place with the wrong companions can sometimes make the whole journey a tedious and terrible one. This is why I have inserted the quote of Umar (Allah be pleased with him) above. Even if they are family members or relatives or old friends, travelling brings out a lot of “true” qualities in a person, Hajj and Umrah expose people to another level, be warned!

Allah tests us in different ways, the greater the trial the greater the reward. It was narrated from Mus’ab bin Sa’d RA that his father, Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas RA, said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which people are most severely tested?’ He said: ‘The Prophets ﷺ, then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his religious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious commitment, he will be tested more severely, and if he is frail in his religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment. Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.’” (Ibn Majah)

Hadhrat Sahl Bin Sa’d (Radi Allahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: “Calmness in affairs is from Allah and haste in affairs is from shaytan.” (Tirmidhi)

No matter what happens, do NOT panic. There is always one “panic button” in the group, who makes a mountain of a molehill for every bit of drama. My advice when things go wrong is, “What is the worse that can happen?” Always analyse the situation, don’t overreact. Remember, you are the guests of Allah, He SWT is the host, He SWT will not let you down. You are in a different country, there are thousands of people, the heat can get extreme at times as well. If problems arise or you fall ill, bear in mind your reward is with Allah. The more pain, the more reward.

Preparations

Be ready, mentally, physically, spiritually…

Makkah is the best place on earth and the most beloved to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. At-Tirmidhi authentically reports in his Sunan (3925) from `Abdullah Ibn `Adiyy (Radi Allahu Anhu) that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said whilst addressing Makkah: “By Allah! You are the best of the lands of Allah, and the best land of Allah to Allah! And were it not for the fact that I was expelled from you, I would never have left you.”

Rectify your intentions, you are going to Hajj/Umrah to please Allah and fulfil an obligation. Not to show off, therefore try staying off social media and taking pictures at every juncture. This leads to Riyaa (showing off) which is Haraam in Islam and spoils the whole journey. I will talk about photography later on.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk, that is al-Riya (showing off). Allah will say on the Day of Judgement when He is rewarding the people for their actions: Go to those for whom you did Riya for in the world then see if you find the reward with them.” [Related by Ahmad (5/428, 429) and al-Baghawi in Sharh as-Sunnah (4135) from the hadith of Mahmud bin Lubayd, Radi Allahu Anhu, with an authentic chain upon the conditions of Muslim]

Repent from all sins, major and minor. Make a firm intention, when I return I will NEVER sin again. Pray your Qadha Salah or fulfil Qadha fasts beforehand. Remember, Huqooqul Ibaad (rights of servants) and Huqooqullah (rights of Allah). So the rights of servants are fulfilling debts, asking for forgiveness from people who you have hurt and offended etc. Do not merely say sorry, rather make it genuine and have a firm resolution never to hurt anyone again

Look for a reliable tour operator, don’t just ask one or two people. Do thorough research, check online and look at reviews etc. Find out exactly how far the hotels are from the Haram, rather than believe the standard “5 minutes.” See if you can get pictures of inside the hotel online, Mr Google is more useful than some of us can imagine. Ask what sort of food is served. On such a strenuous journey you need to eat well.

As Hajj/Umrah consist of a LOT of walking, whether it is Tawaf or walking to the Haram it is good to be prepared beforehand. Try walking a mile or two daily before you go for Hajj in sha Allah. You will see the benefits, especially for those who don’t exercise regularly.

I was given a list of things to take when I went to Hajj in 2012, Alhumdu Lillah – I have passed the same list to many friends and family over the years who have added and edited the list:

In addition to those above:

Small Qur’an (13 lines are not available in Haram)

Take spare dua books if you can (a few times in tawaf I was asked for books from other Hajis)

Vaccination certificates

Ticket copies

Diarrhoea medication

Painkillers

Paracetamol/Ibuprofen

Tissues/toilet roll

Converted Riyals

Umrah Belt

Locks

Carrier bags for laundry

Energy Tablets

Snacks (crisps, biscuits, etc)

Alarm clock

Radox foot soak

How to play Salah on plane/travelling

https://nawadir.org/2017/05/03/repeating-the-salah-performed-on-the-plane-seat/

https://nawadir.org/2017/07/30/salah-for-a-travelling-female-in-her-menses/

https://nawadir.org/2006/03/16/salah-whilst-travelling/

Recite Talbiyah as much as possible in the state of Ihram

On the way to Makkah keep reciting first kalimah (tayyibah), at least 1,000 times.

Virtues of Makkah

From the places of virtue that Allah has extolled and mentioned their excellence to the exclusion of others is the city of Makkah: the place of safety, security, the place where revelation to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began, and from where he was appointed as the Messenger to mankind. It is the city which Allah swears by in the Qur’an:

لَا أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ “I swear by this city, Makkah”

وَأَنتَ حِلٌّ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ “And you, [O Muhammad], are free of restriction in this city.” (Al-Balad: 1-2)

Imam Ibn Katheer (rahimahullah) said: This is an oath of Allah (the Most High) by Makkah “Umm al-Quraa” (the mother of all towns), due to the fact that living in it puts one in a state that indicates the greatness of the city itself wherein the people are in a state of Ihraam, living in a sanctity. Allah stated:

وَهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِين “And by this city of security (Makkah).” (At-Teen: 3)

Within Makkah is the Ancient House (Al-Bayt Al-`Ateeq) for the worship of Allah alone. It was the first place of monotheistic worship built for mankind. Allah stated:

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَالَمِينَ “Verily, the first House of worship appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for all of creation.” (Aale `Imran: 96)

It the place from where Allah took His Prophet into the Heavens on the night of the Journey. Allah (Most High) said:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

“Glorified and Exalted be He above all that they associate with Him who took His slave for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haraam (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him of Our signs. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.” (Al-Israa: 1)

“There is no city on earth to which all the prophets, the angels, the holy messengers and all the pious servants of Allah, who reside in the heavens and on earth, including the jinn, flocked to, except Makkah.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)

“Around the Ka’bah lies the graves of three hundred prophets.” (Sahih Muslim/Bayhaqi)

“Anyone who falls ill in Makkah for one day, Allah renders his body and his flesh haram (forbidden) from the fire of Jahannam.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Tawaf/Ka’bah

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (Radiyallahu’anhu) reports that Rasulullah ﷺ said: ‘The doors of the sky open and du’as are accepted on four occasions;

1. a) When the armies clash in war
2. b) When rain falls
3. c) At the time of iqamah [for salah]
4. d) When looking at the Ka’bah.’

(Al-Mu’jamul Kabir, Hadith: 7713 & 7719 & Sunanul Kubra of Bayhaqi, vol.3 pg.360 with a weak chain. Also see: Majma’uz Zawaid, vol.10 pg.155, Nataijul Afkar, vol.1 pg.383-384, Al-Futuhatur Rabbaniyyah, vol.4 pg.369 & footnotes on Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith: 19861) https://hadithanswers.com/duas-accepted-upon-seeng-the-kabah/

From this Hadith Ulama deduce when your first sight falls on the Ka’bah your Duas are accepted. Try and find a good spot to sit/stand for a long time so you can make a lengthy Dua (please pray for me too). When walking in Masjid Haram for the first time keep your gaze low so it doesn’t fall on the Ka’bah, once you find a spot sit and make Dua.

Make dua seriously, not half heartedly. There is a story of Hajjaj ibn Yusuf RH who saw a blind man making Dua in front of the Ka’bah, but he wasn’t paying attention in dua. Hajjaj said to him, “I am going for Tawaf, after seven rounds if your eye sight is not returned I will kill you!” The man panicked and started making Dua passionately and fervently like a man who is drowning! Before Hajjaj finished, the man’s eyesight was returned.  Subhan’Allah!

Try to make sure your Ihram is tightly fastened, use safety pins if necessary. Try not to let the bottom piece drag too low as people tend to step on it (which may lead to embarrassment!). Same for sisters, which is a bit more difficult as women tend to wear more loose clothing and it drags along the floor. But if someone steps on your abayah it can cause a lot of inconvenience especially if you wear the long abayahs from head to toe! All I can say is be careful, because in Tawaf you are very close together especially in the Mataf (area around the Ka’bah). Men should also, use a belt if necessary. Very handy to keep your money in as well.

I love a man with Gheerah/Ghayrat! But we also need common sense with Gheerah (protective jealousy), many men do Tawaf with their wife (ves)! And they form a ring around their womenfolk, which is all good and well, but you can’t do Tawaf right next to the Ka’bah and not expect anybody to push or touch your womenfolk (accidentally), it is sure to happen in those areas. Then some men go one step ahead and push and shove anyone who comes close to their wife/daughter. It is ridiculous! Like I said, I admire their Ghayrat, but these couples need to do Tawaf on the outskirts of mataf or on the upper floors, where it is less busy! The Mother of Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (Allah be pleased with her) used to do ṭawāf in an area away from the men, and she did not touch the Black Stone or the Yemeni Corner if there was crowding. It was narrated that ‘Ata’ said:

‘Ā’ishah used to do ṭawāf far away from the men, not mixing with them.” A woman said: “O Mother of the Believers, let us go and touch the Black Stone!” She said: “Go yourself,” and she refused to go.

In my opinion, the best place for women to do ṭawāf is on the roof of the Masjid. Now it may seem like a big distance from far, but I promise you, all it takes is an hour and 10 minutes, to be precise, to complete a ṭawāf, walking at an average pace. Now the Shayṭān may play with your mind and make it seem like a lot. But then ask yourself this…don’t you easily, easily, walk an hour ten minutes in the shopping mall?

Tawaf starts from the area in line with Hajr Aswad (black stone), opposite the black stone there is a green light which can also be used to indicate where the Tawaf starts. In previous time there was a thin piece of marble which went all the way down the Mataf, this also indicated the start of Tawaf as it is good to be precise.

As far as I know, wheelchairs are not allowed in the Mataf for Tawaf. Apparently, now there are scooters available for Tawaf on certain floors.

You can read any form of Dhikr/Dua looking in a book or off by heart in Tawaf or even Qur’an and Surahs you know off by heart. If you are reading from a book, it is safer to do Tawaf on the outside, as reading books slow people down. Which doesn’t help people behind you.

When people are on the last Tawaf (seventh one) they struggle to get out of the Tawaf congregation because it is choc a block, especially if you like to do Tawaf close to the Ka’bah. A good tip for you is, as you do the seventh Tawaf start walking out slowly i.e. do the seventh Tawaf on the outskirts of the Mataf. So as soon as you finish, kiss the Hajre Aswad then you can leave the Mataf and pray your two Rak’ahs for Tawaf. Also, stick out your hand as a gesture that you are leaving, not barge your way through as some people do.

Also, the correct method of kissing the Hajre Aswad is to kiss your palms not your fingers as people tend to do. (Women’s guide to Hajj and Umrah – Mufti Faruq Saheb)

The multazam (place of clinging) is the part of the Ka’bah that is between the Black Stone and the door of the Ka’bah. What is meant by iltizam (clinging) is when the supplicant (person making du’aa’) places his chest, face, forearms and palms against it and calls upon Allah saying whatever du’aa’ he wishes. Try not to push and hurt others, leave room for women too at the Multazam.

There is no specific du’aa’ that the Muslim should say in that place. He can cling to the Multazam when he enters the Ka’bah (if it is easy for him to enter) or he may do that before performing the Farewell tawaaf (tawaaf al-wadaa’), or he may do it at any time he wants. He should not cause difficulty for other people by offering a lengthy du’aa’. Similarly it is not permissible to crowd other people or annoy them in order to cling there. If he sees a space then he should say du’aa’. Otherwise it is sufficient for him to say du’aa’ whilst circumambulating and when prostrating in prayer.

It was narrated that ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Safwaan (Allah be pleased with him) said: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ conquered Makkah, I said: I will put on my garments, as my house was on the road, and I will wait and see what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) does. So I went and I saw that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had come out of the Ka’bah, he and his companions, and they were touching the House from the Door to the Black Stone. They had placed their cheeks against the House and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was in the midst of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1898; Ahmad, 15124.

Ibn Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ say: “The Multazam is a place where duas are accepted. Whenever a person prays to Allah, at this spot, Allah grants his prayer”.[Al-Hisnul-Haseen, Musalsalaat, Virtues of Haj – page 111]

Multazam is that part which is situated between the black stone and the door of Ka’bah. Multazam comes from the Arabic word ‘Iltizaam’ which means ‘to cling on to something’ or ‘to be attached to something’. It is so called because a person should touch his body to this section and make dua.

Imam Abu Dawood reports that Ibn Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu) would stand up straight here with chest and face against the Ka’bah, arms stretched out above the head, leaning against the Ka’bah. He then said: “I saw Rasulullah ﷺ doing this”.

Shaykh Zakariyya (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) writes: “It was a common experience of every Ustadh of the above Hadith, from my teacher (Hadhrat Maulana Khalil Ahmed Saharanpuri Rahmatullahi Alayhi) to Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam that they said: “I prayed at the Multazam in the above manner and my prayer was granted”. Shaykh RH writes: “This has also been my person experience”.

Note: This dua at Multazam should not be made during the Tawaf, otherwise Tawaf will be affected. It is to be made after completion of Tawaf and preferably after praying two rakats Tahiyyatut-Tawaf.

Hasan Basri (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) wrote a letter to the people of Makkah Mukarramah informing them that there are fifteen places in the vicinity of Haram Shareef where duas are accepted (Mustajaab Places)

1. During Tawaf
   2. At the Multazam
   3. Under the Meezabur-Rahmah (the water sprout in Hateem, from where the rain water drops off from the roof of Ka’bah).
   4. Inside Ka’bah Shareef
   5. At the well of ZamZam (after drinking ZamZam)
   6. On Safa
   7. On Marwa
   8. While walking between Safa & Marwa
   9. At Maqaame Ibraheem
   10. On the plain of Arafaat
   11. At Muzdalifa
   12. At Mina
   13. 14. 15. At the time of pelting the three Shayaateens in Mina.
   [Narrated in Al-Hisnul-Haseen]

Shaykh Zakariyya (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) writes: “Some Ulama have added a few more e.g.”

– Inside the Mataaf (where Tawaf is made)
– When one’s sight falls on the Ka’bah (especially the first time)
– Inside the Hateem (the semi-circle around Ka’bah)
– Between Rukne Yamami & Hujare Aswad
[Virtues of Hajj – Page 112]

Great precaution needs to be taken when going to kiss the Hajre Aswad, it is a great Sunnah but saving yourself from harming others is Fardh. The same applies to making Dua at the Multazam and going into the Hateeem. Brothers need to be fair to the women in these areas. We can’t just block them out. I wouldn’t advise women to try and kiss the Hajre Aswad in busy periods I saw one woman trying to kiss it in Ramadhan and her Hijab came off or got pulled off… Astaghfirullah! “Prevention is better than cure.” The Multazam area is between the door of the Ka’bah and Hajre Aswad. There is enough room for men AND women if we can be considerate, the same applies in the Hateem to pray Salah and make dua.

“For verily, anyone who touches the Hajre Aswad is cleansed of his sins just as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Musnad lmam Ahmad)

It helps to wear thin socks when doing Nafl Tawaf (not in Umrah) as it can help your heels, or the leather ankle ones available to buy in Makkah.

Thursday night, the Tawaf usually gets busier than normal. As local people come for Tawaf because of Jumuah

Women should not be praying loud in Tawaf. This year I saw a lady lead her group praying loud, whilst her group repeats after her. Women cannot be Imams! “Be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery, etc.) should be moved with desire.” (Surah Al-Ahzab Ayah 32) Second is the Hadith found in “Sahih Bukhari” Narrated Abu Hurayrah  (Allah be pleased with him)

‘The Prophet ﷺ said, “The saying ‘Subhan Allah’ is for men and clapping is for women.” (If something happens in the prayer, the men can invite the attention of the Imam by saying “Subhan Allah”. And women, by clapping their hands). Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol #2, Book #22, Hadith #295.

Support for this can be found in the book of Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani “Bulugh Al-Maram” in the tafseer of this Hadith it mentions the clapping is for woman because the men should not hear the woman’s voice. (Bulugh Al-Maram : Arabic/English Page # 81 Hadith # 174)

Etiquette of the Masjid/Haram

Avoid sin

The companions Umar (Allah be pleased with him) and Abdullah Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) would say, “I would prefer to commit seventy sins in Rukyah (a place outside Makkah) than commit a single sin in Makkah.” (Kanzul Ummal)

The evidence of Shari`ah (Islamic Law) indicates that good deeds are multiplied in honourable times, such as Ramadhan, and the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and places like the Two Sacred Masjids (Mosques). They are highly rewarded in Makkah and Al-Madinah, as it is reported in the authentic Hadith that the Prophet ﷺ said: “One Salah (Prayer) in my Masjid (mosque) [i.e. Al-Masjid Al-Nabawy (the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah)] is better than thousand Salahs in any other Masjid, except Al-Masjid Al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque in Makkah). And one Salah in Al-Masjid Al-Haram is better than hundred thousand Salahs in my Masjid.” (Related by Ahmad and Ibn Hibban through an authentic Isnad [chain of transmission])

Many people tend to leave things in the saff/rows for Salah to reserve their place. This is incorrect. Please see fatwa below:

Question: What is the ruling regarding reserving one’s position in the front saff between 2 Salahs with one’s scarf, hat or any other item?

Answer:

Assalamu Alaikum,

The Masjid is the house of Allah and is open to all Muslims who come for Salaah. Whoever comes first and sits in a certain place, then he is deserving of that spot. The Fuqaha (jurist) have written that is Makrooh (reprehensible) for one to reserve a place for himself in the Masjid to perform Salaah on that spot. (Kitabul Fatawa vol. 3 pg. 115 – Al Fatawa Al Hindiya vol. 1 pg. 108).

Based on these explanations, it will not be proper (in fact, it will be reprehensible) for one to fix a spot in the first Saff by putting a scarf, hat etc. to reserve it for his own self. It should also be noted that it is Makrooh (reprehensible) for a person to ask another one to get up from his place (in the Masjid) and sit in that place. Abdullah Bin Umar (R.A) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prohibited that one should make another get up from his place and then sit on it.

With respect to if a person was sitting on a spot and then left to attend to a need (to return) when he returns he will be more deserving of that spot. In this regard, Abu Hurairah (R.A) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w) said, ‘If anyone gets up from his place of sitting and then returns to that spot, then he is more deserving of that spot.” (Abu Dawood – Kitabul Fatawa vol. 3 pg. 113)

And Allah Knows best.

Mufti Waseem Khan https://darululoomtt.net/reserving-seat-masjid/

Many women like to pray Salah next to men or directly behind them:

The Messenger ﷺ in which he said: “The best rows for men are the front ones and the worst are the back ones, and the best rows for women are the back ones and the worst are the front ones.”

The hadeeth quoted is saheeh, but according to the scholars it is to be interpreted in this manner, which is when there is no barrier between the men and women. But if they are screened from the men, then the best rows are the front ones and the worst ones are the back ones, just as is the case with men, and they have to complete the front rows first, then the next and so on, and close the gaps, just like men, because of the general meaning of the proven hadeeth from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning that. May Allah help us all to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.

Walking in front of someone praying Salah

If you are in Tawaf it is okay to walk in front of someone praying Salah, other than that the ruling is the same i.e. you are not allowed to walk in front of someone praying Salah. I understand at time it can be difficult to get out, but we must still walk with precaution. As both the Masjids in the Haram are large Masjids, you can leave two rows in front of the one praying and cross over. But never walk directly in front of someone praying Salah if they are praying alone; Sunnah/Nafl.

This hadeeth – i.e., the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhari (487) and Muslim (505) from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (Radiyallahu Anhu) says “If any one of you is praying, he should not let anyone pass in front of him. Let him push him away as much as he can, and if he insists then let him fight him, for he is nothing but a shaytan (devil)” – indicates that it is makrooh to pass in front of a person who is praying if he is praying on his own and without a sutrah. The same ruling applies to the imam if he is praying without a sutrah. But with regard to the person who is praying behind the imam, it does not matter what passes in front of him, just as it does not matter what passes in front of the imam or person praying alone if it passes behind the sutrah. The sutrah of the imam is also the sutrah of those who are praying behind him.

We say this concerning the imam and the person who prays alone, because the Prophet ﷺ said, “If any one of you is praying…” According to the scholars, this means praying on his own, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu). Hence we say that the person who is praying behind the imaam does not have to push away the person who passes in front of him, because Ibn ‘Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu) said:  “I came along riding on a female donkey one day when I had just reached the age of puberty. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was leading the people in prayer in Mina, without any kind of wall in front of him. I passed in front of part of the row, then I got down and sent the donkey to graze, and joined the row, and no one rebuked me for that.” (al-Tamheed, 4/187)

Drink Zamzam and drink to your full, remember duas are accepted when drinking Zamzam so make dua EVERY time for yourself and for others (and please remember me). For further info on Zamzam click this.

Prophet ﷺ said: “The water of Zamzam is for whatever purpose it is drunk for.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 2/1018; see Al-Maqasid al-Hasanah by al-Sakhaawi, p. 359).

 

Photography is totally forbidden in the Masjid. Scholars have given a fatwa permitting video and photography for da’wah purposes and others have said digital images are okay. But the stronger and preferable view will always be to abstain from such things, as it can be a reason for a lack of sincerity and showing off on social media. Most of these actions lead to showing off, the Prophet warned us about this:

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Shall I not inform you of what I fear for you more than the Masih ad-Dajjal? It is the hidden shirk. It is when a man stands up for prayer, then beautifies his prayer for another to look at.” [Related by Ibn Majah (2604) from the hadith of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, radiallahu ‘anhu. The hadith is hasan]

Are you going to Hajj for Allah or for Facebook friends?!

I was really strict this Ramadhan and I actually stood in the way of people taking photos (my Jihad against selfies!) because I received a talk from a scholar of Pakistan, Mufti MahmoodulHassan Shah Mas’oodi Saheb who said:

“Shaykh Abdul Rehman al-Huzayfi (hafdihahullah) – Imam of Masjid Nabwi SAW- gave a Khutbah after Dhuhr Salah (normally there are no Khutbahs after Salah, apart from Jumuah), he told the people to stop taking photographs in the Haram as this causes takleef/inconvenience to Allah SWT and his Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), you hurt the angels! Do you want to be cursed? I stand for Salah as the imam, you take your mobile phones out! The muaddhin gives adhan, you take your phone out! People were crying, it was a long Khutbah. After Asr Salah someone explained to us the reason for the Khutbah. He had a dream of the Imam of the Prophets, The beloved of Allah, The leader of creation ﷺ blessed me with his presence in a dream and informed me, “Tell people to stop taking photographs as it hurts me, it breaks my heart.”

Mufti Mahmood saheb explains, the enemies of Islam hurt the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but how can we as the Ummah of the Prophet ﷺ hurt him or cause him pain?

I was once with Dr Abdul Salam Saheb, who is my Shaykh form Pakistan. We were together in Madinah, we came out of the Masjid. Once we had walked a fair distance, an alim who was residing in Madinah said to my beloved Shaykh, “This place is blessed, beloved, very virtuous and lofty in status. But, many people come here then leave and their Iman leaves with them. Because of the sins they do and takleef they cause people.” Allah shows his pious servants and His friends such things through the eyes of the heart!

Now, ask yourself is social media and photography that important? It is like iphone is the new Qibla and Snapchat is the new Qur’an. People tend to look at them more, sadly. Please avoid taking a smartphone if there is no need.

Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)

15 Shawwal 1439

 

The Virtues of Zamzam Water

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Praise be to Allah.

Zamzam is the name of a famous well in al-Masjid al-Haraam [the Sacred Mosque in Makkah], which is thirty-eight cubits away from the Ka’bah. It is the well of Ismaa’eel the son of Ibraheem (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both), from which Allah quenched the thirst of Ismaa’eel when he was an infant. His mother looked for water for him, but could not find any. She climbed to the top of al-Safaa, praying to Allah to help her and give her water for Ismaa’eel, then she climbed to the top of al-Marwah and did the same. Allah sent Jibreel, and he struck the earth with his heels, and water appeared.

‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib رضي الله عنه said: “The people used to compete over Zamzam during the time of Jahiliyyah. People who had children used to bring them and give them to drink, and this was their early-morning victuals. We used to used to think that it was a help for people who had children.” Al-‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): “During the Jaahiliyyah, Zamzam was known as Shabaa’ah (satisfaction).”

Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Zamzam water is the best and noblest of all waters, the highest in status, the dearest to people, the most precious and valuable to them. It was dug by Jibreel and is the water with which Allah quenched the thirst of Isma’eel.”

It was reported in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Abu Dhar رضي الله عنه who had stayed near the Ka’bah and its coverings for forty days and nights with no food or drink other than (Zamzam): “How long have you been here?” Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه: “I have been here for thirty days and nights.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Who has been feeding you?” He said, “I have had nothing but Zamzam water, and I have gotten so fat that I have folds of fat on my stomach. I do not feel any of the tiredness or weakness of hunger and I have not become thin.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Verily, it is blessed, it is food that nourishes.” (Narrated by Imam Muslim, 2473).

Other scholars added, with their own isnads, “… and a healing for sickness.” This was narrated by al-Bazzaar (1171, 1172) and al-Tabarani in al-Sagheer (295). In Sunan Ibn Maajah (al-Manasik, 3062) it was reported from Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah that the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.”

The Salaf and ‘ulama’ acted upon this Hadeeth. When ‘Abd-Allah ibn al-Mubarak (Allah have mercy upon him) went for Hajj, he came to Zamzam and said, “O Allah! Ibn Abi’l-Mawali told us from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir from Jabir رضي الله عنه  Your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.’ I am drinking it to ward off thirst on the Day of Resurrection.” Ibn Abi’l-Mawali is thiqah (trustworthy) so the hadeeth is hasan (good).

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:“Myself and others tried seeking healing with Zamzam water and saw wondrous things. I sought healing with it from a number of illnesses, and I was healed by the permission of Allah. I saw someone who nourished himself with it for a number of days, half a month or more, and he did not feel hunger; he performed Tawaf along with the other people just as they did. And he told me that he consumed nothing but Zamzam water for forty days and he had the strength to have intercourse with his wife, to fast and to perform Tawaf numerous times.” Zaad al-Ma’ad, 4/319, 320.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah preserve him) said:

“So you should have the intention of what you want to gain by drinking this water. He should drink his fill, i.e., fill his stomach with it until it is filled to the ribs, because this water is good. A hadeeth has been narrated concerning this: the difference between the believers and the hypocrites is drinking one’s fill of Zamzam water.” (Narrated by Ibn Majah in al-Manasik, 1017; al-Hakim, 1/472). Imam Al-Boosairi RH said: this is a saheeh isnaad; its men are mawthooqoon [trustworthy].

This is because Zamzam water is not sweet; it is somewhat salty, and the believer only drinks this somewhat salty water out of faith, believing that there is barakah (blessing) in it. So when he drinks his fill of it, this is a sign of faith. (Sharh al-Mumti’, 7/377, 378, 379).

Perhaps Allah did not make it sweet so that people would not forget that the meaning of drinking it is an act of worship. Whatever the case, its taste is fine and there is nothing wrong with it. We ask Allah to quench our thirst from the Cistern (al-Hawd) of His Prophet on the Day of the greatest thirst. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad SAW. Ameen.

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) described this water itself as: “It is blessed, it (even) serves as food.”  Narrated by Muslim (2473). According to a report narrated by al-Bazzar, at-Tabarani, al-Bayhaqi and others, there is the addition, “and a healing for sickness.” See as-Sunan al-Kubra (5/147).

The apparent meaning of the evidence, in sha Allah, is that this barakah is general and applies to all Zamzam water, whether it is in Makkah or has been taken to other countries. Therefore more than one of the scholars said that it is permitted to take Zamzam water out of Makkah and that its barakah and specific characteristics remain even after it has been taken elsewhere.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Whoever takes any Zamzam water elsewhere, it is permissible; the salaf used to take it elsewhere.”

Imam As-Sawi al-Maliki (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is recommended to take it – meaning Zamzam water – elsewhere, and its specific characteristics remain, contrary to the claim of those who say that it loses its specific characteristics. End quote.

Haashiyat as-Saawi ‘ala ash-Sharh as-Sagheer (2/44). Something similar is stated in Minah al-Jaleel Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel (2/273)

Shaykh ‘Ali ash-Shibraamilsi ash-Shafa‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The words “Zamzam water is for that for which it is drunk” include those who drink it anywhere other than in its location. End quote. Hashiyat Nihayat al-Muhtaj (3/318)

It is sunnah to drink one’s fill of Zamzam water and to quench one’s thirst.

The fuqaha’ have mentioned the etiquette that is mustahab (recommended) when drinking Zamzam water, such as facing the Ka’bah, saying Bismillah, pausing to take a breath three times, drinking one’s fill, praising Allaah after one finishes, and sitting whilst drinking it, as one should do when drinking other kinds of drinks. As regards the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said, “I gave the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Zamzam water to drink whilst he was standing,” (reported by al-Bukhari, 3/492), it is taken to mean that it is permissible to drink whilst standing, and the disapproval of doing so is understood to mean that it is makrooh. The scholars also recommended that the person who drinks Zamzam water should sprinkle some of it on his head, face and chest, make lots of du’aa’ when drinking it, and to drink it for a purpose that will benefit him in this world or the next, because of the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The water of Zamzam is for whatever purpose it is drunk for.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 2/1018; see Al-Maqasid al-Hasanah by al-Sakhaawi, p. 359).

It was reported that when Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنه from the water of Zamzam, he said: “O Allah, I ask you for beneficial knowledge, plentiful provision and healing from every disease.”

Al-Daynoori (may Allah have mercy on him) that al-Humaydi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “We were with Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah (may Allah have mercy on him), and he told us the hadeeth about the water of Zamzam being drunk for whatever purpose it is drunk for. A man got up and left the gathering, then he came back and said, ‘O Abu Muhammad, is the hadeeth which you told us about the water of Zamzam saheeh?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ The man said, ‘Just now I drank a bucket of Zamzam so that you would tell me one hundred hadeeths.’ Sufyan (may Allah have mercy on him), ‘Sit down,’ so he sat down and he told him one hundred hadeeths.”

Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haythami (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj (4/144): he may take it back to his homeland so as to seek healing and barakah for himself and others. End quote.

As-Sakhkhawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Some people say that its virtue remains so long as it is still in its original place, but if it is moved elsewhere it changes. But this is something for which there is no basis. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wrote to Suhayl ibn ‘Amr telling him: If my letter arrives at night, do not wait until morning, and if it arrives by day, do not wait until evening, before you send me some Zamzam water.”

And in the report it says that he sent him two containers; at that time he was in Madinah, before the conquest of Makkah.

This hadith is hasan because of corroborating evidence. Similarly, ‘Aa’ishah (Allah be pleased with her) used to take Zamzam water with her and she stated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do that and that he would carry it in vessels and skins, and he would pour it over the sick and give it to them to drink. If a guest came to Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him), he would honour him with Zamzam water. ‘Ata’ (Allah have mercy upon him) was asked about taking Zamzam water (away from Makkah, after visiting) and he said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) al-Hasan and al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them) used to do that.

The two angels washed the heart of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he was a child after they had taken it out, then they put it back. Al-Hafidh al-‘Iraqi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The reason why the Prophet’s chest was washed with Zamzam water was to make him stronger so that he could see the kingdom of heaven and earth, and Paradise and Hell, because one of the special qualities of Zamzam is that it strengthens the heart and calms the soul. The report about the chest of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) being washed with the water of Zamzam is proven in the hadeeth of Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه, who reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “My roof was opened when I was in Makkah, and Jibreel (peace be upon him) came down and opened my chest, then he washed it with Zamzam water. Then he brought a gold basin full of wisdom and faith, poured it into my chest, and closed it up again. Then he took me by the hand and ascended with me into the first heaven.” (Reported by al-Bukhari, 3/429).

There is nothing wrong with selling Zamzam water or transporting it from Makkah.

If Zamzam water is mixed with other water, the mixture will have the barakah of Zamzam as much as the ratio of Zamzam in the water. That is because the person who drinks the mixture will inevitably drink some of the Zamzam water that has been mixed with other water, so it is true to say that he is drinking it. 

http://www.theidealmuslimah.com/2014/10/25/10-facts-benefits-of-zam-zam-water/

Bismillah

1.The Story of how it came to be
This accurate account of the origin of Zamzam holds with it an exquisite message…
Hajar (Alayhis salam) made use of the small amount of food that Ibrahim (Alayhis salam) left for her and her baby, but ran out eventually and was soon thirsty and hungry-her milk dried up, her baby Ismail (Alayhis salaam) became hungry and began to cry. Hajar couldn’t afford to see her son in pain so climbed up the hill which was later called As-Safa, to see if there was anyone on the horizon. She saw no one. She then climbed down, and reaching the valley, ran to the other hill, later called Al–Marwa, doing the same again, all this time her son twisting and turning in hunger. She repeated this seven times, and on the 7^th time reached the top of the hill and heard a sound. To her amazement she found it coming from beneath the feet of Ismail (Alayhis salam).
At that point, Jibra’eel (Alayhis salaam) began digging the well of Zamzam from beneath his feet. Hajar was excited to contain the water, it being a desert and so arid and dry-the water would seep into the ground, and she tried making a pool to contain it.

The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) said, (Allah have mercy on the mother of Isma’eel) ”If she had left the water, (flow naturally without her intervention), it would have been flowing on the surface of the earth.”
 {Sahih al-Bukhari 3365,Vol. 4, Book 55, Hadith 584}

So because of her efforts to contain the water, Zam-zam amazingly became a well.

Hajar (Allah have mercy on her) before the water was brought out of the ground, running in search, probably heart-broken and crying in pain at the suffering of her son, did not know what Allah was preserving for her in the future. If she knew that a time would come when millions from all parts of the world would follow in her footsteps, she probably may never have cried. And one can only imagine her reward in the hereafter if that were her reward in this world.

So when experiencing challenges in life, remember that Allah may be hiding something for you in your future.

2. Its Names
The names of Zam-zam are many, over 60 according to some experts and scientists, its names derived from its characteristics. Some of the familiar ones are:

• Murwiya (derived from the Arabic word meaning ‘quenched’)
• Shabbaa’a- (derived from ‘satisfying’)
• Maymouna

3. Positive Energy
Within Zam-zam is an ingredient different to other waters, which heals and helps energetic and cell systems within the human body. The German Scientist Dr Knut Pfeiffer,and head of the largest medical centre in Munich, has studied Zam-zam with his colleague and assistant Husam Othman. A miracle in itself is that the Zam-zam specimen they studied still extraordinarily increased dramatically the energetic fields in human cells having travelled from Saudi Arabia to Munich, sustaining climate changes, probably having gone through an X-ray machine at customs, and then being stored for approximately two weeks. The opposite reaction would exhibit with other types of water especially if stagnant for some time, including water from Munich which is considered chemically pure.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best water on the face of the earth is the water of Zamzam; it is a kind of food and a healing from sickness.” {Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3302}

4. Uncontaminated
Zam-zam has been flowing from the Ka’aba for over 4000 years. Samples taken from all water sources in the world contain some germs in it. Through studies by Doctor Yahya Koshak (expert on Zamzam), it has been proven that Zam-zam does not contain any contaminants. It is an established scientific fact that pools or water wells tend to grow vegetation such as algae– especially in warm climates. Amazingly this is not the case in the well of Zamzam. It has remained free from biological contaminations.

5. Its Purity
Evian – water from the highest part of the French Alps is renowned for its high mineral content and purity, and a high percentage of bicarbonates (357mg/l). Murwiya contains 366mg/l of bicarbonates, and is purer, in fact, the purest water on earth.

6. Healing Nature
Scientific proof shows that Zamzam contains healing components due to its higher content of calcium and magnesium salts and natural fluorides which present germicidal properties.

It was reported in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to Abu Dhār رضي الله عنه, who had stayed near the Ka’bah and its coverings for forty days and nights with no food or drink other than (Zamzam): “How long have you been here?” Abu Dhār رضي الله عنه, “I have been here for thirty days and nights.” The Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Who has been feeding you?” He said, “I have had nothing but Zamzam water, and I have gotten so fat that I have folds of fat on my stomach. I do not feel any of the tiredness or weakness of hunger and I have not become thin.” The Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Verily, it is blessed, it is food that nourishes.”

7. The miracle of its Origin
Mecca is built on a mass of igneous rock, and due to the process in which they form, these rocks have no pores and – due to partial melting of the minerals of which the rock comprises -cause any existing pores to close up. Science tells us that water reservoirs can only exist in rocks that are highly porous and permeable. Geologist Dr Zaghloul Al-Najjar, head of The Committee of Scientific Signs in the Quran and Sunnah states that this simple and great fact verifies the sanctity and holiness of the land.

8. Hadith substantiates its Science
Origins of the water was a mystery until tunnels were dug around Makkah, where engineers and workers found hairline fractures in the solid mass of rock that stretched for kilometres in either direction through which Zamzam was seeping out, extensive fractures which could only be caused by a mighty impact. Sunnah states that it’s because of the strong blow with which Jibra’eel Alayhis salam struck the earth that Isma’eel Alayhis salaam was able to drink.
The well isn’t that deep, 30 metres in fact of which 13 metres or a little less are filled with compressed sediments from the valley which don’t allow water to flow out. Below this is about 17 metres of igneous rock through which the water flows through these long hairline fractures in the rock, where it gains its high mineral content beneficial to both the body and soul of man.

9. It Manifests for what it is Drunk

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.”
{Narrated by Ibn Majah, 3062}

This is a hasan hadeeth. A myriad of cases exist that testify to the healing nature of Zam-zam. Drinking Zamzam with the sincere intention of fulfilling a need, such as healing a physical ailment, being freed from poverty or distress, even achieving calm in the wake of any type of anxiety, gives way to Allah fulfilling these needs. One could continue drinking it until one is completely healed.

The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam) used to wash his chest with Zamzam to gain courage and relieve anxiety through Allah’s grace, before visiting the heavens; he would drink it and use it for Wudhu.

10. Water fasting.
Water fasting isn’t something new and has even been done during the time of the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wasalam). Revisit the hadith in point 6:

It was reported in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to Abu Dhār (Allah be pleased with him), who had stayed near the Ka’bah and its coverings for forty days and nights with no food or drink other than (Zamzam): “How long have you been here?” Abu Dhār (Allah be pleased with him) said, “I have been here for thirty days and nights.” The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “Who has been feeding you?” He said, “I have had nothing but Zamzam water, and I have gotten so fat that I have folds of fat on my stomach. I do not feel any of the tiredness or weakness of hunger and I have not become thin.” The Prophet, Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “Verily, it is blessed, it is food that nourishes.” {Narrated by Imam Muslim, 2473}

Some of the positive benefits of a 48 hour Zamzam fast are an increase in the number of blood platelets and increased immunity through an increase in white blood cells, as well as a detoxifying effect on the body. Murwiya (Zam-zam) also increases haemoglobin levels, which result in increased energy levels. Testimonials state that these fasts eradicate morning breath, and hunger pangs, also providing a noticeable nourishing effect on the body.

References
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VonRItb61sw
http://www.youmuslim.com/video/40975/dr-knut-pfeiffer-islam%20s-zamzam-water-positive-effect-on-human-cells/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHm2y1mpTLw
“The Book of Zam Zam”, by Doctor Yahya Koshak
http://islamqa.info/en/6831

Authored by Sister “M”
Edited by Noorain Fathima

We can truly celebrate Eid…

When Muslims will unite,

They will no longer bicker and no longer fight.

When Palestine (and all Muslim lands) will be liberated,

And Muslims will no longer be incarcerated.

When the recipients of Zakah will no longer be eligible,

Because people in power will be fair and responsible,

When youth will repent and do sincere Tawbah,

We won’t see them drunk and intoxicated, just see them sensible and sober. 

When injustice and lies will be extinct and dead,

Fairness and truth will be widely spread. 

We can truly celebrate Eid when we have pleased Allah,

And entered that first step in Jannah…in alFirdaws al-A’laa!

Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure).

10th Dhul Hijjah 1438

Delaying Hajj

19th Shawwāl 1438 AH ~ Thursday 13th July 2017

Delaying Hajj

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (hafizahullāh)

Hajj is one of the fundamental pillars of Islām, and obligatory for every Muslim male or female who meets its requirements and whom Allāh ta‘ālā grants the capability to carry it out. If there are no Shar‘ī excuses to prevent you from fulfilling the obligation of hajj, you should not delay.

Shaytān’s Ploy

Every year, however, Shaytān whispers the following thought in the minds of those who are under an obligation to go for hajj: “I have some important reasons preventing me from going this year, but I will definitely go next year, no matter what happens, and I will absolve myself of this obligation.” In this way Shaytān secures a year’s grace for himself. The following year, just before hajj, he will play the same trick again and secure yet another year. Shaytān leads people on in this manner right up to their graves.

It is another amazing trick of Shaytān that whatever he whispers to people, he never encourages them to rule out the intention of fulfilling any of Allāh ta‘ālā’s commands. Someone who has been neglecting salāh for years will not think to himself that he intends never to perform salāh. And likewise with sins: Shaytān never makes people feel they will never give up a particular disobedience to Allāh ta‘ālā. Someone who indulges in drinking alcohol, for example, will never think that he is never going to give it up, but will always intend one day, possibly when Ramadān comes, to definitely give it up. This is the very condition of many Muslims regarding hajj; not for a moment do they entertain the thought of leaving this world without having fulfilled the obligation of hajj, but on the other hand, they never make a firm decision to do it either.

The Affection of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam for his Ummah

Being so affectionate, kind and merciful, anything that places his Ummah in difficulty bears heavily on Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. Allāh ta‘ālā describes this quality in the Qur’ān:

Surely there has come to you, from your midst, a Messenger who feels it very hard upon himself if you face a hardship, who is very anxious for your welfare; and for the believers he is very kind, very merciful. (9:128)

At every juncture, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has tried to save us from harm. He has said regarding those people upon whom hajj is fard, and who have made the intention to go:

Whoever intends hajj should hurry! (Abū Dāwūd)

This is because even when someone makes the intention to go for hajj, Shaytān erects obstacles and whispers all sorts of thoughts and worries into the heart. Our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam warns us not to be deterred by these tricks, but to start preparations straight away.

Trust in Allāh ta‘ālā

Everything is in the hands of Allāh ta‘ālā, and when a servant of his makes the firm intention to go for hajj, He removes all the difficulties and obstacles. Some people, misled by Shaytān, worry about their children or their parents, while others worry about their businesses and earnings. All this is actually a test from Allāh ta‘ālā to see whether His servant is prepared to sacrifice everything in order to fulfil the obligation he has to Allāh ta‘ālā. If you steel yourself to make these sacrifices, Allāh ta‘ālā will make your heart firm, grant you courage and take over the responsibility of settling all your affairs.

Look to the example of the People of the Cave described in the Qur’ān. A handful of young men were up against an idolatrous people and an idolatrous king. There were nothing but obstacles in their path of upholding tawhīd, yet when they rose to the challenge, Allāh ta‘ālā strengthened them and protected them:

We made their hearts firm when they stood up and said: “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth…” (18:14)

An Invitation from Allāh ta‘ālā is a Great Honour

Allāh ta‘ālā does not invite just anyone to His House; it is a great honour to be given the opportunity to visit the sacred cities of Makkah Mukarramah and Madīnah Munawwarah. If we had true love for Allāh ta‘ālā, we would long to visit His House, even if it was not obligatory upon us, and we would be prepared to undergo any hardship to get there. Those who, despite having the means, have not yet received the tawfīq to undergo the journey should be concerned about their condition: could it not be that Allāh ta‘ālā is displeased with them and so does not want them to be guests of His House? Tawbah and istighfār should be made immediately in abundance, and humility adopted, beseeching Allāh ta‘ālā to grant us the privilege of visiting theHaramayn.

Perform Hajj Before it is Too Late

We need to consult the ‘ulamā and muftīs concerning our own circumstances to find out if we really do have a Shar‘ī excuse to postpone going for hajj. People postponehajj for all sorts of reasons: some do not go because they want their parents to perform hajj first; some wives, who have a mahram available to accompany them, put off hajj in order to go with their husbands; some husbands wait for their wives, etc. If a person were to die without having fulfilled the obligation of hajj, there are dire consequences in the hereafter.

If someone leaves a wasiyyah requesting his next of kin to perform hajj on his behalf, it is hoped that Allāh ta‘ālā will grant forgiveness once the hajj is performed, but he is still a sinner for failing to perform hajj despite having the means during his life. And it is a sad fact that even if a wasiyyah is left, people nowadays have so much love for wealth that they are not prepared to spend even a pound for the sake of their departed parents. They do not have the time or the concern to make the journey, even if the money their parents left them is more than sufficient to cover the costs. Therefore each individual should ensure that the obligation of hajj is fulfilled at the earliest opportunity.

May Allāh ta‘ālā grant a safe journey to all those who are going for hajj this year and grant them hajj mabrūr. May He guide those upon whom hajj is fard but who have not resolved to go yet, and may He grant all the necessary means to those who long to go for hajj yet are unable to do so. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 17 No. 10/11, Oct/Nov 2008)

---

• Please forward this message on to all your contacts •

Unsubscribe
Remove your address from our mailing list. Unsubscribe.

Free Hajj Package?!

Bismillah,

If you did not have the ability to perform Hajj this year, worry not. Below are deeds equal to performing Hajj:

1 – Performing the obligatory prayers in congregation:

Abu Dharr (RA) narrated that a group of the Companions came to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), and said, “O Messenger of Allah, the wealthy people will have higher grades and will have permanent enjoyment and they pray like us and fast as we do. They have more money, which they give in charity.” The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), replied: “Has Allah not rendered for you the ‘Isha’ prayer in congregation equal to Hajj, and the Fajr prayer in congregation equal to ‘Umrah?”

[Muslim]

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), said: “Whoever walks to [perform] an obligatory prayer in congregation, it is like Hajj [in terms of rewards], and whoever walks to [perform] a voluntary prayer, it is like a voluntary ‘Umrah [in terms of rewards].”

[Hasan]

2 – Reciting Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah) after the five daily prayers:

Abu Hurayrah (Ra) narrated that a group of destitute people came to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), and said, “O Messenger of Allah, the wealthy people will have higher grades and will have permanent enjoyment in high levels in Paradise. They pray like us and fast as we do, but they have more money by which they perform the Hajj, ‘Umrah, participate in Jihaad and give in charity.”

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), replied: “Shall I not tell you something upon which if you acted you would catch up with those who have surpassed you? Nobody would surpass you and you would be better than the people amongst whom you live except those who would do the same. Say ‘Subhan Allah’, ‘Alhamdulillah’ and ‘Allahu Akbar’ thirty-three times each after every (compulsory) prayer.’” [Al-Bukhari]

3 – Praying Fajr with congregation & remaining seated in worship until after Sunrise:

The Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: ‘He who performs Fajr Salat with Jamaat (congregation) and remains seated in the same place while engaging in Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) until after sunrise and thereafter performs 2 Rakats Nawafil Salat, (Ishraq), he will obtain the Thawab (reward) of one Hajj and one Umrah.’ [Tirmidhi]

From `Abdullah bin `Aamir (RA) that Abu Umamah and `Utbah Bin `Abd (RA) related that Allah’s Messenger, (Sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever prays as-Subh. (i.e. Fajr prayer) in congregation then sits until he prays for Allah the prayer of Dhuha has the reward like that of a haajj (pilgrim performing Hajj) and a mu`tamir (pilgrim peforming `Umrah), complete reward of his Hajj and his `Umrah”

[Tabarani]

4 – Going to the Masjid to teach and learn carries the reward of Hajj

Abu Umamah al-Bahili (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

 من غدا إلى المسجد لا يريد إلا أن يتعلم خيرا أو يعلمه كان له كأجر حاج تاما حجته

“Whoever goes to the masjid, wanting nothing except to teach what is good or to learn, will have the reward of a completed Hajj.”

[Tabarani, Mu’jam al-Kabeer, 7348 and others]

5 – To recite “SubhanAllah” 100 times in the morning and evening.

عن عبد الله بن عمرو رضي الله عنهما قال قال رسول الله صلى الله علي وسلم:

من سبح الله مائة بالغداة ومائة بالعشي كان كمن حج مائة مرة…الخ

 رواه الترمذي (3471) وقال: حسن غريب.

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (Ra) reported That Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “He who recites SubhanAllah 100 times in the morning and another 100 times in the evening is like one who performed Haj 100 times!”

[Sunan Tirmidhi, hadith: 3471 with a sound chain]

6 – Performing the Friday Prayer

Sa`id bin al-Musayyib (RA) said performing the Friday Prayer is “more beloved to me than a supererogatory (voluntary) Hajj.”

[Hafidh Ibn ‘Asakir (RA) has quoted a similar virtue via Imam Al-Awza’i (Ra). Hafidh Ibn Rajab (RA) also supported this content with two Ahadith]

7 – Fulfilling the needs of your brother or sister

Hasan Al-Basri (RA) said: “Your proceeding to fulfil the need a fellow Muslim is better for you than one Hajj after another!”

[Also quoted By Zabeedi (Ra) in Sharhul Ihyaa, vol.6 pg.292]

8 – Being good to your parents

Anas (RA) reports that a man came to  Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and said: “I wish to participate in Jihaad, but I cannot afford it” Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) enquired if any of his parents were alive, to which he said: “Yes! My mother is alive” Rasulullah (Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Show Allah how you serve her. If you do so (duly) you will be like a: Haaji, a Mu’tamir (one doing ‘Umrah) and a Mujaahid (One striving in Allah’s way).”

[Abu Ya’la, hadith:2760, and Tabarani with good chains.-Targheeb, vol.3, pg. 315 & Mukhtasar Ithaaf, hadith:5721]

9 – Observing the 10 days of I’tikaf:

Ali Ibn Hussain (RA) narrates from his father that Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “He who observes the ten days I’tikaf during Ramadhan will obtain the reward of two Hajj & two Umrah.”

(Bayhaqi)

10 – Performing Umrah in Ramadan

Ibn `Abbas (RA) said that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said to a woman from among the Ansaar — Ibn `Abbas mentioned her name but I forgot it — “What kept you from performing Hajj with us?” She said, “We only have two camels,” and the father of her son and her son had gone for Hajj on one camel, and he left the other camel so that they could carry water on it. He said, “When Ramadan comes, go for ‘Umrah, for ‘Umrah in (Ramadhan) is equivalent to Hajj.”

[Al-Bukhari (1782) and Muslim (1256)]

1st Dhul Hijah 1437

After Hajj…

Once again more than two million believers were honoured to become the ‘Guests of Allah’ and through Divine Guidance have completed the rituals of Hajj with great love and enthusiasm. How fortunate are these souls who are blessed with the following words from Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam:

Whoever performs Hajj for the Pleasure of Allah and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it (free from sin) as the day on which his mother gave birth to him. Bukhaari, Muslim

Verily there shall be no reward for a Mabroor Hajj except Jannah. Bukhaari, Muslim

It is hoped that all the pilgrims were sincere in their intentions and had travelled thousands of miles only to secure the Pleasure of Allah by fulfilling the obligation laid down upon them. May Allah the Almighty grant all the pilgrims acceptance and grant them opportunity again and again to visit the Sacred Land. Aameen.

Nevertheless, I wish to draw the attention of the pilgrims towards certain points which are necessary and of utmost importance to observe about which many pilgrims seem to attach no importance.

Firstly, the sincerity of intention should remain even after the performance of Hajj. There should be no pomp or show. One should not wish to be called or recognised as a Haajji. Many people adopt the habit of talking frequently about their journey in order that people may come to know of their Hajj. They talk about the expenses incurred in the Way of Allah, their charity amongst the poor and needy, their devotion and worship, their assisting the weak and old, etc.; and all this is mentioned with the intention of gaining fame. This is a deceit from Shaytaan who ruins the ‘ibaadat of the person who is unaware of it. It is therefore of great importance that the pilgrim does not talk about his Hajj without necessity as it may lead to riyaa (show, insincerity). However, if necessity arises and one must talk about his Hajj then he is at liberty to do so. But, he must not indulge in this type of conversation unnecessarily.

Secondly, it is noted through experience, that many pilgrims return with nothing but the sad memories to reflect upon and this darkness filters through their tongues to the extent that they talk only about the hardships they have encountered during Hajj. The pilgrims should strictly refrain from this. On the contrary, they should talk about the greatness of the sacred places, the spiritual gains, the enjoyment in devotions of Haramayn ö Umrah, Tawaaf, Salaam on the Sacred Grave, Salaat in Masjidul Haraam and Masjidun Nabawi etc. If one looks at his journey of Hajj carefully he will find that the spiritual benefits far outweighs the physical hardships. Every second spent in these sacred places is incomparable with anything in the world. The journey of Hajj is a long journey; one has to travel by air, pass the immigrations, go through the customs, encounter people who speak foreign languages, etc. In these circumstances, difficulties are certain to arise. When we travel in our country, do we always travel with comfort and ease? Do we never encounter difficulty? Do we not find ourselves held up in traffic for hours on a Motorway? Considering the fact that 2-3 million pilgrims perform the rituals of Hajj at one time, in one place and that they all come from different countries and backgrounds and that many of them have never before used or seen the facilities available to them, I think the difficulties encountered are insignificant. Moreover, the pilgrims are rewarded abundantly by Allah ta‘aalaa upon every difficulty encountered in their journey whereas the same is not the case whilst we undertake other journeys.

Those people who engage in these types of conversation become the cause of discouragement to others who have not yet had the opportunity to perform Hajj. These unfortunate pilgrims fall into the category

…. and who stop (men) from the way of Allah, and from the Sacred Masjid, …

mentioned in Soorah Hajj in the Qur’aan. They should take heed that if people are discouraged by their conversation and postpone their Hajj then those who have discouraged them will be equally responsible.

Thirdly, the sign of a ‘Mabroor Hajj’ or ‘accepted Hajj’ is that upon one’s return, his life changes from worst to good. He becomes totally punctual in fulfilling the Commands of Allah ta‘aalaa. His love and inclination towards the Hereafter increases and love for the worldly pleasures decline. Therefore, it is essential that the pilgrim is watchful over his actions and conversations and should try his utmost to instil in himself good characters and refrain from all types of evil. He should endeavour to fulfill the obligations laid down by Allah and avoid all the things forbidden by Him.

A Deep Yearning to Perform Hajj (Part 1)

By Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Hajj is one of the fundamental pillars of Islām. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said:

Islām is founded on five (pillars): bearing witness that there is no deity except Allāh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh, establishing salāh, paying zakāh, performing hajj and fasting in the month of Ramadān. (Al-Bukhārī)

Hajj is no insignificant ritual. Rather, it is a great worship which encompasses both physical struggle and sacrifice of wealth. It is an ‘ibādah of expressing love for the Creator and showing a personification of the submission of Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām.

It is for this reason severe warnings have been stated for that person who neglects this great act of worship without any valid reason.

The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

He who possesses enough provisions which will suffice for him to reach the House of Allāh, and he does not perform hajj, then there is no care whether he dies as a Jew or a Christian, and that is because Allāh ta‘ālā has mentioned in His Book: ‘As a right of Allāh, it is obligatory on the people to perform hajj of the House – on everyone who has the ability to manage his way to it. And if one disbelieves, then Allāh is independent of all the worlds.’ (At-Tirmidhī)

Imām Al-Qurtubī rahimahullāh and Imām Ibn Kathīr rahimahullāh have narrated in their works of tafsīr that ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu would say:

I have resolved to send a few men to the villages and look for those people who possess the means to perform hajj but do not do so, and impose jizyah upon them, because Allāh says, ‘…And if one disbelieves, then Allāh is independent of all the worlds.’

After scrutinising the verse quoted above and all the warnings narrated in the ahādīth regarding those upon whom hajj is fard but fail to perform it, the majority of ‘Ulamā have concluded that such people are near to disbelief. Such is the gravity of the non-performance of hajj.

However, leaving aside the warnings, hajj and everything related to it is so blessed and virtuous that every Mu’min should harbour a deep-felt yearning and desire to perform it year after year.

Let us take a look at some of the virtues associated to this great worship.

1.    Travelling:

•     The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Whoever sets out intending the Sacred House and mounts his camel, his camel will not raise a hoof and place it down except that Allāh will write a good deed for him, forgive a sin of his, and raise his rank due to it, until he reaches the Ka‘bah…” (Al-Bayhaqī)

•     Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrates a lengthy hadīth in which he states that he was sitting with the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam in the Masjid of Minā, when a person from the Ansār (Ansārī) and a person from [the tribe of] Thaqīf (Thaqafī) came into his presence. Upon greeting with salām, they said, “O Messenger of Allāh! We have come to ask you…” upon which the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “If you so wish I can inform you of what you have come to ask me, and if you wish I can remain silent and you can go ahead and ask.” They both said, “O Messenger of Allāh! Tell us.” Then the Thaqafī turned to the Ansārī and said, “Ask.” So he said, “O Messenger of Allāh! Tell us.” So he said, “You have come to me to ask me regarding your leaving home intending the Sacred House, and the reward that lies in it for you…” He remarked, “By the being who has sent you with the truth, this indeed is what I came to ask you regarding!” The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “When you leave your house intending the Sacred House, your camel does not raise a hoof and place it down except that Allāh will write a good deed for you and forgives a sin of yours…” (Al-Bazzār)

      Note: the remainder of this hadīth will be mentioned under different headings later on.

2.    The Haram:

•     Allāh ta‘ālā mentions in the Qur’ān, “Whoever enters it is secure…” Some commentators have mentioned that this means he will be saved from the Fire. (Ibn Kathīr)

3.    Makkah Al-Mukarramah:

•     Allāh ta‘ālā has taken an oath on this blessed city twice in the Qur’ān, saying, “I swear by this city.” (90:1) and, “And [I swear] by this peaceful city.” (95:3)

•     Allāh ta‘ālā also mentions the du‘ā of Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām, saying, “(Recall) when Ibrāhīm said, ‘My Lord, make this city peaceful…’” (14:35)

•    ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Adiyy ibn Hamrā’ narrates that he witnessed Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam having stopped at [a place called] Al-Hazwarah, [addressing Makkah] saying, “By Allāh! You are the best of the Land of Allāh, and the most beloved Land of Allāh to Him, and if I had not been driven out of you, I would never have left you.” (At-Tirmidhī)

•     On the occasion of the liberation of Makkah, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam [addressing the people] praised Allāh ta‘ālā and then said, “Verily, Allāh has sanctified Makkah; the people have not sanctified it. No human who believes in Allāh and in the Last Day is permitted to shed blood in it, nor uproot a tree…” (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

4.    Al-Masjid Al-Harām:

•     Allāh ta‘ālā says in the Qur’ān, “Surely [We will punish] those who disbelieve and prevent [people] from the way of Allāh and from Al-Masjid-Al-Harām (the Sacred Mosque), which We have made for all men, where residents and visitors are all equal. And whoever intends therein to commit deviation with injustice, We will make him taste a painful punishment.” (22:25)

•     The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “One salāh in this masjid of mine (Al-Masjid An-Nabawī) is better than a thousand prayers in any other, except for Al-Masjid Al-Harām.” (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

•     The actual virtue of performing salāh in Al-Masjid Al-Haram is understood from another hadīth to be 100,000 times more than any other. (Ibn Mājah)

5.    The Ka‘bah:

•     Allāh ta‘ālā says in the Qur’ān: “Allāh has made the Ka‘bah, the Sacred House, a source of stability for people…” (5:97)

•     The sanctity of the Ka‘bah is so great that it affects even those who are miles away from it, so much so that the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “When you go to relieve yourselves, then do not face the qiblah, nor turn your backs to it, rather, turn to the left or the right.” (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

•     The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Allāh sends down 120 mercies each day and night on this House [of Allāh], 60 for those doing tawāf around it, 40 for those performing salāh, and 20 for those looking at it.”(At-Tabrānī)

•     The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “The doors of the heavens are opened, and du‘ā is accepted in four places… [one of which is] when seeing the Ka‘bah.” (Al-Bayhaqī) Note: this is not exclusive to the first sight of the Ka‘bah.

6.    Al-Hajar Al-Aswad:

•     The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said regarding the Black Stone, “By Allāh! Allāh will raise it on the Day of Qiyāmah with it having two eyes with which it will see, and a tongue with which it will speak; it will testify for those who kissed it properly [i.e. with Īmān and hope of reward].” (At-Tirmidhī)

•     Ibn Hishām rahimahullāh once asked ‘Atā ibn Abī Rabāh regarding Ar-Rukn Al-Yamānī, whilst he was performing  tawāf. ‘Atā rahimahullāh replied, “Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrated to me that the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, ‘Seventy angels have been appointed to it. Whoever says,  

       “O Allāh! I ask of You forgiveness and safety in the world and the Hereafter, Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of Fire”

      they say ‘Āmīn’ (O Allāh accept [this prayer]).’” When he [Ibn Hishām rahimahullāh] reached Al-Hajar Al-Aswad, he said, “O Abū Muhammad (‘Atā ibn Abī Rabāh rahimahullāh), what have you come to know regarding this corner of Aswad?” ‘Atā replied, “Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrated to me that he heard the Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam saying, “Whoever engages with it, engages with the hand of mercy.” (Ibn Mājah)

7.    Tawāf:

•     Further on, in the previous hadīth narrated by Imām Ibn Mājah rahimahullāh, Ibn Hishām rahimahullāh then said, “O Abū Muhammad! What about tawāf?” ‘Atā rahimahullāh replied, “Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrated to me that he heard the Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam saying, ‘Whoever circumambulates the Ka‘bah seven times, and does not talk, except saying, ‘Subhānallāh, Alhamdulillāh, Allāhu Akbar, and Lā hawla walā quwwata illā billāh’, ten of his sins are forgiven, ten rewards are written for him, and his rank is raised ten times, and whoever performs tāwāf and talks, whilst saying the same, paddles in the Mercy [of Allāh] like a person who paddles in water.’” (Ibn Mājah) 

•    The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Whoever circumambulates this House seven complete times, it is as if he has freed a slave.” He also says, “And I also heard him sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam say, ‘He (the circumambulator) does not take a step except that Allāh forgives a sin of his and writes a good deed for him.’” (At-Tirmidhī)

Continued in the next newsletter 

© Riyādul Jannah (2013)

---

• Please forward this message on to all your contacts •

The Obligatory Nature of Hajj

By Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

The advent of the month of Shawwāl brings with it the remembrance of Ibrāhīm ‘alayhis salām and his memorable hajj. All over the world, those who are fortunate make preparations for this great spiritual experience. Hajj is from the five pillars of Islām and is fard upon every sane and mature believer who possesses the means to perform hajj. Allāh ta‘ālā mentions in the Glorious Qur’ān: 

“…As a right of Allāh, it is obligatory on the people to perform hajj of the House – on everyone who has the ability to manage (his) way to it.” (3:97)

The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said:

“Islām is founded on five (pillars): bearing witness that there is no deity except Allāh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh, establishing salāh, paying zakāh, performing hajj and fasting in the month of Ramadān.” (Al-Bukhārī)

In another hadīth, he said: “O people! Indeed Allāh, the Mighty, the Exalted has made hajj obligatory upon you; therefore perform hajj.” (Ahmad) 

Virtues of Hajj 

The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has mentioned many virtues of hajj, encouraging the believers to fulfil this obligation:

“The performers of hajj and ‘umrah are deputations of Allāh. If they call Him, He answers them; and if they seek His forgiveness, He forgives them.” (Ibn Mājah)

“There is no reward for an accepted hajj except Jannah.” (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

“Whoever performs hajj for the sake of pleasing Allāh, and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it free from sin as the day on which his mother gave birth to him.” (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim) 

The performer of hajj becomes so pure that even that person is forgiven for whom he seeks forgiveness. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

“When you meet a Hajī (on his way home), then greet him, shake hands with him and ask him to beg forgiveness of Allāh on your behalf before he enters his home, for his prayer for forgiveness is accepted since he is forgiven by Allāh.” (Ahmad) 

Warnings for Non-performance of Hajj 

The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has also warned those who do not fulfil this obligation despite it becoming obligatory upon them:

“He who possesses enough provisions which will suffice for him to reach the House of Allāh, and he does not perform hajj, then there is no care whether he dies as a Jew or a Christian.” (At-Tirmidhī) 

Hajj is fard upon every sane, adult and healthy Muslim, when he has sufficient wealth to enable him to travel to and from the Ka‘bah. This will apply when the wealth required to take him is in excess of his needs (such as house, transport, clothing, etc.). He also needs to have sufficient wealth to leave behind for the needs of those who are dependent on him. Furthermore, the journey needs to be a safe one and a woman needs to be travelling with a mahram. As can be understood from the great virtues and stern warnings above, a person upon whom hajj is fard should endeavour to perform hajj at the earliest possible opportunity – this year. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said:

“The one who intends to go for hajj should hurry; for sometimes he can get ill, his conveyance can go missing or some other obstacle may arise (which will hinder him from travelling).” (Ahmad) 

Misconceptions and Lame Excuses

Many people delay the performance of hajj due to misconceptions which become lame excuses for not performing hajj. Inshā’allāh, I wish to clarify a few of these misunderstandings, so that those who find themselves in these situations can repent and make preparations immediately.

• Many people have enough wealth for them to go for hajj, but they wait to accrue enough wealth so that their spouse can also accompany them. If the husband has enough wealth then he should go for hajj immediately. And if the wife has enough wealth, and she has other mahārim with whom she can go for hajj, then she should go immediately too. The Sharī‘ah does not give either permission to postpone the hajj and wait for the other.

• Many people think that it is necessary that they make arrangements for their parents to perform hajj before they do. This too is incorrect in light of the Sharī‘ah. Undoubtedly, to make one’s parents perform hajj is a great virtue and honour; however, if hajj is not fard on them, but it is fard upon the children, then they should not concern themselves with their parents’ hajj at this moment and fulfil their own obligation. It is possible that in the children waiting for the parents – or in the case of the husband waiting for the wife or vice versa – the one upon whom hajj is fard passes away and is questioned by Allāh ta‘ālā for its non-fulfilment.

• Others delay embarking on the journey until certain worldly tasks have been completed. Remember! The targets of the world will never end. If it is one worldly target that is the excuse this year, then it will be another next year. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said: 

“No servant leaves hajj for some worldly objective but that he will see the people returning from hajj before his worldly objective is fulfilled.” (At-Tabrānī) 

Therefore, one should put aside any worldly goals he has in mind and fulfil the obligation of Allāh ta‘ālā first. It is also noteworthy to remember that it is from the ploys of Shaytān that he will never say, ‘Don’t perform hajj’, rather, he will make you defer its performance, year after year, until it’s too late.

• Similarly, many delay their hajj because of this hadīth: “He who performs forty salāh in my masjid in such a way that he does not miss a single salāh, then Allāh prescribes his freedom from the Fire of Jahannam, freedom from punishment and freedom from hypocrisy.” (Ahmad) Many think that it is necessary to perform forty salāh in Al-Masjid An-Nabawī, and some have the desire and greed for this virtue, so they delay their performance of hajj as they cannot spare enough time or money to stay in Al-Madīnah for the duration of forty salāh. Hajj is for five days only, and it becomes fard upon that person who can only afford to go for the minimum time. The inability to travel to Al-Madīnah will not be a valid excuse not to perform hajj. Of course, after reaching so close to the blessed city of Al-Madīnah, one should endeavour to at least spend a day in the blessed city and visit Al-Masjid An-Nabawī, and present himself in the Court of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.

• Some believe that if their children have reached a marriageable age and are not yet married, then the parents cannot perform hajj until the children are married. This too has no basis whatsoever in the Sharī‘ah. 

• Some delay in travelling as they have small children at home. Once hajj becomes fard, they should seek suitable relatives, friends, etc. who can look after their children whilst they go for hajj; and they need not travel for long due to their circumstance and situation.

• Some delay their hajj as they think it is better to perform it in their old age closer to their death! This is a fallacy as they have no guarantee for how long they will live, and this idea is in complete contrast to the command of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam to perform hajj at the earliest opportunity.

• Some delay performing the hajj as they only obtain a set number of days off work, and they postpone their journey hoping that they may get more days off next year and can spend more time in the Al-Haramayn. This too is not a valid Shar‘ī reason to postpone the hajj. They should go and spend whatever time they have available and absolve themselves of the obligation of hajj.

• Some delay the hajj, as they cannot afford to buy gifts for people, thus deferring their obligation until they have enough money that they can buy gifts for their loved and dear ones. This again is not a valid Shar‘ī excuse.

• Some delay in going for hajj as they cannot afford the ‘five star’, ‘deluxe’ or ‘golden’ package. From a Shar‘ī point of view, as soon as they can afford the cheapest most basic package, hajj becomes fard upon them.

• Others can afford a package, but as the package includes a hotel which is far from the Al-Haram, they are not able to read all five salāh in Al-Haram. This does not justify delaying the hajj. Remember, as long as the five days of hajj are part of the package, hajj will be fard upon them. 

• Some do not go for hajj on the pretext that they are not yet ready to change their lives. Such a thought is from Shaytān. Do we think the same when it comes to reading salāh or paying zakāh? And if this is the case, then change your life, for it is obligatory anyway! Moreover, inshā’allāh, through the barakah of hajj, the life will change for the better. Some go to the other extreme and have resolved to change their lives, but make comments such as, ‘My Īmān is not yet strong enough and I need to build on my Īmān.’ This thought too is from Shaytān. Hajj is a very important fundamental which helps to make one’s Īmān stronger.

Shaykh Muftī ‘Abdur Rahīm Lājpūrī rahimahullāh mentions with regards the permissible reasons for postponing hajj:

The following are reasons for which hajj may be postponed:

• Becoming bankrupt.
• Fear of a tyrannical leader.
• Being imprisoned.
• An unsafe journey.
• Illness because of which the person cannot travel.
• For a woman not to have a mahram or husband to accompany her.
• For a woman to be sitting in her ‘iddah.

He further states that although these factors justify postponing hajj; however, it will be compulsory to proceed with the journey as soon as they no longer exist.

Therefore, it is my heartfelt plea to those upon whom hajj is fard, that they embark on this blessed journey this very year. They should have trust in Allāh ta‘ālā for all their affairs and fulfil this obligation. May Allāh ta‘ālā remove all difficulties and hurdles that anyone may have and make hajj easy for one and all. Āmīn.

© Islāmic Da’wah Academy

---

An essential read for intending hujjaj: How to Perform Hajj, How to Perform Hajj ‘Umrah, How to Perform Hajj Ziyārah and Useful Advice for Travellers to the Haramayn by Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh. 

For further details, please call 0116 2625440.

---

• Please forward this message on to all your contacts •

The Importance of Salāh during Hajj

By Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Throughout the world, thousands are graced every year by Allāh ta‘ālā to carry out one of the greatest obligations and worships – hajj. The many virtues and rewards related to this great act of worship have been mentioned in the last issue. However, for hajj to be accepted and for one to reap all its spiritual fruits, it will need to be performed with due care, ensuring that all its rituals are carried out correctly, along with assuring that no sin is committed. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

Whoever performs hajj for the sake of pleasing Allāh, and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it free from sin as the day on which his mother gave birth to him. (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam also said:

There is no reward for a mabrūr hajj except Jannah. (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

The ‘Ulamā have stated that a mabrūr hajj is that in which a person carries out all the rituals of hajj properly and does not disobey Allāh ta‘ālā. It is saddening to see that we spend thousands of pounds to fulfil this important obligation, yet we become negligent with regards to certain important commands of Allāh ta‘ālā, consequently becoming deprived of the spirituality of hajj and adversely polluting our hearts with sin, rather than enriching them with the spiritual vibes of hajj.

In this article I would like to address an issue in which much negligence has become prevalent on the part of many of my brothers and sisters undertaking this sacred journey.

Salāh – A Fundamental Worship

Salāh is a fundamental worship – a pillar of Islām, the significance of which needs no elaboration. Allāh ta‘ālā has commanded us over and over again to perform salāh. In the glorious Qur’ān, the order of establishing salāh has been repeated at least 15 times. The extreme importance of salāh can easily be understood from the many warnings of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam in regards to missing it:

•   “Verily, between a person and kufr and shirk, is leaving salāh.” (Muslim) This hadīth warns that discarding salāh destroys the barrier between a person and kufr or shirk; he can easily fall into disbelief ignoring this important pillar of Islām.

•   “Whoever misses a salāh, it is as if he has lost all his family and wealth.” (Ahmad and Al-Bayhaqī)  From this hadīth we learn that the ultimate loss incurred by missing one salāh is in no way less than the loss of the whole family and all wealth.

Moreover, there are many virtues mentioned regarding this great worship:

•   “Allāh has ordained five salāhs upon His servants. Whoever brings them to Allāh, not having missed any of them out of levity, will have a covenant with Allāh that He will enter him into Jannah. Whoever does not bring them, will not have [such] a covenant with Allāh; if He wishes He will punish him, and if He so wishes He will enter him into Jannah.” (Abū Dāwūd and An-Nasa’ī)

•   Once the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam asked his Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, “Do you believe that dirt can remain on a person bathing five times a day in a brook running in front of his door?” “No”, replied the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, “No dirt can remain on his body.” The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam remarked, “So, likewise [is the effect of] salāh offered five times a day. Through it, Allāh washes away all sins.” (Muslim)

Despite these virtues and warnings, we become negligent with regards to salāh during the blessed journey of hajj. Some common instances are:

•   Motorway and Airport

     When travelling, we seldom keep salāh in mind. Salāh is not a factor when planning out travel arrangements. If our travel arrangements are such that we have to perform salāh at the cafe or the airport, then this becomes a great burden on us and many people will just omit the salāh altogether. We are very fortunate that dedicated spaces are now available at airports with ablution facilities where we can perform salāh in relative peace and seclusion, and so there should be no excuse to miss it out.

•   Aeroplane

     This is also another place where we become negligent with regards to salāh. Even religious people are found wanting in this regard. For many it is a factor of inferiority complex and insecurity in expressing ones religious beliefs. For others it is just a matter of it being inconvenient.

     The flight staff should be approached in a respectable manner and requested to arrange an appropriate place to perform salāh. Merely assuming that it is too inconvenient is unacceptable. Alhamdulillāh, in all my travels, I have never been declined such a request. The aeroplanes nowadays accommodate the need of a person to perform salāh.

•   Madīnah – Al-Hujjāj

     In the hajj terminal at the Jeddah Airport, much confusion and hustle bustle is observed, both on arrival and departure.  At this time, one needs to keep a cool head and not let the situation get the better of him. Many fall prey to the commotion at this place and, in making arrangements for travel, food etc. end up committing sins, and especially neglecting their salāh.

     This is our condition despite being very close to the blessed places and every facility being available, to the extent that even the adhān is called out. May Allāh have mercy on us.

•   In Makkah and Al-Madīnah

     Performing salāh in the two harams is worthy of great reward. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “One salāh in this masjid of mine (Al-Masjid An-Nabawī) is better than a thousand prayers in any other, except for Al-Masjid Al-Harām.” (Al-Bukhārī and Muslim) The actual virtue of performing salāh in Al-Masjid Al-Haram is understood from another hadīth to be 100,000 times more than any other. (Ibn Mājah) Despite there being such a great virtue, many people are observed missing salāh altogether. How grieving it is that we should have such a disregard for a fundamental pillar of Islām even in sacred places! Indeed, we are inviting the wrath of Allāh. ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu said, “O people of Makkah! Fear Allāh with regards to this haram of yours! Do you know who resided in this haram before you? Such and such a tribe was residing in it, and they violated its sanctity and so were destroyed…” he then went on mentioning a number of tribes, and then said, “By Allāh! That I commit ten sins outside Makkah is more desirable to me than that I commit even one inside Makkah!”(Ibn Abī Shaybah and Al-Bayhaqī)

     The importance of salāh and the great virtue for it in the haram should compel us to ensure we perform every salāh there, let alone miss it altogether or even perform it elsewhere. Even if our place of residence is at a considerable distance from the haram, we should endeavour to make it there to reap the rewards. After all, we are closer than most, and may never get the opportunity again in our lives.

     Similarly, if we happen to go for ziyārah anywhere, we should arrange it at a time when we are unlikely to miss any salāh with jamā‘ah in the haram.

     It is unfortunate to note that some people miss their salāh in Al-Masjid Al-Harām due to being pre-occupied with shopping, or going to dine further away from the vicinity of the haram. This is inexcusable and completely incomprehensible, and should never happen. Lā hāwla walā quwwata illā billāh.

•   Travelling During the Days of Hajj

     Another instance where there is much neglect in salāh is whilst travelling during hajj, between the different places, e.g. going to and returning from Tawāf-Az-Ziyārah. It is often found that whilst stuck in traffic, the times of different salāhs pass, but hardly anyone has alighted from their means of conveyance to perform salāh.

     Similarly, on the final day of hajj, the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah, in a mad rush to get back to Makkah and out of Minā, people leave in large numbers for Makkah, resulting in much congestion. Whilst stuck in traffic, the adhān for the Maghrib salāh is heard, but no-one leaves their vehicles to perform salāh. It is observed that the traffic remains at a standstill till the ‘Ishā salāh and beyond, yet no one has come out of their vehicles and performed Maghrib. How sad that we have just pelted the Jamarāt, and expressed our resolve in not falling prey to Shaytān, only to make him happy in the next hour!

Salāh was at the forefront of our pious elders in every circumstance. ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, expressing the importance of salāh, wrote to his governors during his reign of khilāfah, stating, “Verily, the most important of your affairs to me is salāh; whoever safeguards it and is punctual upon it, safeguards his Dīn, and whoever lets it slip, he is likely to let slip other things too.” (Mālik)

It has been recorded regarding Shaykh Mawlānā Khalīl Ahmad Sahrānpūrī rahimahullāh that he would perform all his salāh in the haram, in the first row, on the right side of the imām, whatever the circumstance. Even in the scorching heat of Arabia when the ground would become so hot that putting ones foot down would cause burns and scolds, he would hastily tip toe towards the first row and ensure that he would be standing close to the imām.

Whilst travelling, he would also be particular about performing salāh with congregation. It has been written about his travelling to Al-Madīnah that he would get off his camel for every salāh and perform it with congregation. Getting on and off a camel during travel is not an easy task, and many a young and strong are fearful of endeavouring such an act, but Mawlānā Khalīl Ahmad rahimahullāh was observed to be mounting and dismounting for every salāh to perform it in its preferred time with congregation. He would dismount his camel, perform wudū, thereafter run and advance further than where the camels had reached, and perform salāh with congregation. When the camels then passed him during salāh, after finishing he would again run a considerable distance ahead of them and perform his sunan mu’akkadah. Meanwhile, the camels would have passed him so he would run and once again mount the camel.

I myself have observed the late Shaykh Mawlānā As‘ad Madanī rahimahullāh that he would search various flight options when planning his journey, to determine in which option he would miss the least amount of salāh with jamā‘ah, and he would take such an option although it meant he may have to incur a larger expense.

These pious servants of Allāh ta‘ālā were so particular in regards to salāh that the missing of the first takbīr would grieve them. At an event in Darul Uloom Deoband, Shaykh Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī rahimahullāh got held back a little due to the large crowd trying to meet him, and was unable to join the row when the Imām said the first takbīr. Upon this he was much grieved. (Tadhkiratur Rashīd)

Allāh ta‘ālā’s Command is not something which we should take lightly; we should not be embarrassed in fulfilling the Commands of Allāh ta‘ālā at any given time or place. If it is a matter of inconvenience, then too the obligation of salāh is not excused, and should not be missed. Even an ill person is not excused from salāh to the extent that if he/she is only capable of performing salāh by indication, he/she will still be obliged.

May Allāh ta‘ālā instil in us all the importance of this great worship, and make us all true establishers of salāh. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah 

---

• Please forward this message on to all your contacts •