What are the benefits that people witness in Hajj?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : What are the benefits that people witness in Hajj?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
The benefits that Muslims witness in Hajj are numerous: religious benefits, social benefits, and worldly benefits.
As for the religious benefits: they are what the pilgrims perform in carrying out the rites, and what is gained from the teaching and guidance of the scholars from here and there, and what is also gained from spending in Hajj, for it is spending in the cause of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
As for the social benefits: they are what is gained from people getting to know one another and the reconciliation of their hearts, and from some acquiring the morals of others, and from good treatment and education of one another by the other, as is observed by every intelligent person who reflects on it.
As for the worldly benefits: they are what is gained from the earnings of car owners and others who are hired to perform Hajj, and also what is gained by the pilgrims from the trade they bring with them and import from Makkah, and other than this of the great benefits. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Hajj 22:28] He used the plural form in it, indeed the plural form that is the ultimate form of plurals.
But, with great regret, Hajj in these times for many people does not yield these great benefits. Rather, it is as if Hajj is bare actions and words containing nothing but mere appearances. For this reason, it does not bring humility to the heart, nor does it bring affection between the believers, nor does it bring knowledge of the matters of their religion. Rather, some may even dislike hearing a word of admonition from an advisor to them. Rather, some may have bad intentions in calling people to falsehood, either by speech or by action, by distributing misleading and corrupt pamphlets. This is undoubtedly a source of sadness, and it makes this Hajj fall outside the scope of the Shari'ah for which it was legislated.
I advise my brother pilgrims as follows:
First: Sincerity of intention for Allah (the Exalted) in Hajj, such that they do not intend from their Hajj anything other than attaining the reward of Allah (the Exalted) and His abode of honor.
Second: The utmost care to follow the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in his Hajj, for he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say:
Third: The utmost care for reconciliation and closeness among Muslims, and for informing one another of what they should know of religious, social, and other problems.
Fourth: Gentleness with the pilgrims at the sacred sites, during the tawaf, during the sa'y, during the stoning of the pillars, during the departure from Muzdalifah and from 'Arafah, and so on.
Fifth: The care to perform the rites with calmness and tranquility, and that one not come as if to face an army or a hostile force. This is evident during the stoning of the pillars, for you find the people rushing to the pillars, and each one of them is full of anger and resentment, and perhaps he speaks with harsh words that are not fitting in any other place, so how about in this place?
And sixth: To avoid completely any physical or mental harm. This means avoiding throwing filth in the streets and throwing garbage in the streets, and so on. Mental harm is to avoid, for example, smoking among people who dislike it, even though smoking is forbidden in the state of ihram and outside the state of ihram. If it occurs in the state of ihram, it diminishes the ihram and diminishes the reward of Hajj and 'Umrah, because Allah the Exalted says:[Al-Baqarah 2:197] and smoking is forbidden, and persisting in it leads to it becoming one of the major sins.
So the important thing is that a person should be in the best possible state of religion and character in this Hajj, so that he may find the taste and sweetness of this Hajj.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
The benefits that Muslims witness in Hajj are numerous: religious benefits, social benefits, and worldly benefits.
As for the religious benefits: they are what the pilgrims perform in carrying out the rites, and what is gained from the teaching and guidance of the scholars from here and there, and what is also gained from spending in Hajj, for it is spending in the cause of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
As for the social benefits: they are what is gained from people getting to know one another and the reconciliation of their hearts, and from some acquiring the morals of others, and from good treatment and education of one another by the other, as is observed by every intelligent person who reflects on it.
As for the worldly benefits: they are what is gained from the earnings of car owners and others who are hired to perform Hajj, and also what is gained by the pilgrims from the trade they bring with them and import from Makkah, and other than this of the great benefits. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:
That they may witness benefits for themselves
لِيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْBut, with great regret, Hajj in these times for many people does not yield these great benefits. Rather, it is as if Hajj is bare actions and words containing nothing but mere appearances. For this reason, it does not bring humility to the heart, nor does it bring affection between the believers, nor does it bring knowledge of the matters of their religion. Rather, some may even dislike hearing a word of admonition from an advisor to them. Rather, some may have bad intentions in calling people to falsehood, either by speech or by action, by distributing misleading and corrupt pamphlets. This is undoubtedly a source of sadness, and it makes this Hajj fall outside the scope of the Shari'ah for which it was legislated.
I advise my brother pilgrims as follows:
First: Sincerity of intention for Allah (the Exalted) in Hajj, such that they do not intend from their Hajj anything other than attaining the reward of Allah (the Exalted) and His abode of honor.
Second: The utmost care to follow the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in his Hajj, for he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say:
Take from me your rites
لتأخذوا عني مناسككمThird: The utmost care for reconciliation and closeness among Muslims, and for informing one another of what they should know of religious, social, and other problems.
Fourth: Gentleness with the pilgrims at the sacred sites, during the tawaf, during the sa'y, during the stoning of the pillars, during the departure from Muzdalifah and from 'Arafah, and so on.
Fifth: The care to perform the rites with calmness and tranquility, and that one not come as if to face an army or a hostile force. This is evident during the stoning of the pillars, for you find the people rushing to the pillars, and each one of them is full of anger and resentment, and perhaps he speaks with harsh words that are not fitting in any other place, so how about in this place?
And sixth: To avoid completely any physical or mental harm. This means avoiding throwing filth in the streets and throwing garbage in the streets, and so on. Mental harm is to avoid, for example, smoking among people who dislike it, even though smoking is forbidden in the state of ihram and outside the state of ihram. If it occurs in the state of ihram, it diminishes the ihram and diminishes the reward of Hajj and 'Umrah, because Allah the Exalted says:
so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of ihram], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj
فَمَنْ فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ فَلا رَفَثَ وَلا فُسُوقَ وَلا جِدَالَ فِي الْحَجِّSo the important thing is that a person should be in the best possible state of religion and character in this Hajj, so that he may find the taste and sweetness of this Hajj.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.