Pilgrimage Hajj - Complete Guide and Virtues of Hajj

The Worship of the Devotees

Allah Almighty states:

وَ  لِلّٰهِ  عَلَى  النَّاسِ   حِجُّ  الْبَیْتِ  مَنِ  اسْتَطَاعَ  اِلَیْهِ  سَبِیْلًاؕ-

And it is incumbent upon the people to perform Hajj of this House for the sake of Allah; those who are able to reach it.[1]

Commentary

This verse discusses the obligation of Hajj and the condition of capability (IstiṭāꜤah). In the Prophetic Aḥādīth, capability is explained as possessing "provisions for the journey" and a "means of transport".[2]

The Linguistic and Jurisprudential Meaning of Hajj

The linguistic meaning of Hajj is to "intend for something great". In Shariah, it refers to the act of staying in the plain of Arafah while in the state of Iḥrām with the intention of Hajj—from the sun's decline on the 9th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah until the dawn of the 10th—and performing Ṭawāf al-Ziyārah of the KaꜤbah at any time from the 10th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah until the end of one's life.[3]

Conditions for the Obligatory Hajj

Hajj is obligatory upon every sane, adult, free, and healthy Muslim who possesses sufficient funds for the journey of Hajj as well as the expenses for the maintenance of their dependents left behind. Having a means of transport or the ability to afford it is also essential. If these conditions are met during the months of Hajj, the pilgrimage becomes farḍ fī nafsihī (obligatory in itself). Subsequently, there are additional conditions related to the obligation of performing it, whereby, if they are met, going oneself becomes obligatory.

The Virtues of Hajj

Hajj possesses numerous virtues:

1. Hajj effaces previous sins.[4]

2. "Perform Hajj and Umrah, for they remove poverty and sins just as a furnace removes rust from iron, silver, and gold; and there is no reward for an accepted Hajj (Ḥajj Mabrūr) except Paradise."[5]

Severe Warning for Neglecting the Obligatory Hajj

There is a stern warning for those who abandon the obligatory Hajj, as stated in a noble Hadith: "Whoever possesses provisions and transport to reach the House of Allah, yet does not perform Hajj, it matters not whether he dies as a Jew or a Christian."[6]

Hajj is a unique act of worship containing profound wisdom; it may be described aptly as the "Worship of the Devotees". The attire of Hajj—the Iḥrām—and its rites, such as the circumambulation (Ṭawāf) of the KaꜤbah, staying in Minā, and halting at Arafah and Muzdalifah, are all expressions of love and devotion. Just as a lover, immersed in love for the beloved, becomes indifferent to their clothing and lifestyle, and occasionally wanders into the wilderness, those who love Allah Almighty do the same. During the days of Hajj, they abandon their usual clothing and lifestyle and, immersed in divine love, adopt a manner of devotion. In the form of Ṭawāf, they circle the house of the True Beloved and journey into the open plains of Mina and Arafah.

Furthermore, Hajj vividly portrays the concept of standing before the Divine Court. Just as the rich and poor, the young and old, the king and the beggar will abandon their worldly identities and stand humbly before Allah Almighty on the Day of Resurrection, so too do the pilgrims on the day of Hajj. They cast aside their worldly status and gather in the plains of Arafah in a state of humility.

The journey of Hajj also serves as a reminder of the journey to the Hereafter. Just as a person leaves behind their worldly luxuries after death, departing for the afterlife wearing only a shroud, a pilgrim removes their colourful, fine, and expensive clothing and dons a simple two-sheet garment resembling a shroud, setting out on the journey to present himself before Allah Almighty.