Importance of Hajj in Islam

Importance of Hajj in Islam

Hajj is the most divine and sacred journey to the house of ALLAH. All Muslims willingly visit this sacred place because ALLAH has given this place a priority over any other place in the world. Hajj is the most important religious practice in Islam.

ALLAH makes it mandatory on all his believers (male and female) who are physically, mentally and financially able to do it, at least once in a lifetime. Muslims from different cultural identities gather at one single platform to perform Hajj and emphasize the same basic concept that there is only one God i.e. “ALLAH”.

In Holy Quran, Allah Almighty Says: “Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-‘Alamin (the mankind and jinns). In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Kaaba) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision, and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns).”

Hajj encompasses of all the worships, for example, believe in ALLAH, prayer, fasting, zakat, charity, spending money for a good cause, patience, good manners, Jihad. In fact, it purifies the soul and heart of a person who performed it and then a Muslim boards on a new stage of life which leads him to spiritual and temporal gains. So, it is clear that Hajj is not just a pillar of Islam, it influences the social, moral, national and economic life of a Muslim too.

Importance of Hajj:

From the time Prophet Ibrahim A.S build holy Kaaba and performed Hajj, the first time in the history of Islam, to obey the command of ALLAH. Muslims from all over the world move to Makkah, in the month of Zilhajj, to fulfill their obligations and compliance towards ALLAH.

Hajj purifies the sins:

ALLAH forgives the sins of a person who performs Hajj. It is the greatest and beautiful gift of ALLAH, because, every Muslim prays and hopes for the forgiveness of sins and to be in Jannah in Akhirat is what every Muslim wish for.

Abu Hurairah stated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “He who performs Hajj for ALLAH’s pleasure and avoids all lewdness and sins will return after Hajj free from all sins as he was the day his mother gave birth to him.”

The reward of Hajj is Paradise:

Abu Hurairah says that the Prophet ﷺ said: “From one ‘Umrah to another is the expiation for what is between them and Hajj Mabrur has no reward except Paradise.”

From the above-mentioned hadith, it is clear that the reward for Hajj is Paradise. Hajj Mabrur is a hajj which is performed without any fault and with a pure heart. ALLAH has promised Paradise for Hajj Mabrur due to the righteous deeds.

Pilgrims are guests of ALLAH:

The journey of Hajj is the easiest way to attain satisfaction of ALLAH as the pilgrims are considered to be guests of ALLAH.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Pilgrims and those performing Umrah are ALLAH’s guests; their prayers are answered and their supplications for forgiveness are granted.”

Muslims also learn the history of Islam through Hajj. They visit sacred places from where Islam initiated. They get to know about the adversities that our Prophet ﷺ and his companions encountered during that time. Hajj also gives a strong message of Brotherhood and Unity.

“May Allah guide us all and give us an opportunity to perform Hajj.”

Noorani Travels Ltd is one of the leading Hajj and Umrah Travel agency company in the UK. We have specially designed Hajj Packages with all-inclusive facilities for UK citizens. Shifting and Non-Shifting Hajj Packages with luxury hotels and flights. Call Us for details: 0208 819 3505

source: http://www.al-khair.org/blog

A step-by-step guide to perform Hajj

A step-by-step guide to Hajj

How Muslims perform the rituals of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Millions of Muslims from around the world gather annually in Mecca in anticipation of Hajj - the Muslim pilgrimage, which follows the actions of the Prophet Muhammad 1,377 years ago.

Taking part in the pilgrimage at least once in one's lifetime is a major obligation for all able-bodied Muslims of financial means, and between two and three million people participate in the six-day ritual every year.

Hajj occurs in the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, called Dhul-Hijjah, between the eighth and 13th days of the month.

While the specific rituals carried out by Muslims today date back to the Prophet Muhammad's "farewell pilgrimage" in 632 AD, traveling to Mecca was a sacred annual rite for Arabian tribes centuries before the advent of Islam.

According to Islamic tradition, the Kaaba - a black silk-clad stone structure at the heart of the Grand Mosque in Mecca - was built by the Prophet Abraham in biblical times.

Hajj is, put simply, complex. There are several different ways of performing it, and numerous schools of Islamic thought, between which lie many scholarly differences. Here is a breakdown of the steps included in performing Hajj.

Day 1 -

Enter ihram (the sacred state) 

The very first rite of Hajj is entering ihram - a pilgrim's sacred state - when crossing the outer boundaries of Mecca, called Miqat.
Head to Mina, a sprawling tent city


On the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah, pilgrims enter ihram, which entails wearing plain garments - two unstitched clothes for men, or loose-fitting clothing for women - as well as following certain rules, such as not giving in to anger or engaging in sexual activity.

Head to Mina, a sprawling tent city

The pilgrims then set out en masse from Mecca to the sprawling tent-city of Mina, whether by foot along pilgrim paths or by buses and cars. It is an 8 km journey.

The pilgrims will spend the day in Mina, only setting out the next morning at dawn. Most of the time in Mina is spent in prayer and remembering Allah.

Day 2 -
Spend the day at Arafat

The Day of Arafat is considered one of the most important days, not just of Hajj, but of the Islamic calendar. Mount Mercy at Arafat was the scene of the Prophet Muhammad's final sermon. After making the 14.4 km journey from Mina, pilgrims spend the day here in reverent prayer.

Elsewhere in the world, many Muslims choose to fast on this day.

Collect pebbles at Muzdalifah

After sunset, its time to move again, this time to Muzdalifah - a 9 km trip - where they spend the night under the stars. Many will also begin collecting pebbles here for tomorrow's rites, departing again just before sunrise.

 

Day 3 -
Throw stones at the pillars

For those performing Hajj, the day is known as yawm-ul hajj al-akbar (The big hajj day) and is probably the longest day of the pilgrimage, and the most dangerous. The 10th of Dhul-Hijjah is Eid al-Adha, a day celebrated by Muslims around the world as the greater of the two Muslim holidays.

Pilgrims start the day in Muzdalifah and begin heading back to Mina before dawn. Once in Mina, they perform the first rami, throwing seven pebbles at the largest of three columns known as Jamarat.

This act is a symbolic stoning of the devil, based on historical tradition. God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, the story goes, as proof of faith. It is believed that at this spot in Mina, the devil appeared and tried to dissuade Abraham from heeding the command. Abraham responded by throwing stones to scare him off.

Millions of pilgrims converge at the Jamarat Bridge, which houses the three columns representing the devil, in order to re-enact the story. 

The bridge has been the sight of deadly stampedes in the past, with around 350 people being crushed to death in 2006.

But in recent years, the event has taken place without major incident.

After casting their stones, pilgrims must perform the sacrifice. Completing the story, when Abraham went to sacrifice his son, he found God had placed a ram there to be slaughtered instead.

Pilgrims thus must slaughter a sheep, goat, cow or camel - or more likely, pay for it to be done in their names.

At this point, pilgrims trim or shave (men only) their hair and remove their ihram clothes. Many will then proceed to Mecca to perform tawaf and sa'ee, first circling the Kaaba seven times, then walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa.

When all is finally done, they return to their campsite in Mina.

Final days in Mina:

On each day, they will again symbolically stone the devil - this time throwing seven pebbles at each of the three pillars. With the hardest part behind them, pilgrims will now spend the next two or three days in Mina.

When their time in Mina is finished, the pilgrims return to Mecca to perform the final circulation of the Kaaba, a "farewell" tawaf.

Before heading home, many also go to Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, where the Prophet Muhammad is buried along with his closest companions. Visiting Medina, however, is not part of the pilgrimage.