Ahlesunnat Wal Jamat, - Recitation of Ameen Loudly Behind Imam

When we perform our Salaah behind the Imam and he recites“Waladdaalleen” loudly we say Amin quietly. This is because Amin is a dua and it should always be read quietly. Some people say thatwhen performing Salaah behind the Imam you should say Amin loudly with rhythm.
We argue that there is no such Hadith, which mentions that, the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) ordered this action and He (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) never encouraged anyone to do this.
The people who follow this action put forward one Hadith, which says that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said Amin loudly in the Salaah.
We claim that it is true by saying that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said Amin loudly a few times. The Prophet used to carry out actions only to educate people, for example, in Salaah-ul-Zuhr part of the Qur’an was recited loudly.
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write:
When the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) was performing his Zuhr and Asr prayers, he recited part of the Qur’an loudly, which we could hear. (Bukhari and Muslim, chapter on Qiraat, Zuhr and Asr)
After reading this Hadith no one in the whole Ummah says that the Imam should recite any part of the Qur’an loudly in the Zuhr and Asr Salaah. This is because everyone knows that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) only did this to educate the people. In the same way, the Hadith that mentions that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said Amin loudly does not mean that it is Sunnah to say Amin loudly. There is also proof from the Qur’an and Sunnah that Amin should be said quietly behind the Imam.
Proof from the Qur’an to say Amin quietly behind the Imam
Hafidh Ibn Kathir writes:
When someone finishes reciting surat-ul-Fatiha, it is preferable to say Amin.
Amin means “Oh Allah, accept our du’a”
There is proof from the Qur’an that Amin is a du’a. For example, Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’an that Prophet Musa (May Allah be pleased with Him) prayed to Allah by saying:
"Oh Allah, destroy the wealth of Pharaoh" (Surah Yunus: Verse 87)
The Prophet Musa’ brother Haroon (May Allah be pleased with Him) was standing beside him and said Amin. Allah accepted their du’a by saying:
"I accept both of your du’as" (Surah Yunus: 89)
The Prophet Musa (May Allah be pleased with Him) supplicated to Allah whereas Haroon only said Amin. But Allah attributed the du’a to both of them.
This proves that Amin is a du’a.(Tafsir Ibn Kathir. Under Surah Fatihah)
Qadhi Shawkani and Imam Qurtubi also write, in the interpretation of Surah Fatihah, that Amin is a du’a.
(Qurtabi and Fathul Qadeer under surah Fatiha)
Now that it has been proved that Amin is a dua, we should supplicate quietly to Allah. Proof from the Qur’an and Sunnah show that du’a should be recited quietly.
Proof from the Qur’an and Sunnah that du’a should be recited quietly
Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’an:
“Invoke your lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors.” (Surah al-a’raf: 55)
It is proved from the above verse that all should supplicate to Allah with humility and secrecy.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“And remembering your lord by your tongue and within yourself, humbly and with fear without loudness in words.”
(Surah al-a’raf: 205)
Qadhi Shawkaani writes:
In the above verse the word “remember” means du’a and du’a should be said secretly.
(Fath ul qadeer. Under verse 205 Surah al-a’raf)
Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’an:
“This is a mention of mercy of your Lord to his slave Zakariyya. When he called out his Lord (Allah) – a call in secret.
(Surah Maryam: 2-3)
Proof from Hadith for doing du’a secretly
Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal writes:
The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that Allah Ta’ala is pleased with those who remember him secretly.
(Musnad Ahmad, narration of Saad bin Abi Waqqaas, volume 1 p.172)
It is proven from the Qur’an and Sunnah that du’a should be supplicated to Allah quietly and as Amin is also a du’a so it should be said quietly also. That is the reason why all du’as are read silently. For example Thanaa, Takbeer, Ta’awwudh, Tasbeeh, Tashahhud, salutation and the final sitting’s du’a are all read silently, so Amin should also be included in the above. The reason why the Imam says the Takbeer loudly is only to inform his followers that he is moving from one position to another.
Proof from Hadith to say Amin quietly
Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari write:
The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that when the Imam says “Waladdaalleen”then you must say Amin because the Angels also say Amin and whosoever’s Amin coincides with that of an Angel, their past sins will be forgiven.
(Bukhai and Muslim Chapter on Ta’meen)
There are two ways in which Amin can be similar to the angels’ Amin:
1) To say Amin with the Imam
2) To say Amin silently because the angels say Amin with the Imam and also silently.
If someone proclaims Amin loudly it would not be similar to the Angels’ as no one hears the Angels.
Imam Muslim writes:
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that when the Imam says “Sami’allaahu liman Hamidah” you should say “Rabbanaa lakal Hamd”. Whoever’s Tahmeed becomes similar to the Angels’, their past sins would be forgiven.(Muslim Bab Ta’meen)
The Hadith of Amin and Tahmeed are written under the same chapter.
Both of these Hadith mention that whosoever’s Amin or Tahmeed coincides with that of the Angels’ their past sins will be forgiven. It is clear now that Amin should be said as “Rabbanaa lakal hamd” i.e. silently and individually, without rhythm.
Imam Nasaa’ee writes:
The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that when the Imam says “Waladdaalleen”, you should say “Amin”. This is because the angels and the Imam also say Amin. Whosoever’s Amin coincides with the Angels’, his past sins would be forgiven.(Nasaa’ee, Ibn Maajah, Daarimi, chapter Tahmeed, musnad Ahmad narration of Abu Hurairah)
This Hadith proves that Amin should be said as the Imam says his Amin. No one hears the Imam’s Amin, so no one should hear the follower’s Amin. The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) has also ordered us to follow the Imam, so we should say Amin quietly.
One doubt
Some people claim that the Imam should say Amin loudly.
Imam Dar Qutni writes:
Wyle said that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) led the Salaah and read Amin loudly. (Tirmidhi and Dar Qutni, chapter Ta’meen)
This Hadith provides evidence that Amin should be said loudly. There is also another Hadith which Imam Dar Qutni wrote:
It is reported by Abu Hurairah that The Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) led the Salaah and said Amin loudly. (Dar Qutni, chapter Ta’meen)
There is also a third Hadith which is reported by Umm Haseen:
She said that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) read the Salaah and said Amin loudly.(Zalee, Chapter on Ta’meen)
All the above narrations prove that the Imam should say Amin loudly and the followers should also say Amin loudly.
We clear this doubt by saying
· That Bukhari or Muslim did not write the above narrations.
· Secondly, all these narrations prove that the Imam says Amin loudly sometimes.
· Thirdly, the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said Amin loudly sometimes.
· Fourthly, the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said Amin loudly so that his followers would know that after “Waladdaalleen”, “Amin” should be said.
· Fifthly, these narrations cannot be used as evidence because they are not authentic.
Examining the Narrators
The first narrator was called Muhammad bin Kathir.
Imam Dhahabi and Hafidh Asqalani write:
Imam Ahmad said that Muhammad bin Kathir is weak. Imam Nasaa’ee said that he is not reliable in the science of Hadith. Abdullah bin Ahmad said that he narrates false narrations of Hadith, which is why the scholars of Hadith reject his narrations and say that Muhammad bin Kathir is weak. Imam Bukhari, Imam Abu Dawood, Imam Salih, and Hafidh Jazrah say that he made many mistakes in his narrations, all his narrations are weak and that his narrations are difficult to understand. Imam Ibn Adhi mentions his unknown narrations in his book Kamil. Imam Ibn Habbaan said Muhammad bin Kathir is authentic but made many mistakes. Imam Laith and Ibn Mu’een praised him.
(Meezan ul I’tidaal, Tahdheeeb-ut-tahdheeb, biography of Muhammad bin Kathir)
The other narrator of these narrations is Muhammad bin Khalid.
Imam Dhahabi and Hafidh Asqalani write:
Muhammad is a truthful man but is unknown. Imam Ibn Abi Khatim said that I asked my Father about Muhammad but he replied that he was unaware of his existence.
(Meezaan ul I’tidaal, biography of Muhammad bin Khalid)
Another narrator of these narrations is called Abdul Jabbar bin Wyle.
Hafidh Asqalani writes:
Imam Bukhari, Imam Tirmidhi and Imam ibn Habbaan said that bin Wyle had never heard any Hadith from his Father. The other scholars of Hadith say that he was born after his Father's death that is why it’s not possible that he would have heard any Hadith from his Father. Imam Ibn Sa’ad said that ibn Wyle has only narrated a few Hadith.(Tahdheeb ut-tahdheeb, biography of Abdul Jabbar bin Wyle)
Abdul Jabbaar’s narrations cannot be used as evidence because he said that he narrated directly from his Father whereas his Father had died before his birth.
Is-haaq bin Ibrahim az Zubedi was another narrator of these narrations
Imam Dhahabi writes:
Imam Dawood and Imam Nasaaee said that he had no knowledge of Hadith and he was not authentic. Imam Atee said that he was a liar.(Meezaan ul I’tidaal, biography of Is-haaq bin Ibraaheem uz Zubaidi)
Another narrator of these narrations is called Abdullah bin Salim.
Imam Dhahabi writes:
He was a NAasbee (from a misled sect), Abdullah bin Salim contempted Hadrat Ali (Radiall hu anhu) and he used to say that Hadrat Ali (Radiall hu anhu) helped those people who killed Hadrat Abu Bakr (Radiall hu anhu) and Hadrat Umar (Radiall hu anhu).
(Meezaan ul ‘itidaal, biography of Abdullah bin Salim)
Another narrator of these narrations is Isma’il bin Muslim Makkee.
Imam Dhahabi and Hafidh Asqalani write:
Imam Ahmad, Imam Abu Zurah, Imam Nasaaee, Imam Ali, and Imam Bukhari say that he is weak and that he narrates unknown Hadith. This is why the scholars of Hadith began to avoid his narrations. Imam ibn Mo’een said that he combined the text from one Hadith into another.
(Meezaan ul I’tidaal, tahdheeb ut-tahdheeb, biography of Isma’il bin Muslim Makkee)
How can the above narrations be used as evidence when the narrators of these Ahadith have been highly criticized by the scholars of Hadith. The Ahadith that have been narrated by these narrators cannot be authentic; they can only prove that “Amin” is to be said loudly by the Imam, not that the followers say Amin loudly together with the Imam. If this was the case, the narrators of these Ahadith who are the companions of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) should have said “When the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said Amin loudly, we also said Amin loudly. But they only reported that the Prophet said Amin loudly.
It is established that the Imam says Amin loudly sometimes. The way of the companions was to follow this and to listen to the Amin quietly, not to read Amin loudly themselves. Secondly, there are other Ahadith that mention that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to say Amin silently.
Imam Ibn Abi Shaibah writes:
Wyle reported that he performed Salaah behind the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) and he said Amin silently.
(Musannaf ibn Abee Shaiba. Chapter Ta’meen)
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal writes:
Wyle reported that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) led the Salaah and said Amin silently.
(Musnad Ahmad bin Hambal, narrations of Wyle bin Hajjar)
Both of the above narrations prove that when the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) led the Salaah, he said Amin silently.
Imam Abu Dawood writes:
When the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) led the Salaah, after saying “Waladdaalleen”, he became silent.
(Abu Dawood. Chapter Al Qiraa’t)
The above narration proves that when the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) became silent, it was to say Amin silently. If the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) was to say Amin loudly then, there was no point in Him remaining silent after saying “Waladdaalleen”.
Let us now examine the evidence of those people who say Amin loudly behind the Imam.
First Evidence
Imam Bukhari writes:
Ata bin Rubah said that “Amin” is a du’a. Abd Allah and the people who were behind him said Amin loudly and this sound echoed throughout the masjid.
(Bukhari. Chapter on ta’meen)
They conclude from this Hadith that Amin should be said loudly so that the sound echoes throughout the masjid. We argue that although this narration is written in Bukhari, but he did not write the chain of this narration. Imam Bukhari was born at the very end of the 2nd century after Hijrah and Abdullah bin Zubair died in the 73rd year of Hijrah. This means that Imam Bukhari was born 125 years after the death of Abdullah bin Zubair. How could Bukhari know that the masjid echoed with the sound of Amin, at the time of Abdullah bin Zubair?
Ta’leeq (To Suspend)
When a scholar of Hadith writes a Hadith without mentioning the chain between himself and the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), or he mentions a little part of the chain, a Hadith such as this is called Hadith Mu’allaq (suspended Hadith). This is because this type of Hadith is chain-less. The scholars of Hadith call it a suspended Hadith.
Hafidh Asqalani writes:
When a scholar of Hadith writes a chainless Hadith directly from the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) or from a companion, or a student of a companion, this type of narration is not accepted because he never met the companion of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) or the companion’s student. It is not known whether the narrators, which he does not mention, are authentic or weak. The majority of scholars of Hadith agree that if a scholar, who writes a chainless Hadith, claims that the narrators are authentic, his claim will not be accepted until he mentions their names. Both Muslim and Bukhari contain some chain-less Hadith which cannot be accepted.
(Sharh un nukhbah and muqaddamah Fath ul Baari. Chapter on Hadith Mu’allaq by Hafidh Asqalani)
According to the majority of scholars chainless narrations are not acceptable. Ibn Zubair’s above narration is a chain-less narration and so it cannot be accepted as evidence. Secondly, it is not clear from Ibn Zubair’s narration if the followers said “Amin” after “Waladdaalleen” or during the du’a in the Fajr Salaah. It is also not clear if the followers in the Salaah said Amin in all their Salaah or just once. Thirdly, it doesn’t say that the Prophet ordered to say Amin. The above mentioned Hadith cannot be used to prove that Amin should be said behind the Imam.
Second Evidence
Imam Ibn Majah wries:
Bishar bin Rafir said that Abu Hurairah’s cousin Abu Abdullah told me that he heard Abu Hurairah saying that the people have stopped saying Amin although the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to say Amin after Waladdaalleen. The people in the first row offering Salaah could hear him. The sound echoed throughout the masjid.
(Ibn Maajah, Chapter Ta’meen)
Examination of the narrators
The first narrator of this narration is Abu Abdullah.
Imam Dhahabi writes:
He is Abu Hurairah’s cousin, but is unknown. Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim did not take this narration from him.
(Meezaan ul I’tidaal, biography of Abu Abdullah)
The second narrator is Bishar bin Rafir.
Imam Dhahabi and Hafidh Asqalani write:
Imam Bukhari said that no one could verify his narration. Imam Ahmad said that his narrations are weak and he has no knowledge of Hadith. Imam Yahya bin Mo’een said that his narrations are unknown. Imam Nisaaee said that he is not strong in the knowledge of Hadith. Imam Ibn Habbaan said that he narrates false Ahadith. Imam Abu Khatim and Imam Tirmidhi say that he is weak and that he narrates unknown Hadiths. This is the reason why his narrated Ahadiths are weak. Imam ibn Abdul Barr said that all the scholars of Hadith agree that all his narrations should be thrown away. The scholars of Hadith did not accept his narrations. Imam Bukhari and Muslim did not take any narrations from him. There were the only two or three people who praised him.
(Meezaan ul I’tidaal, tahdheeb ut tahdheeb, biography of Bishar bin Rafir il Harsee)
The above statements show that the narrators of these narrations have been highly criticized by the scholars of Hadith.
The Text of Hadith
Abu Hurairah said that the people had stopped saying Amin.
Abu Hurairah was a famous companion of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) and he died in 59 AH. He complained that the people had stopped saying Amin. In his time, a large number of the companions were alive, if it was a sunnah to say Amin loudly behind the Imam, then the companions would have done so and Abu Hurairah needn’t have complained.
Abu Hurairah saw this in the time of the Kulafa but did not mention that they, or their followers used to say Amin loudly; it has been proven that the khulafa and their followers did not practice this.
Abu hurairah continued to say that when the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to say Amin, the people in the first row heard it and the sound echoed throughout the masjid.
This statement proves that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to say Amin sometimes to teach the people, but the people behind him did not say Amin loudly and that
The following sentence “The sound echoed throughout the masjid” requires attention because the sound can only echo if the place is made of cement and also has a dome. The roof of the masjid, at the time of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), was made from palm-tree branches and no cement was used. This means that it is not possible for the sound to have echoed throughout the masjid. The interesting thing is that Imam Dawood also wrote this narration in his chapter on ta’meen, but did not mention the above words (i.e. “The sound echoed throughout the masjid”).
The above narration is not authentic and the text does not prove that Amin should be said loudly behind the Imam. This is because in the whole narration there is no proof that the companions of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to say Amin loudly behind the Imam. - - - - - *- to read in tamil - Tamil - - - - -

Ahlesunnat Wal Jamat, - The Excellency of the 15th Night of Shabaan

Many Muslims in various countries pray on the 15th night of Shabaan, and ask for forgiveness of their sins and on the following day proceed to fast. To do this is in no way against the Qur’an nor the Sunnah. There are many narrations that support its validity.
There is one night in the year when Allah (Soobha Nahu Wata’ala) gives the knowledge to the Angels, about what is going to happen in the following year, for example, who is going to die, who will be born, who will be ill and how much food people will have in the year, etc.
The Majority of the scholars of Islam say:
That night is Laila-tul-Qadar in the month of Ramadan but the other scholars like Ikramah who is student of Abdullah bin Abbas (Radi allahu unho) says that night is 15th of Shabaan. There is a Hadith which Imam Tabari (Radi allahu unho) writes: Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] said, ‘From Shabaan to Shabaan there is a decision made of who is going to die, be married and some people get married but their names are written in the death
program. [Tafsir Tabari, under Surah Dukhan, verse 1 by Imam Tabari]
This narration is Ikrama’s, the other scholar’s statements are proven that 15th night of Shabaan is a holy night but there is no doubt that Allah (Soobha Nahu Wata’ala) gives the full knowledge to the Angels in the night of Laila-tul-Qadar, which is in the month of Ramadan.
If we read all the narration's regarding Laila-tul-Qadar and the 15th night of Shabaan we can reach the conclusion that the yearly program started on the 15th night of Shabaan and completed on Laila-tul-Qadar. There might be a suspicion as to ‘why does a year program take so long from Shabaan to Ramadan? The answer is Allah knows the best. No one can understand for sure the philosophy of Allah’s work. He made the worlds in six days. Who knows why He took six days to make the worlds. To examine all of the above statements consult these books:
“Tafsir Tabari, Fathul Qadeer by Qadi Shawkani, Tafsir Qurtabi, Tafsir Bagawi, Tafsir Mazhari, Tafsir Ma’ah riyful Qur’an, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Zia-ul-Qur’an under the verse of Surah Al- Dokhan verse 1 to 5”
There are some other narrations that inform us about the Excellency of the 15th night of Shabaan.
Imam Ibn Majah states:
It is narrated by Ali (Radi allahu unho) that the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] stated; “ when it is the 15th night of Shabaan, do Qiyaam in the night, and fast in the morning, and ask for forgiveness. Because on that night Allah calls: ‘Is there anyone who is asking for forgiveness so that I can forgive them, who is in distress that I may relieve his distress, is there anyone who needs (rizq) food that I may give it to him.’ And this continues till the morning.” [Ibn Majah chapter Salaah]
Imam Tirmidhi writes:
Aisha Radi Allahu unha said: “On this night the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] went to Jannat-ul-Baqee to make du’a, I followed him. The Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] said to me: Allah puts His attention towards the first Heaven, and forgives the sins of the people, even if they were equivalent to the hairs of the goats of Bunn Qalb. (A tribe who at the time had a lot of goats)
[ Tirmidhi , Kitab-us-Siyaam]
Imam Bukhari has objected upon one narrator but this is compensated by the fact that Ibn Maja has narrated it with different narrations (chains).
Allama Dhahabi, and Hafidhh Ibn Kathir quoted from Hafidhh Abu Zurah that only 30 Hadith in Ibn Majah are weak. [Tadhkaratul- Hufaadh by Hafidhh Dha'ha'bi and Tareek Ibn Kathir biography Ibn Majah
Some other people have stated that more than 30 Hadith are da’eef, (weak) but the narrations we have are not amongst those 30, that is why these Hadith can be used to support the validity of 15th Shabaan night.
Even Imam Tirmidhi’s narration is weak but this does not belittle the subject, when it concerns its merits and excellence - since weak narrations are still acceptable. However, we would like to ask those people who are so against the Mid Shabaan, wether they have even a weak hadith to disprove the prayers on the 15th of Shabaan? In reality they have no narration against the 15th night of Shabaan. If there are any they should prove it. Those who are against the 15th night of Shabaan usually say ‘Why do you celebrate the 15th night of Shabaan?’ The answer is why do all of the Saudi Arabian scholars celebrate Laila-tul-Qadar on the 27th of Ramadan in Haramain (Makkah and Madinah). ‘Did the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] and his companions' celebrate the Laila-tul-Qadar on the 27th of Ramadan?’ The answer is no, they did not. So if this is permitted the 15th night of Shabaan is also permitted as well.
The Ahl-Sunnah say this is a permissible act, but it is not a Sunnah. There is enough proof that if the majority of the Muslims consider it to be good then it is sufficient. As the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] stated: The thing that group of a Muslims says is good, it is accepted to Allah.
[ “Mishkat chapter Ihtisaam”]
Two great followers of Ibn Taymiyah and Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Al Najdi, are Hafidhh Abdullah Rawpari and Thanaa’ullah Amritsari, both state that to worship on the 15th night of Shabaan is not Bid’ah and the person who does Ibada (Worship) on this night will obtain reward for it. The narrations concerning this night are weak but this does not matter since weak Ahadith are acceptable for virtuous actions.
[Fatawa Ahl-e-Hadith by Hafidhh Rawpari and Fatawa Thanaa’iya by Thana’ullah Amritsari, chapter on fasting]
Hafidhh Ibn Tayymiya writes:
The excellency regarding the 15th of Shabaan is an area of dispute between the Scholars, some of them say that there is no significance of this night, but Imam Ahmed recognises the excellency of this night, our other Hanbli Scholars also agree with Imam Ahmed. There are Ahadith on this night being significant, some of them are from Sunnan (Tirmizy, Ibn Majah) and the other Ahdeeth books as well
[Iqtidah Siratul Mustaqeem page 203 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyah]
The people who reject the significance of this night argue that the holy Qur’an was not revealed on this night so that is why there is no significance of this night It is true that the Holy Qur’an was revealed in Ramadan, but the significance is because the Ahadeeth that tells us bout the reward one will get if he/She worshipped on15th night of Shabaan. We pray to Allah if everything stated is correct eccept it, but if there is any mistake may Allah forgive us. (Amin) - - - - - *- to read in tamil - Tamil - - - - -

Hajj & Umrah, - That is Hajj; travel and journey, and movement, Tawaaf and Sa‘y in which one walks fast and then walks slowly, to the extent that the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, took from Tawaaf a means to terrorize the polytheists and show the strength of the Muslims during the compensatory ‘Umrah. The people of Makkah were looking at the Muslims, thinking them to be weak and weary. On that the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to his Companions, May Allah Be Pleased with them, while they were performing Tawaaf:"May Allah Bestow mercy upon anyone who shows them his strength today."Then, he rushed to perform Tawaaf and the Muslims followed him. The perfect sport-related wisdom of Hajj is that it comes in all seasons of the year; sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter, and sometimes in between them, due to its dependence on the lunar month system, so that the Muslim would get accustomed to working and striving at any time, careless about the turning of seasons and changes in atmosphere, and to accustom himself to orderliness, where some rituals of Hajj are governed by a particular time, like standing at ‘Arafah, departure to Muzdalifah, throwing the pebbles, and so on. Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}Indeed, Allah Loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a ]single[ structure joined firmly.{]Quran 61:4[ Is Hajj, with this wisdom given to it, not worthy of the care of educators, sportsmen, and those who like their nation to be strong, enthusiastic, brave and honored? To Allah belongs honor, and to His Messenger and the believers. If people are overwhelmed by materialism and they worship it other than Allah, and are engaged in the worldly adornments from beneficial production in life, they should reflect on Hajj, which directs materialism to be in the service of truth, and follows, along with the people, the way of justice. So, let them take from the world a lawful and permissible share, with which they would be happy in the world and the Hereafter; and make their aspiration for the afterlife stimulate them to regard with slightness this life's adornment; and be as keen on the dignity of their Ummah as they are on their pleasures and desires. It is not unlawful to be rich or a ruler with authority; what is unlawful is to transgress with one's wealth and tyrannize with one's authority. To those who think that taking provisions and practicing trade in Hajj contradict the confidence in Allah and reduce the reward of Hajj, Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah . And fear Me, O you of understanding. There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord ]during Hajj[.{]Quran 2:197-198[ Does this point not entail the thinking of economists? Islam is not satisfied with establishing theories or calling to the truth; it always puts the theoretical word into practice. When it called to mutual accord, recognition and cooperation, it, at the same time, made the assembly of prayers a means to recognition, Jumu‘ah and both ‘Eeds binding upon the inhabitants of the same town, and Hajj obligatory to be the conference of all Islamic countries. Why does Makkah not become the headquarters of the pact of Muslim nations, as Geneva is the headquarters of the pact of the Western nations? Verily, chaos has become public in our houses, communities and conferences so much that we are tired of that. Of course, we are living at a time when there is dire need for an urgent remedy and curative medicine, to put an end to that chaos, and change our state from destructive chaos to a long-life prevailing system, from dividing riot to uniting calmness. This remedy seems evident to us in this great obligatory duty of Hajj. In addition to the religious unity which leads to unity and constancy, when the pilgrims put on the same uniform in their Ihram, perform Tawaaf at the same time, respond to the Call of their Lord at the same time and with the same supplications, there is also a practical lesson which invites to orderliness, arrangement and punctuality. When our deeds, houses and societies are governed by orderliness and arrangement, they would produce the expected benefit, and we would be in the best state possible, by virtue of reviving the rite of Hajj in ourselves. Beside facilitating and paving all possible ways for the comfort of pilgrims, security and reassurance about souls and property had the strongest influence on the increasing number of pilgrims year after year. What we hear of stories and tales from the pilgrims, and read in our magazines and journals about the comprehensive security and reassurance in this safe country instills, within us, the belief that it is unique in this element, of which the other Eastern and Western countries are deprived. That state is not strange for a country which has relied on the Islamic religion, taken its fundamental reference from it, and enforced its correct teachings; it is not strange for it to be an enlightening lamp to guide those astray and far from the straight path to follow and imitate it. We supplicate Allah Almighty to Cover its beloved king with mercy from Himself.

The days of Hajj passed, its rituals are over and most of the pilgrims returned home, carrying the memories of their journey to the House of Allah Almighty. However, if the rituals of Hajj are over, its benefits and objectives are not and will never come to an end.
A Christian missionary once said:
Islam will remain the strong rock that will destroy the ships of Christian missionary activities as long as it has such strong pillars: the Quran, Friday gathering and the conference of Hajj.
If this is how the enemies of the Muslims understand the objectives of Hajj and the great role that it can play in the nation of Islam, then how do Muslims themselves find Hajj? What are the benefits that one can have during the anniversary of Hajj? What are the lessons that the Ummah can draw from Hajj? Is Hajj composed of just rituals that are to be fulfilled, rites, supplications and invocations that are to be performed, or is it something greater than that?
Allah Almighty, Whose wisdom is great and sublime, can never Prescribe nor Impose something unless it has numerous benefits and wisdom that no one’s knowledge can comprehend except Him, The Exalted, regardless of who comprehends or does not comprehend this.
The nation of Islam in its times of difficulty and weakness needs – or rather, it is in dire need of it – to thoughtfully contemplate, learn and analyze every objective of the rituals of Islam, and Hajj is one of them. In this way, it will draw lessons, renew determination, and correct the direction and intention so that it may adhere firmly to this religion and strive hard for its superiority, fighting whoever averts from its way and stands against it.
The obligation of Hajj is great in its rituals, sublime in its characteristics, noble in its fruits, magnificent in its benefits and wonderful in its effects. It has uncountable benefits and interests. Rather, Hajj includes the noblest objectives, the greatest wisdom and extraordinary benefits. Allah Almighty Has Pointed out such benefits and objectives in simple words, Saying )what means(:}And proclaim to the people the Hajj ]pilgrimage[; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass. That they may witness benefits for themselves.{]Quran 22: 27-28[ Ibn ‘Abbaas, May Allah Be Pleased with him, said, “The benefits of the worldly life and the Hereafter.”
Raising the banner of Tawheed )Islamic monotheism( high:
One of the greatest and foremost objectives of Hajj is raising the banner of Tawheed high and reviving its characteristics that have perished. This is the most important and clear objective of the journey of Hajj. It accompanies it from the very beginning through dedicating one's intention to Allah Almighty, Alone, and raising the voice with Talbiyah to the very end with the last time of throwing the pebbles during the last Days of At-Tashreeq, which is the last of the rituals of Hajj that the pilgrim does before performing Tawaaf Al-Wadaa‘, leaving Makkah to go home.
The people of the pre-Islamic era and Quraysh used to say Talbiyah and associate partners with Allah Almighty in Talbiyah, saying:
Labbayka Allahumma labbayk. Labbayka la shareeka laka Illa Shareek Huwa Lak, Tamlikuhu wama Malak )I respond to Your call, I respond to Your call, You Have no partner except the partner that You Have, You Own Him and whatever he owns(.
However, when the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came, he taught his Ummah pure Tawheed through the great beautiful Talbiyah:
Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, Labbayka la shareeka laka labbayk, Innal hamda wan-ni‘amata laka wal mulk, la shareeka lak )I respond to Your call, O Allah here I come, In response to Your call, You Have no partner, I respond to Your call. All the praises and blessings are for You, All the sovereignty is for You, And You Have no partners with You(.
This Talbiyah indicates sincere devotion and repentance, Tawheed without associating partners and sincerity that is free of showing off. Actually, every act that does not have sincerity lacks blessings and will not be accepted. The Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that Allah Almighty Says:
He who does something for someone else’s sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me and I Will Disassociate Myself from him.
Therefore, the first lesson that the pilgrim and the Ummah as a whole should learn perfectly from the lessons of Hajj is that of Tawheed and repenting to Allah Almighty again at a time when people have started to worship many different gods and deities and sound faith has disappeared in the hearts of its people exactly as the embroideries of a garment do. People have given up worshiping Allah Almighty to worship others than Him such as supplicating the dead, believing in the Awliyaa’, ascribing worship, presents and vows to the graves, seeking a child for a barren woman from them, seeking a husband for a young woman that stayed a long time in the house of her father unmarried, seeking a cure for the ill or the return of the absent.
Still there is another category of people who worship others than Allah Almighty, seek support, help and provision from them, making them their refuge and safety, believing that they are more powerful than Allah Almighty. When any harm afflicts them, their hearts call upon and turn to their deities other than Allah Almighty, unlike what the polytheists used to do. Allah Almighty Says )what means(:
•}And when adversity touches man, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him ]alone[{]Quran 39: 8[
•}And when waves come over them like canopies, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He Delivers them to the land, there are ]some[ of them who are moderate ]in faith[.{]Quran 31: 32[
As for people nowadays, if adversity touches them, they turn to the gods of the earth. They depend upon them; call upon them; supplicate them; seek help and support from them; and present sacrifices for them, even if the sacrifice is to slaughter Tawheed and sound faith.
Not to mention worshiping desires, property, wives, children and the like. Hajj comes to change all such things. It comes to destroy the throne of Shirk and establish the tower of Tawheed on its ruins: Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, Labbayka la shareeka laka labbayk, Innal hamda wan-ni‘amata laka wal mulk, la shareeka lak. You the Almighty Are The True God and True Deity. There is no Lord except You. There is no god other than You. Here I come in response to Your call, truly in devotion and slav¬ery.
Adhering firmly to the footsteps of the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:
Amongst the lessons of Hajj is that the Ummah has to learn, remember and comprehend – rather, it has to have firm conviction – that there is no sublimity, success, prosperity nor guidance except through adhering to and following the way of the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. To adhere firmly to the footsteps of the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, means that one should adhere to his guidance regarding belief, actions, conduct, manners, rulings and accepting his judgments.
Hajj is a wonderful lesson in this regard. It is practical practice that the pilgrim will do and the whole Ummah will witness. It has specific rituals and magnificent order that all pilgrims do at the same time and place. The Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, has explained this issue while saying when performing every ritual of Hajj:“Learn from me your rituals )of Hajj and ‘Umrah(.”
Therefore, Ibn ‘Abbaas, May Allah Be Pleased with him, said, “Perform Hajj in the same way the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did and never say this is a Sunnah and this is obligatory.”
This matter is not confined to Hajj only, but rather it is to be done in all the different walks of life. Everyone has to obey the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and follow his guidance, otherwise, doom and abyss will be his fate. Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}But no, by your Lord, they will not ]truly[ believe until they make you, ]O Muhammad[, judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in ]full, willing[ submission. {]Quran 4: 65[

Hajj & Umrah, - Social wisdoms in Hajj – II

That is Hajj; travel and journey, and movement, Tawaaf and Sa‘y in which one walks fast and then walks slowly, to the extent that the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, took from Tawaaf a means to terrorize the polytheists and show the strength of the Muslims during the compensatory ‘Umrah. The people of Makkah were looking at the Muslims, thinking them to be weak and weary. On that the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to his Companions, May Allah Be Pleased with them, while they were performing Tawaaf:"May Allah Bestow mercy upon anyone who shows them his strength today."Then, he rushed to perform Tawaaf and the Muslims followed him. The perfect sport-related wisdom of Hajj is that it comes in all seasons of the year; sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter, and sometimes in between them, due to its dependence on the lunar month system, so that the Muslim would get accustomed to working and striving at any time, careless about the turning of seasons and changes in atmosphere, and to accustom himself to orderliness, where some rituals of Hajj are governed by a particular time, like standing at ‘Arafah, departure to Muzdalifah, throwing the pebbles, and so on.
Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}Indeed, Allah Loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a ]single[ structure joined firmly.{]Quran 61:4[ Is Hajj, with this wisdom given to it, not worthy of the care of educators, sportsmen, and those who like their nation to be strong, enthusiastic, brave and honored? To Allah belongs honor, and to His Messenger and the believers.
If people are overwhelmed by materialism and they worship it other than Allah, and are engaged in the worldly adornments from beneficial production in life, they should reflect on Hajj, which directs materialism to be in the service of truth, and follows, along with the people, the way of justice. So, let them take from the world a lawful and permissible share, with which they would be happy in the world and the Hereafter; and make their aspiration for the afterlife stimulate them to regard with slightness this life's adornment; and be as keen on the dignity of their Ummah as they are on their pleasures and desires. It is not unlawful to be rich or a ruler with authority; what is unlawful is to transgress with one's wealth and tyrannize with one's authority. To those who think that taking provisions and practicing trade in Hajj contradict the confidence in Allah and reduce the reward of Hajj, Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah . And fear Me, O you of understanding. There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord ]during Hajj[.{]Quran 2:197-198[ Does this point not entail the thinking of economists?
Islam is not satisfied with establishing theories or calling to the truth; it always puts the theoretical word into practice. When it called to mutual accord, recognition and cooperation, it, at the same time, made the assembly of prayers a means to recognition, Jumu‘ah and both ‘Eeds binding upon the inhabitants of the same town, and Hajj obligatory to be the conference of all Islamic countries. Why does Makkah not become the headquarters of the pact of Muslim nations, as Geneva is the headquarters of the pact of the Western nations?
Verily, chaos has become public in our houses, communities and conferences so much that we are tired of that. Of course, we are living at a time when there is dire need for an urgent remedy and curative medicine, to put an end to that chaos, and change our state from destructive chaos to a long-life prevailing system, from dividing riot to uniting calmness. This remedy seems evident to us in this great obligatory duty of Hajj. In addition to the religious unity which leads to unity and constancy, when the pilgrims put on the same uniform in their Ihram, perform Tawaaf at the same time, respond to the Call of their Lord at the same time and with the same supplications, there is also a practical lesson which invites to orderliness, arrangement and punctuality. When our deeds, houses and societies are governed by orderliness and arrangement, they would produce the expected benefit, and we would be in the best state possible, by virtue of reviving the rite of Hajj in ourselves.
Beside facilitating and paving all possible ways for the comfort of pilgrims, security and reassurance about souls and property had the strongest influence on the increasing number of pilgrims year after year. What we hear of stories and tales from the pilgrims, and read in our magazines and journals about the comprehensive security and reassurance in this safe country instills, within us, the belief that it is unique in this element, of which the other Eastern and Western countries are deprived. That state is not strange for a country which has relied on the Islamic religion, taken its fundamental reference from it, and enforced its correct teachings; it is not strange for it to be an enlightening lamp to guide those astray and far from the straight path to follow and imitate it. We supplicate Allah Almighty to Cover its beloved king with mercy from Himself.