When the person intends undertaking Hajj, he severs all ties with his family & home. This is a reminder to him also of the journey he will have to undertake for the Hereafter.
As for provisions, the intending pilgrim must ensure that they have been acquired in the Halaal (permissible) manner. If a person desires to take a lot for the journey, then let him remember the journey to the Hereafter which is longer & more difficult & that the best provision for that journey will be Taqwa (Piety).
As for transport, when the pilgrim acquires transport he should give thanks to the Almighty Creator & at the same time remember the transport that will carry him the grave & the next world, namely his Kaffan (Shroud). As for leaving home, the intending pilgrim should know that he is now bound for the House of Allah. He is on a journey unlike any other. He should bear in mind where he is heading & whom he intends to visit. He should also have hope that his Hajj will be accepted, not because of the difficulties faced, but because of the trust that he has in His Creator.
When wearing the Ihraam, the pilgrim is aware that he has heard the summons of Almighty Allah. He should possess fear & hope when considering the acceptance of his Hajj. This fear should be the fear of Almighty Allah & hope in His Mercy.
As for touching the Hajr-e-Aswad (Black Stone), the pilgrim should believe that he is pledging his loyalty to Almighty Allah & that he will obey the Commands of the Supreme Being. Make firm your promise & do not be like those who promise today & change their minds tomorrow.
When the pilgrim clings to the Ghilaaf (Cloth) of the Holy Kaaba, seek forgiveness & beg for Allah's Mercy. Even the running between Saffa & Marwa must signify a slave who is running to & from the Court of a Mighty King not knowing whether he has been accepted or rejected. As for standing at Arafaat, look at the crowds following their Imaams (Leaders) & recall the sight of the Yaumal Hashr (Day of Gathering).
After this, plead for Almighty Allah's Mercy. When you throw stones at the Shaitaan, your purpose should be obedience to your Creator. The idea is to drive Shaitaan away from you.
Such should be the various duties of the pilgrim at all stages of the Hajj. When all acts are completed, your heart should be filled with concern & hope, for you do not know whether your Hajj has been accepted or rejected. Yet after completion you realise that your inner & outer self has been filled with enthusiasm, love & you have a genuine feeling of making Ibaadah, then remember that you have been placed among the chosen ones!
Such should be the various duties of the pilgrim at all stages of the Hajj. When all acts are completed, your heart should be filled with concern & hope, for you do not know whether your Hajj has been accepted or rejected. Yet after completion you realise that your inner & outer self has been filled with enthusiasm, love & you have a genuine feeling of making Ibaadat, then remember that you have been placed among the chosen ones!
This is without doubt the culmination of a great festival - a festival where Muslims of all colour & language congregate on one massive plain to celebrate the praise of their Creator, Almighty Allah. Hajj provides an opportunity to unite Muslims of the world & it also offers to Muslims an occasion to exchange views on their mutual problems, to iron out their differences, to discuss common opinions, to exchange gifts as well as goodwill & to take back to their respective homelands memorable feelings of the Muslim brotherhood, of course, in addition to the innumerable blessings of Almighty Allah & the new found purity of their body & soul.
2ND DAY - 9th Zil-Hajj: The people arrive in Arafaat in the morning & continue their Ibaadat. They also read their Zohar & Asar Salaat & leave for Muzdalifa just before sunset.
3RD DAY - 10th Zil-Hajj: People stay in Muzdalifa for the night & read their Maghrib & Isha Salaat together. They continue their Ibaadah the whole night. Just after Fajar Salaat, they leave for Mina. They then make Qurbaani & stone the Jamrat-ul-Uqbah. After Qurbaani, they trim or shave their hair & remove their Ihraam for ordinary clothes. Tawaaf-e-Ziyaarat is then made & Sa'ee between Safa & Marwa. They now return to Mina.
4TH DAY - 11th Zil-Hajj: The three Jamraats are stoned.
5TH DAY - 12th Zil-Hajj: The three Jamraats are stoned again. Before leaving Makkah-tul-Mukarramah, the Haaji will have to make the Farewell Tawaaf (Tawaaf-e-Widaa).
A visit to Madina-tul-Munawwarah is also necessary. This can be done before or after the Hajj. Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has said: "One who visits my grave, is like one who has visited me in my lifetime. & "One who visits my grave, my Shafa'at becomes Waajib for him."
UMRAH: IMPORTANT MASAA'IL
The meaning of "Umrah" is "to visit." The accomplishment of Umrah at least once in a lifetime is Sunnat-e-Mu'akkadah. The Umrah performed during the auspicious month of Ramadaan supercedes that Umrah completed in other days. Bukhari Shareef states that Umrah in Ramadaan is equal to Hajj.
- The wearing of Ihraam before entering the Miqat boundary
- The performance of two Rakaats Sunnat-ul-Ihraam
- The recitation of Niyyat & Talbiyat
- The advancement towards Makkah-tul-Mukarramah while constantly reading the Talbiyat
- The performance of Tawaaf with Idh'tibaa & Ramal
- The performance of two Rakaat Waajib Salaat after Tawaaf behind Maqaam-e-Ibrahim
- Advancement to the Multazam to make Du'a & drink water from the Zam Zam well
- Performance of Sa'ee between Safa & Marwa
- Shaving or trimming the hair of the head.
- Ihraam
- Four circuits of Tawaaf
- Completion of all seven circuits
- Sa'ee
- Shaving/trimming of the hair.
- N.B. The rest are either Sunnah or Adaab.
- Adoption of Ihraam & performance of two Rakaat with Niyyat of Umrah
- Tawaaf
- Du'a at Multazam
- Performance of two Rakaat Salaat at Maqaam-e-Ibrahim
- Drinking Zam Zam water
- Performing Sa'ee between Saffa & Marwa
- Two Rakaat Salaat
- Shaving/Trimming of the hair.
Imam Malik (radi Allahu anhu) disliked anyone saying "the tawaf of the visit," or "we visited the grave of the Prophet," because people normally use that for visits between themselves & he did not like to put the Prophet on the same level as other people. He preferred a specific statement like "We greeted the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)." He did not dislike people saying, "We visited the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)." (Ash-Shifa)
When going to Madina-tul-Munawwarah, make special intention of visiting Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Imam Ibn Ilhaam states that when going to Madinat-ul-Munawwarah do not even make the intention of visiting the Masjid, but make intention of visiting the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). You should drown yourself in the recitation of Durood & Zikr throughout your entire journey. When the Haram of Madina-tul-Munawwarah is visible, then it is better to travel on foot. Walk towards it crying, with your head bowed, eyes lowered & if possible, bare feet. When the Green Dome or Gumbad-e-Anwar is in sight, then recite Durood & Salaams in abundance. On reaching the Blessed City, drown yourself in the thought of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).
Before making Haaziri you should clear the heart of all other thoughts that are disturbing & avoid unnecessary conversation. Make wudhu (using Miswaak) & Ghusal, if possible, is better. Preferably wear white clothing & new clothes are better. Use fragrance & Surma. The best of fragrance is Musk. Now, with total love & reverence, turn towards the Roza-e-Aqdas. If you cannot cry, make a sorrowful face & force the heart to weep. Beg in the court of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). At the entrance of the Masjid, send Durood & Salaams & then wait for a little while as if you are waiting for permission from Sarkaar-e-Madina (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Say "Bismillah" & enter with the right foot. Do so with utmost respect & reverence. When visiting the Rauza-e-Anwar, believe in your heart that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is physically alive & present just as he was before passing from the world. His demise & the demise of all the other Ambiya (alaihimus salaam) is only a split second, to fulfil the promise of Allah. Their passing away was for them just to be hidden from the eyes of the general public. Imam Muhammad ibn Haaj Makki (radi Allahu anhu) in "Madkhal" & Imam Ahmad Qastalaani (radi Allahu anhu) in "Muwaahib-ul-Laduniyah" state, "There is no difference in the life & demise of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) as he is seeing his Ummah, & he is aware of them & he is aware of their intentions. He understands the thoughts of the hearts & all these are before the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). In this way, that there is nothing actually hidden in it."
Now at the height of respect, bow your head, lower your gaze & shiver in the fear of Allah. Perspire in the shame of your sins, hoping & having faith in the mercy & blessing of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Present yourself at the feet of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) & hope that the blessed sight of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is on you. This is sufficient for you in both the worlds. Now like the heart, the face is also towards the Jaali Mubaarak of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) which is the resting place of the beloved of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Stand with total respect & honour. With a soft voice, low gaze, ashamed, not with a harsh or loud voice (since to speak aloud in this court is disrespect & cause of destruction) & neither being too soft since it is against Sunnah (even though the Prophet is even aware of the condition of your heart, just as it was evident from the sayings of the A'imma mentioned above), say the following: "As-Salaamu Alaika Ayuhan Nabiyu wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barkatuhu, As-Salaamu Alaika Ya Rasool allah. As-Salaamu Alaika Ya, Khairi Khalqillah. As-Salaamu Alaika Ya Shafi Al-Muznabeen, As-Salaamu Alaika Wa Ala Aalika wa Ashaabika Wa Um'matika Ajmaeen."
Ask for Shafa'at (Intercession) from Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) for your parents, Ustaads, Peer-o-Murshid, respected ones, friends, relatives & all Muslims. Continuously say, "As-Alukash Shafa'ata Ya Rasool allah." If someone asked you to convey their Salaams, then do so. May Almighty Allah accept the Ziyaarat of all those of visit the Rauza-e-Anwar of Huzoor-e-Akram (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Ameen.
No comments:
Post a Comment