Effects and purposes of Hajj

I watched scenes of the pilgrims on TV, and saw them coming to visit
the sacred House of Allaah. I was overwhelmed and my eyes filled with
tears when I saw this great scene, and I wished that I could be with
them anddo this great deed.
My question is this: does this great gathering have any effect on the
Muslims and the people of Islam? What should the pilgrim remember when
he is facing the sacred House of Allaah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We thank you for your question and appreciate your concern. We ask
Allaah to bless those who perform Hajj with forgiveness of sins, and
for those who have not done Hajj we ask Him to grant them what they
hope for and save them from that which they fear.
The aims and purposes of Hajj and great and sublime. There follows an
outline of some of them:
1 - A sense of connectionwith the Prophets (peace be upon them) from
our father Ibraaheem who built theHouse, to our Prophet Muhammad the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
his respect for the sanctity of Makkah. When the pilgrim visits the
sacred places and performs the rituals, he remembers the visist of
those pure Prophets to this sacred place.
Muslim (241) narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas said: Wetraveled with the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
between Makkah and Madeenah, and we passed by a valley. He said, "What
valley is this?" They said, "The valley of al-Azraq." He said, "It is
as if I can see Moosa the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) putting his fingers in his ears beseeching Allaah,
reciting the Talbiyah andpassing through this valley."
Then we traveled on until we came to a mountain pass. He said, "What
mountain pass is this?" They said, "Harsha or Lift." He said, "It is
as if I can see Yoonus on a red camel, wearing a woollen cloak, the
reins of his camel made from fibres of date-palm, passing through this
valley reciting the Talbiyah."
2 - The whiteness and cleanness of the pilgrims' clothes is a signof
inward purity, cleanness of heart and the purity of the message and
the method. This means putting aside all adornment and showinghumity,
and it is a reminder of death whenthe deceased is shrouded in similar
cloths. So it is as if he is preparing to meet Allaah.
3 - Entering ihraam fromthe meeqaat is a physicalexpression of worship
and enslavement to Allaah, and of submission to His commands and laws.
No one passes it (without entering ihraam) because it is a command
from Allaah and a law that He has prescribed. This confirms the unity
of the ummah and its following one system with nod differentiation or
exemptions with regard to the definition of the meeqaats.
4 - Hajj is the symbol of Tawheed from the first moment the pilgrim
enters ihraam. Jaabir ibn'Abd-Allaah said, describing the Hajj of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Then he started
to say the words of Tawheed, '"Labbayka Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka
laa shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-hamd wa'l-ni'mata laka wa'l-mulk,
laa shareeka lak (Here I am, O Allaah, here I am. Here I am, You have
no partner, here I am. Verilyall praise and blessings are Yours, and
all sovereignty, You have no partner).'"
Narrated by Muslim, 2137; see question no. 21617
5 - It is a reminder of theHereafter when all the people come together
inone place in 'Arafah and elsewhere, with no differentiation between
them. All of them are equal in this place and no one is better than
anyone else.
6 - Hajj is a symbol of unity, because Hajj makes all people the same
in their clothing, deeds, rituals, qiblah and the places they visit.
So no one is better than anyone else, king or slave, rich or poor, are
all the same.
So the people are equal in terms of rights and duties. They are equal
in this sacred place, and differences in colour andnationality do not
matter; no one has the right to differentiate between them.
Unity of feelings, unity of rituals.
Unity in purpose, unity in action.
Unity in words. "People come from Adam, and Adam came from dust. No
Arab is superior to a non-Arab and no white man is superior to a black
man, except in terms of piety (taqwa)."
More than two million Muslims all standing in one place, wearing the
same clothes, sharing one aim, with one slogan, calling upon one Lord
and following one Prophet... what unity can be greater than this?
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, those who disbelieved and hinder (men) from the path of
Allaah, and from Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah) which We have made
(open) to (all) men, the dweller in it and the visitor from the
country are equal there [as regards its sanctity and pilgrimage (Hajj
and'Umrah)] -- and whoever inclines to evil actions therein or to do
wrong (i.e. practise polytheism and leave Islamic Monotheism), him We
shall cause to taste from a painful torment"
[al-Hajj 22:25]
7 - It trains him to be content with modest clothing and
accommodation, when he wears two pieces of cloth and it is sufficient
for him, and his accommodation gives him just enough room tosleep.
8 - Terrifying the kaafirs and followers of misguidance with this huge
gathering of Muslims. Even though they are scattered and different,
the simple factthat they come together despite those differences at a
certain time and in a certain place is indicative of their potential
to unite at other times and in other places.
9 - Pointing out the importance of Muslims coming together and
establishing harmony. For we see usually each person travelling on his
own, whereas in Hajj wesee people coming in groups.
10 - Getting to know thesituation of the Muslims from trustworthy
sources, since the Muslimcan hear directly from his brother about the
situation of his Muslim brothers in the land from which he has come.
11 -Exchanging benefits and experience among the Muslims in general.
12 - Meeting scholars and decision makers from all countries and
studying the situation and needs of the Muslims, and the importance of
cooperating with them.
13 - Achieving true submission to Allaah by standing in the holy
places when the pilgrim leaves al-Masjid al-Haraam which is the best
of spots, and standing in 'Arafah.
14 - Forgiveness of sins, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever does Hajjand does not speak any
obscene words or commit any sin will go back cleansed of sin as on the
day his mother bore him."
15 - Opening the doors of hope to those who commit sin, and teaching
them to give up their sin in these holyplaces, so that they will give
up a lot of their badhabits during the periodof Hajj and its rituals.
16 - Proclaiming that Islam is the religion of organization, because
during Hajj the rituals and time are organized, with every action done
in the place and at the time defined for it.
17 - Training oneself to spend in charitable waysand to avoid
miserliness.The pilgrim spends a great deal of money for the sake of
Hajj, on travel expenses, on the road and in the sacred places.
18 - Increasing piety andmaking the heart fit to honour the Symbols of
Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"and whosoever honours the Symbols of Allaah, then it is truly, from
the piety of the hearts"
[al-Hajj 22:32]
19 - Training the rich to give up their distinct clothing and
accommodation and making them equal withthe poor in clothing and in
the rituals of tawaaf, saa'i and stoning the jamaraat. This teaches
them to be humble and to realise the insignificance of this worldly
life.
20 - The pilgrim persists in worshipping and remembering Allaah during
the days of Hajj, moving from one sacred place to the next, from one
action to another. This is a kind of intensive training in worship and
remembrance of Allaah.
21 - Training oneself to be kind to people - so the pilgrim guides
those who are lost, teaches those who are ignorant, helps the poor,
and supports the disabled and weak.
22 - Developing good characteristics such as forbearance and puttingup
with annoyance frompeople, because the pilgrim will inevitably
beexposed to crowding and arguments, etc. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months
(i.e. the 10th month, the 11thmonth and the first ten days of the 12th
month of the Islamic calendar, i.e. two months and ten days). So
whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming Ihraam), then
he should not have sexual relations(with his wife), nor commit sin,
nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj."
[al-Baqarah 2:197]
23 - Training oneself to be patient and to put up with difficulties
such as heat, long distances, being apart from one's family, going
back and forth between the holy sites and crowded conditions therein.
24 - Learning to give up one's usual habits and the things that one is
comfortable with, because the pilgrim has to uncover his head and give
up his regular clothes, and leave behind the accommodation, food and
drink that he is usedto.
25 - When the pilgrim does saa'i between al-Safa and al-Marwah, he
remembers that the one who obeys Allaah and puts his trust in Him and
turns to Him, He will not let him down, ratherHe will raise high the
esteem in which he is held. When Haajar the mother of Ismaa'eel (peace
be upon them both) said to Ibraaheem,"Has Allaah commanded you to do
this?" he said, "Yes." She said, "Then Hewill not let us down." So
Allaah raised high the esteem in which she washeld and the people,
including the Prophets, started to run between the two hills as she
had done.
26 - Teaching oneself not to despair of the mercy of Allaah, no matter
how great one's worries and distress. For the way out is in
Allaah'shand. The mother of Ismaa'eel thought her son was about to
die, and she started to run from one mountain to the other, looking
for a solution, and it came to her from a source she could never
imagine when the angel came down and struck the ground, and out came
the water of Zamzam with its healing for diseases of the heart
andbody.
27 - The pilgrim remembers that in doingthese rituals he is the guest
of the most Merciful. The gathering of Hajj is not at the invitation
of any government or organization or king or president, rather it is
theinvitation of the Lord of the Worlds Who has made it an occasion on
which the Muslims meet on a footing of equality in which no one is
superior to anyone else. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you
on foot andon 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 (i.e. reward
of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also someworldly gain from trade)"
[al-Hajj 22:27-28]
Al-Nasaa'i (2578) narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The guests
of Allaah are three: the warrior for the sake of Allaah, the pilgrim
performing Hajj and the pilgrim performing 'Umrah." Classed as saheeh
by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa'i, 2464.
28 - Strengthening bonds with the believers, as representedin the
words of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him): "Your blood, your honour and your wealth are sacred to you
as this day of yours in this month of yours in this land of yours is
sacred." Narrated by al-Bukhaari,65; Muslim, 3180.
29 - The season of Hajj isdistinguished by complete separation from
the people of shirk and kufr who are forbidden to attend any part of
it. It is forbidden for them to enter the Haram at any time, no matter
what their purpose. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe (in Allaah's Oneness and in His Messenger
Muhammad)! Verily, the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters,
disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and inthe Message of Muhammad)
are Najasun(impure). So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haraam
(at Makkah) after this year; and if you fear poverty, Allaah will
enrich you if He wills, out of His Bounty. Surely, Allaah is
All-Knowing, All-Wise"
[al-Tawbah 9:28]
Al-Bukhaari narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: "Abu Bakr (may Allaah be
pleased with him) sent me as an announceron that Hajj [which the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) appointed Abu Bakr
to lead in 9 AH], to announce on the Day of Sacrifice in Mina that
after this year no mushrik might perform Hajj and no one might
circumambulate the House naked."
And Allaah knows best. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our
Prophet Muhamamd and upon his family and companions.