Author: M. Asim Ismail Zahi
The Wisdom and Philosophy of Hajj and Its Hidden Secrets (Part 11)
Wise Rulings to Increase the Benefits of Hajj and Strengthen Its Effects on the Soul and Life
Another of these rulings is Talbiyah, “saying Lab’bayk,” which the Sharia has encouraged to repeat, and the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) considered raising the voice and repeating it good. It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) that he said: «قال قال رسول الله صلی‌الله‌علیه‌وسلم «جاءني جبريل فقال يا محمد مر أصحابك فليرفعوا أصواتهم بالتلبية. فإنها من شعار الحج» Translation: “Gabriel came to me and said, ‘O Muhammad, command your Sahaba to raise their voices when reciting Talbiyah, for reciting Talbiyah loudly is one of the slogans of Hajj.”
Saying Lab’bayk has a strange effect on alerting and awakening the soul towards understanding the purposes of Hajj, and strengthening it through faith, kindness and devotion to the Merciful Lord. By saying Lab’bayk, a flow of faith and spirituality spreads in the body, emotions and soul of the pilgrim; just as the current of electricity flows in wires and cables and prepares the pilgrim; to benefit from this great pillar; which he has perhaps turned to without preparation or understanding and awakening; and when the pilgrim says: «لبیک اللهم لبیک، لبیک لاشریک لک لبیک، إن الحمد والنعمة والملك لاشریک لک» Hajj and its great purposes become apparent to him and his desire is aroused and the cup of love and kindness flows and the flame of monotheism is ignited in his veins and blood, and he comes into contact to the Khalil of Allah; Abraham, the one-sided; also He comes into contact with the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and the callers who have followed his call, and he becomes connected intellectually and spiritually, and he enters their group.
Allah Almighty has set two sanctities for Hajj: the sanctity of time and the sanctity of place; so that the feeling of respect for this great pillar, its glory, wonder and sense of responsibility are strengthened, and the pilgrim is sensitive in all his transitions, movements and stays, and is mentally alert, and does not neglect this spiritual atmosphere that surrounds him even for a moment. This is why Allah,(SWT), has said: [إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمُ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ] Translation: “Indeed, the number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve months in the Book of Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth; Four months of them are sacred; This is the steadfast ritual; So do not oppress yourselves in them.”
And He said: [يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ قُلْ قِتَالُ فِيهِ كَبِيرُ]. [They ask you about the Sacred Month, about fighting therein. Say: Fighting therein is a great sin.]
Imam Muslim narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
«إن الزمان قد استدار كهيئته يوم خلق الله السموات والأرض السنة اثنا عشر شهرا منها أربعة حرم ثلاثة متواليات ذو القعدة وذو الحجة والمحرم ورجب شهر مضر الذى بين جمادى وشعبان – ثم قال – أى شهر هذا» Translation: “Time has returned to the form of the day on which Allah the Almighty created the heavens and the earth, and the number of months with Allah the Almighty is twelve months in the Book of Allah; from the day He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are the sacred months, which are three consecutive months; Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and also Rajab which is between the months of Jumadi and Sha’ban.”
And it is mentioned in the Qur’an about the sanctity of the place: [إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الْبَلْدَةِ الَّذِي حَرَّمَهَا وَلَهُ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ] Translation: “(Say:) It is only that I have been commanded to worship the Lord of this city who has honored it and to Him belongs everything, and I have been commanded to be one of those who submit.”
And also, on the day of the conquest of Makkah, He said: «عن ابن عباس عن رسول الله صلی‌الله‌علیه‌وسلم أنه قال يوم الفتح فتح مكة:«لا هجرة ولكن جهاد ونية فإذا استنفرتم فانفروا». وقال رسول الله صلی‌الله‌علیه‌وسلم يوم الفتح فتح مكة:«إن هذا البلد حرمه الله يوم خلق السموات والأرض فهو حرام بحرمة الله إلى يوم القيامة لا يختلى خلاها ولا يعضد شوكها ولا ينفر صيدها ولا يلتقط لقطتها إلا من عرفها». فقال العباس رضى‌الله‌عنه: يا رسول الله إلا الإذخر فإنه لقينهم ولبيوتهم. فقال رسول الله صلی‌الله‌علیه‌وسلم:« إلا الإذخر» Translation: “This city was made forbidden by Allah the day He created the heavens and the earth, and it will remain forbidden until the Day of Resurrection, because of the sanctity of Allah. No one before me was allowed to fight in this city, and I am not allowed to fight except for an hour of this day. This city is forbidden until the Day of Resurrection, because of the sanctity of Allah, so that its thorns will not be pulled out, its prey will not be chased away, its lost animals will not be found, except by someone who takes them and returns them to their owner, and its green plants will not be cut.” Ibn Abbas (MABH) said: “O Messenger of Allah, except the Azkhir plant, because it is used for curtains and houses.” The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Except the Azkhir plant, because its use is permissible.”
And committing a sin in the shrine is a very serious and big crime, so much so that some scholars have argued that the intention to commit a sin in the shrine is equivalent to committing it, unlike in other places, because Allah the Almighty says: [وَمَنْ يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِالْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ] Translation: And whoever intends therein to go astray through injustice, We will make him taste a painful punishment”.
Ibn Kathir (MABH) said: “This is one of the characteristics of the Makkah shrine, that whoever intends to commit a sin in it will be punished, even if he has not committed it.”
Allah, the Exalted, has also added to these two sanctities the sanctity of ihram, and has established special customs and rulings for it, one of which is the prohibition of hunting while in ihram. Allah, the Exalted, says: [يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَقْتُلُوا الصَّيْد وَأَنتُم حُرُمٌ] Translation: “O you who have believed, do not kill the prey while you are in ihram.”
And He said: [أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُ مَتَاعًا لَكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ] Translation: “Lawful to you is the prey of the sea and its food, as a provision for you and for the caravans, but forbidden to you is the prey of the land, as long as you are in the state of Ihram, and fear Allah, to whom you will be returned.”
Shaikh al-Islam al-Dahlawi, MABH, said: “In Hajj, it is determined for a pilgrim in the state of Ihram to avoid these things; So that humility, abandoning one’s adornment and dishevelment becomes evident, and the feeling of fear and veneration of Allah Almighty and the self-reflection in abandoning desires is realized, and hunting is a form of entertainment and amusement.”
And because Hajj is often a long journey; as Allah Almighty says: [وَأذِنَ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجَ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالاً وَعَلَى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ] Translation: “And proclaim in the villages among the people for Hajj, that they come to you on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every distant place.”
There is a lot of mixing in Hajj, and it is a transition from one state to another and the companionship and friendship are very long in it, and there are various behaviors in it, this becomes an incentive to commit many forbidden things, deceptive things, and arguments; and perhaps the soul of a person is aroused and the chest becomes tight and patience is exhausted, and the pilgrim clings to what he avoided in his homeland, residence, and in normal situations, and gets involved in some sins, ugly deeds, and actions that are contrary to Hajj and its purposes; therefore, are they specifically prevented in Hajj? Because Hajj is a suitable platform for them.
Allah the Exalted says: [الْحَج أَشْهُرُ مَعْلُومَاتُ فَمَنْ فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ فَلَارَفَثَ وَلَا فُسُوقَ وَلَا جِدَالَ فِي الْحَج وَ مَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرِ يَعْلَمُهُ اللَّهُ وَتَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ] Translation: “The season of Hajj is known and certain months; And whoever makes it obligatory to perform Hajj in those months, then (know that it is valid) there is no sexual intercourse, nor disobedience, nor arguing in Hajj; And whatever good you do, Allah knows it. And take provision; indeed, the best provision is piety. And fear Me, O men of wisdom”.
These laws and rulings, which are related to the heart, organs, intention, action, place and time, cover the Hajj with a cover of holiness, purity, piety, asceticism, divine care, self-control and jihad, which are not found in other religions and groups. They have profound effects on the soul, morality and life, as a result of which, this hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is fulfilled, which says: “Whoever performs Hajj for sake of Allah Almighty and does not have intercourse with women and does not commit sin, will return as if he were born from his mother.”
Continues…
By admin2