Spiritual Advice for Hajj

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Holy Qur'an:
الْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَّعْلُومَاتٌ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ فَلاَ
رَفَثَ وَلاَ فُسُوقَ وَلاَ جِدَالَ فِي الْحَجِّ وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ
خَيْرٍ يَعْلَمْهُ اللّهُ وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى
وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ
The season of Pilgrimage is the months known; wherefore whosoever
ordaineth unto himselfthe pilgrimage therein, there is no lewdness nor
wickedness nor wrangling during the pilgrimage, and whatsoever of good
yedo, Allah shall know it. And take provision for the journey, for
verily the best provision is abstainment; and fear Me, O men of
understanding!
[al Baqarah 2/197]
In the verse related to Hajj , the need to perform tawaaf (ritual walk
around the Holy Ka'ba), sa'ee (ritual walk between the hills of Safa
and Marwa), stoning of the shayaateen are not mentioned, rather Allah
سبحانه وتعالى mentions the need to abstain from 3 acts :
1. Lewd talk
This means any talk which is rude, indecent, offensive or vulgar. To
speak in such a manner violates the sanctity of Hajj. It does not
befit a Muslim to speak in a lewdmanner – it only suggestsa filthy
heart and mind. This prohibition during Hajj also includes speaking of
conjugal relations between husband and wife which under normal
circumstances would be permissible.
2. Sinning
This includes any act of disobedience to Allah سبحانه وتعالى
especially not lowering one's gaze. During Hajj, being such a large
gathering of men and women, the need to lower one's gaze becomes all
the more important. Not lowering one's gaze not only destroys the
sanctity of Hajj, but one's attention is diverted from Allah سبحانه
وتعالى to the creation. Nothing is achieved by the stray gaze – it is
an arrow which only returns to pierce one's own heart.
3. Arguing
The Hajj journey makes the most patient and forbearing of people
irritable because one's sleeping and eating patterns are disrupted.
Insuch a state and in such alarge gathering of people one may be
easilyprovoked and get into anargument. At such times one should
exercise patience and self-discipline and remind himself by saying 'I
am in Hajj' i.e. I am in a sanctified state.
These 3 sins reflect the 3 categories of sins a Muslim should avoid
throughout his life i.e.
• Sins of the tongue
• Sins of the flesh
• Sins against fellow Muslims
During Hajj these 3 sins are especially dangerous yet so easy to
commit. If a person engages in any of these there is a great danger
that all of the reward for Hajj will be destroyed. As well as
fulfilling all the rites and rituals of Hajj, it is necessary to
refrain fromthe above sins for an accepted Hajj.