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BlissfullyJaded
01-03-2006, 04:49 AM
:sl:

The Importance of Hajj
Shaykh ‘Alee Ibn Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Hudhayfee
Dhul-Hijjah 3, 1422 (February 15, 2002)

All praise is due to Allaah. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allaah, his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah and be dutiful to him, for piety is the best provision for the Last Day.
“Whoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him.” (At-Talaaq 65:4)

Brethren in Faith! Be aware that worship is the right of Allaah alone and it is on obligation upon man and jinn. Allaah says:
“And I created not the jinns and humans except that they should worship Me.” (Adh-Dhaariyaat 51:56)

Acts of worship are the best with which Allaah honours His slaves and by which He elevates the pious among them. Acts of worship illuminate the hearts, refines the souls, reforms manners and pleases the Lord. They elevate one’s rank in the Paradise, wipe out sins and multiply rewards. It is part of Allaah’s favour on us that He sent the best of His creatures 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 us earn His displeasure. Allaah says:
“Similarly, (to complete My blessings on you) We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting to you Our verses, and purifying you and teaching you the Book and the Hikmah (the Sunnah) and teaching you that which you used not to know. Therefore, remember Me, I will remember you, and be grateful to Me, and never be ungrateful to Me.” (Al-Baqara 2:151-152)

Had Allaah not sent the Messenger and revealed the Books, mankind would have been worse than animals. But He blessed mankind by establishing a religion for them and laying the straight path for them in order that the fortunate ones may get guidance and unfortunate ones may get lost.

Among the blessings of Allaah upon His slaves is that He ordained for them acts of worship that can reform their souls like prayer, alms giving, fasting, hajj and others in order that man may be purified in all aspects of his life. Allaah says:
“Allaah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete his favour to you that you may be thankful.” (Al-Maaidah 5:6)

Hajj is a pillar of Islaam in which Allaah combines all types of Ibaadah (worship). Hajj comprises of Kalimatu-Tawheed, prayer, spending in the way of Allaah, fasting for those who cannot afford to pay for sacrificial animal, enjoining good and forbidding evil, patience, perseverance, mercy and keeping away from forbidden things.

Hajj is one of the greatest signs of Allaah that what Muhammad – Peace and Blessings be upon him– has brought is really the religion of truth, for no human power can gather pilgrims from all parts of the world with hearts full of yearning and love, undergoing difficulties rejoicing at leaving homes and families, feeling that the hours of hajj are the greatest of one’s life and spending generously for hajj. It is only Allaah who can bring about such a situation. He says:
“And proclaim to mankind the Hajj. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj). That they may witness things that are of benefit to them and mention the Name of Allaah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice). Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor who have a very hard time.)” (Al-Hajj 22:27-28)

Ibn Jareer and others reported that Ibn Abbaas said, “When Allaah commanded Prophet Ibraaheem to proclaim Hajj among people, he said: ‘My Lord, how can I convey the message to people while my voice can not reach them?’ Allaah said, ‘You call. It is Our duty to make it reach people!’ He then stood on his station and said, ‘O you people! Your Lord has chosen a House, so perform pilgrimage to it.’
It was said that mountains became leveled that his voice reached all parts of the earth and all that are in the wombs and loins of men were made to hear the call and everything that heard the call responded. So those for whom Allaah has decreed to perform Hajj till the Day of Judgment responded with the saying, ‘Labbayka Allaahumma Labbayk.’ ”

Dear Muslims! Purify your intention for Allah in your Hajj and emulate the Messenger of Allaah in all Hajj rites, for he has said, “Take your Hajj rites from me.” If you do this, your hajj will be accepted. The Messenger of Allaah said, “Whoever performs Hajj and does not engage in sexual intercourse nor acts sinfully, he will go back to his home as pure as the day his mother gave birth to him” (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim) He also said, “Performing ‘Umrah after ‘Umrah will erase the sins committed between them and the well-performed Hajj has no reward but Paradise.” The good hajj is the one done with sincerity according to the Prophet’s guidance and in which one abstains from sins and all violations.

It is incumbent on the pilgrims to know the rites of hajj and to carry out its pillars accordingly. The pillars of hajj are: Ihraam, standing at Arafah, Tawaaful-Ifaadah and the running between Safaa and Marwa. He should also perform the obligatory acts of hajj which are: Ihraam from the Meeqaat, standing at Arafah till sunset, passing night at Muzdalifah, pelting the stones, shaving or cutting of hair, passing nights at Mina, sacrificing animal if necessary and making farewell Tawaaf.

On the day of slaughtering (10th day of Dhul-Hijjah), the pilgrim will pelt the Jamratul-Aqabah, slaughter make Tawaaful Ifaadah and run between Safaa and Marwa. If he pelts Jamratul Aqabah and slaughter or shave; all prohibitions of Ihraam are removed for him except sexual intercourse. But if he has made the Tawaaful Ifaadah in addition to the above three, he is free to do all prohibitions including marital intercourse.

It is recommended for the pilgrim to do a lot of acts of worship and talbiyah till he starts throwing the stones of Aqabah. He should endeavor to read the Qur’aan and supplicate especially on the day of Arafah, for the Messenger of Allaah said, “The best supplication is that of Arafah day, and the best word that I and all Prophets had said on the day of ‘Arafah is, ‘Laa ilaaha illallah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu lahul-mulk walahul hamd, wahuwa ‘alaa kulli shay’in qadeer. ” He should also guard his tongue and abstain from backbiting, fighting and arguments.

The Muslim should also be reciting the prescribed takbeer right from after the Fajr prayer on the day of Arafah till the afternoon of the 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah. The takbeer is as follows, “Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, La ilaaha illallah, wallaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar walillaahil hamd.” It is also recommended for the pilgrims and others to do good deeds in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. The Messenger of Allaah said, “There is no day in which good deeds are dearer to Allaah than this days, i.e. the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah”, the companions said, “O Messenger of Allaah! Even if it is Jihaad in the way of Allaah?” He said, “Even if it is Jihaad in the way of Allaah. Except for a man who goes out for Jihaad with his life and wealth and comes back with none of the two.” (Al-Bukharee and Muslim)

Fellow Muslims! The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are the best days in the sight of Allaah. Allaah calls them “the known days” in His Book according to Ibn Abbas. It is recommended to remember Allaah much in mosques, streets, market places and everywhere in these ten days. Arafah day falls in these days and if you do not have the opportunity to be at Arafah, you can fast on that day. The Messenger of Allaah was asked of the fasting of the day of Arafah and he said, “It erases the sins of the previous and the present years.” (Muslim)

Dear Pilgrim! Allaah says, “The Hajj is in the well-known months. So whoever intends to perform hajj therein, then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife) nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during hajj. And whatever good you do, Allaah knows it. And take a provision for the journey, but the best provision is piety. So fear Me. O men of understanding.” (Al-Baqarah 2:197)

Hold fast unto the sublime Islaamic manners and let your hajj be repentance from sins and a reform and piety for the rest of your life. Thank Allaah and praise Him for His bountiful blessings of peace, eemaan, worldly goods; and the opportunity He affords you to do righteous deeds and for the torments He kept away from you.
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marias
01-03-2006, 09:42 AM
:w:
thanks sister for bringing this amazing article by al-hudaify,he is such a blessed person,may God saves you and him.:sister:
:w:
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