HAJJ

The Hajj Pilgrimage, is one of the Pillars and fundamentals of Islam. It is the completion of surrender and the day of perfection of the religion of Islam. It was on this day that Almighty Allah revealed the following message to the Ummah of His beloved Prophet, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam): “Today, I have perfected your religion for you and completed my grace upon you and approved Islam as your religion.”We must understand that

UMRAH: IMPORTANT MASAA’IL

The meaning of “Umrah” is “to visit.” The accomplishment of Umrah at least once in a lifetime is Sunnat-e-Mu’akkadah. The Umrah performed during the auspicious month of Ramadaan supercedes that Umrah completed in other days. Bukhari Shareef states that Umrah in Ramadaan is equal to Hajj.

THE MASAA’ILS OF UMRAH CAN BE BRIEFLY SUMMARISED AS

The wearing of Ihraam before entering the Miqat boundary
The performance of two Rakaahs Sunnatul Ihraam
The recitation of Niyyah and Talbiyah
The advancement towards Makkatul Mukarramah while constantly reading the Talbiyah
The performance of Tawaaf with Idh’tibaa and Ramal
The performance of two Rakaah Waajib Salaah after Tawaaf behind Maqaam-e-Ebrahim
Advancement to the Multazam to make Du’a and drink water from the Zam Zam well
Performance of Sa’ee between Saffa and Marwa
Shaving or trimming the hair of the head.

THE FARAA’IDH OF UMRAH

Ihraam
Four circuits of Tawaaf

WAAJIBAAT OF UMRAH

Completion of all seven circuits
Sa’ee
Shaving/trimming of the hair.
N.B. The rest are either Sunnat or Adaab.

SEQUENCE OF PERFORMING UMRAH

Adoption of Ihraam and performance of two Rakaah with Niyyah of Umrah
Tawaaf
Du’a at Multazam
Performance of two Rakaah Salaah at Maqaam-e-Ebrahim
Drinking Zam Zam water
Performing Sa’ee between Saffa and Marwa
Two Rakaah Salaah
Shaving/Trimming of the hair.

VISITING THE GRAVE OF THE PROPHET

Visiting the grave is part of the Sunnah and is both excellent and desirable. Hazrat Ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhu) said that the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said, “My intercession is assured for all who visit me.” (at-Tabarni) Hazrat Anas bin Malik (radi Allahu anhu) said that the Messenger of Allah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Anyone who visits me in Madina for the sake of Allah is near to me and I will intercede for him on the Day of Rising.” (Al-Bayhaqi).

Imam Malik (radi Allahu anhu) disliked anyone saying “the tawaf of the visit,” or “we visited the grave of the Prophet,” because people normally use that for visits between themselves, and he did not like to put the Prophet on the same level as other people. He preferred a specific statement like “We greeted the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).“ He did not dislike people saying, “We visited the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).” (Ash-Shifa)

The Importance of Hajj

1. Hajj or Pilgrimage to Makkatul Mukarramah is the fifth pillar of Islam.
2. It is a duty of a Muslim, who can afford it, to visit the Holy Kaaba in Makkatul Mukarramah at least once in a lifetime.
3. Hajj became Fard on the Muslims in 9 A.H.
4. Hajj is actually a gathering for Muslims from all parts of the world to meet and strengthen the ties of Islamic Brotherhood.
5. By putting on the Ihraam, a Muslim is made to think about death and leaving this world with only a simple piece of cloth that he or she has to wear in the Qabar.
6. By making Hajj, a Muslim sacrifices his money and pleasure for the Sake of Almighty Allah.

Upon whom is Hajj Fard?

Hajj is Fard upon :
1. An adult Muslim male or female.
2. One who is free from all debts.
3. One who is fit in body and in mind.
4. One who has enough money to cover all costs of the journey and be able to support one’s family while one is away.
5. One who is confident of travelling safely.
Note: Hajj is not Fard upon those women who do not have a “Mahram” to accompany them. By “Mahram” is meant those people to whom it is Haraam for the woman to marry.

The Faraa’id (Fard) of Hajj

1. The person must be in Ihraam.
2. One has to make Tawaaf around the Holy Kaaba after the Wuqoof at Arafaat and Muzdalifa.
3. One has to be present at Arafaat on the 9th of Zil-Hajj.