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Effects And Purposes Of Hajj

Hajj was made obligatory in 9AH, the year of the Delegations (al-Wufood), in which Chapter Aal ‘Imran was revealed, in which Allah Says (what means): {“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka’bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence).”} [Qur’aan, 3:97]

Hajj is a Fareedah (obligatory duty), one of the pillars of Islam. The evidence (Daleel) for this is the Ayah mentioned above, and there is also evidence in the Sunnah which indicates the same thing.

Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: Islam is built upon five (pillars): testifying that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing regular prayer, paying ZakaahHajj and fasting Ramadhaan.” (Reported by Al-Bukhaari, 8; Muslim, 16).

We ask Allah to bless those who perform Hajj with forgiveness of sins, and for those who have not done Hajj we ask Him to grant them what they hope  for and save them from that which they fear.

The aims and purposes of Hajj and great and sublime. There follows an outline of some of them:

1 – A sense of connection with the Prophets (peace be upon them) from our father Ibraaheem who built the House, to our Prophet Muhammad the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his respect for the sanctity of Makkah. When the pilgrim visits the sacred places and performs the rituals, he remembers the visist of those pure Prophets to this sacred place.

Ibn ‘Abbaas said: We traveled with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) between Makkah and Madeenah, and we passed by a valley. He said, “What valley is this?” They said, “The valley of al-Azraq.” He said, “It is as if I can see Moosa the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) putting his fingers in his ears beseeching Allah, reciting the Talbiyah and passing through this valley.”

 – Muslim

Then we traveled on until we came to a mountain pass. He said, “What mountain pass is this?” They said, “Harsha or Lift.” He said, “It is as if I can see Yoonus on a red camel, wearing a woollen cloak, the reins of his camel made from fibres of date-palm, passing through this valley reciting the Talbiyah.”

2 – The whiteness and cleanness of the pilgrims’ clothes is a sign of inward purity, cleanness of heart and the purity of the message and the method. This means putting aside all adornment and showing humity, and it is a reminder of death when the deceased is shrouded in similar cloths. So it is as if he is preparing to meet Allah.

3 – Entering ihraam from the meeqaat is a physical expression of worship and enslavement to Allah, and of submission to His commands and laws. No one passes it (without entering ihraam) because it is a command from Allah and a law that He has prescribed. This confirms the unity of the ummah and its following one system with nod differentiation or exemptions with regard to the definition of the meeqaats.

4 – Hajj is the symbol of Tawheed from the first moment the pilgrim enters ihraam.

Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah said, describing the Hajj of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Then he started to say the words of Tawheed, ‘“Labbayka Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-hamd wa’l-ni’mata laka wa’l-mulk, laa shareeka lak  (Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner).’”

Narrated by Muslim, 2137

5 – It is a reminder of the Hereafter when all the people come together in one place in ‘Arafah and elsewhere, with no differentiation between them. All of them are equal in this place and no one is better than anyone else.

6 – Hajj is a symbol of unity, because Hajj makes all people the same in their clothing, deeds, rituals, qiblah and the places they visit. So no one is better than anyone else, king or slave, rich or poor, are all the same.

So the people are equal in terms of rights and duties. They are equal in this sacred place, and differences in colour and nationality do not matter; no one has the right to differentiate between them.

Unity of feelings, unity of rituals.

Unity in purpose, unity in action.

Unity in words. “People come from Adam, and Adam came from dust. No Arab is superior to a non-Arab and no white man is superior to a black man, except in terms of piety (taqwa).”

More than two million Muslims all standing in one place, wearing the same clothes, sharing one aim, with one slogan, calling upon one Lord and following one Prophet… what unity can be greater than this?

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from the path of Allah, and from Al‑Masjid Al‑Haraam (at Makkah) which We have made (open) to (all) men, the dweller in it and the visitor from the country are equal there [as regards its sanctity and pilgrimage (Hajj and ‘Umrah)] — and whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do wrong (i.e. practise polytheism and leave Islamic Monotheism), him We shall cause to taste from a painful torment”

[al-Hajj 22:25]

7 – It trains him to be content with modest clothing and accommodation, when he wears two pieces of cloth and it is sufficient for him, and his accommodation gives him just enough room to sleep.

8 – Terrifying the kaafirs and followers of misguidance with this huge gathering of Muslims. Even though they are scattered and different, the simple fact that they come together despite those differences at a certain time and in a certain place is indicative of their potential to unite at other times and in other places.

9 – Pointing out the importance of Muslims coming together and establishing harmony. For we see usually each person travelling on his own, whereas in Hajj we see people coming in groups.

10 – Getting to know the situation of the Muslims from trustworthy sources, since the Muslim can hear directly from his brother about the situation of his Muslim brothers in the land from which he has come.

11 –Exchanging benefits and experience among the Muslims in general.

12 – Meeting scholars and decision makers from all countries and studying the situation and needs of the Muslims, and the importance of cooperating with them.

13 – Achieving true submission to Allah by standing in the holy places when the pilgrim leaves al-Masjid al-Haraam which is the best of spots, and standing in ‘Arafah.

14 – Forgiveness of sins, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does Hajj and does not speak any obscene words or commit any sin will go back cleansed of sin as on the day his mother bore him.”

15 – Opening the doors of hope to those who commit sin, and teaching them to give up their sin in these holy places, so that they will give up a lot of their bad habits during the period of Hajj and its rituals.

The season of Hajj is distinguished by complete separation from the people of shirk and kufr who are forbidden to attend any part of it. It is forbidden for them to enter the Haram at any time, no matter what their purpose. Alaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe (in Allah’s Oneness and in His Messenger Muhammad)! Verily, the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and in the Message of Muhammad) are Najasun (impure).  So let them not come near Al‑Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah) after this year; and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He wills, out of His Bounty. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise”

[al-Tawbah 9:28]

Al-Bukhaari narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) sent me as an announcer on that Hajj [which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) appointed Abu Bakr to lead in 9 AH], to announce on the Day of Sacrifice in Mina that after this year no mushrik might perform Hajj and no one might circumambulate the House naked.”

May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhamamd and upon his family and companions.

Source: Islamqa.info

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