Haj - An introduction

The caravans bound for Makkah and Madina are en route.  They will see the Ka’aba to which they turned to offer Salaat with their own eyes.  They will get the chance to pay their respects to the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) whom they believed in all life.

 

It is in the very nature of human beings that when they have to appear in some great court, they bathe and wear something beautiful and clean.  In the same way, for those who are going to Haj, they have been cleaned through the holy month of Ramadhan.  In the first 10 days, mercy was showered on them.  In the next 10 days, their sins were forgiven and in the last 10 days, they were given the glad tidings of freedom from hell and they were also blessed with Shab Qadr.  They recited the Holy Quran and listened to it as well, which wiped away the rust of their hearts and made them radiant.  Through the blessings of the fast, their base self was reined and each bondsman became the epitome of Islamic teachings and good manners.  Up until now, they were smeared with the filth of sins.  In Ramadhan, they were cleaned with the waters of mercy and forgiveness.  Now when they have become pure, they are being permitted to come to the court of the Lord of all worlds.

 

Hadhrat Ibrahim’s (May peace be upon him) call for Haj

 

Those who are given the honor of performing Haj are specially selected by Allah.  When Hadhrat Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) finished the construction of the Ka’aba and gave the call for Haj, through divine power, his voice reverberated throughout the heavens and the earth and all the creation of the heavens and the earth heard it.  People coming there from all parts of the world is the clearest sign of this.  As given in Mustadarak ‘Alas Sahihain:

 

Translation:  It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them), he says:  When Hadhrat Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) finished the construction of the Ka’aba, he supplicated Allah:  I have finished the construction.  Allah ordered:  Give the call for Haj.  He said:  O Lord Almighty!  How can my voice reach them?  He was told:  Giving the call is your duty and making it reach (everyone) is our responsibility.  He said:  O Lord Almighty!  In what words should I give the call?  He was told:  Say this:  O people!  Haj has been made obligatory on you, Haj of the esteemed Ka’aba has been obligatory on you.  Then all the creation in the heavens and the earth heard this.  This is the reason that you see people coming for Haj from the very corners of the world with Labbaik on their lips.  (Mustadarak ‘Alas Sahihain, Hadith No. 3421)

 

Those people who had said Labbaik (we are here) on the call of Hadhrat Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) are the ones who are being honored with Haj as given in Tafseer Durre Manthur:

 

Translation: Imam Ibn Abu Hatim (May Allah shower His mercy on him) narrates on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them), he says:  When Allah ordered Hadhrat Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) to give the call for Haj to the people, he climbed a mountain which was called Abu Qubais, placed his fingers in his ears and gave the call:  Verily Allah has made Haj obligatory on you.  You say Labbaik (I am here) on the orders of your Lord.  On this call of his, people said Labbaik from the wombs of the women and the backs of the men and thus Accepted it.  The first people to accept this call were the people of Yemen and from that day to date any person who performs Haj is the one who accepted the call that day.  (Durr Manthur, Surah Haj, Verse. No. 27)

 

Those who are fulfilling this obligation are the chosen ones in the court of Allah.  When Allah is granting them this honor, they should also make sure that they learn properly the rules and articles of Haj.  They should repent profusely.  They should try to increase their fear and consciousness of Allah.  They should fulfill the rights due to others.  They should seek forgiveness of those whom they have hurt.  During the Haj itself, they should be very patient, forgiving and should prefer others over themselves.  Allah says:

 

Some months are appointed for Hajj (Pilgrimage: Shawwal, Dhu’l-Qa‘da and first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijja). So, he who undertakes to perform Hajj (Pilgrimage) during these (months) and makes it obligatory (for himself), then he must neither commit sexual intercourse with the women nor any (other) sin and nor should he quarrel with anyone during Hajj (Pilgrimage) days. And whatever good you do Allah knows it well. And collect the provisions required for the journey (to the Hereafter). And surely the best of provisions is the fear of Allah. So, fear Me, O men of sound judgment!  Surah Baqarah (2:197)

 

Haj is a great article of Islam.  It is obligatory once in a lifetime on those who can afford it.  Allah says:

 

There are manifest Signs in it, (one of which is) the station of Ibrahim (Abraham). Whoever enters it attains safety and protection; and the Pilgrimage to this House is prescribed for the people for the sake of Allah whoever may afford its journey; and whoever denies (it) then indeed, Allah is Self-Sufficient, Beyond Need of all the worlds.  Surah Al Imran (3:97)

 

Haj should be done for the sake of pleasing Allah.  Ostentation should not be the motive that people should address one as “Haji.”  The pleasure and approval of Allah and His Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) should be the real motive.  Intention is the very soul of worship.  Those people who perform Haj with good intentions are given the following glad tidings by the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam):

 

Translation: Hadhrat Abdul Hakeem (May Allah shower His mercy on him) says:  I heard Hadhrat Abu Hazim (May Allah be well pleased with him) say:  I heard Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) say:  I heard the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) say: Whoever performs Haj for the sake of pleasing Allah and did not commit any indecency or sin, he (or she) will be return free of sins as if his mother has just given birth to him.  (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 1521)

 

On whom is Haj obligatory?

 

There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Umar (May Allah be well pleased with them), he says:  One person came to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and said: O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  What obligates a Haj?  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The expenses and the conveyance.  (Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 818)

 

The jurists have clarified that this means if a person has such an amount of money over and above his basic needs that he can bear the expenses of going to the Ka’aba and staying there and can arrange for the needs of the family for this entire period, then he is deemed to be a man wealthy enough that Haj is obligatory on him.

 

For Zakaat, among other rules, it is necessary that one year should have passed on the wealth and that the wealth should be of an increasing nature.  For Haj, it is not necessary that one year should pass on the wealth and that the wealth should be of an increasing nature.  Neither that the wealth should reach a prescribed limit of wealth, simply if a person has wealth enough to bear the traveling expenses and enough for the needs of the family for when he is gone for Haj.

 

If someone has an extra house apart from the actual residence and by selling that, one gets money enough to bear the traveling expenses and fulfill the needs of the family until he comes back, then Haj is obligatory on that person.

 

As given in Fatawa A’alamgiri, Kitab Ul Manasik.

 

Delaying Haj even after it has becoming obligatory invites the wrath of Allah

 

Some people delay Haj without any valid reason even after it has become obligatory for them to perform it.  If their time comes before they do it, they will be counted as among those who missed an obligation and they will remain bereft of a great distinction.  There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The person who has the money and the conveyance which can take him to the house of Allah and in spite of that, he does not go for Haj, then it is of no concern whether that man dies as a Jew or a Christian.  Allah has said about this in His book: the Pilgrimage to this House is prescribed for the people for the sake of Allah whoever may afford its journey.  Surah Al Imran (3:97)

 

(Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 817)