Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) in perspective (2)
By Qasim Alabi
IN the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah the Lord of the world. We testify to the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (SAW).
Allah (SWT) says "And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel. They will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj), that they may witness things that are of benefit to them... (Q22:27-28).
A visit to the house of Allah will surely confirm this verse of the Qur'an. It is not enough to go on pilgrimage but every pilgrim must ensure that the money and the time spent in the cause of Allah are not in vain. This is only possible if all the rites of Hajj and Umrah are performed following the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is in the light of this that we would take pain to examine the Hajj rites based on the authentic sources of Islam.
For the sake of clarity, we would only take a look at that type of Hajj, which is commonly performed by pilgrims from this part of the world. It should be mentioned here that we do not intend to undermine the importance of other forms of Hajj but we have constraint of time and space. We are looking at Hajj Tamattu, which means a combination of Hajj and Umrah (the lesser hajj) with a break in between. In essence, a pilgrim has the added advantage of performing Hajj and Umrah in the same journey without having to go back home, and also because such a pilgrim after the Umrah enjoys normal life until the time he once again puts on his Hajj garb (Ihram for the Hajj).
Whoever intends to make a tamattu should on approaching Miqat (designated place of putting on the Ihram) first make the intention for Umrah by saying Lab-baik bil umrah meaning "O Allah, I answer your call to perform Umrah." The person utters a lot of talbiyyah. Such a pilgrim must keep his or her hajj garment until he circumambulates round the Kaabah; walks between safah and marwah; then clips his hair or shaves it. After that he may put away his hajj garb and wear his usual clothes. He may do everything that is permissible but was prohibited for him in the state of Ihram. On the 8th of Dhul Hijja, such a person must declare his or her intention to perform Hajj and put on the Ihram from Makkah. The following is a quick summary of the steps a pilgrim is expected to take while performing Hajj
Ihram. This is the intention to perform either Hajj or Umrah or to make the intention to perform both. For men, their ihram is just two pieces of white cloth while women are allowed to wear any kind of cloth as long it meets the Islamic standard of Hijab covering all parts of the body with the exception of the face and the hands. There is certain etiquette, which one must observe while in a state of Ihram. One of such is cleanliness. This means clipping one's fingernails, trimming the moustache, shaving off the hair from the armpits, shaving the pubic hair, making an ablution or preferably taking a complete bath. According to Ibn Umar, "it is sunnah (recommended) for a pilgrim to take a complete bath before entering the state of Ihram or before entering Makkah."
Other etiquette includes taking off all sewn clothes and putting on the hajj garb which consist of two sheets of cloth, wearing some perfume before the hajj garb is worn and observing two rak'ahs of prayer with the intention to assume the state of Ihram.
A person in a state of Ihram cannot remove any hair from his body and cannot cut his nails. He cannot hunt a game and cannot make marriage proposal. Perfume cannot be applied once a pilgrim enters Ihram. These among others are a few things a Muhrim cannot do. A Muhrim who for genuine reason is compelled to violate any of the restrictions of Ihram, like shaving his head or something else with the exception of having sexual intercourse with his spouse, may do so but he will have to slaughter a sheep or feed six needy people or fast three days to atone for it. It should be pointed out here that violation of restrictions of Ihram other than sexual intercourse does not render Hajj invalid.
The pilgrim is expected to recite talbiyah. It is recommended that a person who intends to perform hajj must raise his voice and the prophet (SAW) made his talbiyyah in these words: "Lab-baika allahumo lab-baik. lab-baika la-sharika laka lab-baik in-nal hamda wan-ni'mata laka wal mulk lasharika lak "meaning (Here I am at your service, O Allah. You have no partner. Here I am at your service, O Allah. Verily, all the praise, the grace belongs to you, and the kingdom. You have no partner).
The prophet (SAW) said "when any Moslem utters talbiyyah, everything - every stone or every tree or every pebble on his right and left side responds with a similar talbiyyah until the whole world resounds with it.
Tawaf: Circumambulating round the Kaabah is a very essential part of Hajj and Umrah. One must begin tawaf with one's right shoulder uncovered and the Kaabah on one's left side while facing the black stone. One can kiss the black stone if possible, touch it with hand or pointing in its direction saying "in the name of Allah. Allah is the greatest...). Jogging lightly through the first three rounds around Kaabah is recommended. In the next four rounds, one should walk at normal pace. It is also recommended to touch the Yemeni corner at every round of tawaf and pilgrims are encouraged to recite the following prayer between Yemeni corner and black stone. Robana atina fi dunya hasanata wa fil akhirati hasanata wa kina adha ba nar. (O Allah! Grant us the good of this world and that of the hereafter and save us from the punishment of hell fire). The prophet (SAW) was reported to have said "Every day Allah descends a hundred and twenty folds of His mercy to His slaves who perform Hajj. Sixty fold of these are specified for those who perform tawaf, forty fold for those who pray there and twenty for those who look at the Kaabah".
After the completion of tawaf, the pilgrim must offer a two rak'ah prayer at the station of Ibrahim, reciting Qur'an 2 verse 125: "And take the station of Ibrahim as place of prayer". This will complete one's tawaf around Kaabah.
A pilgrim must complete his Umrah by making a Sa'i (seven rounds of walking) between Safa and Marwah. Details of this and the six days of proper Hajj will be examined in our next sermon In sha Allah. May the choicest blessing of Allah be upon the noblest of all prophets.
- Ustaz Alabi is a company executive in Lagos.
