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Hajj
has a great impact also on the development of mentality and
intellectual activity. The major aspects of the effect of Hajj on
the mentality of the Muslim individual are clear from the
following points.
More
Knowledge
It
is a given that piety of Allah Almighty leads to more knowledge.
This is based upon the verse, (Observe
your duty to Allah, and Allah will teach you... )
(Al-Baqarah 2:282) Therefore, Hajj leads to piety if its pillars
and good mannerisms, are observe
d.
This is demonstrated in the following:
Surely
the performance of the rituals should be accompanied by the
glorification of Allah Almighty because it is obligatory from Him.
It is also the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him). This in itself leads to piety based upon the verse in which
Allah Almighty says, (...so
it is, and he who respects the symbols of Allah, surely shows the
piety of his heart. ) (Al–Hajj:
22:32)
Allah
Almighty is not worshiped by the actions which have no soul or
those actions which do not spring from a base of piety. As Allah
Almighty confirms in the Quran. (
[But bear in mind] never does their flesh reach God. and neither
their blood: it is only your God -consciousness that reaches Him.)
(Al-Hajj 22:37)
And
Allah Almighty also says, (...Allah
accepts the sacrifice from only the righteous.
) (Al-Ma'idah:
5:27)
Coming
out to Hajj should be accompanied by the provision of piety based
upon the words of Allah Almighty, (Hajj
is in the well known months. He who undertakes to perform it must
abstain from the husband -wife relationship, obscene language, and
wrangling during Hajj. Whatever good you do, Allah knows it. Take
necessary provisions with you for the journey, and piety is the
best provision of all. Fear Me, 0 people endowed with
understanding. )
(Al-Baqarah 2:197)
The
delay in throwing the stones in the days of Mina must be
accompanied by piety. Allah Almighty says, (Celebrate
the praises of Allah during these appointed days. If anyone
hastens to leave Mina after two days or stays there a day longer,
there is no blame on him provided he spends these days in piety.
Fear Allah, and remember that you will surely be gathered before
Him.)
(Al-Baqarah 2:203)
These
texts and others like it confirm the strong relationship between
Hajj and piety. And this is the cause for the flood gates of
knowledge to be opened by Allah Almighty, Insha' Allah .
Learning
In
some of its regulations, Hajj symbolizes the epitome of
distinctiveness for the Muslim mind which stipulates thinking that
is based upon foundations of Iman. When a person reaches that
level of sure faith and turns his face towards Allah Almighty
[without hesitation], then he is given the orders of Allah
Almighty and finds it easy to perform them—even if the wisdom
behind the order is not realized .
It
is narrated by Bukhari and Muslim that Umar (may Allah be pleased
with him) came to the Black Stone and kissed it saying, "I
know you are a stone that can't harm or benefit, and had I not
seen the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kissing you, I
would not kiss you ."
Umar
(may Allah be pleased with him) directs our attention to the
purity of the faith of tawhid whereby a person is certain
that only Allah Almighty is the beneficent, and only He controls
harm. In His hands are all matters, and even stones have no
ability in this world, It is unacceptable to give any holiness to
the lives of the people. However, kissing the Black Stone is based
upon following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him), and he did not do things of his own
accord. Instead, he received revelation, and he delivered the
message to us .
This
issue is considered as one of the qualities of the Islamic psyche.
While examining the universe by his mind and submission by his
heart, the Muslim reaches a combination of Iman and thought that
regulates the mind, but at the same time, allows it to ponder over
that which brings benefit to the life of the human being. As it
ponders this, it slops where it is unable to realize the wisdom .
And
in both situations, it is convinced that it must follow the orders
because they are from their Lord—the Lord of the universe—or
they are revelations to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him). In so doing, it does not get overly excited by what it has
understood, and it does not feel numbness from what it has missed
the wisdom thereof (this is mental humbleness).
Open-Mindedness
The
regulations of Hajj have an abundance of flexibility that
impressed upon the Muslim mind with such distinctive
open-mindedness and ease towards the people. It also impresses
that one should not impose upon the people that which will cause
them hardship or frustration. Some of those regulations are as
follows:
Allah
Almighty permitted trading for the person who is in the state of
Ihram during the days of Hajj because Allah Almighty knows that
some of them will want to gather as much as possible of that which
is Halal during those days. Consequently, Allah Almighty allowed
it.
It
is narrated from Ibn Abbas that the people at the start of Hajj
used to trade in Mina and Arafah in the market of Thil-Majaz
during the season of Hajj, and they were concerned that they were
trading while in the state of Ihram. Then Allah Almighty revealed
the verse, ([However,
you will be committing no sin if [during the pilgrimage] you seek
to obtain any bounty from your Sustainer.)
(Al-Baqarah 2:198)
This
highlights the complete coordination between the regulations of
Deen and our basic instinct. It also portrays the correct picture
of being religious wherein the people are not forced against their
instinct in an effort to chase or be coerced into some exaggerated
state of priesthood. Indeed, it is the Deen of moderation and
balance that leaves out no natural, basic instinct, but takes care
of it without wretched excess or miserliness.
The
permitted activities of Ihram confirms the point mentioned above
by allowing a person to perform ghusl, change their clothes
and non-intentionally cover the head. It also allows for a woman
to cover her face in forgetfulness or in fear of fitnah as
well as emptying a cyst or pulling out teeth or undergoing
life-related surgery. It also allows scratching the head or the
body, looking in the mirror, smelling oregano, and tightening the
money belt in the middle of Sacred Mosque in order not to lose
one's money. It also allows wearing a ring, putting on kohl, using
an umbrella, getting away from the heat within a tent, using
Henna, killing the five hated ones (crows, swooping falcons,
scorpions, rats and dogs that are in the habit of biting), and all
that which may bring harm.
All
of these points to the flexibility of the Islamic Shari`ah, which
leaves nothing out which is required. Even in the state of Ihram,
in which activities are limited, it allows for natural needs as
long as the human being can benefit from them. Any limitation is
meant to train the human being to have a strong will. And the
permissions allow that which is indispensable for the will being
of the Hajj
The
aforementioned issues made permissible take care of the people's
needs and feelings and treats them with kindness. This
permissiveness leads a Muslim to be flexible in his mentality
while dealing with any issue.
People
were excused from observing some of the rituals on the day of Eid
which helps to create an Islamic mind-set that is built around
flexibility. Some of that can be seen in the narration of Malik,
who quotes Abdullah ibn Umar saying: "The messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings be upon him) stood in Mina to receive the
people's questions. A man came to him and said, 'O Messenger of
Allah, and I didn't realize what I had done until I had cut my
hair before I slaughtered.' Then another came and said, 'O
Messenger of Allah, I didn't realize and I slaughtered before
throwing the stones.' He said: 'Go throw and do not be fretted.'
And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was
not asked about any action brought forward or delayed except he
said, 'Do and do not be concerned.'
This
last expression exemplifies total mindfulness of the received
Islamic message and its goal in reducing the worry. It should be
followed and carried forward by Muslims to all the corners of the
globe. It should be carried exactly as demonstrated without
neither forcefulness nor laxity .
Tolerating
Fiqh Differences
From
the above material we also see what illustrates open-mindedness in
dealing with the Fiqh (Islamic Law) differences. This is
demonstrated in what Bukhari narrated, quoting Abdullah ibn Mas`ud
as saying, "I prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) two rak`ahs on the Day of Arafah, and I prayed
with Abu Bakr two rak`ahs, and I prayed with Umar two rak`ahs.
And then in there were several ways introduced that came up with
different numbers of rak'ahs." During 'Uthman's time ,
'Uthman prayed four rak'ahs and Ibn Mas'ud followed him.
Scholars
say that this is a demonstration of the fact that Ibn Mas'ud
disliked disunity, so even though he had prayed with the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him), he followed Uthman, even though
it was to the contrary.
This
directs us to an approach that is built on mental analysis and
good manners at the same time, especially when dealing with the
opinions of others. In this case, the imitation of Ibn Masud to
Uthman was not out of blind imitation where the follower becomes
mindless and without an opinion. Instead, it is a kind of leaving
what is more correct for what is correct. .
The
truth is that respect of someone else's opinion, even if it
differs from one's own, is a kind of respect for the thinking mind
that is behind that opinion .
The
mind that chooses and balances between what is new and what it
knows is a mind that should be respected regardless of the extent
of the difference between us and it .
Intellectual
Activity
In
Islamic texts we also see what engages the mind and preoccupies it
with useful, serious, non-trivial issues from which benefit both
religion and life.
This
is illustrated in the hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim where
they quoted Abu Hurairah who said that the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) said, '"Allah Almighty has ordered you
to make Hajj, so do it.' And then a man asked him, 'Every year, 0
Prophet of Allah?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
said, 'Do not force me to say what I have left without telling .
The peoples before you were destroyed because they asked too much
and differed with their prophets. So when I forbid you something,
then stay away from it. And if I order you something, then do of
it as much as you can.'"
This
question about Hajj being obligatory every year brought to the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) a feeling that the
people were about to talk more than they do and fall into argument
without matching action. Consequently, the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) forbade them from that. This directs us to
an approach of a kind of research into that which is beneficial
for people to ask about and that which is not. That which is
beneficial are all of the things which benefit a person
individually or the people around him. It would also promote the
Muslim in this life and in the Hereafter .
Read
Also:
Perfect
Impact of Hajj
Spiritual
Impact of Hajj
The
Universal Lessons of Hajj
*
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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