The inner dimensions of Hajj | Noorani travel

The inner dimensions of Hajj | Noorani travel

The people of the world are usually aware of two kinds of journey.

One journey is that which is made to earn livelihood. The second one is that which is undertaken for pleasure and sight-seeing.

In both of these journeys, a man is impelled to go abroad by his need and desire. He leaves home for a purpose of his own, he spends money or time for his own requirements, therefore, no question of sacrifice arises in such a journey.

But the position of this particular journey is called Hajj is quite different from that of other journeys.

This journey is not meant to gain awhich ny personal end or any desire of Nafs. It is intended solely for Allah, and for fulfillment of the duty prescribed by Allah.

No person can prepare himself to undertake this journey until and unless he has love of Allah in his heart as well as fear of Him, and feels strongly that the Fard (obligation) ordained by Allah is incumbent on him.

Therefore, whosoever sets out for Hajj parting from his family and relatives for a long period, allowing his business to suffer, spending money and bearing the rigors of the travel, he furnishes by his act of devotion a proof of the fact that there is in his heart fear of God and love for Him as also a sense of duty.

[It also indicates] that he possesses the strength to leave his home, when called upon to do so, for the cause of God, and that he can face hardships and willingly sacrifice his wealth and comfort for the pleasure of God.

Inclination towards virtue and piety

When the pilgrim gets ready for the journey with this holy intention, his disposition assumes a different color.

His heart, which is aflame with exuberance of the love of God and which is pulsating with a longing to visit His House, starts harboring only virtuous thoughts.

He does penance for past sins, seeks forgiveness from people whom he might have wronged, tries to render his due to others where necessary so as not to go to God's court trammeled with the unfulfilled rights of his fellow beings, shuns vice and develops fondness for virtue.

Then, as he steps out to begin the journey, the more he proceeds toward the House of God, the more keen he becomes to do good deeds. He is careful to see that nobody is harmed by him, while he tries to render whatever service or help he can to others.

His own nature desists from abuse, indecency, dishonesty, squabbles and bickerings because he is proceeding on the path of God.

A man may be making [a] journey towards the Divine Haram and yet indulging in bad habits? How can such a shameless thing be possible for anybody?

Thus the entire journey of his constitutes a complete Ibadah.

Oppression and vice can find no place in contrast to all other types of journey. This is the one which continuously keeps on purifying man's Nafs. It is like a great reformatory course to be compulsorily gone through by every Muslim who sets out to perform Hajj.

source: soundvision.com