  
AL-HAJ
PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA
|
|
FUROO' AL-DEEN
Acts of Worship
(the Rituals) |
1. Salat (Prayer) |
| 2. Saum (of Ramadhan) (Fasting) |
| 3. Zakat (Poor-due) |
| 4. Khums (Fifth) |
| 5. Haj (Pilgrimage) |
| 6. Jihad
(Striving for Islam) |
| 7. Al Amru Bil
Ma'ruf (Enjoining to the good) |
| 8. Al Nahiyu
unn Al Munkar (Forbidding evil) |
Haj is an act
of worship of extreme importance. Salat and Saum are obligations whereby a person worships
Allah through bodily endeavors while Zakat and Khums are obligations in which an individual worships Allah through giving
earnings and income. Haj, on the other hand, is an obligation in which a person worships Allah in a unique manner and in
which he or she strives wholeheartedly for the cause of Allah verbally, financially, physically, or even to the degree of
sacrificing one's self.
Haj is a duty whereby an individual worships Allah not only through endeavors of the body, but also through endeavors of
earnings and income. Actually Haj is a form of Jihad, a spiritual Jihad of unique value. No one can ever define the
unique value of Haj unless he or she has taken part in it. Each individual comes from the Haj with a matchless spiritual
uplift all his or her own, with a unique experience that only he or she can appreciate and treasure for the rest of his or
her life. This is true whether the person happens to be highly educated or not, of a technical inclination or not, from a
developed country or not. The experience of Haj is so absorbing for an individual and so gratifying, that it easily
enriches every person and affects his or her future actions and thoughts. It is true that everyone going for Haj does so
with a single purpose which is to perform this form of worship as required. However, such an individual always comes away
from the Haj enriched, enlightened, and gratified. A person goes for Haj with the right intention to do Haj.
It is not unusual for a person to be one among two million or more who are performing the Haj simultaneously, most going
for the same noble purpose. There, a person will see virtually every nationality on earth, and his or her ears will be
baffled by almost every tongue he can think of. He will see poor and rich, black and white, tall and short, old and young,
weak and strong. The experience will bring to his mind the vision of the Day of Judgment in miniature. Everyone is
single-mindedly worshipping Allah in a unique way, worshipping Allah through the wonderful experience of Haj.
WHAT IS HAJ ANYWAY?
As said before, Haj is an act of worship in Islam. It is a duty on those who can afford to perform it. Haj is an
obligatory pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in a lifetime, to be done by every Muslim. It is to be done at a certain
time of the year, with certain specific procedures. Mecca is a town in Arabia, in which the house of
Allah, the Ka'ba
is located.
IS HAJ OBLIGATORY?
Though Haj is obligatory, not everyone is obliged to perform it. There are certain conditions that have to be met before a
person is obliged to perform it. To perform Haj a person has to:
Attain physical maturity,
Have good mental capacity,
Be free,
Be capable financially and health-wise, and
Know that travel won't endanger his life.
Therefore a child may be free to make the Haj, but it is not regarded as valid, and when he
matures he has to do it again. A person who is insane may not perform the Haj, nor may an enslaved person. This is also
true for those who cannot afford it, those who are very sick and debilitated, or those who think travel is unsafe and may
endanger their lives.
HOW OFTEN IS HAJ TO BE PERFORMED?
A person should perform the Haj at least once in a lifetime. But if he or she desires to perform it more often, it is his
or her choice and privilege. It is not unusual to see some persons who have made the Haj four or five times, or even a
dozen times. It all depends on how far a person is from Mecca, how capable he or she is, and how anxious he or she is to
go through the same experience.
We can venture to say that once a person experiences the Haj, the sweet memory will be so intense, and the spiritual uplift
so powerful that he or she will always wish to go again. He will always say within himself, "I pray I'll be able to
perform it again, and again, and again."
WHEN IS HAJ PERFORMED?
Haj is always done in the month of Dhul-Hijjah.
The Arabic calendar is a lunar one, therefore it keeps moving forward eleven days every year. Thus, Haj may be
performed during winter, summer, spring, or fall.
Winter in Mecca is very mild, and the temperatures are in the upper sixties and lower seventies (Fahrenheit). Therefore,
Haj during winter, spring or fall is at a time when the weather is fair. During summer, however, the weather is extremely
hot and uncomfortable.
WHERE IS HAJ PERFORMED?
For Haj Muslims come from just about every corner of the earth. About every country in the world has some Muslims who are
anxious to perform it.
Because of the tremendous difference in the standard of living of different countries, and the educational standard of the
people participating, a person will be taken aback when he sees such a sea of humanity. Habits, race, and language aside,
most people seem to go in groups, and each seems to have its own group behavior and manners. There is little sleep if any
for most people, and the whole territory; the towns, streets, and the community vibrate with life and activity be it day or
night, and whatever the hour may be.
Any man or woman, therefore, can have a fairly accurate idea of how other people live, their level of economics, thinking,
behavior, etc. Such an observer will have gained tremendously in understanding the people of the world, and will find
himself or herself swept with intense emotion. The person finds himself or herself as one individual among millions, just
one member of Allah's great creation.
hThere
is no place on earth that is so enriching in experience as Mecca is.
hYou
will be swept with emotion to the deepest part of your being. This will come to you over and over again. When you are at
the Ka'ba doing Salat and praying with millions of people, you will be awed and taken by the experience. The mere
massiveness of the panorama of worshippers is overwhelming, and you will experience a deep feeling of awe and wonder. Yet,
there is a quietude of a special nature despite all this; there is serenity and calmness, there is gentleness and
tranquility mixed with a feeling of veneration. Each person feels that he is in the house of Allah, and each is taken by
that awe inspiring feeling. There is even more.
TELL MORE ABOUT HAJ
When you go for Haj, you go to Medina too, where the Mosque of the Prophet (pbuh) is located. In this town, you will
encounter a different kind of emotion. The crowds and the multitudes of people will seem to be an active beehive. You see
people coming and going everywhere and in all directions. When it is time for Salat, you will be pleasantly surprised to
see people forming lines for prayer, and the streets packed with people, the shops filled with people, and even the
sidewalks filled with worshippers. This is true of Medina, all its major streets, the secondary ones, and even the narrow,
winding allies. This happens for daytime, Subh, or night Salats. The feeling is exhilarating, and it gives you a
tremendous uplift inside. You will see in Medina that all major streets lead to the main Mosque, the Mosque of the Prophet
(pbuh). It is a grand mosque of mammoth dimensions, yet it seems always packed with people. As you enter the mosque and
come closer and closer to the place of internment, the crowd of the people becomes denser. The mass of people move almost
unconsciously, in one direction, their emotions stirring, with love and affection, with fondness and adoration. You cannot
help but be part of them, going with them and letting yourself express your feelings with no limitations. You cannot help
but let your inner self find a way of expression, of utmost love, reverence, and gratitude toward him, Muhammad (pbuh), the
one whom Allah (swt)
had chosen to be our Prophet and model, the man of men.
You cannot help but go and see places where history was made, where Al-Hamza the hero was buried, where
Ohod
and the encounter
of the Ditch took place, where some of Ahlul Bayt were buried (at Al-Baqii),
to where Badr
occurred and where the boycott of Benu Mut'talib and Benu Hashim was imposed. What a masterpiece of history, and where
else but in Mecca and Medina can you find such a treasure.
But that is not all, there is still more!!
WHAT ELSE IS THERE?!
By performing Haj you practice real equality, and humility. Everyone will go through the same routine, all will say the
same words, all will be dressed alike, and all will look alike from a distance: a massive sea of humanity all looking
alike!
Besides that, you practice and learn the brotherhood of man. You gain, or earn a
genuine sense of equality, a deep sense of purity. You glorify the Almighty at the sacred place. Your heart will awaken
to the spiritual call in you, and it will vibrate joyously. You will also see millions of Muslims worshipping together,
united for the same purpose, in the same spirit of dedication, and this makes you feel very close to others. It also takes
away the cares and commitments of everyday life, and the material world seems in your eyes as if it were a ghost, belonging
to the distant past. Mundane life will seem to be trivial. The values of goodness will triumph in your eyes and you will
wish that such a feeling will continue to prevail in you for the rest of your life.
Do you see now why Haj is such a total experience of worship?!
CAN HAJ BE PERFORMED AT OTHER TIMES?
You can go to Mecca as often as you like but it is never the same. At anytime other
than the time in Dhul-Hijjah, the crowds will be gone, the place will have some people but that special feeling of
togetherness will be missing. What you do in such cases is Omrah,
and it is the same procedure as Haj except that it is at a different time of the year than that of Haj.
WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURES OF HAJ?
A. In certain places before reaching Mecca you start your Ihram.
Ihram means declaring your intention that you are making Haj. Once you are in Ihram the period of true dedication will
have started. To do Ihram you take a complete bath then you put on a simple garb, in a special manner, thus all people
will be dressed alike as mentioned before.
Ihram is a state of peace, self-denial, total commitment and submission to Allah Almighty.
When in the state of Ihram you should behave at the pinnacle of goodness:
▪ There
will be no evil talk whatsoever.
▪
There will be no disputes or quarrels.
▪
You don't even hurt or kill an animal, otherwise you have to sacrifice an animal.
▪
Brotherhood and goodness of the heart are to prevail.
▪
Pleasures of the flesh are strictly forbidden.
You are now completely dedicated to Allah Almighty, so your manners and behavior should show
it.
B. Every person should perform Haj (Omrah) of Tamat'tu except those who live in Mecca.
The rituals consist
mainly of:
Arrival in Mecca and going around the Ka'ba. This is called
Tawaf.
Salat of Tawaf.
Hastening between the two hills (elevations) called
Safa and Marwa. This is called Sa'y.
Taq'seer, cutting part of the hair. The person then is
relieved of Ihram, he or she has completed Omrah of Tamat'tu, (he or she was in Ihram clothes to begin with, but now
since Omrah of Tamat'tu is finished he or she changes to regular clothes).
C. A few days later the person puts on Ihram again, and he will have to repeats step 1, 2
and 3 above and then perform the following steps.
Halts at Mount Arafat at the 9th of the month of Dhul-Hijjah.
Stays overnight at
Muzdalifah.
Stays at
Mina.
Stones Sheitan (symbolic) at Jamrat ul Aqaba.
Sacrifices an animal at
Mina.
Makes Taq’seer or shaving the hair.
Tawaf as in step one above.
Repeats step 2 and 3 above.
This is to be in that order, and you usually have a guide who will advise you as to every step
of the above procedures. Books are available too for the purpose. They will explain every procedure step by step. They
are available in English, Arabic, and many other languages.
While the above means the completion of the procedure of the Haj, you better know more about
Tawaf
of Nisaa.
WHAT IS TAWAF OF NISAA?
Tawaf of Nisaa is done immediately following the last procedure of the Haj. This is essential, since if you do not perform
it after the Haj is completed, your spouse will not be lawful to you. For Tawaf of Nisaa all you do is to repeat steps 1
and 2 of Haj but with the intention of Tawaf Nisaa'. When this is done, you have completely finished your Haj, and it is
time to go back home.
WHY SACRIFICE AN ANIMAL?
An animal is sacrificed in the spirit of piety. In an indirect way you are really sacrificing the animal desires within
you for the sake of virtue. The animal desires such as greed, anger, revenge, pleasures of the flesh, etc., are the ones
we have to fight and control. The meat of the animal is usually given to the poor and it will help sustain them for some
time.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT SA'Y
Sa'y is a procedure of moving fast between two hills, Safa and Marwa,
seven times. As you do so, you say special phrases.
In so doing, you are doing what Hajar (Hagar) did before for her baby Isma'eel (Ishmael) a few thousand years ago.
Hajar was the wife of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). Alone, she and her baby were in the rugged mountainous area, and Isma'eel
was crying in desperation because he was suffering from lack of water and severe thirst. Distraught and anxious, Hajar
left in a hurry, desperately looking for water. She found the water at a well, called Zamzam.
The well is still there and you can drink from it. The water of Zamzam quenched the thirst of Isma'eel. Upon growing up
and maturing Isma'eel became a Prophet.