Hajj is more than a get-together of Muslims from all over the world; it is akin to a training camp to prepare the Muslims for the afterlife. Pilgrims leave behind their busy world, dress in simple white sheets of cloth not unlike the ones they (all of us Muslims) will later be buried in, and concentrate on the concept of sacrifice - recalling Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his only son Hazrat Ismail (as) for Allah.
Hajj 
is the fifth pillar of Islam and is
accomplished every year in the last month of the Islamic Calendar, Dhul-Hijjah
(or The Month of Hajj). All Muslims from around the world now converge to the
Sacred Spot [called Al-Masjid Al-Haram] found in Mecca [Makkah],
in Arabia [Saudi Arabia] to accomplish their pilgrimage. There, a number of
ritual are carried out which reflect the efforts of Hazrat Ibrahim (as), who
had left his second wife Hazrat Hajra (ra) and their young son Hazrat Isma’il
(as) in its vicinity in the arid desert, and Allah rewarded Hajra’s struggle to
find water with the well of Zamzam, a spring which made the region
prosperous and a religious focal point after Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and
Hazrat Isma’il (as) built, or rather rebuilt, the Ka’aba (which existed since
the time of Hazrat Adam (as) but which with time was neglected and forgotten by
the people when they forgot Allah - the worship of one God). Among the rites
and gatherings during the Hajj, there is also the gathering at the plain of
Arafat, which reminiscences of the even larger gathering to come of the Day of
Judgement.
When properly
conducted, the Hajj prepares one to accomplish the journey from this world to
the next by forming one to detach oneself from the materialistic pleasures of
this world and to concentrate on the symbolic journey from this world to the
next. Therefore, Hajj prepares the pilgrims to live their lives – the rest of
the life that they have left in front of them while on earth – in the right way
so that they can successfully walk the path that will lead them to Paradise.
And then, Hajj helps them to make good choices and to judge their material
affairs in relation to all the rituals that they need to do until they reach Eid-ul-Adha,
the festival of sacrifice, where the meat of an animal (cattle, camel, etc.) is
sacrificed and shared with family members, friends, and the poor [needy] -
those who are in need. And this is also a representation of the trial which
Allah made Hazrat Ibrahim (as) undergo, to test his willpower, which ultimately
showed that Allah did not demand of him to give up his son, and thus permitted
him to slaughter a ram instead. Islam thereby categorically rejects the concept
of human killing which Allah clearly demonstrated by stopping Ibrahim (as) in
the blood sacrifice of his son for the sake and love of Allah.
So, the long-awaited
moment will come again in a few days where we will be in the month of
Dhul-Hijjah. Just as Allah gave importance to Jummah among the seven days of
the week, there are four months that Allah made sacred: Muharram, Rajab,
Dhul-Qaddah and Dhul-Hijjah.
And in addition to the
initial four months, Allah has also made the month of Ramadhan sacred as it is
on another level of sacredness where it is the month of fasting (Sawm/ Roza)
- where all Muslims have the sacred duty to observe the fast.
And among the 12 months
of the year, just as Allah has given great blessings to His servants who seek
and get the Laila-tul-Qadr (Night of Decree) in the last 10 nights of
Ramadhan, likewise Allah has given importance to the first 10 days of
Dhul-Hijjah. Allah has established the Hajj among those 10 days. This first third
of Dhul-Hijjah is a special period in the sight of Allah. Allah is pleased with
all the good deeds of His servants that they do during this blessed period.
Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra)
reported that the Messenger of Allah Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said that Allah is very
pleased with the good deeds that are done during the first 10 days, where it is
not the same as the other days. (Bukhari)
Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra)
narrated that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also said: “There are no days
in this world during which worship is more beloved to Allah, Glorious is He,
than the (first) ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Fasting one of these days is
equivalent to fasting for one year, and one night of them is equal to
Lailatul-Qadr.” (Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi)
It is to be reminded
that the number of days to observe the fast during this period is nine days and
not ten (the 10th day is Eid-ul-Adha where it is not allowed
to keep fasting).
Hazrat Abu Qatada (ra)
reports that the Noble Prophet (pbuh) said: “Fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah
(i.e. 9th Dhul-Hijjah), I hope from Allah, expiates for the sins of the year
before and the year after.” (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
The fast of ‘Arafah is only
for those Muslims who are not going to perform Hajj.
Hazrat Ummul Mumineen
Aisha Siddiqua (ra) reported that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said that Arafat’s
fasting is equal to a thousand days, but for people who do Hajj in Arafat it is
detestable [Makruh] for them to keep fasting on Arafat. (Tibrani,
Baihaqi).
Hazrat Ummul Mumineen
Umm Salama (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “He who
has a sacrificial animal with him whom (he intends) to offer as sacrifice, and
he enters the month of Dhu’I-Hijja, he should not get his hair cut or nails
trimmed until he has sacrificed the animal.” (Muslim, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud,
Nasai).
And according to other
Hadiths:
1.
The
one who gives Sadaqa to the poor during these 10 days, it is as if he
has given gifts to all the prophets (as).
2.
The
one who is present in the Janaza Salat [Funeral Prayer] for a Muslim, is
as if he is present in the Janaza Prayer of all the Martyrs of Badr.
3.
The
one who gives clothes to a poor Muslim, then Allah will give him the clothes of
Jannat [Paradise].
4.
The
one who shows kindness [act of piety/ charity/ kindness] for an orphan, then on
the day of Judgement Allah will give him a place under His Throne.
5.
The
one who attends religious programs it is as if he is present in the programs of
the prophets (as).
The first half of Dhul-Hijjah is the special period for Hajj, and in those days, there are special rites to be fulfilled, i.e. rites of Hajj. To perform Hajj, you must absolutely physically move to the Holy Land in Mecca. Because of this, it is a faraz (compulsory act) to perform the Hajj at least once in one’s lifetime and it is applicable to those who have the means and are able to travel. Its special blessing is for those who go there in person and take advantage of its blessings when they are performing the Hajj. But by His Grace, Allah has not deprived the Muslims of the whole world without [some of] the benefits which those who physically go for the Hajj obtain.
Allah has made Muslims
from all corners of the world participate in certain rites that are done in
Hajj. The virtue of the Eid-ul-Adha is special. On the 10th
of Dhul-Hijjah, the Hajjis offer the sacrificial animal [Udhiya/ Qurbani]
for Allah at Mina. Since Muslims from all over the world cannot be present in
Mina that day, then Allah has ordered Muslims to offer the sacrifice no matter
where they are. When those who are going to perform Hajj – the pilgrims –
adopt/ enter the State of Ihram, it is also commanded that even those who are
going to perform the Qurbani (or Udhiya) – in any country in the
world – do not shave, cut their hair or cut their nails. So all Muslims of the
whole world, as soon as the moon of the month of Hajj appears, if they
intend to perform Qurbani, they should not shave, cut their hair or cut
their nails as long as they do not offer their Sacrifice.
Allah has therefore made the Muslims of the whole world
always maintain a relationship with the Hajjis and He makes them indirectly
participate in some of the rites that the Hajjis perform there [in Arabia].
This is an exceptional blessing, in the greatest stage of blessings that Allah
granted His servant where he participates in the celebration of the Eid of
Hajjis by making the Sacrifice that Hazrat Ibrahim (as) did. And this verily is
the sacrifice of Hazrat Hajra (ra) and Hazrat Isma’il (as) as well, and that is
why between the two great Eids that Allah has granted to the Muslims, it is Eid-ul-Adha
the greater Eid.
For the Eids, Muslims recite the Takbeer. The Takbeer-e-Tashreeq
for Hajj starts from the 9th Dhul-Hijjah from Fajr prayer and ends
on the 13th Dhul-Hijjah until Asr prayer (total 23 prayers [Salat]).
Takbeer-e-Tashreeq is Wajib (compulsory) one time after prayer
which is done with Jamaat but three times is best.
Takbeer-e-Tashreeq is: Allahu Akbar, Allahu
Akbar, Laa-Ilaaha Ilallaah, Wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Wa Lillaah ‘il-Hamd. (Allah is the
greatest, Allah is the greatest. There is no deity (no god) besides Allah and
Allah is the greatest. Allah is the greatest and to Allah all praises belong).
This Takbeer is a moving Takbeer which reminds us of this great sacrifice. Three people, three exceptional servants of Allah made this sacrifice, and Allah rewarded them with the birth of the greatest prophet, Rahmatul-lil-Aalameen in their biological and spiritual descendants. And today we are the ones benefiting from those blessings, Alhamdulillah.
May Allah continue to bless the Ummah of Hazrat Ibrahim through Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) hereby we become true Hanifs, true Muslims who always submit to Allah alone and we fulfill all our duties which Allah has given us with diligence, piety and wisdom. And may Allah accept our sacrifices in His paths, and we willingly accept to submit to His will just like Hazrat Isma’il (as) submitted to Allah and gave his neck [to be sacrificed] for the love of Allah. Insha-Allah, Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of 16 June 2023 ~26 Dhul-Qaddah 1444 AH delivered by Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.