Welcome to Islam, - * The tears of finding the truth through the Internet

Introduction:
The following story occurred on the Internet through one of the chat
programs )Freetel( in January 1999. It is a real dialogue between a
Christian and a Muslim. The story centers on Derek's realization of
today's Christianity and his subsequent conversion to Islam. This
Christian-Muslim dialogue has been edited for readability and for the
clarity of its message.
'Abdullaah: Hello there! How are you man?
Derek: Hello! Well, how are you?
'Abdullaah: I'm fine and you?
Derek: I'm fine, thanks.
'Abdullaah: Where are you from?
Derek: I'm from L.A. )Los Angeles(.
'Abdullaah: The land of Hollywood!
Derek: Well, that's right. Have you ever been to L.A?
'Abdullaah: No, never. Why are you calling yourself 'Black Magic'?
Derek: It's just a nickname, man!
'Abdullaah: I see.
Derek: Where are you from? Are you an Arab?
'Abdullaah: Yes, I am from Saudi Arabia but I'm in Qatar now.
What is your name?
Derek: My name is Derek. What's your name?
'Abdullaah: My name is 'Abdullaah.
Derek: What does 'Abdullaah mean?
'Abdullaah: 'Abdullaah means the servant of Allaah and it is the
function of each individual on the face of the earth to serve Allaah
according to what Allaah wants from us. By the way, Allaah is the
proper name of God.
Derek: How do we know what God or Allaah wants from us?
'Abdullaah: All of this is outlined in the Quran and
theSunnah)traditions and approved actions of Prophet
Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam)may Allaah exalt his mention(.
These are the two major sources of guidance in Islam. Could you
please tell me more about yourself? How old are you?
Derek: I am 19 years old, black and very much interested in
knowing more about Islam. First of all, what should a person do or
believe in, to become a Muslim?
'Abdullaah: Very easy brother, you just say that there is no one
worthy of worship but Allaah and Muhammad is His Messenger, and you
become Muslim.
Derek: You mean Muhammad is his apostle? But as a Christian
or non-Muslim, this sentence is not enough to make it clear to me.
'Abdullaah: O.K. Allaah sent Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam,as His last Prophet and Messenger and revealed the Quran to him
as the final revelation to mankind. Allaah said that He perfected His
religion and called it Islam )see Quran 5:3(. Islam means peaceful
submission to the Will of Allaah.
Derek: I see.
'Abdullaah: Yes, and unfortunately, most Christians don't know or
they deny that the coming of Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam,is foretold in their scriptures )See Deuteronomy 18:18; 21:21;
Psalms 118: 22-23; Isaiah 42:1-13; Habakuk 3:3-4; Matthew 21:42-43;
John 14:12-17, 15:26,27; 16:5-16(. Muslim theologians have stated
that the person who is described by Jesus, may Allaah exalt his
mention, to come after him )in the above verses( is
Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam.
Derek: O.K. Fine, but why was there a need for another
Prophet after Jesus and another revelation after the Bible?
'Abdullaah: All of the Prophets came to teach their peoples the
Oneness of God. In the case of Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention,
he was only sent as Messenger to the lost sheep of the house of Israel
)see Matt. 15:24(. What happened was that all of these Prophets were
not well received by the majority of the people. For instance, they
started tampering with the teachings of Moses and Jesus, may Allaah
exalt their mention )see Quran 2:79(. That is why Allaah sent
Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,with the last Message, )i.e.,
the Quran(, to bring all of mankind back to the belief in and worship
of One God, without partners or intermediaries.
Derek: Is the Quran similar to the Bible? I mean, what is
it composed of?
'Abdullaah: The Quran came as the last code emphasizing the same
pure monotheistic teachings of Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention,
defending all the previous pure teachings of monotheistic beliefs and
clarifying who Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention, was and who his
mother was, showing that they were no more than great people.
Derek: O.K then, how can we be sure that the Quran has
remained the same since the time of Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam?
'Abdullaah: Allaah Himself has guaranteed that He would guard the
Quran and keep it free from corruption )see Quran 15:9(. Hence, the
real and pure words of Allaah are found in the Quran which was
revealed in Arabic, the language of the people of Muhammad,sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam. Since then, not an iota has changed. This is
unlike what has happened in the other religions. For example, if you
look at the Bible you find a lot of versions; the name Bible itself is
indicative of those changes because Bible means a collection of books
from different writers.
Derek: But didn't God call it the Bible?
'Abdullaah: God calls the Scripture revealed to Jesus "Injeel" in
the Quran, for which the closest name in the Bible would be the word
Gospel. The Bible was written many years after the time of Jesus, may
Allaah exalt his mention, in a language that was alien to Jesus -- it
was Latin Vulgate, a language that he never spoke. Isn't this
strange? Interestingly, most of what was written in the New Testament
was authored by Paul, who, according to James, the brother of Jesus in
the Bible, had a polluted mind because he changed and contradicted
most of the teachings of Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention.
Derek: I think you know more about Christianity than the Pope does!
'Abdullaah: You are wrong by saying that I know more than the
Pope. I have simply investigated the Bible with an inquiring mind,
which is something that all Christians should do.
Derek: Is there any English version of the Holy Quran?
'Abdullaah: There are many translations of the meanings of the
Quran. The Quran was revealed in Arabic, which means that the words
of Allaah are in Arabic. The translations are the words of human
beings relating to the meanings of the Quran to the non-Arabic
speaking masses.
Derek: How does the Quran define God to mankind or how does
the Muslim perceive God?
'Abdullaah: God is the One and Only True God, and the Creator of
all. He does not beget nor is He begotten. He is unlike His creation
in every respect. He is the All-Knowing, The Powerful, The Merciful,
The Irresistible, and The King of kings.
Derek: But it is somehow difficult for me to perceive God as
being the same as His creatures.
'Abdullaah: You are absolutely right to have difficulty perceiving
this, because human beings have a limited capacity. This is why
Allaah sent revelations to His Prophets and Messengers to tell us who
He is. So if you want to know who God is, just read the Quran.
Derek: Christians believe that Jesus was sent for the
salvation of all mankind. If this is not true, then the foundation of
Christianity is faulty. Right? What do you think?
'Abdullaah: That's correct. The Christians of today are following
what Paul taught and also tend to follow what the priests tell them to
do instead of following what Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention,
said.
Derek: Kindly explain the concept of salvation through the
crucifixion of Jesus.
'Abdullaah: In Christianity, the Doctrine of Original Sin is the
reason that there is a need for salvation through Jesus' crucifixion.
However, this doctrine was invented by Paul and it is strongly negated
in the Old Testament )see Ezekiel 18:20, Jeremiah 31:30, Deut. 24:16(.
This doctrine is an attempt to escape the responsibility of
righteousness with the belief that punishment is given to someone else
to release us from our burden of sins )see Ephesians 1:7, Romans 4:25,
10:9,Corinthians 15:21(. In the Quran, every soul is responsible for
its own deeds, good or bad )see Quran 74:38, 41:46, 3:25, 6:154(.
Derek: What about the crucifixion itself?
'Abdullaah: The Bible says Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention,
cried out in a loud voice beseeching God for help on the cross: "My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" )Matt. 27:46( Does that sound
like Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention, to you?
Derek: No, then what about Jesus' appearance to his
disciples after the crucifixion?
'Abdullaah: Jesus didn't die on the cross nor was he resurrected.
If he were resurrected, then he would have come to his disciples in a
spiritual body. As shown in Luke 24:36-43, he met them with his
physical body after the event of his alleged crucifixion. In the
Quran, it says that Jesus was not crucified, but it was someone else
who was made to look like him )see Quran 4:15,58(.
Derek: How did the story of the crucifixion of Jesus get
into the Bible then?
'Abdullaah: Once again, Paul was responsible )see Timothy 2:8 and
Romans 5:10(.
Derek: Well, I very deep in my heart, believe that God can
never look like His creation nor does He do what they do. What I
believe is that God is the Perfect One who is very much different from
everything we see or touch. In other words, I think the writer can
never look like his book.
'Abdullaah: You are right. There is nothing comparable to Allaah
)see Quran 112:4(. The Prophets came with a very clear message to
worship God alone, without any partners or intercessors. However,
Paul took pagan beliefs and practices from the Romans and mixed them
with the teachings of Jesus, may Allaah exalt his mention.
Consequently, Paul was mostly responsible for elevating Jesus, may
Allaah exalt his mention, to the status of Son of God )see Acts. 9:20(
and god.
Derek: Yes. Now I remember. The first Commandments is:
"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord."
'Abdullaah: You're right. That's in Mark 12:29. Moreover, the
Quran confirms that God is One )which means(:"Say He is Allaah, the
One and Only )God(."]Quran 112:1[
Derek: What you are saying makes perfect sense. This is
just incredible! You mean that for almost 2000 years what the
Christians have been following is wrong?
'Abdullaah: Yes, especially their misunderstanding of who Jesus was.
Derek: Oh my God! I've been deceived! Really, I feel
religiously raped. I have been fooled simply because I followed
blindly the religion that I was born with and didn't take care to
investigate it thoroughly. But still inside me there is something
holding me back from accepting Islam, even though Islam is clearly the
True Religion.
'Abdullaah: Your last comment shows that you are a Muslim not a
Christian and if you really love God and His Messenger Jesus, may
Allaah exalt his mention, you will follow Islam and Prophet
Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Break this barrier inside you
and come back to the way of your ancestors. You are now free because
you are looking for the Truth and our great Prophet Jesus, may Allaah
exalt his mention, told us that we should look for the Truth and the
Truth will set us free. So you will be a free man as soon as you
accept it. Be strong enough to accept Islam as the Truth, without any
hesitation on your part and you will taste real freedom and real
happiness that you have never tasted before.
Derek: Frankly, I am concerned about the negative way Islam
and Muslims are shown in the media. In the West, there is a stigma
attached to being a Muslim and I'm not sure I'm ready to live with
that stigma.
'Abdullaah: This is why I have chosen to tell people about the
right picture of Islam.
Derek: Then, what is the right picture of Islam?
'Abdullaah: The right picture of Islam is conveyed in the Quran
which is exemplified by Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam. The reality is that it is not fair to judge a religion by the
actions of its followers alone, because there are good and bad
followers in every religion. The correct thing to do is to judge a
religion by its documented revelation from God and the Prophet who
brought that revelation.
Derek: I see. I agree with you, but I'm still concerned
about the reaction of my family and friends if they know that I am a
Muslim.
'Abdullaah: Brother, on Judgment Day, no one will be able to help
you, not even your father, mother or any of your friends )see Quran
31:33(. So if you believe that Islam is the true religion, you should
embrace it and live your life to please the One Who created you. Be
an illuminating torch for them. Do not delay your coming to Islam.
If you die before becoming a Muslim, then it's too late )see Quran
2:132, 3:102, 3:85(. So grab this opportunity now. You can only
remedy this pain inside you by becoming a Muslim and being able in the
future, God willing, to come and perform pilgrimage )Hajj(.
Derek: You are very wise man. I want to say that when I
sometimes see on the satellite, especially in the season of Hajj,
people of different colors and different races sitting side by side
and praying to God, I feel a pain deep inside my heart and I feel
something urging me to talk with someone to know more about that great
religion that can gather all the races in the same place. Thanks to
you, I have found that person. So please help me become a Muslim!
'Abdullaah: Brother, let us take it step by step. First, enter
Islam by saying:I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship
except Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and
Messenger.I bear witness that Jesus is His Prophet and Messenger. Let
us say this again:I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship
except Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and
Messenger.I bear witness that Jesus is His Prophet and Messenger.
DerekI bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except
Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and
Messenger.I bear witness that Jesus is His Prophet and Messenger
'Abdullaah: By the way, Jesus' name is not Jesus. It is a
Latinized name. His real name is 'Eesaa. Now you will say the same
thing in Arabic, the language of the Quran. I will transliterate for
you:Ash'hadu an laa ilaahaa illallaah, wa ash'hadu anna Muhammadun
rasoolullaah, wa ash'hadu anna 'Eesaa 'abdullaahi wa rasooluhu.
Derek:Ash'hadu an laa ilaahaa illallaah, wa ash'hadu anna muhammadun
rasoolullaah, wa ash'hadu anna 'Eesaa 'abdullaahi wa rasooluhu.
'Abdullaah: Brother, say Allaah is the greatest because you are a
Muslim now. You are not a Christian anymore. You are in the House of
Islam. If I were with you, I would hug you as my brother in Islam.
How do you feel now? A burden has been removed from you and you feel
like you are so light. Isn't this right?
Derek: If you were with me now, you would have seen my
tears reaching my neck. You are a great brother. I feel that I have
just come to life. This is exactly how I feel from now. I don't have
to listen to the words of the priests in the church, who knowingly or
unknowingly lead people astray. I hope to be a good servant of
Allaah.
'Abdullaah: You know what came out of you was disbelief and it was
replaced by belief. You are so clean now, because when someone
embraces Islam sincerely, Allaah forgives all of his past sins. So,
go to an Islamic center that has Muslims from all over the world and
announce your Islam there and continue to learn more about Islam from
them. In addition, find a book on prayer in Islam and practice it.
This is essential. Now after you are through with me, you must take a
shower to purify yourself from previous wrong beliefs. Remember to
stay away from bad company and be with righteous Muslim people. Also,
beware of those so-called Muslims who call to nationalistic ideas or
racial thoughts, which are rejected in Islam. I love you as a brother
in Islam and I hope one day I will see you and hear your voice.
Derek: I will for sure do what you have asked. And tomorrow
I will go to the Islamic center. Thank you for showing me the Truth.
I will do my best to meet people who know about Islam for sure. May
God help you guide more and more people to the true word of God.
There is no God but Allaah and Muhammad is his Apostle ... Well it is as
difficult for me as it is for you to leave you.
'Abdullaah: Well brother, you will not leave me for a long time.
I will soon be with you through my supplications, God willing. Pray
for me, brother.
Derek: Well, I thank you, I love you although I do not know
you yet. But it is enough for me to remember that one day, a very dear
man has picked me up from the mud of life. Please teach me another
Islamic word in Arabic so as to make use of it in the Islamic center.
'Abdullaah:As-Salaamu 'Alaykum Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh
and Astaghfirullaah.
Derek: What do they mean?
'Abdullaah: May the Peace, Mercy and Blessing of Allaah be upon
you. This is used as a greeting to all Muslims. The last word means,
Allaah forgive me. Well, I have to leave you now but be sure it will
not be for long.
Derek: Assalaamu 'Alaykum Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh and
Astaghfirullaah for being astray from the Truth all those years. May
God bless you. You have occupied a great place in my heart and I will
never forget you. Bye and talk to you later. Your brother in Islam,
Derek, but I will call myself 'Eesaa from now on.
'Abdullaah: O.K. 'Eesaa. I will leave you some final words of
inspiration. Certainly, the ultimate goal of every individual is to
be in Paradise forever. This reward of Paradise is too great to not
have a price. That price is true faith, which is proven obedience to
Allaah and following theSunnahof Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam. This is the road to Paradise. Let's stay in touch!
Assalamu Alaykum!
Derek: O.K. Assalaamu Alaykum Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh.

Welcome to Islam, - * I had not gone shopping for a new religion

After twenty-five years a writer in America, I wanted something to
soften my cynicism. I was searching for new terms by which to see. The
way one is raised establishes certain needs in this department. From a
pluralist background, I naturally placed great stress on the matters
of racism and freedom.
Then, in my early twenties, I had gone to live in Africa for three
years. During this time, which was formative for me, I did rubbed
shoulders with blacks of many different tribes, with Arabs, Berbers,
and even Europeans, who were Muslims. By and large these people did
not share the Western obsession with race as a social category. In our
encounters being oddly coloured rarely mattered. I was welcomed first
and judged on merit later. By contrast, Europeans and Americans,
including many who are free of racist notions, automatically class
people racially. Muslims classified people by their faith and their
actions. I found this transcendent and refreshing. Malcolm X saw his
nation's salvation in it. "America needs to understand Islam," he
wrote, "because this is the one religion that erases from its society
the race problem".
I was looking for an escape route, too, from the isolating terms of a
materialistic culture. I wanted access to a spiritual dimension, but
the conventional paths I had known as a boy were closed. My father had
been a Jew; my mother Christian. Because of my mongrel background, I
had a foot in two religious camps. Both faiths were undoubtedly
profound. Yet the one that emphasizes a chosen people I found
insupportable; while the other, based in a mystery, repelled me. A
century before, my maternal great--grandmother's name had been set in
stained glass at the high street Church of Christ in Hamilton, Ohio.
By the time I was twenty, this meant nothing to me.
These were the terms my early life provided. The more I thought about
it now, the more I returned to my experiences in Muslim Africa. After
two return trips to Morocco, in 1981 and 1985, I came to feel that
Africa, the continent, had little to do with the balanced life I found
there. It was not, that is, a continent I was after, nor an
institution, either. I was looking for a framework I could live with,
a vocabulary of spiritual concepts applicable to the life I was living
now. I did not want to "trade in" my culture. I wanted access to new
meanings.
After a mid-Atlantic dinner I went to wash up in the bathroom. During
my absence a quorum of Hasidim lined up to pray outside the door. By
the time I had finished, they were too immersed to notice me. Emerging
from the bathroom, I could barely work the handle. Stepping into the
aisle was out of the question.
I could only stand with my head thrust into the hallway, staring at
the congregation's backs. Holding palm-size prayer books, they cut an
impressive figure, tapping the texts on their breastbones as they
divined. Little by little the movements grew erratic, like a mild,
bobbing form of rock and roll. I watched from the bathroom door until
they were finished, then slipped back down the aisle to my seat.We
landed together later that night in Brussels. Reboarding, I found a
discarded Yiddish newspaper on a food tray. When the plane took off
for Morocco, they were gone.
I do not mean to imply here that my life during this period conformed
to any grand design. In the beginning, around 1981, I was driven by
curiosity and an appetite for travel. My favourite place to go, when I
had the money, was Morocco. When I could not travel, there were books.
This fascination brought me into contact with a handful of writers
driven to the exotic, authors capable of sentences like this, by Freya
Stark:
The perpetual charm of Arabia is that the traveler finds his level
there simply as a human being; the people's directness, deadly to the
sentimental or the pedantic, like the less complicated virtues; and
the pleasantness of being liked for oneself might, I think, be added
to the five reasons for travel given me by Sayyid Abdulla, the
watchmaker; "to leave one's troubles behind one; to earn a living; to
acquire learning; to practise good manners; and to meet honourable
men".
I could not have drawn up a list of demands, but I had a fair idea of
what I was after. The religion I wanted should be to metaphysics as
metaphysics is to science. It would not be confined by a narrow
rationalism or traffic in mystery to please its priests. There would
be no priests, no separation between nature and things sacred. There
would be no war with the flesh, if I could help it. Sex would be
natural, not the seat of a curse upon the species. Finally, I did want
a ritual component, daily routine to sharpen the senses and discipline
my mind. Above all, I wanted clarity and freedom. I did not want to
trade away reason simply to be saddled with a dogma.
The more I learned about Islam, the more it appeared to conform to
what I was after. Most of the educated Westerners I knew around this
time regarded any strong religious climate with suspicion. They
classified religion as political manipulation, or they dismissed it as
a medieval concept, projecting upon it notions from their European
past.
It was not hard to find a source for their opinions. A thousand years
of Western history had left us plenty of fine reasons to regret a path
that led through so much ignorance and slaughter. From the Children's
Crusade and the Inquisition to the transmogrified faiths of nazism and
communism during our century, whole countries have been exhausted by
belief. Nietzsche's fear, that the modern nation-state would become a
substitute religion, have proved tragically accurate. Our century, it
seemed to me, was ending in an age beyond belief, which believers
inhabited as much as agnostics.
Regardless of church affiliation, secular humanism is the air
westerners breathe, the lens we gaze through. Like any world view,
this outlook is pervasive and transparent. It forms the basis of our
broad identification with democracy and with the pursuit of freedom in
all its countless and beguiling forms. Immersed in our shared
preoccupations, one may easily forget that other ways of life exist on
the same planet.
At the time of my trip, for instance, 650 million Muslims with a
majority representation in forty-four countries adhered to the formal
teachings of Islam. In addition, about 400 million more were living as
minorities in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Assisted by postcolonial
economics, Islam has become in a matter of thirty years a major faith
in Western Europe. Of the world's great religions, Islam alone was
adding to its fold.
My politicized friends were dismayed by my new interest. They all but
universally confused Islam with the machinations of half a dozen
middle eastern tyrants. The books they read, the new broadcasts they
viewed depicted the faith as a set of political functions. Almost
nothing was said of its spiritual practice. I liked to quote Mae West
to them: "Anytime you take religion for a joke, the laugh's on you".
Historically a Muslim sees Islam as the final, matured expression of
an original religion reaching back to Adam. It is as resolutely
monotheistic as Judaism, whose major Prophets Islam reveres as links
in a progressive chain, culminating in Jesus and Muhammad. Essentially
a message of renewal, Islam has done its part on the world stage to
return the forgotten taste of life's lost sweetness to millions of
people. Its book, the Qur'an, caused Goethe to remark, "You see, this
teaching never fails; with all our systems, we cannot go, and
generally speaking no man can go, further".
Traditional Islam is expressed through the practice of five pillars.
Declaring one's faith, prayer, charity, and fasting are activities
pursued repeatedly throughout one's life. Conditions permitting, each
Muslim is additionally charged with undertaking a pilgrimage to Mecca
once in a lifetime. The Arabic term for this fifth rite is Hadj.
Scholars relate the wto the concept of kasd, "aspiration," and to the
notion of men and women as travelers on earth. In Western religions
pilgrimage is a vestigial tradition, a quaint, folkloric concept
commonly reduced to metaphor. Among Muslims, on the other hand, the
hadj embodies a vital experience for millions of new pilgrims every
year. In spite of the modern content of their lives, it remains an act
of obedience, a profession of belief, and the visible expression of a
spiritual community. For a majority of Muslims the hadj is an ultimate
goal, the trip of a lifetime.
As a convert I felt obliged to go to Makkah. As an addict to travel I
could not imagine a more compelling goal.The annual, month-long fast
of Ramadan precedes the hadj by about one hundred days. These two
rites form a period of intensified awareness in Muslim society. I
wanted to put this period to use. I had read about Islam; I had joined
a Mosque near my home in California; I had started a practice. Now I
hoped to deepen what I was learning by submerging myself in a religion
where Islam infuses every aspect of existence.
I planned to begin in Morocco, because I knew that country well and
because it followed traditional Islam and was fairly stable. The last
place I wanted to start was in a backwater full of uproarious
sectarians. I wanted to paddle the mainstream, the broad, calm water.

Pilgrimage, - Dought & clear, - * He is going to form the intention to do a second ‘umrah when he is in Jeddah;where should he enter ihramfrom?

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I am going to go from al-Jawf to perform ‘umrah, then go to Jeddah to meet my mother on the same day; she is coming from Egypt. Then I will form the intention to enter ihram again to perform ‘umrah with my mother. Where should I enter ihram for the second time – in Jeddah or in at-Tan‘eem?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
What is required of the one who sets out for Makkah to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah is to enter ihram from the miqaat that he passes through or comes in line with. It is not permissible for him to go beyond that point without entering ihram. If he is closer [to Makkah] than that, then his miqaat is the place from which he sets out, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, when he defined the miqaats: “They are for them and besides them for those who come through those places with the intention of performing Hajj and 'Umrah; and whoever is living within these boundaries can enter ihraam from the place he sets out, and the people of Makkah can start from Makkah”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1524) from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him).
Based on that, what you must do is enter ihram from the miqaat through which you pass or with which you come in line on your way from al-Jawf to Makkah.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
Whoever passes through one of the miqaats that are proven from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or comes in line with it by air or land or sea, intending to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, it is obligatory for him to enter ihram. If he is not intending to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, then he does not have to enter ihram. If he passes it without intending to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, then he sets out for Hajj or ‘Umrah from Makkah or Jeddah, then he should enter ihram from wherever he sets out from in Makkah or Jeddah, for example. In the case of ‘umrah, if he sets out for it from outside the Haram zone, he should enter ihram for it from where he sets out, but if he sets out for it from within the Haram zone, he has to go out to the nearest point outside the Haram zone and enter ihram from there for ‘Umrah. This is the basic principle with regard to this matter. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/122)
Secondly:
With regard to the second ‘umrah that you are intending to do from Jeddah, you can enter ihram for it from Jeddah, and you do not have to go to at-Tan‘eem, because at-Tan‘eem is not specified as a place to enter ihram. Rather it is a place outside the Haram zone to which a resident of Makkah goes to in order to enter ihram for ‘umrah, but if he goes out in a different direction beyond the Haram zone and enters ihram for ‘umrah from there, that is valid.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If a person wants to perform ‘umrah from Makkah, he should go out of the Haram zone and enter ihram from there, such as at-Tan‘eem, al-Ji‘raanah and so on, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed ‘Aa’ishah, when she was in Makkah and wanted to perform ‘umrah, to go out to at-Tan‘eem and enter ihram from there. End quote.
Majmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz(17/41)
If a person goes out to Jeddah, and wants to perform ‘umrah, he may enter ihram from Jeddah.
The scholars of the Standing Committee also said:
If you set out for ‘umrah from Jeddah, then enter ihram from Jeddah.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/136)
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Jeddah is not a miqaat for those coming from further afield; rather it is a miqaat for those who live there and for those who come there not intending to do Hajj or ‘Umrah, then they set out for Hajj and ‘Umrah from there.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz(17/34)
Thirdly:
Doing a second ‘umrah on the same day or soon after doing your first ‘umrah is not in accordance with the Sunnah and it was not the practice of the early generations; rather your first ‘umrah that you did from al-Jawf is sufficient for you.
If you want to do your ‘umrah with your mother, then you can delay your ‘umrah; you can come from al-Jawf and enter ihram at the miqaat at which the people of al-Jawf enter ihram, then go to Jeddah and meet your mother, and you can delay your ‘umrah so that you can accompany her.
Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said inMajmoo‘ al-Fataawa(26/45):
Hence the more correct view according to our companions is that which was narrated from Ahmad, that he did not regard it as mustahabb to do ‘umrah repeatedly, either from Makkah or elsewhere. Rather there should be a period of time between each two ‘umrahs, even if it is only enough time for his hair to regrow so that he will be able to shave it.
And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, - Dought & clear, - * Various issues concerning Hajj and ‘Umrah

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Allah has blessed me and I have been chosen to be among the doctors who will be sent with the Egyptian group to care for pilgrims to the House of Allah, and by Allah’s leave I will perform Hajj this year. I have been allocated to the clinic in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. The journey from Egypt will be directly to Madinah, and I will stay there until the eighth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah. I am going to do ‘Umrah before Hajj, then do Hajj, then return to Madinah until it is time to go home.
My questions are as follows:
1. What is the wording of the niyyah (intention) and Talbiyah for Hajj and ‘Umrah?
2. What is the miqaat for entering ihram, seeing that I do not know when I will be doing ‘Umrah?
3. If I am doing tamattu‘ [doing ‘umrah followed by Hajj, exiting ihram in between], what is the latest time I can perform ‘Umrah in Dhu’l-Hijjah before the 8th or 9th?
4. Is it permissible to do ‘Umrah after Hajj in the case of qiraan [doing ‘umrah and Hajj together, without exiting ihram in between] or tamattu‘, if I cannot do it before Hajj?
5. Is it permissible to do more than one ‘Umrah, either before or after Hajj? Please note that I will stay for a while after Hajj is over.
6. Someone asked me to convey his salaam to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); is that permissible?
7. One of my acquaintances asked me to do ‘Umrah for her and give the reward thereof to her as a gift. Please note that she is physically in good shape, and I do not know whether she would be able to afford the expenses of ‘Umrah or not, but she cannot ask her husband to do ‘Umrah.
8. I am not going to pay for the expenses of this Hajj out of my own pocket; rather on the contrary I will receive some payment. Will I have performed my (obligatory) Hajj, or should it be from my own money?
Praise be to Allah.
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There is a difference between the niyyah (intention) and the Talbiyah with regard to the pilgrimage. The place for the niyyah is in the heart and it should not be uttered out loud. It is obligatory in the case of Hajj and other acts of worship. As for the Talbiyah, it is mustahabb according to some scholars and is obligatory according to others. It is prescribed for the pilgrim in ihram to say it out loud. The purpose of the Talbiyah is to define the type of pilgrimage. The one who wants to do ‘Umrah says in his Talbiyah: “Labbayk Allahumma ‘umratan(Here I am, O Allah, for ‘umrah)” and the one who wants to do Hajj says in his Talbiyah: “Labbayk Allahummah Hajjan(Here I am, O Allah, for Hajj”). The one who wants to do Hajj and ‘umrah together says “Labbayk Allahumma ‘umratan wa hajjan(Here I am, O Allah, for ‘umrah and Hajj).”
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It should be noted that the place for the intention is the heart. It is not Sunnah for a person to say “O Allah, I have intended to do ‘Umrah” or “I have intended to do Hajj”, because there is no report to that effect from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Rather he should say Talbiyah based on what he intends. The Talbiyah is not regarded as expressing the intention, because the Talbiyah signifies responding to Allah, so in and of itself it is dhikr which is not expressing the intention in the heart.
End quote fromash-Sharh al-Mumti‘(2/291)
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 31821
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So long as you are going to travel from your country, Egypt, directly to al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, then you should enter ihram from the miqaat of Madinah, which is Dhu’l-Hulayfah. You do not have to enter ihram for Hajj or ‘Umrah from Egypt, or from the time you arrive in Madinah. Rather when you decide to travel to Makkah, you should enter ihram from the miqat of the people of Madinah.
For more information, please see the answers to questions no. 135298and 96758
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It is preferable to do the ‘umrah of Tamattu‘ before Duha (mid-morning) on the 8thof Dhu’l-Hijjah (Yawm at-Tarwiyah), because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“…whosoever performs the Umrah in the months of Hajj, before (performing) the Hajj, (i.e. Hajj-at-Tamattu‘ and Al-Qiran)…” [al-Baqarah 2:196]. So tamattu‘ ends with Hajj, and the deeds of Hajj begin on the eighth day (of Dhu’l-Hijjah).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it valid to do tamattu‘ after the time for Hajj begins, i.e., after Zuhr on the eighth?
He (may Allah have mercy on him) replied: Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“…whosoever performs the Umrah in the months of Hajj, before (performing) the Hajj, (i.e. Hajj-at-Tamattu‘ and Al-Qiran)…” [al-Baqarah 2:196]. This indicates that ‘umrah should be done before the time for Hajj comes. So if you come to Makkah on the eighth, then you have only two choices: ifraad (doing Hajj only) or qiraan.
As for tamattu‘, the time for it has ended. The individual should not let himself be distracted from going out to Mina, because when the time of Duha comes on the eighth, what he is required to do is be in Mina, but if he does ‘Umrah that will take time away from the time of Hajj. That is because the time of Hajj begins at Duha (mid-morning) on the eighth, as the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) entered ihram at that time. If a person comes late, then what I prefer in his case is that he should do Hajj on its own (ifraad), or Hajj and ‘umrah together (qiraan). As for tamattu‘, it is not an option in this case.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(22/52)
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Doing ‘umrah after Hajj with the intention of tamattu‘ or qiraan is not valid, because ‘umrah of tamattu‘, according to the Qur’anic text, can only come before Hajj; Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“…whosoever performs the Umrah in the months of Hajj, before (performing) the Hajj, (i.e. Hajj-at-Tamattu‘ and Al-Qiran)…” [al-Baqarah 2:196]. When the time for Hajj begins, if the pilgrim has not done ‘umrah before that, then he has missed out on tamattu‘. Moreover he cannot do ‘umrah after Hajj with the intention of Hajj qiraan. If he does that, his Hajj and ‘umrah cannot be regarded as having been done together; rather he has done Hajj separately and ‘umrah separately. But he can do Hajj qiraan and combine the two rituals in his intention and in his Talbiyah, by saying “Labbayk Allahumma Hajjan wa ‘umratan(Here I am, O Allah, for Hajj and ‘umrah)”, and also in his actions.
This is the best option for him if he has missed tamattu‘. Rather some of the scholars regarded it as the best way of combining the two. Whatever the case, it is preferable to Hajj ifraad, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on that point.
Moreover, when he does his Hajj, he will be able to combine Hajj and ‘umrah (qiraan), because he will do the actions once and not distinguish between them. In that case he should not think that he has missed out on ‘umrah if he is doing qiraan.
He also has the option of doing the third type of pilgrimage, which is to do Hajj on its own (ifraad). This is the least favoured option, because it involves the least actions. Those who do tamattu‘ and qiraan do two pilgrimages, whereas the one who does ifraad does only one.
With regard to the issue of doing ‘umrah before or after Hajj, please see the answers to questions no. 174622and 126752
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Requesting the one who is travelling to the Prophet’s Mosque to convey salaam to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is something that is not prescribed in Islam; it was not part of the practice of the righteous early generations, namely the Sahaabah and Taabi‘een. Moreover, our blessings (salawaat) upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reach him no matter where we are. Abu Dawood (2042) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not make your houses graves and do not make my grave a place of regular visitation. Send blessings (salaah) upon me, for your blessing will reach me no matter where you are.” If our blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reach him no matter where we are, there is no point in sending salaams to him with someone else.
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 69807
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Doing ‘umrah on behalf of someone else is permissible if that other person is unable to do it because of old age or sickness from which there is no hope of recovery, or if he is deceased.
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked: I want to go on ‘umrah to the Sacred House of Allah, then when I have finished my ‘umrah, I want to do ‘umrah on behalf of my parents – who are both still alive, praise be to Allah, and on behalf of their fathers – who have both died, may Allah have mercy on them. Is this valid on my part, or not?
They replied:
When you have done ‘umrah on your own behalf, it is permissible for you to do ‘umrah on behalf of your mother and father, if they are unable to do it because of old age or sickness from which there is no hope of recovery. It is also permissible for you to do ‘umrah on behalf of your parents’ fathers who have died.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/80-81)
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 10318and 65641.
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It is not essential in the case of Hajj for it to be done only with the pilgrim’s own money. If he does Hajj at the expense of someone else, his Hajj is valid and the obligation has been fulfilled.
The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked: What is the ruling on one who does Hajj at the expense of the ruler? That is if one of the rulers wants to give his subjects some money and he says to them: Do Hajj with this money. Is it permissible for them to do Hajj with it, or not? If they do Hajj with it, have they fulfilled the Islamic obligation to do Hajj? Please provide evidence for what you say.
They replied: It is permissible for them to do that, and their Hajj is valid, because of the general meaning of the evidence.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/36).
Similar to that, and in fact more appropriately so, is the case of one who works during Hajj in order to earn money, and also does Hajj. There is nothing wrong with him doing that, so long as he is not distracted from the actions of Hajj.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Trade is not haraam, but a person should not do any work that distracts him from Hajj.
End quote fromal-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Fiqhiyyahby al-Ba‘li (115)
And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, - Dought & clear, - * Ruling on praying in ihram garments and delaying exiting from ihram after ‘umrah

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if a person goes to perform the rituals of ‘umrah, and he reaches his home at dawn on Friday, is it permissible for him, after completing the rituals of ‘umrah, to wait in the mosque in ihram, without doing ghusl, until he prays Jumu‘ah, or does he have to exit ihram and do ghusl?
Also, with regard to praying Jumu‘ah in al-Masjid al-Haraam, is it better to be close to the Ka‘bah or to the imam?
I hope that you can tell us some of the rulings on al-Masjid al-Haraam.
Praise be to Allah.
It is permissible for the one who is doing ‘umrah, after he has circumambulated the Ka‘bah (tawaaf) and gone between as-Safa and al-Marwah (sa‘i) to delay shaving his head or cutting his hair, on condition that he does not do any of the things that are prohibited whilst in the state of ihraam, such as covering his head, putting on perfume, trimming his nails or any of the other prohibited actions, until he exits ihram following ‘umrah by shaving his head or cutting his hair. For more information, please see the answer to question no. 138178.
But if he has shaved his head or cut his hair, then he has in fact exited ihram following his ‘umrah, regardless of whether or not he has changed out of his ihram garments, and it is permissible for him to do all of the things that had been prohibited to him because of ihram.
With regard to hastening to change his clothes or otherwise, that depends on his circumstances and what is easiest for him. However it is preferable for him to take off the ihram garments and put on his usual garments, so that he will be able to offer his prayers and go about all of his business comfortably, with no difficulty.
Secondly:
The Sunnah on Friday is for the Muslim to do ghusl, put on perfume, and wear his best clothes, because the Prophet (lettings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does ghusl on Friday, puts on his best clothes, puts on perfume if he has any, then comes to Jumu‘ah and does not step over the people’s necks, then prays what Allah has ordained for him, then listens attentively when his imam comes out, until he has finished the prayer, it will be expiation for whatever came between it and the previous Jumu‘ah.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood (290). Classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani inSaheeh Sunan Abi Dawood.
Based on that, it is better and more appropriate, if there is no great difficulty involved, for him to hasten to exit ihram following his ‘umrah, and to prepare for Jumu‘ah prayer by doing ghusl, putting on perfume, and putting on his best clothes.
Thirdly:
It is mustahabb for the worshipper to be close to the imam during his khutbah, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does ghusl and causes his wife to do ghusl, then comes early, walking and not riding, and sits close to the imam, then he listens and does not engage in idle speech, for every step he will have the reward of one year’s fasting and praying qiyaam.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood (292); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Jaami‘(6405)
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is mustahabb to be close to the imam because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does ghusl and causes his wife to do ghusl, then comes early, walking and not riding, and sits close to the imam, then he listens and does not engage in idle speech, for every step he will have the reward of one year’s fasting and praying qiyaam.”
End quote from al-Mughni (2/103)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Undoubtedly sitting close to the imam, in al-Masjid al-Haraam or elsewhere, is better than being far away from him.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(13/30).
Based on that, being close to the imam is better than being close to the Ka‘bah.
Fourthly:
One of the unique characteristics of al-Masjid al-Haraam, is that it is the best of mosques and the greatest in reward for the one who prays in it, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “One prayer in al-Masjid al-Haraam is equal to one hundred thousand prayers offered elsewhere.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah (1396); classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him) inSaheeh Ibn Majah
Another of its unique characteristics is that Allah has made it secure, as He, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) focal point for mankind and a place of safety” [al-Baqarah 2:125].
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 3748
There are other rulings having to do with al-Masjid al-Haraam and the Haram (sanctuary) area in general, which the scholars have discussed in their books on the basis of the texts which speak of that. For more information, see the book entitledAhkaam al-Haram al-Makkiby Shaykh Saami ibn Muhammad as-Suqayr, in which he discusses issues and rulings having to do with the sanctuary of Makkah and al-Masjid al-Haraam.
And Allah knows best.

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For children, - Discover the 90/10 Principle this Ramadhan (Ramzan)

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بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيم -
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-Discover the 90/10 Principle this Ramadhan (Ramzan) this Holy month of Ramadhan. It will change your life (at least the way you react to situations).
What is this principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you and 90% of life is decided by how you react.
What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic.
We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.
How? ... By your reaction.
You cannot control a red light, but you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react. Ramadhan fasting teaches you willpower and how to control.
Let's use an example.
You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened.
What happens next will be determined by how you react.
You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 miles/hour speed limit. After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home.
When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.
Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning.
Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is "D".
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.
Here is what could have and should have happened.
Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "Its ok honey, you just need to be more careful next time." Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference?
Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.
Why?
Because of how you REACTED.
You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.
Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle. If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you!
React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.
How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? (A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off) Do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them? WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive?
Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it.
You are told you lost your job.
Why lose sleep and get irritated? It will work out. Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job.
The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take outpour frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on.
Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger. Why get stressed out? It will just make things worse.
Now you know the 90/10 principle. Apply it from this Holy month of Ramadhan and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it. The 90/10 principle is incredible. Very few know and apply this principle.
The result?
Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache. There never seem to be a success in life. Bad days follow bad days. Terrible things seem to be constantly happening. There is constant stress, lack of joy and broken relationships. Worry consumes time. Anger breaks friendships and life seems dreary and is not enjoyed to the fullest. Friends are lost. Life is a bore and often seems cruel. Does this describe you? If so, do not be discouraged.
You can be different!
We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle. It will change our life!
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw)said in his famous Hadith: "... If someone curses you or insults you in this month of Ramadhan, (do not react) but politely tell him that you are fasting."
Note:To derive the maximum benefit from the Holy month of Ramadhan, we can follow the principle of PPP, i.e., to Plan in advance, Prepare to put our plan in action and Pray to Allah (SWT) to help us achieve our goals.
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- /-{Alhamdulillaah}

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Pilgrimage, - Dought & clear, - * He halted in Muzdalifah anddid not complete the rituals of Hajj

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I intended to perform the obligatory Hajj, myself and some of my work colleagues. Please note that I am a resident of Makkah al-Mukarramah. In fact we went out to ‘Arafah, then to Muzdalifah, but there I lost my colleagues, and I did not know the obligatory actions and rituals of Hajj, or what is prohibited during Hajj. When I lost my colleagues with whom I was walking, and who were going to teach me how to do Hajj, I went back to my residence in Makkah and took off my ihram. That was before half of the night had passed, and I did not complete the rest of Hajj.
What is the ruling on that? And what do I have to do?
Praise be to Allah.
What is required of everyone who enters ihram for ‘Umrah or Hajj is to complete the rituals, regardless of whether he started an obligatory or supererogatory (naafil) pilgrimage, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And perform properly (i.e. all the ceremonies according to the ways of Prophet Muhammad blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the Hajj and Umrah (i.e. the pilgrimage to Makkah) for Allah” [al-Baqarah 2:196].
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If a person begins Hajj or ‘Umrah, it is not permissible for him to stop it unless he has an excuse that prevents him from completing the rituals, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And perform properly (i.e. all the ceremonies according to the ways of Prophet Muhammad blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the Hajj and Umrah (i.e. the pilgrimage to Makkah) for Allah . But if you are prevented (from completing them), sacrifice a Hady (animal, i.e. a sheep, a cow, or a camel, etc.) such as you can afford” [al-Baqarah 2:196]. “But if you are prevented” means: if you are prevented from completing the rituals.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(23/438)
Losing your colleagues during Hajj does not come under the heading of being prevented, because you could have completed the rituals without them. What you should have done, once you had decided to do Hajj, was to learn its rulings, especially since you are one of the residents of Makkah and it would not have been difficult for you to learn the rituals before starting it, or to ask about how to complete them after having started.
What you have to do now is the following:
Firstly:
Repent to Allah for having fallen short in performing the rituals in the proper manner because of not having learnt about the religion even though the means of learning were readily available to you.
Secondly:
As you were either doing ifraad (Hajj on its own) or qiraann (Hajj along with ‘Umrah), as appears to be the case from your question, and because the people of Makkah cannot do tamattu‘ (‘umrah followed by Hajj, exiting ihram in between), then there still remains for you to do the pillars or essential parts of Hajj, namely tawaaf al-ifaadah and the sa‘i of Hajj. These essential parts are not waived under any circumstances. Based on that, it is essential for you to do them no matter how long a time has elapsed.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Tawaaf al-ifaadah is one of the pillars or essential parts of Hajj, without which Hajj is not complete. If a person omits it, then his Hajj is not complete and it is essential for him to do it. So he should go back, even if he is in his own country, and do tawaaf al-ifaadah. In this case, so long as he has not yet done that tawaaf, it is not permissible for him to be intimate with his wife, because he has not yet exited completely from his ihram (i.e., the second stage of exiting ihram). That is because he has not exited completely from his ihram until he has done tawaaf al-ifaadah and sa‘i, if he is doing tamattu‘, or if he is doing qiraan or ifraad, but he did not do sa‘i with tawaaf al-qudoom.
End quote fromFataawa Arkaan al-Islam(p. 541)
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: I am one of the residents of Makkah. I did Hajj last year and I did tawaaf, but I did not do sa‘i. What is the ruling?
He replied:
You have to do sa‘i, and this was an error on your part. It is essential to do sa‘i, regardless of whether you are a resident of Makkah or otherwise. It is essential to do sa‘i following tawaaf after coming down from ‘Arafah; you have to do tawaaf and sa‘i. The one who omitted sa‘i must do sa‘i now.
End quote fromFataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn Baaz(17/341)
Thirdly:
You have to offer compensation for the obligatory acts that you omitted until the time for them was over by offering a sacrifice. These acts are: stoning the Jamaraat, staying overnight in Mina during the nights of at-Tashreeq, and offering a sacrifice if your Hajj was qiraan.
As to whether shaving the head or cutting the hair are also included in that, so that you have to do offer a sacrifice, or that is not the case, so you do not have to do that, this is a matter concerning which the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed:
The Hanafis, Maalikis and Hanbalis – according to one report – are of the view that if a person delays shaving his head until the days of sacrifice are over, he has to offer a sacrifice to make up for that delay.
The Shaafa‘is, and the Hanbalis according to another report, are of the view that if he delays shaving his head until the days of tashreeq are over, he does not have to do anything, but any time he does it, it is acceptable, like tawaaf al-ifaadah and sa‘i. The Shaafa‘is stated that it is makrooh to delay it.
See:al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah(10/12-13)
The first view, which is that it is obligatory to offer a sacrifice, was mentioned in fatwas by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen. He (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: A man did ‘Umrah or Hajj, but when shaving his head, he did not shave all of his hair. Several years have passed since his Hajj or ‘Umrah. What is the ruling on that? We would also like to have a guideline on when the pilgrim doing Hajj or ‘Umrah should be instructed, if he has omitted any of the rituals, to go back to Makkah and do them.
He replied: This man has omitted an obligatory act, and omission of obligatory acts requires a fidyah (ransom), which is a sacrifice that should be slaughtered in Makkah and the meat distributed to the poor. Thus his Hajj will become complete.
With regard to things that the pilgrim must make up if he failed to do them, these are the pillars or essential parts of Hajj. As for obligatory acts, if the time for them has ended, he should make up for that by offering a sacrifice.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(22/481)
Fourthly:
With regard to the prohibited acts that you have committed, such as having intercourse before completing your rituals, you do not have to do anything, because what appears to be the case is that you only did that because you were unaware of the ruling.
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 40512and 176329
To sum up:
As well as repenting, you have to hasten to complete your rituals by doing the essential parts that still remain, namely tawaaf al-ifaadah and sa‘i of Hajj. You also have to offer three sacrifices to be slaughtered in the sanctuary and the meat distributed to the poor there, to make up for the obligatory acts that you omitted, namely shaving the head, stoning the Jamaraat and staying overnight in Mina. You should also offer a fourth sacrifice, namely the hadiy if you were doing qiraan. If you cannot afford to do that then you must fast for ten days.
And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, - Dought & clear, - * He did one of the circuits of tawaaf in Hajj going through the Hijr, then he went back to his country

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I went for Hajj a long time ago, and during tawaaf al-ifaadah, in one of the circuits I entered the Hijr, not knowing that it is part of the Ka‘bah. Because I was unsure about that, I asked the people who were with me, and one of them said that the tawaaf was valid, as I had done six circuits correctly, and this is the madhhab of Abu Haneefah. After that I did a number of ‘umrahs in different years. I asked one of the information offices around the Haram about my tawaaf and the shaykh said that it was valid but I should make sure I do it correctly next time. I asked a number of scholars in fatwa centres on the Internet, and the responses varied between suggesting that I have to repeat the tawaaf and offer a sacrifice for having had intercourse with my wife, to another who said that I have to offer a sacrifice only for falling short in some obligatory part of the rituals. And another one said that I do not have to do anything, because I did not do that deliberately.
What should I do?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
The majority of fuqaha’ – the Maalikis, Shaafa‘is and Hanbalis – are of the view that for tawaaf to be valid, it is essential that one should go around the entire Ka‘bah, and that if a person does tawaaf going through the Hijr, his tawaaf does not count, because he has not gone around the entire Ka‘bah as Allah, may He be glorified, enjoined in the verse (interpretation of the meaning):“and circumambulate the Ancient House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah)” [al-Hajj 22:29].
The one who does tawaaf going through the Hijr is only circumambulating part of the Ka‘bah, because the Hijr is part of the Ka‘bah. Based on that, the circuit in which he went through the Hijr is not to be counted.
The view of these scholars is also that tawaaf does not count unless it is seven circuits. If a person omits a circuit, then his tawaaf is not valid.
According to this view, you have to do a number of things:
1. You have to go back to Makkah and do tawaaf al-ifaadah.
2. You have to do the sa‘i of Hajj if you were doing tamattu‘ (‘umrah followed by Hajj, exiting ihram in between), because your sa‘i was done after a tawaaf that was not valid, so it does not count. The same applies if you were doing ifraad (Hajj on its own) or if you were doing qiraan (‘Umrah followed by Hajj without exiting ihram in between,) and you did not do sa‘i after tawaaf al-qudoom.
3. You have to offer a sacrifice for having had intercourse with your wife. According to the Hanbalis you have a choice between slaughtering a sheep, or feeding six poor persons, giving each one a mudd of wheat or half a saa‘ of some other foodstuff, or fasting for three days. A mudd is approximately 750 grams, and half a saa‘ = two mudds.
Al-Mudawwanah(1/425);Mawaahib al-Jaleel(3/70, 72, 73);al-Majmoo‘(8/32);al-Mughni(3/189);Kashshaaf al-Qinaa‘(2/530)
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: … The Hijr should be included in one’s tawaaf, because the Hijr is part of the Ka‘bah. Rather that is so because Allah, may He be exalted, enjoined us to circumambulate the Ka‘bah in its entirety, when He said (interpretation of the meaning):“and circumambulate the Ancient House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah)” [al-Hajj 22:29], and the Hijr is part of it. If a person does not circumambulate it (in its entirety) then his tawaaf is not valid. This is the view of ‘Ata’, Maalik, ash-Shaafa‘i, Abu Thawr and Ibn al-Mundhir. The ashaab ar-ra’y said: If he is in Makkah, he should make up what remains; if he has gone back to Kufah, he has to offer a sacrifice.
End quote fromal-Mughni(3/189)
Secondly:
The Hanafis are of the view that the one who has done most of the circuits of tawaaf has fulfilled the obligation of tawaaf. “Most of the circuits”, in their view, means three circuits and most of the fourth circuit.
In their view, the one who does all of the circuits going through the Hijr has done most of tawaaf and has omitted one quarter of it, because the Hijr is one quarter of the Ka‘bah. Based on that, if a person does six circuits, or he did all of his circuits or some of them going through the Hijr, then he goes back to his country, he has the choice between two options:
1. Going back to Makkah, entering ihram and doing the remaining circuit, and giving charity for the (incomplete) circuit by feeding a poor person, giving him two mudds of wheat
2. Or sending a sheep or appointing a proxy to sacrifice a sheep on his behalf in Makkah, to be given to the poor of the Haram.
The one who had intercourse with his wife after doing this tawaaf does not have to do anything, according to them, because that happened after a valid tawaaf that counts as such.
See:al-Mabsoot(4/43, 46);Badaa’i‘ as-Sanaa’i‘(2/132).
As-Sarkhasi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If a person does the obligatory tawaaf in Hajj and ‘Umrah from inside Hateem (Hijr), he should make up what he omitted, if he is still in Makkah. If he has gone back to his family, then he has to offer a sacrifice, because what was omitted is less (than what he did do), as he only omitted to go around the Hateem.
As we have explained, the one who omits the lesser part of the circuits of tawaaf has to repeat what he omitted. If he does not repeat it, then he has to offer a sacrifice, in our view, and this (the case in question here) is similar to that. However, the best in our view is for him to repeat tawaaf from the beginning, so that he will be paying attention to the sequence established by the Sunnah. But if he repeats it by going around the Hateem only, that is acceptable, because he will have done that which was omitted.
End quote fromal-Mabsoot(4/64)
Thirdly:
The more correct view concerning this matter is the view of the majority of fuqaha’, because the evidence for it is strong. We have mentioned some of this evidence above; there is also the words of the Prophet (lettings and peace of Allah be upon him): “Learn from me your rituals (of Hajj).” This is an explanation of the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“and circumambulate the Ancient House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah)” [al-Hajj 22:29]. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) circumambulated it seven times, all of them going around the Hijr, which indicates that this is what is obligatory and is required of everyone.
Fourthly:
You are currently still in ihram, so it is not permissible for you to have intercourse with your wife until you have exited ihram completely by doing tawaaf and sa‘i.
Fifthly:
The Hanafi view on correcting this tawaaf should not be followed except in the case of one who is unable to go back to Makkah; in his case following this view will give him a way out. So if you cannot go back to Makkah, there is nothing wrong with you following the view of the Hanafi madhhab, which requires you to slaughter a sheep to be distributed to the poor of the Haram, as stated above.
Please see the answers to questions no. 106544and 46597
Sixthly:
The individual has to learn the rulings on acts of worship before doing them, and he should ask scholars about anything he is confused about. He should not ask just anybody, regardless of his level of knowledge and piety. If the person who you asked at that time and who told you about the view of Abu Haneefah was a person who is qualified to issue fatwas, or he was the leader of the group with whom you did Hajj, and you believed that he had a sufficient level of knowledge that qualified him to do that, then you do not have to do anything further and there is no blame on you for following his view and fatwa.
We ask Allah to help and guide us and you.
And Allah knows best.



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Pilgrimage, - Dought & clear, - * Ruling on sa‘i in the new Mas‘aa

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What is the ruling on doing sa‘i in the new Mas‘aa? Because the scholars have differed a great deal concerning that: some of them have said that there is nothing wrong with it, and others have said that it is not permissible to do sa‘i in it for Hajj and ‘Umrah, and the one who does that has not exited from his ‘ihram, and he has to go back and repeat his ‘umrah or Hajj. Some say that he may compensate for his sa‘i by offering a sacrifice, and others refrain from saying anything. What advice can you offer?
Praise be to Allah.
The topic of sa‘i in the new Mas‘aa was put to the Council of Senior Scholars, and they issued a statement as follows:
Statement no. 227, dated 22/2/1427 AH
Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. To proceed:
The Council of Senior Scholars, in its sixty-fourth session, which was held in the city of Riyadh, starting from 18/2/1427 AH, has studied the matter of the expansion of the Mas‘aa from a shar‘i point of view…
The Council examined what it had previously issued in statement no 21, dated 12/11/1393 AH, which stated that it is permissible to do sa‘i on the roof of the Mas‘aa when necessary. It also examined the research done on the topic of the ritual aspects of the Mas‘aa from a shar‘i and historical point of view.
It also examined the fatwa issued by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem Aal ash-Shaykh, the former mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (may Allah have mercy on him) about what has been incorporated into the new renovation of the Mas‘aa and around as-Safa and al-Marwah, based on statements issued by various committees from a number of scholars whom he assigned to study the issue. These scholars were:
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Ibraaheem Aal ash-Shaykh, as-Sayyid ‘Alawi ‘Abbaas al-Maaliki, Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Duhaysh, Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Jaasir, Shaykh Yahya Amaan, Shaykh Muhammad al-Harakaan (may Allah have mercy on them all).
Their task was to follow up on the issue of incorporating what is part of the Mas‘aa and excluding what is not part of it, on the basis of what is stated in the books of scholars of hadith and fiqh, and historians. End quote.
The scholars stated the width of the Mas‘aa in cubits and part-cubits. What was stated formed the limit for its width as mentioned in the books of the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them).
The length of the Mas‘aa is limited by the hills of as-Safa and al-Marwah , and its width is to be controlled by the way it was decided generation after generation, from the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until the present day.
After studying, discussing and debating, the committee determined, on a majority basis that the current space allocated to the Mas‘aa covers all of its land. Therefore it is not permissible to widen it, but in case of necessity it is possible to solve the problem vertically, by adding storeys to the Mas‘aa. And Allah is the source of strength. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.
Based on these two issues:
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The one who wants to do ‘Umrah or Hajj should stipulate a condition when entering ihram: “If something prevents me (from continuing), I will exit ihram from the point where You have prevented me (from continuing).” Then if he can do his sa‘i in the old Mas‘aa, without causing harm to himself or anyone else, then his ritual will be complete, praise be to Allah. If he is not able to do sa‘i, or he is not able to stay long enough to complete his rituals, he may be regarded as having been prevented from completing his rituals, so he may exit ihram of ‘Umrah or Hajj without any penalty, because he stipulated a condition, and there will be no blame on him. This is indicated by the hadith of Dubaa‘ah bint az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with her). Al-Bukhaari (5089) and Muslim (1207) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered upon Dubaa‘ah bint al-Zubayr and said to her: “Perhaps you want to do Hajj?” She said: By Allah, I am often in pain. He said to her: “Go for Hajj but stipulate a condition and say: O Allah, I will exit ihram from the point where You prevent me (from continuing).”
But if he did not stipulate such a condition, then he must offer a compensatory sacrifice for being prevented from completing his rituals, which must be slaughtered before he exits ihram, and the meat distributed to the poor of the Haram. Then he should shave his head or cut his hair.
All of this is based on the well-known view, which is the view of the majority, that sa‘i is a pillar or essential part of Hajj and ‘Umrah.
With regard to the view that sa‘i is obligatory (only, and not a pillar or essential part of the rituals) – which is the view of some of the scholars – it is waived if one is unable to do it, or he may compensate for not doing it by offering a sacrifice.
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If the one who does sa‘i in the new Mas‘aa, was given a fatwa allowing that, then his action is valid and the one who issued that fatwa is responsible for his fatwa.
If he did sa‘i and was unaware of the ruling and followed the sa‘i of the majority of people around him, then he is also excused.
But if he was aware of the ruling, he must repeat sa‘i in the old Mas‘aa, but if he is not able to do so, then he is regarded as having been prevented from completing the rituals and must offer the compensatory sacrifice in Makkah, then exit ihram.
See: the statement of Shaykh ‘Alawi as-Saqqaaf concerning that; it was read to Shaykh ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan al-Barraak and he approved of it and added to it.
And Allah knows best.




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For children, - Ramadan Story: Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Ramadhan Eid

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بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيم -
‎ ‎-
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-It was the day of celebration and a day of rejoicing. There was an air of festivity in the streets of Madina. All the people, both young and old were dressed in their best clothes, especially for this special day of Ramadhan Eid.
As it was time for early morning Ramadhan Eid prayers everyone made their way to an open piece of land on the outskirts of the city of Madina. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) arrived and led the prayers. After they had finished they all greeted each other and everyone was walking back home. The children running and playing in excitement, smiling and laughing, without a care in the world.
As Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) walked back home, he suddenly became aware of a little boy (Zuhair Bin Saghir) sitting by himself on the side of the path. The little boy was crying and looked very sad. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) bent down and patted him on the shoulders and asked 'why are you crying?' 'Please leave me alone' sobbed the little boy. The boy didn't even see who was talking to him. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ran his fingers through the boy's hair and very gently and kindly asked him again why he was crying. This time the boy said, 'My father was martyred fighting, and now my mother has married again and my stepfather does not want me to live at home any more. Today is Ramadhan Eidand everyone is happy. All the children have new clothes and nice things to eat, but I don't have any clothes except what I am wearing. I have no food and I don't even have a place to live.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said to him, 'I know how you feel, I lost both my mother and father when I was a little boy.' The boy was surprised to hear that it was an orphan who was comforting him, and when he looked up to his great surprise it was the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and he immediately jumped up to his feet out of love and respect.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said to him 'If I were to become your new father and my wife you new mother, and my daughter your new sister, would that make you feel better?' 'Oh yes, that would be the best thing in the world!' The boy started smiling. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) took him home and gave him new clothes and good food on this beautiful day of Ramadhan Eid. The boy indeed had a wonderful Ramadhan Eid that day.
Moral:We should think of others that are less fortunate than ourselves on this beautiful day of Ramadhan Eid. Not everyone has such a wonderful day. It is a day of celebration, but take a moment to stop and think of those who are less fortunate than ourselves by following the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
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- /-{Alhamdulillaah}

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Hajj & Umrah, - * Lessons from Hajj and the First Ten Days of Thul-Hijjah

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the Islamic ruling onHajj, its rationale, manners, conditions, description, prohibitions and fruits, although this information is vital for each and every Muslim, especially those who intend to performHajjso that they can perform this act of worship properly. It is also not about the first ten days ofThul-Hijjahand the Islamic rulings about them, although such information is fundamental for every Muslim.
This article addresses the Muslim’s inner dialogue with himself on such great occasions and how to seize them and make full use of them in order to fill his balance of good deeds with abundant rewards beyond words, beyond imagination.
First point of discussion:
The blessed days are approaching; the greatest days in the entire year. Allaah The Exalted Swore by these blessed days in the Quran. Indeed, and He only swears by a great matter. Allaah The Exalted Says )what means(:}By the dawn*And ]by[ ten nights…{]Quran 89:1-5[
According to the correct opinion of scholars, this verse refers to the first ten days ofThul-Hijjah.
This blessed spiritual season witnesses the performance ofHajj, the Day of‘Arafah, Day ofNahr)the 10th day ofThul-Hijjah(, which is the greatest day of the year, the Day of the GreatHajj, the Day of‘Eed Al-Adh-ha, and slaughtering theHady)sacrificial animal( andUdh-hiyah. Moreover, during these blessed days and the following Days ofTashreeq, the pilgrims savor the blessings of being in the best time and the holiest place in the world and spend the best of times. They perform all kinds of worship and righteous deeds with which they can come closer to their Lord, which is a privilege that is not granted to non-pilgrims.
It is recommended for Muslims to carry out righteous deeds whose virtues and rewards are equal to those of a man who participates inJihaad,offering his money and life for the Cause of Allaah and does not return with any of these. Such aMujaahidspends all his money and is granted martyrdom for the Cause of Allaah.
A significant question arises in this regard; should Muslims, males and females, not change their daily routines and lifestyles on these priceless, virtuous, blessed days?
Second point of discussion:
One of the features of change in the Muslim’s daily routine and lifestyle during these blessed days is becoming aware of the greatness and significance ofHajj, whether pilgrims or non-pilgrims. If Muslims ponder overHajj, they would be amazed at the Greatness of Allaah The Exalted and the beauty of His Legislation. Allaah The Exalted, the only deity worthy of worship, created us and set the optimal and perfect legislation andSharee‘ah)Islamic law( for us. He bestowed upon His slaves His mercy and exemption from Hellfire.
This feeling ]of the greatness ofHajj[ embodies the unity of the pilgrims as they collectively walk toAl-Masjid Al-Haraam,circumambulate theKa‘bah, bow down and prostrate themselves before their Lord, performSa‘y, shave or shorten their hair, stand at ‘Arafaat, spend the night in Muzdalifah, throw the pebbles, and slaughter theHady. All the pilgrims perform these rites communally; they offer them to one Lord and have the same aspiration, i.e. attaining the forgiveness of Allaah, exemption from Hellfire, and admittance to Paradise.
All the pilgrims perform the due rituals ofHajjtogether peacefully and safely, enjoying the commendable services offered to them. They race one another in doing righteous deeds in a great picture that is beautifully engraved in our hearts. Allaah The Exalted Says )what means(:}Hajj is ]during[ well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein ]by entering the state of Ihraam[, there is ]to be for him[ no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj.{]Quran 2:197[
Moreover, the Prophet,, said:“Whoever performs Hajj to this House )Ka‘bah( and does not approach his wife for sexual relations nor commits sins )while performingHajj(, he will come out as sinless as a newly-born child )just delivered by his mother(.”
In this spiritually overwhelming experience, hearts are humbled, the eyes shed tears of remorse and the pilgrims are emotionally moved by the greatness of this spiritual experience. This urges pilgrims and non-pilgrims alike to turn to their Lord in repentance, with hearts that are full of remorse, hoping that they would be among the winners to whom Allaah The Exalted would Say on the night of ‘Arafah,“You are forgiven”.
Third point of discussion:
Another aspect of the change that occurs in the Muslims’ ways of life during these blessed days is reflected in their attitudes towards this spiritual season. They know the greatness, virtues, and merits of these blessed days; therefore, they make special plans for spiritual gains and acts of worship so as to do as many righteous deeds as possible and gain as many rewards as possible. The Prophet,, said:“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these days, i.e. the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah.”Some Companions asked,“Not even Jihaad?"The Prophet,, replied:"Not even Jihaad, except a man who goes out )for Jihaad( with his self and his wealth, then he does not return with any from that.”
Among the recommended righteous deeds on these blessed days isThikr)words of remembrance of Allaah The Almighty(:
The most importantThikrto be recited during this spiritual season isTakbeer, Tahleel, and Tahmeed. The Prophet,, said:“There are no days greater in the Sight of Allaah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during this time recite a great deal of Takbeer )saying Allaahu Akbar: Allaah Is The Greatest(, Tahmeed )saying Al-Hamdulillaah: All praise is due to Allaah(, and Tahleel )saying La ilaaha illa Allaah: There is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah( ]on those days[.”
Indeed, the bestThikris the recitation of the Noble Quran and supplications during prayers or at any other time.
Another recommended righteous deed to be done during these blessed days is fasting, especially on the Day of ‘Arafah. It was narrated that fasting the Day of ‘Arafahexpiates the sins of two years; the past and following years. Only the non-pilgrims fast the Day of‘Arafahas the Prophet,, did not fast the Day of ‘Arafahduring the FarewellHajj.
In addition, there are other righteous deeds to be done on these blessed days such as dutifulness to one's parents, maintaining kinship ties, offering charity to the poor and the needy, kindness to relatives, good and kind treatment of others, teaching the ignorant people and guiding those who have gone astray and other good deeds.
One of the commendable good deeds that should be done during this great spiritual season is offering theUdh-hiyah)sacrifice( as it is an act of theSunnah.
Muslims should organize their spiritual and worship plans on these days, chart out a schedule for performing each act of worship and other good deeds and they would find plenty of time and abundant bounty which Allaah The Almighty bestows on them.
Last point of discussion:
It is recommended for Muslims on these blessed ten days to revive and renew their sincerity and devotion in offering their good deeds and acts of worship exclusively and sincerely to Allaah The Exalted. They should hope that their righteous deeds are accepted and turn to their Lord in repentance, relishing the fruits of these righteous deeds in themselves, their

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Hajj & Umrah, - * Hajj: The Global Conference of the Ummah

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global summits and conferences during which presidents and other heads of state meet. Besides, foreign ministers, ministers of defense or others meet during other conferences. In the professional context, there are conferences for physicians, others for engineers and the same for other professions. For each of these conferences, there are authorities that organize them, call for them, determine their places and organize their programs.
Hajjis a great and unique conference for the Muslim nation, and if the nation of Islam realizes and benefits from its merits and goals, its state would be better than it is nowadays.
The invitation to this great conference came from Allaah The Almighty to His Prophet Ibraaheem, the intimate friend of Allaah. Allaah The Exalted Says )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.{]Quran 22:27[ It is a historic and genuine invitation that is not renewed or revoked. The permanent place of holding the conference that never changes is the Sacred House of Allaah and its holy environs that combine divine blessing, historic antiqueness and religious sanctity. The agenda with all the words and deeds contained therein is dictated by virtue of the Order of Allaah The Almighty to Muhammad the Messenger of Allaah,who said:"Learn your rituals from me )by seeing me performing them(."The people invited to this conference are Muslims, whether rulers or ruled, rich or poor, men or women, with no conditions or privileges other than Islam. The only qualification is to be a Muslim –and that is it.
As a result, this conference has been held periodically for thousands of years in the sacred sites. You can see the entire nation of Islam represented in it in various categories such as its rulers, scholars, common masses, leaders, soldiers, men, women, elderly and youth. Can a conference like this be without benefits or impact?
It is a question that should be on the mind of every Muslim and every pilgrim in order to meditate and reflect, then to benefit and work. The following are some reflections on the great conference ofHajj:
*.Every pilgrim travels long distances and crosses many borders. Some pilgrims come from the countries of disbelief or countries of oppression and suppression. All of them strive and suffer in order to reach the sacred sites and participate in the gathering. By crossing all the barriers and overcoming all the difficulties, they declare that the superiority of faith is greater, the caller towards Allaah The Almighty is worthier of being answered, the path of Islam is straighter and that the brothers of faith are nobler.
*.Its unique uniform distinguishes this conference, which is not a condition in other conferences. The pilgrim abandons his ordinary clothes and adornment and devotes himself to Allaah The Almighty. In this way, he declares that this world is not in his heart, that his value lies in the essence not the appearance. He testifies that if the caller to Allaah The Almighty calls and he hears the call to worship, the whole world with its adornments will never act as a barrier in his way; rather, he is ready to relinquish it for the Sake of Allaah The Almighty.
*.This conference reminds the nation to remove all the matters that divide it and to hold firm to the Islamic divine methodology and path. When they makeTawaafaround the honorableKa‘bah,they declare this important principle that makes humble submissive worship to Allaah The Almighty and a continuous relationship with Allaah The Almighty the center of their lives.
*.This conference is an opportunity for setting the general policies of the nation, discussing problems, guiding and instructing through sermons in the season ofHajj, just like the comprehensive and all-inclusive Prophetic sermon in the FarewellHajj.
Finally,Hajjis the season of practically demonstrating the unity of the Islamic nation where differences such as color, race and language dissolve. This unity is with respect to destination and intention, acts and deeds, dress and shape, and standing and movement. In addition, it unites the souls and strengthens ties along with the fulfilling a much greater purpose, which is linking the nation to its Creator, following HisSharee‘ah)Islamic law(, elevating the Islamic standards and abolishing worldly criteria.
Does the Muslim nation realize the importance of these meanings and others? Do individual Muslims know these landmarks? There should be an initiative by the responsible leaders, pious scholars and all Muslims to achieve, along with fulfilling the obligation, the major benefits for the nation that is now suffering woes, defeat and division. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And ]mention, O Muhammad[, when We Designated for Ibraaheem )Abraham( the site of the House, ]saying[, "Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform Tawaaf and those who stand ]in prayer[ and those who bow and prostrate. 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 and mention the Name of Allaah on known days.{]Quran

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Hajj & Umrah, - * The Merits of Hajj

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Among the blessings of Allaah The Almighty upon His slaves is that He ordained for them acts of worship that can reform their souls, likeSalaah)prayer(,Zakaah)obligatory alms(, fasting,Hajj)major pilgrimage( and other such deeds which nurture and purify individuals in all aspects. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Allaah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful{]Quran, 5: 6[All these acts of worship are amongst the best deeds, and Allaah The Almighty honors His slaves by giving them opportunities to do those acts of worship. Allaah The Almighty also elevates the pious amongst His slaves when they perform those good deeds. Acts of worship illuminate hearts, refine souls, reform one’s manners and please Allaah The Almighty. They also elevate one’s rank in Paradise, expiate the sins and multiply one’s reward.
Hajjis one such act of worship. It is a pillar of Islam in which Allaah The Almighty has combined all types of ‘Ibaadah)worship(.Hajjcomprises the testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah The Almighty and that Muhammad,, is His Messenger, as well as prayer, spending in the way of Allaah The Almighty, fasting )for those who cannot afford to pay for the sacrificial animal(,enjoining good and forbidding evil, patience, perseverance, mercy and abstention from forbidden things.
Hajjis one of the greatest signs of Allaah The Almighty that what Prophet Muhammad,, has come with is certainly the religion of truth. No human power can gather pilgrims every year from all parts of the world; pilgrims with hearts full of yearning and love, who experience difficulties yet rejoice even when it means leaving their homes and families. They feel that the hours of performingHajjare the greatest of one’s life and they spend generously for this purpose. Indeed, it is only Allaah The Almighty who can bring about such a situation. He Says )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 )i.e., attend( benefits for themselves and mention the Name of Allaah on known )i.e., specific( days over what He has provided for them of )sacrificial( animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.{]Quran, 22: 27-28[
The interpreter Ibn Jareer and others reported that Ibn ‘Abbaassaid,
“When Allaah The Almighty commanded Prophet Ibraaheemto proclaim Hajj among people, he said, ‘My Lord, how can I convey the message to the people as my voice cannot reach them?’ Allaah The Almighty Said: ‘You call; it is Our duty to make it reach )everyone(!’ So, he stood in his position and said, ‘O you people! Your Lord has chosen a House, so perform pilgrimage to it.’ It was said that the mountains became leveled and his voice reached all parts of the earth and all that was in the wombs and loins of men were made to hear the call and everything that heard it, responded. So those for whom Allaah The Almighty has decreed to perform Hajj till the Day of Judgment responded, saying, ‘Labbayka Allaahumma Labbayk )Here I am at your service, O Allaah, here I am(.’ ”
Moreover, it is from the favor of Allaah The Almighty upon us that He sent the best of His creation to us in order to explain to us sayings, deeds and beliefs that can make us win the pleasure of our Lord, and to warn us against all that can make Him displeased with us. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Just as We have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom and teaching you that which you did not know. So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.{]Quran, 2: 151-152[
Therefore, during one’s pilgrimage, one has to hold fast onto the sublime Islamic manners and etiquettes. Let yourHajjbe an act of repentance from previous sins and a source of reform and piety for the rest of your life. Thank Allaah The Almighty and praise Him for His bountiful blessings of peace, faith and worldly commodities; and also for the opportunities He affords you to do righteous deeds and for the disasters He has averted from befalling you. Print

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