‘Umrah’: A Pilgrimage to Makkah

 

The city of the Kaaba, variously called in the past as Bakkah, Umm Al-Qura, and Al-Balad Al-Amin, and its mountains witnessed the first revelation received by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), and the birth of Islam. Hence, for the devout Muslim, Makkah is the purest spot on earth, and the holiest destination in the world.

‘Allah has made the Ka'aba, the Sacred House, as a means of support and uplift for mankind and (has sanctified) the sacred months and the sacrificial animals and the garlands (by which they are identified). That is so that you may know that Allah knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and that Allah knows all things well.’ (5:98)

‘We made the House a resort and a sanctuary for people, saying, ‘Take the spot where Abraham stood as your place of prayer.’ (2:125)

‘Let them worship the Lord of this House: who provides them with food to ward off hunger, safety to ward off fear.’ (106: 4-5)

‘Therein are clear signs, the station of Abraham; and whoever enters it is in security. It is the duty of people towards God to make the pilgrimage to the House, all who are able to make their way there. As for the one who disbelieves, God is Independent of all the worlds.’ (3:97)

'Eid-ul-Adha' Message 2023

 

The Rise of Isma'il, the Father of Islam

Among the spiritual treasures which God Almighty (Allah) vouchsafes to mankind are the prophets, His representatives on earth (peace be upon them all). Each one of those highly blessed men achieves excellence in matters of faith. Each is tried in a unique way which distinguishes him from the rest of prophets and mankind.

 

Among those prophets there is Ibrahim, the Friend of Allah. He is known to be the Patriarch of not one, but three great monotheistic religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We even find traces of his teachings and belief in his existence in the Hindu teachings as well. 

And this exceptional man, Allah tried him in so many ways that it is reasonably fair for us to say that he survived all those trials with flying colours and showed forbearance at an exceptional and praiseworthy level. 

He spread the divine message as he was ordained to like the rest of the prophets, and he showed in many ways his pure love for His Creator. When the tests of faith came one after the other, he never traded faith for unfaith, the divine blessings for worldly honours. He was even prepared to sacrifice his only son Isma’il whom he begot at a very advanced age, when men despair of ever having an heir to continue his lineage and heritage. That exceptional man gave everything up just to get the love, approval and pleasure of His Creator. That is why God Almighty took him as His intimate Friend and blessed him in such a way that it is a sign of wonder and hope today that such a man, Allah blessed him so much that in return for his sacrifice, Allah gave him another son, Ishaq (Issac). All Praise be to Allah!

'Qurbani' in Islam

  

What is 'Qurbani' ?

 

Qurbani means to sacrifice a special animal on a special day, i.e., Eid-ul-Adha (Bakr Eid) with the intention of obtaining the blessings of Allah.

 

One such sacrifice in Islam commemorates the event where Hazrat Ibrahim (as) offered the life of his son at the command of Allah (swt) but which afterwards Allah (swt) replaced with a sheep [ram]. This manifestation of love from Hazrat Ibrahim (as) to Allah (twt) has marked an unprecedented event in the history of Islam. This gave rise to a rite called Qurbani or Udhiya which has been perpetuated in Islam. This practice has been followed by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Allah (twt) has made it mandatory (Waajib) for Muslims who have the means to do so. This kind of sacrifice is not only prescribed for us, the spiritual people of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), but it was also applied to the past peoples before us, as mentioned in the Holy Quran:

 

“For every community We have appointed a rite of sacrifice so that they may pronounce the Name of Allah over the sacrificial animals He has provided for them.” (Al-Hajj 22: 35)

‘How to share a Qurbani ?’

  

Allah (swt) appointed acts of devotion to every community, for them to celebrate God’s name over the livestock He provided for them. Muslims are ordained by God to mention His name, on specified days during the Hajj pilgrimage season, over the livestock He has provided for them. Indeed, Qurbani is a sacred rite of Islam binding upon devout Muslims everywhere: those who honour God’s rites show the piety of their hearts, and anyone who honours the sacred ordinances of God will have good rewards from his Lord, Insha Allah.

As the Holy Qur’an notes concerning sacrificial animals such as Ox or Camel, ‘There is much good in them for you, so invoke God’s name over them as they are lined up for sacrifice, then, when they have fallen down dead, feed yourselves and those who do not ask, as well as those who do. We have subjected them to you in this way so that you may be thankful. It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God but your piety. He has subjected them to you in this way so that you may glorify God for having guided you. Give good news to those who do good.’ (22:37-38)    

 

In this context, devout Muslims who plan to perform Qurbani may have related questions to clarify and understand. ‘How to share a Qurbani ? In case a poor man is giving a Qurbani and a rich one is giving a Qurbani, how to share the Qurbani?’

 

Recently, this question was put forth in front of our Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius by Khwaja Muhyiuddin Saheb of Chennai, a disciple. The considered response given by Hazrat Saheb (aba) on the occasion would be of educative value for everyone who is to perform the Qurbani as part of the forthcoming Eid-ul-Adha rites.  

Hajj: Pathway to Salvation

 

[In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As the world of Islam enters the Month of Hajj [Dhul Hijjah], Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius profoundly explains the larger, inner meaning and spiritual significance of this ultimate voyage to the House of God in Makkah that the Muslim pilgrim undertakes in quest of Divine pleasure and salvation]. 

 

The pathway to salvation 

 

‘The Hajj, being the fifth and last of the five pillars of Islam, it represents the readiness of the Muslim pilgrim to let go of all worldly attractions and desires, and to make the firm intention for a purified reform in his self and soul, to tread the pathway to Salvation, like a submitted soul offering his whole life and being to Allah, promising a complete reform within himself and seeking the help of Allah to achieve it.’

'Hajj' in Islam

  

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.

The Story behind the 'Qurbani'

  

What is 'Qurbani'? 

The Qurbani is practiced by Muslims to commemorate the great sacrifice of Ibrahim (as) (Abraham) who did not hesitate to sacrifice his own son for the sake of Allah [The Almighty & Unique God].

Hazrat Zaidi bn Arqam (ra) states that the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) asked him: “What is Qurbani?” He replied, “It is the Sunnah (tradition) of our father Ibrahim (as).” They inquired, “What benefit do we derive from it?” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) replied: “A reward for every hair of the sacrificed animal.” [And they asked again], “And what is the reward for the animal whose body is covered with wool?” He (pbuh) replied, “A reward for every strand of wool.”

 

The Aim of the Sacrifice

 

The immolation of an animal in Islam is not done to appease the anger of Allah by offering Him a bribe in order to succeed in any work. Far from all this, Allah does not need anything from us. He is the Almighty and the One to Whom everything belongs. However, the sacrifice is made only in the Name of Allah and to please Him.

 

“Tell them: ‘Verily my prayer, my devotion [sacrificial service], my life, my death, belong to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.” (Al-Anam, 6: 163).

Eid-ul-Adha 2022: Special Message

 

[On the occasion of the Eid-ul-Adha 2022, the print and electronic media in Mauritius carried a special message of Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba), calling attention to the deeper meanings of the religious festival].

Read the Special Article Below: 

The Muslims enjoy two major celebrations in a year, i.e. the Eid-ul-Fitr and the Eid-ul-Adha. While the Eid-ul-Fitr is the day of rejoicing which the Almighty gives the Muslim believer after a month of fasting for His sake, the Eid-ul-Adha is a time for deep reflection and analysis of one’s own obedience to Allah’s commandments and the teachings and practices of His beloved prophets and role models for mankind.

Poem: 'Bon Voyage, O Hajjis'

 

The Beautiful Days are approaching,

When you will be in the Holy Land, O Muslims,

In the garb of pilgrims,

You will get to taste the elixir of life,

Which purifies one from all sins

And brings one to the pinnacle of submission,

To the Lord’s Will;

This fortune has been opened for you,

O you travellers to Arabia,

Let the sight of the Holy Ka’aba bedazzle you

Into submission to the Almighty;

Eid-ul-Adha Sermon 2021

The Sacrifice of the Self

“Here I am, O Allah, here I am, Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and thanks and all blessings and all sovereignty are Yours. You have no partner.” 

Pilgrims chant this prayer during their pilgrimage, from within the boundaries of the Ka’aba to the plains of Arafat; A prayer that elegantly underlines the process of this enterprise- total devotion after a complete renunciation of worldly desires. 

There are perhaps about sixty thousand pilgrims participating in the Hajj this year. Faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, it is people of different nationalities who already live in Saudi Arabia who are making the pilgrimage this year. This is the second time in this century [the 21^st century], as well as since the founding of Saudi Arabia [in 1932] that the Hajj has not taken place under normal conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its variants. Last year for the first time in Saudi Arabian history, Hajj was performed by just about a thousand people in Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims from other countries did not receive visas to perform Hajj during these two years as a precaution and to preserve the health and life of the pilgrims. 

So in this century of divine manifestation, the Hajj, which usually attracts over a million pilgrims from dozens of countries, has not taken place under normal conditions.

All Muslims around the world cherish the desire to one day perform these sacred rites of Hajj - one of the five pillars of Islam. With this pandemic that has changed a lot of human behaviour, as well as the systems of the world, Hajj is no exception. Despite the Hajj taking place, but its normality is abruptly interrupted. 

For the hundreds of millions of Muslims who stay at home, and who mourn this loss of non-observance of Hajj, because of this restriction, there is Eid-ul-Adha, celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Hajj [Dhul-Hijjah] when, in Mecca, the pilgrimage ends. Devotees usually go to the mosque for prayers, after which they slaughter animals as sacrifices. In these days how necessary it is for every believer to remember his duties towards his Creator as well as towards his fellow men!

The Children of Abraham

Divine Favours to Hazrat Ibrahim (as)

As we are in the month of Hajj (Dhul-Hijjah), after the Eid-ul-Adha which was celebrated last Monday, today’s Friday Sermon is on the divine favour granted to Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and how thereafter the favour of prophethood has eternally been given in the Muhammadan Ummah.

I must also say that following my article in French on the newspaper ‘Le Mauricien’, on 12 August 2019, day of the Eid of Sacrifice (Eid-ul-Adha), there are people from other communities who have written misplaced comments on Islam, and some even attacked the honour of Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and condemned the practice of slaughtering [sacrifices] of animals. There are also those who do not even believe in the purpose of religion, and belief in God. So, these types of people say that Islam has copied on the practice of people from before Islam.

So, I wanted to answer their questions [through this sermon] before going into the heart of the subject of my sermon today which is also a refutation also for them, which preserves the honour of Abraham (as) as well as the honour of all his children and that of his legitimate and honourable wives.

The Ka'aba as a Sign of God

The story of the Ka'aba

Mecca, the Holy City is the busiest city in Saudi Arabia. The Holy Mosque (Masjid al Haram) is located in Mecca. It is a city in the Arabian Peninsula 350 meters above the sea. The Ka’aba is in the middle of the Sacred Mosque. This mosque is located in a space called Bakka.

The date of its foundation goes back to the time of Hazrat Ibrahim (as), the Prophet (Nabi) and the Friend (Khalil) of Allah. It is in this city that the Holy Prophet of Islam was born. It is also the cradle of the revelation that welcomed the light of Islam and it is there that springs the Sacred Mosque, the first installed on earth for the men by virtue as it is evident from the words of the Most High (Allah): “The first House that was built for the people is that of Bakka (Mecca), blessed and a good direction for the universe.” (Al-Imran 3: 97)

It has been safely reported from Abu Dharr that he said, “I asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about the first mosque on earth? He said, ‘The Holy Mosque’ and then I said to him, ‘Which one afterwards?’ He said, ‘The Al-Aqsa Mosque.’ I told him, ‘How much time has passed between the two?’ He said, ‘40 years old.’”

The Ka’aba towards which the Muslims of the East and West (all Muslims) turn for their prayers (to worship the Unique Lord of the Ka’aba), is approximately found at the centre of the Sacred Mosque. It has a height of 15 metres and takes the form of a large cube almost square. It was built by Hazrat Ibrahim (as) on the command of Allah the Most High. Allah the Almighty and Majestic says: “And when We appointed for Ibrahim the place of the House (the Ka’aba) saying to Him, ‘Do not associate Me with anything; and cleanse My House for those who circle around it, for those who stand up in prayer, and for those who bow and make prostration.’” (Al-Hajj 22: 27).

The term “bawwa’na” means: We directed it and made it available to it and gave it permission to build. In this regard, Allah the Almighty says: “And when Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundation of the House, [saying], ‘O our Lord, accept this from us! For You are the Hearing, the Knowing.’” (Al-Baqara 2: 128).

A Dear Prayer for All Hajjis

O Allah, the call has been given,

And Your servants are coming to You,

To Your Glorious & Holy House,

To accomplish that very deed which represents

The Ultimate proof of their love and submission to You. 

Submission to You in all humility is what You seek,

And Forgiveness and Your Love and Mercy

Is what we seek;

Rush to Your servants, O Allah

And accept their Hajj;

Inspire their hearts to remain true to the promise of

Reform throughout the rest of their lives,

And O Allah open my way to You,

So that the treasures of Your Kingdom may be

Always at my reach,

To distribute to Your sincere and devoted servants.

May they also accede to Your nearness,

And taste Your Love and

Give them the ability,

To communicate with You,

Their hearts connected with You,

And Yours with them,

And enlighten them, O Allah

To be truly submissive to You,

In all aspects of the word;

A Muslim am I, O Allah,

By Your Grace and Mercy;

Bless my Muslim brothers, sisters and children,

Who have forsaken everything to come to

Your Holy Ka’aba,

To accomplish the fifth pillar of Islam,

To accomplish such a worship,

Which shall Insha-Allah see to their

Glorious elevation in Your Sight and Paradise,

Be it in this world and the hereafter,

Forever.

O Allah, accept this plea,

And bless us all in Your way,

Under Your righteous Guidance,

And cherished in Your everlasting love,

And protect us always from the accursed Satan,

And all forms of evils which exist within us,

And all around us. Ameen.

.....By Hazrat  Muhyi-ud-Din Munir A. Azim, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, 24 July 2019. First appeared in Le Mauricien and can be viewed here. 

A Prayer at the Ka'baa Shareef

‘The first House (of worship) to be established for all mankind was the one at Bakka. It's a blessed place; a source of guidance for all people; there were clear signs in it; it is the place where Abraham stood to pray; whoever enters it is safe. Pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to God by people who are able to undertake it’. (3:97) 

Remember the time when Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundations of the House, praying, ‘Our Lord, accept this from us; for You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Our Lord, make us devoted to You; make our descendants into a community devoted to You. Show us how to worship and accept our repentance, for You are the Ever Relenting, the Most Merciful’. (2:128-129) 

The Promised Messiah, Al Imam Al Mahdi, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 AD) never had the chance during his lifetime to visit Makkah to offer his obeisance at the holy Ka’baa Sanctuary. Yet, some of his disciples could make that sublime spiritual journey during his time, and one of them was Pir Munshi Ahmad Jan. When the Pir Saheb was about to go on Hajj pilgrimage in the year 1302 AH/ 1902 AD, Hadhrat Massih Mauod (as) gave him several instructions on fervent prayers to be invoked on his own behalf while at the Ka’baa Sheriff in Makkah. In this context, when the journey for Hajj pilgrimage was to take place, the Promised Messiah (as) wrote to Pir Saheb in a letter:

‘Remember the request of my humble and unworthy being that when by the grace of Allah the Almighty you are granted the honour of visiting the House of Allah, please pray on behalf of this humblest of Allah’s servants with great humility and submission at that praiseworthy and blessed place in the following words:

‘O Most Merciful of all the mercifuls, a servant of yours –humble, unworthy, full of shortcomings, and unskilled—Ghulam Ahmad, who resides in the country of India, prays that:

O Most Merciful, be pleased with me.

Forgive my faults and sins, as You are Most Forgiving and Merciful.

Grant me the ability to do what pleases you greatly.

Create a separation between me and my self as East is separated from the West.

Let my life and my death and all my capacities be an offering in Your way.

Grant me life in Your love, and let me die in Your love.