Hajj & Umrah, - *The Many Virtues of Hajj -I

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There are numerousHadeeths)narrations( that talk about the virtues ofHajjand its great reward. Some of these are:
·Abu Hurayrahreported that the Prophet,, said:“From one ‘Umrah to another is an expiation for the sins committed between them, and the accepted Hajj has no less a reward than Paradise.”]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
·‘Aa’ishah, the Mother of the Believersasked the Prophet,,“O Messenger of Allaah, can we not go out on campaigns and fight in Jihaad with you?”He said:“But the best and most beautiful of Jihaad is an accepted Hajj.”‘Aa’ishahsaid,“I never stopped going for Hajj after I heard that from the Messenger of Allaah.”]Al-Bukhaari[
·‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aasreported that the Messenger of Allaah,, said:“Hajj wipes out whatever )sins( came before it.”]Muslim[
·‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’oodnarrated that the Messenger of Allaah,, said:“Keep on doing Hajj and ‘Umrah, for they eliminate poverty and sin just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron, gold and silver.”]At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa’i[
·Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet,, said:“The one who fights for the sake of Allaah and the pilgrim who goes for Hajj or ‘Umrah are all guests of Allaah. He called them and they responded; they ask of Him and He will give them.”]Ibn Maajah[
Allaah The Almighty Himself Says which means:}That they may witness )i.e., attend( benefits for themselves…{]Quran, 22: 28[ The benefits ofHajjare both worldly and religious )spiritual(. As for the latter, the one who goes forHajjearns the pleasure of his Lord and comes back with all his sins forgiven. He also earns immense reward, which he cannot earn in any other place. For instance, one prayer inAl-Masjid al-Haraam)i.e., the Sacred Mosque inMakkah(, is equal to a hundred thousand prayers elsewhere, andTawaaf)circumambulation of theKa’bah( andSa’y)pacing betweenSafaandMarwah( cannot be done anywhere else. Other benefits include meeting other Muslims and discussing their circumstances, encountering scholars and learning from them and asking them about one’s problems. Worldly benefits include trade and business, as well as other kinds of earnings related toHajj.
Some examples of the wisdom behind some of the rituals ofHajjare:
·When the pilgrim travels forHajj, he leaves his near and dear ones behind as well as his homeland, which reminds him of his final journey to Allaah The Almighty and the Hereafter.
·Whoever equips themselves with provisions sufficient to help them reach the sacred land should remind themselves that they also need enough provisions to help them reach their final destination. Allaah The Almighty Says which means:}…And take provision, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allaah…{]Quran, 2: 197[
·Travelingis tiring, and this is also true of the journey to the Hereafter – only on a much greater scale. Man goes through various stages of existence: there is the stage of his passing away, the grave, the gathering, the accounting, the scales and As-Siraat)a bridge that will be laid across Hellfire, for people to pass over on the Day of Judgment(, followed by either Paradise or Hell. The only ones who truly blessed are those whom Allaah The Almighty saves.
·When the pilgrim puts on the two garments of hisIhraam)the state of a pilgrim in which he performsHajjand‘Umrah, and during which he is prohibited from certain acts that are lawful otherwise(, he is reminded of the shroud in which he will be wrapped after he dies. This prompts him to give up disobedience and misdeeds. Just as he gives up his regular clothing )forHajj(, likewise he should give up sins. Just as he has put on two clean, white garments, he has to cleanse his heart and make it clean and pure, and guard his senses so they remain uncorrupted, uncontaminated and unsullied by sins and disobedience.
)To be continued(

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