Hajj & Umrah, - *Sublime Benefits and Objectives of Hajj - II

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4- Reinforcing Islamic brotherhood and solidarity:
Hajjis rather like an international annual public and formal conference. Unlike other acts of worship, it provides a live, direct and bright reality in terms of useful moral values on the human level. This is achieved through the meeting of the masses of pilgrims in a harmonious way that symbolizes and represents Muslims in the different regions of the world. They get to know each other, unite, exchange opinions and organize their affairs in spite of the differences in their colors, homelands, languages, levels and life styles, realizing the verse in which Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord, so fear Me.{]Quran 23:52[
Moreover, this scene reminds the soul of past memories and urges one to study it and deduce lessons therefrom in order to head towards a promising future when Muslims achieve for themselves, their countries and their coming generations more security, dignity, pride, growth and prosperity.
The season ofHajjis considered an excellent opportunity for the Muslim masses to achieve greater cooperation and solidarity in order to unify their ranks in the face of contemporary challenges, regardless of their different appearances and manners.
5- Getting used to self-restraint and discipline:
Pilgrims practice self-restraint and discipline when they abandon the adornment of the life of this world and assumeIhraam. They abstain from shaving hair, cutting nails, using perfumes and such other acts that are known to be forbidden duringIhraam. All this is performed for the sake of Allaah The Almighty, in compliance with His orders and hoping to attain His pleasure and reward and to draw closer to Him. At-Tabaraani narrated inAl-Kabeerthat the Prophet,, said:"Allaah boasts about the people of ‘Arafaat to the Angels, and Says: 'Look at My slaves, they have come to Me, shaggy and dusty, they have come from every deep valley. So, bear witness that I have answered their supplication, accepted their intercession and granted mercy to the negligent among them for the sake of the benevolent ones.'"
6-Hajjis a real mirror of human equality and a preview of the gathering of people on the Day of Judgment:
InHajj, the meanings and manifestations of human equality among the masses of people appear clearly. They are all in a state ofIhraamand in one place; they gather at the same time and wait to perform the same rituals in sequence. All of them are equal, like the teeth of a comb. There is no difference between the rich and the poor, the old and the young. They are all wearing similar simple white pieces of cloth, which symbolize the oneness of human creation, and that Islam holds all races and peoples as equal, for they are the same in the sight of Allaah The Almighty. In addition, through these scenes, images that stand for the Last Day are evoked in the human soul – the day when people are gathered to the Lord of the Worlds barefoot and naked, and no person is favored over others except by their piety and good deeds.
Islam intended to achieve all the above-mentioned benefits and purposes. The need for them is renewed with the passage of time and the development of civilization.
However, there are landmarks and practices that pilgrims should not forget or be lenient therewith. These include:
1- Sincerity of intention to Allaah The Almighty, remembering His greatness in all the states and times, honoring the symbols of Allaah The Almighty, engaging in remembering, glorifying, recitingTalbiyah)saying,“Labbayk Allaahumma Labbayk”)O Allaah, I hasten to You(”( and supplicating Him, for this proves the truthfulness of souls and the piety of hearts. Allaah The Exalted Says )what means(:}That ]is so[. And whoever honors the symbols of Allaah - indeed, it is from the piety of hearts.{]Quran 22:32[
2- Kind treatment to all other pilgrims, gentleness in dealing with them, favoring them over oneself, hastening to offer them assistance and advising them, being tolerant of them, having patience with them and avoiding showing anger at their errors and pointing out their mistakes in a rude manner.
3- Investing all one's time in goodness, righteousness, kindness and obedience and not wasting it in that which does not benefit so that the pilgrim does not waste his effort, make mistakes and lose his rewards.
4- Avoiding actions that abuse the sanctity ofHajj, its place and time and violate its status. This entails keeping away from practices that hurt Muslims or cause harm to them, maintain public and private utilities, observing cleanliness, avoiding throwing dirt and garbage in the streets and places where pilgrims gather, avoiding crowds, keeping away from exhausting and tiring oneself as well as avoiding sitting on roads and yards and exposing others to harm.
The government of Saudi Arabia has undoubtedly exerted costly and strenuous efforts to maintain the safety of the pilgrims, insure services for them, provide them with comfort, and achieve their interests. This is all so they can perform their rituals easily and return to their homelands and families secure, assured, happy and optimistic with theHadeethin which the Prophet,says:"The accepted Hajj has no reward other than Paradise."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ )The acceptedHajjis that which does not include any sin or act of disobedience.

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Hajj & Umrah, - *Sublime Benefits and Objectives of Hajj - I

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Hajjis one of the pillars of Islam which was prescribed in the ninth year after theHijrah)emigration( of the Prophet,. It is out of the mercy of Allaah The Almighty towards His slaves that He has enjoinedHajjupon them at least once in a lifetime. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And ]due[ to Allaah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way.{]Quran 3:97[
Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the Messenger of Allaah,addressed them saying:“O people, Allaah has made Hajj obligatory for you; so perform Hajj.”Thereupon, Al-Aqra‘ ibn Haabis said,“O Messenger of Allaah, )is it to be performed( every year?”The Prophet,, remained silent, but the man repeated )these words( thrice, whereupon the Messenger of Allaah,,said:“If I were to say ‘yes’, it would become obligatory )for you to perform it every year( and you would not be able to do it.”Then he said:“Leave me with what I have left to you, for those who were before you were destroyed because of excessive questioning, and their opposition to their prophets.”]Saheeh Muslimand others[
The occasion ofHajjhas many benefits and objectives spanning ideological, personal, societal, moral and educational aspects. These include the following:
1- Deepening faith and strengthening piety:
There is no doubt that performingHajjin theSharee‘ah-prescribed manner strengthens faith and cleanses the self from its impurities. It rouses Islamic emotions with the purpose of realizing the greatness of Allaah The Almighty and feeling humble submission to Him where pilgrims actually live for a number of appointed days in the atmosphere of divine inspiration and in the places of the revelation of the Noble Quran. Thus, thousands of souls head in overwhelming spirituality towards greater, more tangible religious commitment, complete submission to Allaah The Exalted, sincere adherence to and fruitful interaction with His orders and prohibitions.
Allaah The Almighty referred to this great purpose and the useful positive meanings it encompasses in the verse in which He Says about aHajjritual )what means(:}Their meat will not reach Allaah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you.{]Quran 22:37[
2- Feeling the sacrifices of the first Muslims:
The heightened spirituality of the days ofHajjmakes the Muslims recall the early days of Prophethood. A believer experiences first-hand the extent of the sacrifices of the Companionsand realizes the efforts of the first Muslims who established the basics of religion, adhered to the rulings and spread the virtues and merits of this religion. They endured the sufferings and trials they faced from their enemies and the sacrifices they offered in terms of their souls, money, families, times and interests. Due to these trials and sacrifices, the Prophet,, warned againstdisparaging or abusing them. He said:"Allaah, Allaah! Fear Him with regard to my Companions! Do not revile them after me! Whoever loves them loves them with his love for me…"He also said in another narration:“If any one of you spent gold equal to Uhud )in the cause of Allaah( it would not be equal to even a handful or even half a handful of what was spent by one of them."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
3- Total obedience to Allaah The Almighty:
Performing the rituals ofHajjin spite of the variety of their forms, times and places and the difference in their utterances, numbers and contents instills in the souls of the pilgrims the value of obeying Allaah, the One and the Only. It teaches them to comply in totality with His orders, rulings and instructions even if they do not know the wisdom behind them or their material consequences.
Among the actions that prove this total submission to Allaah are performingTawaafaround theKa‘bahseven times, kissing the Black Stone, throwing the pebbles with known and appointed times and numbers, standing at‘Arafaatand then heading at night towardsMuzdalifahto stay the night therein.
Thus, the physical, intellectual and spiritual activities of man merge in a great and noble manner for him to get used to executing the orders of Allaah The Almighty and adhering to His instructions with truthfulness, sincerity, submission and humility without hesitation nor delay, even if the material benefits of this do not appear immediately.
‘Umarused to kiss the Black Stone and say,"No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allaahkissing you, I would not have kissed you."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
)To be continued(

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Hajj & Umrah, - *The virtuesof the ten days of Thul-Hijjah- II

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Types of worship and deeds to be performed during the ten days:
One must understand that these days are a great blessing from Allaah to His slave, which is appreciated properly by the actively righteous. It is the Muslim's duty to appreciate this blessing and make the most of the opportunity, by devoting these ten days to paying more attention to striving hard in worship.
Among His blessings to His slaves, Allaah has given us many ways in which to perform righteous deeds and worship Him, so that the Muslim may be constantly active and consistent in his worship of his Lord.
Among the righteous deeds which the Muslim should strive to perform during the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah are:
1.The performance of Hajj and Umrah, which are the best of deeds that may be done. And what indicates their superiority are a number of narrations, one of which is the saying of the Prophet:"Performance of 'Umrah is an expiation of the sins committed between it and the previous 'Umrah, and the reward of the Hajj which is accepted by Allaah, Most High, is nothing but Paradise."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
2.Fasting: It is recommended to fast on the nine days and especially on the ninth day of Thul-Hijjah. There is no doubt that the act of fasting is one of the best deeds, and it is from what Allaah, Most High, has chosen for himself, as in the Sacred Hadeeth:"Fasting is for Me )Allaah(, and it is I who give reward for it.Verily, someone gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for my sake..."]Al-Bukhaari, Muslim, At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa'i and Ibn Maajah[
Also, from Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudriwho said that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"No servant )of Allaah, Most High( fasts one day in the way of Allaah, except that Allaah, the Most High, removes his face from the fire because of it )the distance of traveling( seventy years."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The Prophetsaid:"Fasting the Day of ‘Arafah will be credited with Allaah by forgiving one's sins of the previous year and the following year."]Muslim[
3.Uttering the mention of Allaah: It is recommended to utter Takbeer )"Allaahu akbar"(, Tahmeed )"Al-hamdu Lillaah"(, Tahleel )"La ilaaha illallaah"( and Tasbeeh )"Subhaanallaah"( during the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah in the Mosque, at home, on the street and every place where it is permitted to mention Allaah and mention His name out loud, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allaah, Most High. He The Most High, Says )what means(:"...And mention the name of Allaah on known ]i.e., specific[ days..."]Quran 22: 28[
4.Performing more good deeds in general, because good deeds are beloved by Allaah and will bring a great reward from Him. Whoever is not able to go to Hajj should occupy himself at this blessed time by worshipping Allaah, praying, reading Quran, supplicating, giving charity, honoring his parents, upholding the ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other good deeds and acts of worship.
5.Offering sacrifice. One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allaah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal. It is the Sunnah of our father Ibraaheem- from when Allaah The Most High, redeemed his son by the great sacrifice )of an animal in his place(. The Prophetslaughtered )sacrificed( two horned rams, black and white in color, and heslaughtered them with his own hands, mentioned the name of Allaah )saying Bismillaah(, said Takbeer )Allaahu-Akbar(, and placed his foot on their sides )while slaughtering them(. ]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
6.Sincerely repenting. One of the most important things to do during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allaah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin.
Repentance means coming back to Allaah and foregoing all the deeds, open and secret, that He dislikes, out of regret for what has passed, giving it up immediately and being determined never to return to it, and to adhere firmly to the Truth by doing what Allaah loves. The Prophetsaid:"Verily Allaah has a sense of 'Ghayrah' )honor, prestige and anger over violation(, and Allaah's sense of Ghayrah is provoked when a person does that which Allaah has made prohibited."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
7.It is incumbent for the Muslim )who is not making Hajj( to make every effort to perform the ‘Eed Prayer wherever it is performed, and to be present for the Khutbah )sermon( and benefit.
He must know the wisdom behind the legislation of this ‘Eed )celebration(. It is a day of thankfulness and performing deeds of righteousness. So, he must not make it a day of wildness, pride and vanity. He should not make it a time of disobedience and increase in forbidden things such as music, singing, uncontrolled amusement and the like - those things which could cause the cancellation of the good deeds done in these ten days )of Thul-Hijjah(.
There is much to be gained, so make the most of the opportunity afforded by these invaluable and irreplaceable ten days. Hasten to do good deeds, before death strikes, before one regrets his negligence and failure to act, before one is asked to return to life but only when prayers will never be answered, before death intervenes between the hopeful one and the things he hopes for, before one is trapped with his deeds in the grave.

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Night Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Praying Qiyaam al-Layl in congregation at times other than in the month of Ramadaan

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Is it permissible for a group of men to gather to perform Qiyaam al-Layl on a regular basis (almost every night) at times other than in the month of Ramadan?
Praise be to Allaah.
If people want to gather to perform Qiyaam al-Layl in the mosque in congregation at times other than Ramadaan, this is a kind of bid’ah.
But there is nothing wrong with a person praying it in congregation at times other than Ramadaan in his house occasionally, because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn Mas’ood and Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan in congregation in his house. But he did not do that as a regular Sunnah (Sunnah raatibah) and he did not do it in the mosque.
Seeal-Sharh al-Mumti’by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, part 4, p. 82
It should be noted that this jamaa’ah (prayer in congregation) which takes place at times other than Ramadaan should not happen by agreement or prior announcement. If it so happens that a Muslim sees another Muslim praying Qiyaam al-Layl and he joins him without prior agreement – as happened in the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas, for example, when he woke up and joined the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) one night – there is nothing wrong that. But if it is a meeting by prior agreement to perform Qiyaam al-Layl on a regular basis, almost every night – as described in the question – this is bid’ah, as stated at the beginning of the answer.
We will quote the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him). He said:
“I stayed overnight in the house of my maternal aunt Maymoonah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) slept for a part of the night… and during the night, he got up and performed a light ablution from a hanging water skin, and stood up for the prayer. I, too, performed a similar ablution, then I went and stood on his left. Perhaps Sufyaan said, on his left and he drew me to his right. He prayed as much as Allah wished, then he lay down and slept until the sound of his breathing could be heard. Later on the muezzin came to him and told him that it was time for prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went with him for the prayer without performing a new ablution.” Sufyaan said to 'Amr that some people said, “The eyes of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sleep but his heart does not sleep.” ‘Amr said, “I heard ‘Ubayd bin ‘Umayr saying that the dreams of Prophets were wahy (revelation), then he recited the verse (interpretation of the meaning):‘he [Ibraaheem] said: “O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offering you in sacrifice to Allaah)”’ [al-Saaffaat 37:102].”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 138

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