The pilgrim said, "O young man, there are three Pillars of Worship, and they are: love of Allah, desire for His mercy and fear of His wrath. These three pillars are the pillars of servitude of the heart as worship of the heart is the greatest worship. Allah is to be worshipped out of love of Him, hoping for His reward and fearing His wrath or punishment. Allah Subhanhu Wa Ta'ala mentioned these pillars of worship in Surah Al-Faatihah which is the best Surah of the Qur’an. Love as a pillar of worship is found in verse "Alhamdulillahirabbil aalameen," That is to love Allah according to how you know Him, and to love Him because He is the Rabb, the Provider, the Sustainer, and to love Him because of His qualities and attibutes. Next verse, "Arrahmanirraheem." This is because the believer hopes for Allah’s Mercy and desires its attainment. Then, the verse after that, "Maliki yawmiddeen," That is you fear His wrath because reminding of the Day of Judgement. Therefore, the one who worships Allah, must combine these three pillars.
Also, as I mention before, there are two conditions of worship that every Muslims should know. First, sincerity, to purity your intention in every act that you do for the sake of Allah. The intention should be gaining His pleasure and love; seeking His mercy, reward and Jannah; avoiding His wrath and punishment. Second, the act of worship must be according to the Quran and the Sunnah.This second condition is equally important with the first condition."
The pilgrim silenced for a second, then said, "Now, we continue of journey about the Hajj. On the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, the trip to Arafat is made. The sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) was to cross into Arafat at midday. On the way to Arafat, look back to Mina and assess what was done wrong and what can be done better. Make an intention that upon returning to Mina, those mistakes will not be made again. Try to maximize the time to be truly beneficial.
Since the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Al-Hajju Arafat.” “The Hajj is Arafat,” particular care should be taken to maximize the time there in supplication and prayer. The time for “standing at Arafat” is between Dhuhur and Maghrib. This time varies from season to season and can be about four to five hours or as many as six and a half hours depending on what time the worshipper arrives. Dhuhur and Asr are prayed together and shortened maximizing the amount of time there for du'aa. The Prophet ﷺ) said that the best of supplications is the one done on the day of Arafat. And he went on to say that the best du’aa which he and the prophets before him said was, "La ilaha illa Allah Wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu al-mulk wa lahu al-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shayin qadeer," "No one has the right to be worshipped except Allah Alone without partner. To Him belongs all praise and sovereignty and He is able to do all things." All of the actions performed previous to the Day of Arafat prepare the believer for that moment of du’aa. Therefore, this du’aa should be the best, free from doubt because doubt weakens du’a.
One of the blessed areas in which Hajj serves to refine the soul manifests itself on the Day of ‘Arafah in that gathering of immense proportions, the greatest Islaamic gathering that exists. During it, as well as all other rites of Hajj, Muslims from all parts of the world, east and west, meet and become familiar with each other and exchange words of advice. They learn more about the situations of others, sharing in their happiness, feeling their pain, and guiding them to the correct course of action. All of this is done complying with the command of Allah to mutually cooperate in righteousness and piety.
Another one of the important and deeply profound admonitions of Hajj, is the massive, blessed assembly seen by all who perform Hajj on the Day of Arafat, in Arafat itself. There, they all obediently stop, humbly beseeching Allah, hoping for His mercy, and dreading His punishment; earnestly asking of His immense bounty, during the grandest Islamic gathering witnessed. This massive assembly reminds the Muslim of the great standing to take place on the Day of Resurrection where the earlier nations will meet the later ones, all waiting for judgment to take place so that they can proceed to their final abode; either eternal bliss, or painful torment.
On that day, the sun will be brought near to the people, until it is only a meel away. There will be no shade on that day except the shade from the Throne of ar-Rahmaan. Some will seek shade from the Throne, while others will be left exposed to the heat of the sun which will melt them and in which they shall be afflicted with severe hardship and discomfort. The many nations will be crowded and congested, pushing at each other. Feet will be entangled, and throats will be torn apart due to severe thirst. They will simultaneously be stricken by the scorching of the sun, the blazing heat of their breathing, and their bodies compacted against each other. Sweat will pour from them onto the ground, and then rise up their feet, relative to their rank and standing with their Lord – whether fortunate or miserable. Some will be submerged in sweat up to their shoulders and waists, others to their earlobes, and others to their mouths.
The Day of Arafat is the day on which Allah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam. Arafat is also the day of forgiveness of sins, freedom from the fire and freedom from the pride of the people who are in there. Fasting on Arafat for those who are not on Hajj is expiation for 2 years of sin. The Prophet (ﷺ) said it expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year.
Ibn ‘Umar, radiallahuanhum, said that two men went to the Prophet (ﷺ) to ask him about matters of religion and the Prophet (ﷺ) said to them, “As for the standing at ‘Arafah, Allah descends to the lowest heaven and boasts of the people there to the angels saying, ‘Here are My slaves! They have come to Me with disheveled hair and covered with dust, from every distant pass. They seek My Mercy and fear My Punishment, although they have not seen Me. And what [would be their state] if they had seen Me!’ [Even] if you have sins like [the number of grains of] sand, the [number of] days of the worldly life or the [number of] drops of rain, Allah will [nevertheless] erase them for you."
Having certainty that our supplications will be answered is a very important principle. The Prophet (ﷺ) told us that among the people who will be shaded by Allah’s throne on the day when there will be no shade besides His throne will be one who remembers Allah and his/her eyes becomes filled with tears. This is the best kind of du’aa, the du’aa which brings the worshipper to tears. Softening of the heart is something to be striven for because the heart which does not fear Allah has become hardened and will not be able to cry. The eyes remain dry. Crying is symbolic and represents the softening of the heart.
Allah informs us of people with hard hearts like rocks; these are those people who cannot benefit from guidance. The words of Quran repel, they don’t enter those hearts. It is very important to develop the heart which is soft towards remembrance of Allah, and be able to cry when asking Allah. Surely everyone cries at some time in life, however it may be misdirected sorrow. When a person cries over worldly events, yet does not cry when appealing to his Creator, it shows that there is something wrong with the state of the heart. This state of the heart is very important. One cannot come before Allah and have prayers heard with a hard heart or a blind heart. Therefore, this time in Arafat is for developing this softness of the heart, and making sincere du’a is one path to softening the heart. Arafat is du’aa, so the focus should be on anything that will develop the ability to make effective du’aa.
It is sufficient to make du’a from any place within the limits of Arafah. It is permissible to make du’a inside a tent and sitting. Standing the whole time is not required. The rite is called “Wuqoof Arafah” and “wuqoof” means standing . It also means stopping . What is meant is “stopping at Arafah”. It is not necessary to stand.
At sunset, the “hujjaj” move from Arafah. Maghrib is not prayed at Arafah. This prayer is delayed and prayed at ‘Isha time with the ‘Isha prayer in Muzdalifah . The prayers of the Day of Arafah are shortened and joined: Dhuhur and Asr at Dhuhur time, two raka’at each; and Maghrib is joined to ‘Isha at Muzdalifah , Maghrib being three raka’at and ‘Isha is two raka’at . Leaving Arafah at sunset and going to Muzdalifah is in accordance with Allah’s command, and following Allah’s command draws believers closer to Him.
Muzdalifah is a huge, open space with the least number of facilities. There are no tents there, so there is even more humility as the “hujjaj” leave their transport and go sleep on the ground on nothing more than a mat, sleeping bag or blanket. This part of the journey brings the believers right down to the most basic of necessities.
The tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the Eid al-Adha. It is the day with the most number of rites on a single day of Hajj. Therefore, taking a rest on the occasion of Muzdalifah is worship; it is following the sunnah. There is more reward in taking rest than in staying awake in prayer. The sunnah has certain amounts of flexibility and dynamism in it. It is not a rigid set of practices that are locked in at any one specific way. There is a “living character” to it.
The next major rite is the stoning, ramee. the stoning is part of the remembrance of Allah. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, this is the purpose for which it was prescribed. Prophet Ibraheem, alayhissalam, is commemorated in this act and his going forth with Allah’s command and overcoming the suggestion of Shaytaan to dissuade him from Allah’s command. The Prophet (ﷺ) stressed that the pebbles be small. He also exhorted us to avoid extremism in the religion and to take the moderate path. This instruction of the Prophet (ﷺ) should be kept in mind at the time of stoning. When people get into groups, “group dynamism” tends to arise, and they get worked up and emotional. This can lead to going to extremes in worship.
The next major rite of the tenth is the slaughter. In the past, each person making Hajj could experience it for himself because each person slaughtered his own animal. But now, coupons are sold and the slaughter is taken care of away from the hujjaj . A person must give this act meaning because it is one of the high points of Hajj. It commemorates when Prophet Ibraheem, alayhissalam, was The intention of the sacrifice for Allah should be in the heart. The sacrifice comes from personal wealth for the sake of Allah, giving thanks to Allah for that wealth. This rite is in from the financial aspect. It is a display of love for Allah more than the wealth He has given and gratefulness for the blessings He has given.
After the sacrifice, the next rite is shaving. The Prophet (ﷺ) made a du’a for those who shave and repeated it three times then on the fourth he made du’a for those who trim their hair. Shaving is better because it involves more humility so that should be striven for. The Prophet (ﷺ) said “as for shaving your head, there is a reward for every strand you shave and a sin is erased with it.” Shaving the hair is symbolic of a new beginning. There is another time when the hair is shaved also. When a newborn child is seven days old, an animal is sacrificed and the hair is shaved. That removed hair is what is called aqeeqa . Usually the hair of the womb ends up falling out and is replaced by other hair anyway. The removal of that hair is part of the transition into a new life.
The last remaining rite is tawaf al-ifaada. Also the stoning which goes on all three days of the 11th , 12th and 13th is done at all three jamarat after midday and extends to sunset. That is the time the Prophet (ﷺ) did it.
The other major rite is the farewell tawaaf or tawaaf al-wada’a. It is like the previous two tawaafs, the only difference is that it is the last. There should also be a sadness concerning the tawaaf as it is the last. It is completely unique to Makkah and should be valued. There is a sense of accomplishment surrounding the Hajj, however there is a sense of loss that the Hajj is coming to a close. Tawaaf is done at the beginning, middle and end of Hajj giving it a special place. Allah has put it throughout the Hajj .
Islam and all of its pillars are focused on building the correct human moral character with regards to Allah, to other human beings, and to the world in which we function. There is moral behavior in relationship to Allah. Worshipping Him Alone is morally correct. The worship of others along with Him, or besides Him, is morally incorrect. Similarly, there is moral behavior in relationship to other human beings. Stealing and cheating are morally incorrect. Being honest and fair is morally correct. With regard to the world in which we live, Allah has submitted it to us. The air, the sea, the land are all submitted to us to extract the fruits and food and for transportation. It is morally correct to look after the created world in which we live. It is morally incorrect to pollute it, corrupt it or destroy it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If the last hour comes and any one of you has a seedling in his hand, plant it.” Planting trees is a righteous deed for which we are rewarded. It’s morally correct.
It is important to study the various pillars of Islam and their moral perspectives. Each of them invites to certain character traits. The Hajj encompasses all of the other pillars, but there are two unique traits concerning it. One is the development of the universalistic character. A human being who has a universalist or an international view is not restricted by nation, tribe, clan etc. All other human beings are viewed as part of Allah’s creation. From that overall group of humankind there are those who believe and accept Allah into their hearts. Those who have correct belief, believe in the true God. They represent within the overall body of mankind in brotherhood or sisterhood as Allah says in Surah Al-Hujurat [49]:10, "The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy."
The pilgrim then said, "O young man, Hajj is one of the finest institutions of Islam that serves a multitude of purposes. The Hajj is a wonderful 'school' where such a quality can be nurtured. It is a demonstration of the universality of Islam which attracts to it people from all walks of life and from the four comers of the world; it is a reminder of the Grand Assembly on the Day of Judgement when people will stand equal before the Lord of the worlds. Hajj is an act of worship which tests one's true following in the Prophet's (ﷺ) footsteps. But for many, those purpose can quickly fade once they arrive home. They return to the environments of hardship, laziness and sin. Coming home from Hajj does not mean the journey has ended, but the journey must still be continued by bringing new supplies."
"And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah . He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper." - [QS.22:78]
(Part 1)
Reference :
- Sayyid Qutb, In The Shade of The Quran, Volume XII, Islamic Foundation
- ‘Abdur-Razzaq ibn ‘Abdul-Muhsin al-Badr, From the Teachings of Hajj, Al-Badr
- Dr. Bilal Philips, Soul of Hajj, Islamictube.com
And the pligrim said, "O young man, worship is only acceptable if it meets this two criterias, firstly, one devote it to Allah alone, desiring the Hereafter, this is called ikhlaas. It can not be done with the intention of being seen by others, this is called riyaa', or for worldly gain. Secondly, One must follows the Prophet's (ﷺ) examples, in words and deeds. This is can not be accomplished except through knowledge of the Sunnah. The Sunnah is the Prophet (ﷺ) way of doing things, his speech, actions and tacit approvals.
Hajj is a truly magnificent act of obedience and worship which embodies servitude, submission, and humility before Allah. One who performs Hajj departs from the pleasures and beloved things of this world, migrating to his Rabb. He leaves behind his property, family, and relatives, alienated from his own house and homeland. Shedding his usual clothing, he replaces them with an Izaar and a Ridaa’ and leaves his head uncovered, humbling himself for his Lord. He refrains from applying perfume and abstains from marital relations. He makes his way through the rites of Hajj with a tranquil heart, tearful eyes, and a tongue constantly making mention of Allah, remaining hopeful for mercy from his Lord, and fearful of His punishment. All the while, he defines his purpose with the Talbiyah saying, “Labbaykallaahumma labbayk”. The Talbiyah is the motto of Hajj. The essence of Islam is submission to Allah, acknowledging His Tawheed, yielding to Him in obedience, and absolving oneself from Shirk and its perpetrators.
The rites in Makkah basically commemorate the trial of Hajar and her ultimate triumph over all odds. Despite the apparent hopelessness in her situation, she had faith and trusted in Allah and triumphed. It is also significant that she plays a central role in what is related to her and her child because that went on to play a central role in the Hajj rites. Hajar is a central figure in the rites and rituals of Hajj. She is a key figure whom all Muslims must respect. Following her footsteps, Muslims respect her courage and her faith. This points to the reality of the status of women in Islam. Islam establishes respect for women and the teachings within Islam put them in a lofty status.
Islam puts forth the correct view, the Divine view, of women. This does not mean that it was not in existence in the time of Moses, Prophet Eesaa, or Abraham, peace be upon them, or the others. It existed then, too; however, the light of the earlier prophethood had been extinguished. Women were taken down to the lowest of low in societies across the earth. In Islam, they were brought back to a position of respect and honor.
In Makkah, the most important act of worship is tawaaf. Tawaaf around the Ka’bah is the next major rite of worship, as well as Sa'i between Safa and Marwa. These two acts are unique to Makkah as tawaaf and sa'i are not done anywhere else. If tawaaf is made elsewhere then it is done illegitimately. Most of the time should be dedicated to tawaaf because all of the prayers can be done anywhere else, but tawaaf is unique to the Masjid Al-Haraam, therefore it is best to try perform it as much as possible.
The tawaaf consist of seven circuits, counterclockwise. The counterclockwise direction is what is known as the “natural way”. Creation follows those “natural laws” which are laws that Allah set for creation and in which the choice Allah gives mankind to obey His commands or disobey them. In following Allah’s command to make tawaaf in this direction, mankind’s movements join the rest of creation. Had Allah commanded that direction to be clockwise, then that would be the direction used; however, it has been commanded to move in the same direction as the rest of all of the other natural phenomena that exist around us, following this same pattern.
Tawaaf should have the remembrance of Allah as its essence. Any distraction from that remembrance should be avoided. Complete focus should be on the remembrance of Allah which can only happen if the beginning of preparations was with humility. Entering the rites in sincerity ables the worship of Alah as He deserves to be worshipped.
The core of the tawwaaf is admiration. If you walking around a building, you usually done in awe of the place. It is an act of admiration. So, fundamentally, tawaaf is an act of admiration. Circling the Ka'bah in silent and audible prayers, feeling the greatness of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala in the heart establishes this admiration. The heart of a believer should be between fear, hope, and love of Allah. All of this should be encompassed in the mind and heart as tawaaf is being made. Love of Allah is felt for what He has given to mankind in terms of guidance so that there is no struggle with discovering the meaning of life. The purpose of life has been made clear. Thanks and praise and love is owed to Allah for what He has given us.
When the Prophet (ﷺ) came to make Umrah when the pagans were still there, they began saying that the Muslims would not be able to make the tawaaf after coming all the way from Madinah. The fever of Madinah was well-known, and they were thought to be weak and therefore unable to make the tawaaf right away. For this reason, the Prophet (ﷺ) had them walk briskly in the tawaaf and perform the al-itba’ to show their strength. That is why in the first tawaaf, which is known as “Tawwaaf ul Qudoom” , there are certain practices that the Prophet (ﷺ) was known to do. He used to walk briskly through the first three circuits around the Ka’bah, from the Black Stone to Rukn Yemeni, this is called raml and only recomended for men. He (ﷺ) used to wrap the upper garment, Ridaa’, around him exposing the right shoulder, al-Itba’, which is done only in the tawaaf. Today, many Muslims wear their ihraam off the right shoulder all through the Hajj or Umrah, but the correct way is to do this when the tawaaf is begun, in doing Raml. Before it and after it, the ihraam garment is properly worn covering both shoulders.
Even though there are no pagans there anymore, the Prophet (ﷺ) left it as a rite for us; were it only to have been for his time then he would have informed us. Tawaaf should be performed with strength; strength which is the inner strength with understanding that the real strength is one of faith. The truly strong man or woman is not the champion wrestler but the one able to control him or herself in the time of anger. This is because everyone can get angry very easily, but the one who can control himself at that time is the truly strong person. Therefore, when going around the Ka'bah, our strength is shown by resisting anger, because things are going to happen and it is very easy to get angry.
Tawaaf begin from the Black Stone. We are encouraged to go and to kiss the black stone because we follow the way of our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) as Omar Ibn al-Khattab said when he was making tawaaf, he stopped in the tawaaf and pointed at the black stone, “I know that you are only a black stone, just a stone, that you can neither benefit me nor harm me, and the only reason why I am kissing you is because the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) kissed you.” Kissing the black stone is indicative of love for the believers from the time of Adam who are bound in a bond of love of Allah. It is a bond that links the believers together throughout the ages. So, we are enjoined to kiss the Black Stone. If it cannot be kissed, it is touched with the hand then kissed the hand, and if that cannot be done, then it is waved at, but not kiss the hand. It is incorrect to wave and kiss the hand because the Prophet (ﷺ) approved touching it and kissing the hand, yet he did not approved waving at it and kissing the hand.
One part of the characteristic of the believer is discipline, which is shown in obedience to Allah's command, and also the command of His Messenger (ﷺ). The believer does not follow his own desire. Although it is good according to him, but actually not necessarily good in the sight of Allah. Any action that is done believing that is it pleasing to Allah means that is the act worship or ibaadah. If there is an act intended for worship but is not sanctioned by the Prophet (ﷺ) then we don't do it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said “Take your rites of Hajj from me.” Therefore, what he did, we do and what he didn’t do, we don’t do. Part of the training from Hajj is training in following the way of the Prophet (ﷺ).
Sa'i literally means to run or to make an effort. Islamically, it refers to the walking between Safa and Marwa . Safa and Marwa are two small hills and are the places where Hagar ran in order to try to find help for herself and her son. They represent Al-Akhthu bil Asbaab, which means taking action known that the cause and effect chain requires certain actions to produce certain results. Making the effort, that’s what Safaa and Marwah represent. Relative to her situation, Hagar’s effort did not produce the result that she was seeking. She was looking for a caravan from those two points to whom she could call out to, so that they would come and rescue her and her son. That didn’t happen, but she was rescued. Allah rescued her with the well of Zamzam. Due to that, the caravan which she had sought came. That is the greatness of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Sa'i is part of the rites helps with establishing taqwa, God consciousness. Therefore when walking between the two, du’a is made similar to when making tawaaf. The beginning of the sa’i is at Safa, and the end is at Marwa . Safa to Marwa is one round, or one shawt in Arabic. Some people mistakenly think one shawt is going from Safa to Marwa and back to Safa again, but the correct is, from Safa to Marwa is one and from Marwa to Safa again is two. Since there is an odd number, it is begun at Safa and ended at Marwa.
Between Safa and Marwa, in the floor of the valley, is a section marked with green lights. In this place it is required to hasten or walk quickly. It is done a bit more briskly than when going around the Ka’bah . In the extreme crowd of Hajj, it is permissible to simply walk. It is required to hasten if it is possible, but where the crowd prevents that, then walking is permissible. Upon completion at Marwa, the last rite of Umrah is that of shaving the head.
Shaving the head completes the state of ihraam. Upon entering into ihraam, the most important issue is humility before Allah; therefore ihraam is also exited in the most humble state possible by shaving the head. How does one humbly exit this purified state? The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “May Allah bless those who shave their heads.” And the companions asked, “And what about the trimmers?” He said, “May Allah bless those who shave their heads.” Another companion asked, “But what about the trimmers Ya Rasoolullaah?” “May Allaah bless those who shave their heads.” “Oh Rasoolullaah, nothing for the trimmers?” “And may Allah bless those who trim their heads”. So, this is a strong message. Shaving the head is where the greatest blessings lie. It is the affirmation of humility.
Shaving the head is not ordered for women They are commanded to trim their hair but it should be a complete trimming by gathering all the hair together and trims about one inch from all over the hair. It is required that someone else trims hair and it should be trimmed from the hair all over the head. It is symbolic of a higher level of humility for men and for women they must be sure to completely trim the hair of the whole head.
For ‘Umrah, all rites are finished in one day, but in Hajj, the next set of rites will take two to three and possibly four days. On the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah, the next major aspect of Hajj is the one in which the most time is spent and that is staying in Mina. The significant aspect of Mina is that since there is so much time spent there, it is of particular importance that time is not wasted while staying there. The time in Mina is essentially spent in prayer and remembrance of Allah.
Mina is a location that is highly socialized. Before the conquest of Makkah, and even before the Hijrah, the Prophet (ﷺ) used Mina as a place to acquaint himself with the various tribes and clans that came for Hajj. In earlier days, Mina was the place where the animals for riding and going through the rites of Hajj were watered. On the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah, the hujjaj begin to arrive in Mina, and it is known as Yawmu Tarweeyah (the day of watering). It is given this title due to this designation of being where the mounts for Hajj were watered. In our times, watering the animals and preparing them for the Hajj days no longer happens, rather it is where the Hujjaj are prepared for the next major group of rites.
In Mina the focus is on the prayers. While in Mina, the prayers are shortened. Dhuhur, Asr and Isha' prayers, those that have four units, are shortened to two, but they are not joined to another prayer. They are prayed at their times. During the time in Mina, the believer needs to very consciously attend to the prayers and remembrance of Allah. Tahajjud and Witr are highly recommended in Mina. Therefore in Mina, time should be taken to one’s advantage and tahajjud prayed. Salah, du'aa and dhikrullah are three main focuses of Mina.. While making du'aa in Mina, it is important to focus on the straight path asking Allah for His guidance and also to remove from us the negative characteristics and qualities which prevent us from being firmly established on it. Even though there is an element of socializing, it should be socializing for the sake of Allah as much as possible. Being in the consecrated state of ihraam should affect the individual emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.
The stay at Mina should not just be a step which puts us closer to Arafah. The same principles of donning the ihraam should be present in this staying at Mina. The intention of Hajj is based on humility, one of the most important characteristics of the believer in terms of morality. Being in ihraam is a humbling state by being reduced to the minimum in terms of dress. For women it should be as simple as possible and for men it should be even simpler. Also, patience is a characteristic which is required throughout the Hajj. Ihraam takes the concept of humility to another level. That same principle of ihraam is now reapplied in the rites of Mina.
Although there are relatively few verses in the Qur’an about Hajj, Allah made frequent mention of Taqwa in them. This is because during Hajj there are factors conducive to having Taqwaa which are not found at other times. However, this only takes place with a sound understanding of what Hajj truly is and what it signifies. Observing Taqwa is the most profound instruction and advice that can be given. It is the best provision that can be taken for the Day of Reckoning. The benefits and virtues which Taqwa produces are limitless, and the most honored of people with Allah are those with the most Taqwa. Observing Taqwa is for one to place a means of protection between himself and whatever he fears of wrath and punishment from Allah. That can only be accomplished by fulfilling commands and avoiding prohibitions.
Hajj is most certainly one of the blessed chances to make Tawbah, return to Allah, be cleansed from sins, and be saved from the Hellfire. The fact that Hajj is a momentous opportunity for the forgiveness of sins, seeking pardon for mistakes, and being freed from the Fire. The Muslim must hasten in making Tawbah to Allah in order to earn success and a great reward. Tawbah is one of the noblest deeds, and among the most beloved and dearest to Allah. He especially loves those who turn to Him in repentance. We ask Allah to bless us with sincere Tawbah, accept it from us, wash away our sins, and answer our prayers. Indeed, He is All-Hearing and the One Who responds.
(Part 4)
(Part 2)
