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Hajj
is a journey toward Almighty Allah, where Muslims leave behind
everything related to worldly life, which was their companion
since birth. Muslims then change the habits that they have become
accustomed to, such as putting on perfume, removing hair, clipping
nails, etc.
Pilgrims
also leave behind their families and money and go out to Allah
oblivious to all these and focusing only on the one single true
goal of returning to Allah. This is done with appropriate dhikr
(Arabic for: remembrance of Allah), du`aa' (Arabic for:
supplication), and qunout (Arabic for: heartfelt
pleading to Allah).
All
of these have an effect on improving the spiritual aspects, and
this becomes clear in the following ways.
Contentedness
of the Heart
Undoubtedly,
the heart is filled with contentedness when one feels that one's
action is earning a large reward. Similar is the feeling when the
pilgrim reads the promises of Almighty Allah for those who are
destined to His House (the Ka`bah) to perform Hajj or `Umrah.
This
will undoubtedly make the person delighted, and this is what moves
all Muslims on the face of the earth to have a spiritual hope that
Allah will bless them with the performance of Hajj to His House
and with a visit to His Prophet's mosque
You
will find this insatiable desire of visiting Allah's House and His
Prophet's Mosque developing in Muslims from young age. This desire
is so strong that old-aged Muslims wish that they do not die
without the delight of setting their eyes and their hearts on the
House of Allah in Makkah and the delight of visiting Mina,
`Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Madinah.
In
fact, the hearts of those who have gone to Hajj or `Umrah once or
many times are increasingly attached to the House of Allah. Their
hearts are filled with desire to go back for another Hajj or
`Umrah or a visit to Madinah.
Any
Muslim who has even little faith may have a passion for this
journey of faith. Some of those who are disobedient and have gone
astray may also possess a strong desire toward this ritual.
Purifying
the Heart
Hajj
and `Umrah are golden opportunities to reset the heart to a
peaceful, pure, and contented state through dhikr of Allah.
This journey of dhikr satisfies the heart, for surely the
heart cannot be happier than when it is remembering Allah.
When
the pilgrims leave behind the affairs of this world, reach the
sacred lands of Makkah, and set their feet down in the House of
Allah, they feel as if their hearts were allowed to ascend to the
high heavens and to other horizons, no less .
There
is nothing that gets in the way between the heart and this
elevation and interaction with dhikr as indicated in many
Qur'anic verses and hadiths. For example, Almighty Allah says,
[And
the camels! We have appointed them among the ceremonies of
Allah. Therein you have much good. So mention the name of Allah
over them when they are drawn up in lines.]
(Al-Hajj 22:36)
The
Prophet's wife `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was quoted
as saying, "Tawaf [Arabic for: circumambulation] around the
Ka`bah, Rami Al-Jamarat [Arabic for: throwing the pebbles], and
Sa`i [Arabic for: walking between Safa and Marwah] have been made
only to establish dhikr of Almighty Allah."
This
shows how important the dhikr of Allah is in a Muslim's
heart so that he or she will have a heart that is close to the
Lord and one that does not move from one part of the ritual to the
other except with continuous dhikr.
It
is because of this reason that `A'ishah may have precisely hit the
point when she made them all simply a reason for establishing the dhikr
of Allah, along with healing and bringing the hearts back to
Allah.
Talbiyah
Associated
with spiritual healing is Talbiyah, which is one of the special
rituals of Hajj and `Umrah. Talbiyah is an Arabic word that means
responding to the call of Allah with love and contentedness, not
just out of fear. The pilgrim's pronouncing Talbiyah indicates
that he or she has come embracing in his or her heart love for
Allah and hope for His mercy as well as fear of His punishment.
About
it, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was quoted as
saying,
A
Muslim who does Talbiyah makes the rocks, trees, and sand do
Talbiyah on his [or her] right and on his [or her] left until
the end of the lands. (Ibn
Majah)
Hence,
the spiritual effect of Talbiyah is not only confined to the
person doing it; it also arouses the feelings of love for Almighty
Allah around that person, even in stones, trees, sand, mountains,
earth, or sky. These creatures do share the pilgrim the sweet
reciting of Talbiyah, and this demonstrates an image of
faith-based interaction between humans and other elements of the
universe.
This
interaction is based upon tawheed (Arabic for: Oneness of
Allah). One of the meanings of tawheed is full submission
to the Lord of the universe and a declaration that He alone is
worthy of worship. This feeling fills the heart of the pilgrim
with strength of faith because the pilgrim knows that all elements
of the universe are worshipping only Almighty Allah. This
interaction between the pilgrim and other inanimate beings is also
implied in another verse of Surat Al-Hajj. Almighty Allah says,
[See
you not that to Allah bow down in worship all things that are in
the heavens and on earth — the sun, the moon, the stars, the
hills, the trees, the animals, and a great number among
humankind? But a great number are (also) such as are fit for
punishment.)
(Al-Hajj 22:18)
This
verse exemplifies the spiritual interaction between the universe
and the Muslim. This can explain the atmosphere of faith found in
sacred places like Allah's Sacred House. Not only do other
elements of the universe hear the dhikr, du`aa', and
Talbiyah of the Muslims performing Hajj and `Umrah all year long,
but they also join the Muslims in their reciting of Talbyiah.
This
has created a special spiritual atmosphere in these sacred places
and has made such places a source of divine mercy that cannot be
found in other parts of the earth.
Du`aa'
Du`aa'
in the rituals of Hajj and `Umrah is in the place of the head to
the body. The pilgrims plead to Almighty Allah with sincere du`aa'
upon entering ihram (Arabic for: state of consecration),
entering Makkah or the Sacred Mosque, performing Tawaf, drinking
the water of Zamzam, performing Sa`i, standing at `Arafat,
slaughtering sacrificial animals, or spending the night in Mina.
In
all these situations, there is a certain du`aa' from the
Sunnah to be said. But the pilgrim may also supplicate Almighty
Allah with whatever du`aa'.
This
shows that the Muslim pilgrim is given a great opportunity to
supplicate Almighty Allah and repent to Him, Most High. Should the
pilgrim humbly say these supplications, he or she would return
with a heart humbled before Almighty Allah and filled with hope of
Allah's mercy.
For
those who have personally come to know this experience, this is
the highest point of a heartfelt happiness. It is granted by
Almighty Allah to those who go in pilgrimage, submitting
themselves, heart and soul, to Him, Most High.
No
More Doubt
The
greatest example of wholeheartedly submitting to the will of
Almighty Allah is also set in the true pilgrim's heart during
Hajj. A true Muslim realizes undoubtedly that obeying Allah brings
happiness in this life and in the hereafter and that Allah directs
His servants to their own good.
The
sacred places of Makkah remind of the story of Prophet Ibrahim's
full submission to Allah's will when Allah commanded him to leave
his wife Hajar and his son Isma`il on the dry land, without
vegetation, food, or drinking water. He was also given the order
to slaughter his son Isma`il. Although these two situations are
extremely difficult, neither Prophet Ibrahim nor his family was
reluctant to follow Allah's orders.
Thus,
these sacred places have become a symbol of this exemplary
behavior of unconditionally submitting to Allah's will. The
sacrifices offered on `Eid Al-Adha are a Sunnah that reminds every
reasoning person that the human reason needs the guidance of
divine revelation and that the divine guidance wisely addresses
the reason.
Reminder
of the Hereafter
The
rituals of Hajj are reminders of the hereafter. According to
Sheikh Al-Jetali (a knowledgeable Muslim scholar),
The
travel of a pilgrim for Hajj or `Umrah is a reminder of and a
similitude for the transition of humans to the hereafter. A
pilgrim mounting a ride reminds of a deceased person carried
in a coffin to the grave.
The
appearance of the clothes of ihram is similar to that
of the white shroud. Both dresses are not sewed; both wrap
servants of Allah.
The
pilgrim's Talbiyah before entering Makah after wearing the ihram
attire is also a reminder of responding to the blow of the
Trumpet on the Day of Judgment, which will declare the time of
resurrection.
A
pilgrim's entrance into the Ka`bah with his hair uncombed and
with the dust of the journey covering him or her brings to the
mind an image of this pilgrim's resurrection from the grave,
shocked and bare.
A
pilgrim's entrance into Makkah among other pilgrims also
reminds of the crowds hoping to enter Paradise on the Day of
Judgment.
A
pilgrim's approaching the Ka`bah and holding onto the cloth
that covers it brings into mind standing before Almighty
Allah.
Sources
Al-Jitali,
Isma`il. Qua`id Al-Islam. Ed. `Abdur-Rahman ibn `Umar. Vol.
2. pp. 126-127
This
article is based on the English translation of the author's work Ahkam
Al-Hajj wa Al-`Umrah Al-Fiqhyah wa Atharahuma At-Tarbawiyyah (Jurisprudential
Rules of Hajj and `Umrah and Their Educational Impacts).
Read
Also:
*
Salahuddin Sultan graduated with high
honors from the Faculty of Dar Al-`Ulum, Cairo University, in
1981. He received his MA and PhD degrees in Islamic jurisprudence
from the same faculty. He established the American Islamic
University in Kansas City, Missouri, and in Detroit, Michigan. He
is also a member of many fiqh, da`wah, and scientific
organizations, such as the European Council for Fatwa and Research
and the Fiqh Council of North America. He is also a member of the
boards of directors of the American Islamic University and North
American Islamic Society.
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