Author: M. Asim Ismail Zahi
The Wisdom and Philosophy of Hajj and Its Hidden Secrets (Part 10)
Wise Rulings to Increase the Benefits of Hajj and Strengthen Its Effects on the Soul and Life
Divine revelation and heavenly legislation have provided an environment for Hajj that inspires seriousness and determination, awakens the soul and mind, and has surrounded it with a fence of worship, spirituality, and purity; Because Hajj is a long journey and a transfer from one city to another, in which the pilgrim passes through different regions, different spaces, enjoyable and entertaining things, works and activities that are sometimes short and sometimes long, and he enters new cities and mixes with many tribes and classes, and women accompany men on this journey, and there are old and young men among them, and sometimes family members travel together, and a man travels with his wife and family, and inevitably all of this takes from Hajj wonder, awe, holiness and the spirit of worship and jihad, and this journey becomes like other normal and natural journeys, and the stay in Makkah and the transfer to its places of worship becomes like the stay in any other city. Therefore, the Sharia has given Hajj an indestructible color and fragrance; It is adorned with a color of seriousness and holiness and surrounded by countless walls and ditches to keep it away from neglect, forgetfulness, frivolity and debauchery. Hajj in line with this, has precise and wise rulings that guarantee the fact that Hajj, as a great act of worship, has a profound effect on the soul and life, and is a pillar of reform and education and a powerful means of getting closer to Allah Almighty.
One of these rulings is that Hajj, as a pillar of the four pillars of Islam, is obligatory upon anyone who meets its conditions, and Allah Almighty does not accept anything else in exchange for it. Allah the Almighty says: “وَ ِللهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَ مَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ” Translation: “And Allah has obligated the Hajj of the House upon mankind, for those who are able to make the journey to it, and whoever disbelieves, then indeed, Allah is Free from need of the worlds.” It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (MABH) that: «مَنْ مَلَكَ راحلة، وزادا يُبَلَّغُهُ إلى بيت اللَّه الحرام، ولم يَحُجَّ ، فلا عليه أن يموت يَهُوديا أو نصرانيا» Translation: “Whoever has a wife who is traveling and has enough money to take her to the Sacred House of Allah, but does not perform Hajj, then there is no blame on him if he dies as a Jew or a Christian.” Because Allah Almighty has said: “وَ ِللهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَ مَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ” Translation: “And Allah has obligated the Hajj of the House upon mankind, for those who are able to make the journey to it, and whoever disbelieves, then indeed, Allah is Free from need of the worlds”.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «بنى الإسلام على خمس على أن يعبد الله ويكفر بما دونه وإقام الصلاة وإيتاء الزكاة وحج البيت وصوم رمضان» Translation: “Islam is built on five pillars: to worship Allah and disbelieve in what is other than Him, to establish prayer, to pay zakat, to perform Hajj to the House, and to fast in Ramadan.”
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) emphasized the role of Hajj and its status in the sight of Allah, and he greatly explained its virtues, because these virtues create desire and enthusiasm in the soul and create faith and accountability, and no act of worship is worthless unless it is accompanied by faith and accountability, and these two motives motivate it.
“عن أبيهریرة رضیاللهعنه أن رسول الله صلیاللهعلیهوسلم قال : العمرة إلى العمرة كفارة لما بينهما والحج المبرور ليس له جزاء إلا الجنة” Translation: Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) narrated that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: “An accepted Hajj has no reward except Paradise.”
Also, he narrated from the Holy Prophet, (PBUH), who said: «من حج لله عزوجل فلم يَرْفُثْ ولم يَفْسُقْ ، رجع كيوم وَلَدَتْهُ أمُّه» Translation: “Whoever performs Hajj for Allah Almighty and does not have intercourse with women and does not commit sins, he will return like the day he was born from his mother.”
Hazrat Abdullah bin Masoid (MABH) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “تابعوا بين الحج والعمرة فإنهما ينفيان الفقر والذنوب كما ينفي الكير خبث الحديد والذهب والفضة وليس للحج المبرور ثواب دون الجنة” Translation: “Perform Hajj and Umrah one after the other, for they both remove sins, just as the blow of a blacksmith removes rust from iron, gold and silver, and an accepted Hajj has no reward except Paradise.”
Also, Hazrat Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Holy Prophet, MABH and grant him peace, said: «ما من يوم أكثر من أن يعتق الله فيه عبدا من النار من يوم عرفة» Translation: “On no day has Allah the Almighty freed more of His servants from the Fire than on the Day of Arafah.”
Another of these precise and wise laws is “Mawaqit” which creates a new feeling and intellectual and spiritual awakening in the pilgrim, and he realizes that he has approached the heavenly court and has entered its honorable and sacred precincts. If it were not for this “Mawaqit”, the pilgrims would see the sacred court in the light and rush upon it; just as the foolish and the impetuous rush upon the courts of kings and the thresholds of rulers and encounter impetuousness, expulsion, and insult.
Shaikh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahim al-Dehlawi, MABH, explained the philosophy of “Mawaqit” and the secret of legislating and determining them for pilgrims who come from different places and said: “The principle of “Mawaqit” is that since coming to Makkah is accompanied by disorder and stench, and leaving the passion of the soul is desirable, it is inevitable that specific places around the city of Makkah should be designated for this purpose, so that Ihram can be entered from there and not be delayed after that. If a person enters Ihram from his city, it becomes difficult for him, because some people have their lands as far away as a month or two months or more, and those places should be obvious and known, not hidden from anyone’s eyes, and on the way of the people of distant regions. Taking these matters into account, “Mawaqit” was determined, and the farthest “Mawaqit” were determined for the people of Medina. Because Medina is the place of revelation, the place of migration of Islam, the home of migration, and the first city that believed in Allah and His Messenger, and its people are more deserving of helping the divine religion and being dedicated to obeying Allah Almighty. It is also the closest land that believed during the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), unlike “Jawathi”, “Taif”, “Yamamah” and other areas; therefore, there is no difficulty for the pilgrim.”
And another of these rules is “Ihram” which awakens the feeling and attention to Hajj in the pilgrim’s being, and guards him from negligence and forgetfulness, and makes him realize that he has embarked on a great task and is coming to the heavenly court, and also informs him that he has been emptied of empty appearances, empty slogans, and artificial grandeur. Ihram is like the Takbir of prohibition in prayer, which transfers him from one space to another and from freedom and liberation to being bound and connected.
Shaikh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Abdul Rahim Dehlawi, MABH, said: “Know that the ihram in Hajj and Umrah is like the Takbir in prayer, in which sincerity and reverence are depicted, and the will and intention of Hajj are proven by outward deeds. In ihram, the soul is humbled for Allah Almighty by abandoning pleasures, familiar habits, and all kinds of displays, and the endurance of hardship, dishevelment, and the dust of pollution is realized for Allah Almighty in it.”
Also, in order to exit ihram and be free from its restrictions and rules, there is a clear method that awakens the soul and feelings of a person and is not difficult to perform. Therefore, the pilgrim does not exit ihram all at once and suddenly to take advantage of the permissible things; rather, he exits it with an outward act and with intention and will that is the act of shaving his head, just as a person who prays exits prayer by giving the salaam.
Shaikh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahim, MABH, said: “The secret of shaving the hair is to determine a way to exit the state of ihram with an action that does not contradict dignity. If the Sharia did not determine a way, everyone would follow a certain religion. Similarly, shaving the head is a declaration of the complete end of dishevelment and dustiness, and similar to the salaam in prayer.”
Continues…
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