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Going To Hajj? Your Health Kit

Hajj is a lifetime journey for which the faithful hearts are longing. Indeed, it is a great favor Almighty Allah has bestowed upon His servants so that they can draw closer to Him and have their sins forgiven. As the performance of Hajj requires physical, psychological, and financial ability, all the would-be pilgrims need to be aware of all the health aspects of Hajj.

What is the best age for performing Hajj? What are the health aspects necessary to bear in mind during this season? What is the best nutrition that would aid our bodies during the Hajj rituals? How to avoid dehydration and other health problems outdoors?

To tackle this important topic, Dr. Amira Ayad, a pharmacist, nutrition specialist, and natural health consultant, provides answers to all these questions.

Should we be concerned about an outbreak of a SARS-like virus during the current Hajj season?
Fear and panic are the number one enemies of your immune system. It is highly important not to panic or worry. Stress and worry are proven to undermine our immunity greatly. Enjoy the moment and cherish your spiritual journey with a deep belief that “Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector.” And upon Allah let the believers rely.” (At-Taubah 9:51). This, of course, does not mean neglecting to take our precautions and follow the worldly means for prophylaxis and/or healing. For more on those, please refer to question 3 below.

And, remember, as long as you are fit, the viruses won’t stand a chance, in shaa Allah, so start taking care of your health early on before departure. Eat healthy, exercise, and get enough sleep and rest. And follow the prevention methods to the best of your ability.

5 Simple Sunnahs You Ought To Be Doing

Are you ready to become a better Muslim? Do you think you can be a much better Muslim and a stronger believer than you currently are?

If you’re ready to take your faith to the next level, then take a few minutes to ponder this hadith: “Allah said, ‘My servant does not draw nearer to Me with anything more beloved to Me than with the obligatory actions (in Islam). And my servant continues to draw near to me with voluntary acts so that I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing that he hears with, his seeing he sees with, his hand he strikes with, and his foot he walks with. Were he to ask of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to seek refuge in Me, I would surely give him refuge.”

Allah loves it when we fulfill the obligatory things He has ordained for us. These are things like:

  • The five daily prayers.
  • Fasting during the month of Ramadan.
  • Paying the Zakah.
  • Making Hajj at least once in a lifetime.
  • Returning the greetings.
  • Obeying the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

This is not an exhaustive list. There are many other things that Allah has ordained upon us. And a Muslim who is trying to get closer to Allah will do his or her best to fulfill these obligations. However, we all experience our weak moments of faith. When these weak moments happen, we may slack off on these mandatory Islamic duties. That’s why we should also perform some voluntary (Sunnah) acts as well. That way, when we go through these weak moments, we’ll slack off on the voluntary acts and continue doing the mandatory ones.

The Gifts Of Hajj Are Available To All

The linguistic meaning of Hajj is seeking or intending. Thus, the people of Allah are constantly performing Hajj because they are constantly seeking Allah. Just as their whole year is Ramadan, likewise their entire year is Hajj. Just as those performing Hajj respond to the call of Allah by saying ‘labbayk’, they are swift to respond to the call of Allah. They take themselves to account and leave that which is disliked and dubious in all their states and actions. They reject the desires of their lower selves, and they are the furthest from that which is prohibited. They constantly receive new blessings from their Lord, so they constantly renew their ihram. Day and night, they make tawaf around the House of their Lord, the One to Whom they turn themselves with absolute sincerity until nothing remains in them which is directed to other than Allah.

The bounty of Allah is available at all times of the day and night. This is why Allah swears by the morning light (duha) and by the night that He has not forsaken His Beloved (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), nor is He displeased with him.

If the Hajj has not been made possible for you, join with those making Hajj and share in their reward: by spending your wealth for the sake of Allah on your relatives, on the needy, by turning to Allah with your whole being. Make numerous your footsteps to good places, especially at the time of Fajr, and you will receive glad tidings from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): “Give glad tidings of complete light on the Day of Judgment to those who walk constantly to the mosque in the darkness.” [Narrated by Abu Daud]

Those whose light is complete will no doubt be in his company (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) “…on the day when Allah will not humble the Prophet and the believers along with him; their light will be running ahead of them and on their right…” [Al-Tahrim, 66:8]

Ask to be present with them, and thank Allah for allowing our spirits to be with them. So many hearts in the far East or the far West receive the gifts of Arafat and Mina because of their truthfulness with Allah.

Actions that carry the reward of Hajj
Nothing, of course, can equal actually performing the Hajj and worshipping Allah in those blessed places. However, since Allah knows that many people long to make Hajj every year but are unable to do so, out of His generosit,y He made the reward for certain actions similar to the reward of a supererogatory Hajj.

1. Remembering Allah from Fajr until Ishraq: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Whoever prays Subh (Fajr) in congregation and then sits in the place where he prayed, remembering Allah until the sun rises and then prays two rakats has the reward of a complete Hajj and Umrah.” He repeated ‘complete’ three times. [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi]

2. Attending a gathering of knowledge: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The one who goes out to the mosque wanting only to learn good or teach it has the reward of a complete Hajj.” [Narrated by al-Tabarani]

3. Going to the mosque for the congregational prayer: The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Whoever performs ablution in his house and then goes out to perform the obligatory prayer in the mosque has a reward similar to the reward of a Hajj pilgrim. Whoever goes out to perform the mid-morning prayer (Duha) has a reward similar to the reward of the one performing Umrah.” [Narrated by Abu Daud]

4. Reciting dhikr after the five daily prayers: Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a group of destitute people came to the Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam (may Alah exalt his mention), and said, “O Messenger of Allah, the wealthy people will have higher grades and will have permanent enjoyment in high levels in Paradise. They pray like us and fast as we do, but they have more money by which they perform the Hajj, Umrah, participate in Jihad and give in charity.” The Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), replied: “Shall I not tell you something upon which if you acted you would catch up with those who have surpassed you? Nobody would surpass you, and you would be better than the people amongst whom you live, except those who would do the same. Say ‘Subhan Allah’, ‘alHamdu Lillah’ and ‘Allahu Akbar’ thirty-three times each after every (compulsory) prayer.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

5. Reciting Durud upon the beloved Prophet: The Leader of the God-wary [Imam al-Muttaqain] SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam affirmed, “Perform your Fardh (obligatory) Hajj pilgrimage. Undoubtedly, its reward is greater than participating in twenty Gazwah and reciting one Durood upon me, equals that (in reward).” [Firdaus-bim  aur al-Khitab, Vol. 2, Page 607, Hadith 2484]

6. Performing ‘itikaf’ for ten days in the month of Ramadan: Imam Bayhaqi has reported on the authority of Hadrat Imam Hussain that the Messenger of Allah has stated, “whosoever performs itikaf for ten days in the month of Ramadan, it is as though he has performed two Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) and two Hajj (greater pilgrimage).” [Narrated by Bayhaqi]

7. Performing the Friday Prayer: Sayyiduna Sa’id bin al-Musayyib said performing the Friday Prayer is more beloved to me than a supererogatory Hajj.”

8. Performing the Eid Prayer: Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy upon him) narrated that the Companion Sayyiduna Mikhnaf ibn Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The reward for attending Eid Al-Fitr prayer is equal to the reward of performing Umrah and the reward for attending Eid Al-Ad’ha Prayer is equal to that of performing Hajj.”

9. Fulfilling the needs of your brother or sister: Sayyiduna Hasan al-Basri said: “Going to fulfil the need of your brother is better for you than performing Hajj after Hajj.”

10. Being good to your parents: The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) commanded one of the Companions to be good to his mother. If you do so, he said: “You are a Hajj pilgrim, a person performing Umrah and someone striving for the sake of Allah (mujahid).”

11. Abandoning sins and prohibitions: Some of our righteous predecessors said, giving up a misdeed that Allah the Exalted abhors is dearer to me than performing Hajj 500 times.”

12. Performing obligatory actions: The slave can only draw near to Allah by performing supererogatory actions after first having performed that which is obligatory. This includes purifying one’s heart from forbidden attributes and guarding one’s tongue and limbs from committing forbidden actions. All of this is much harder on the lower self than many supererogatory acts of worship.

Finally, there is no action more beloved to Allah on the Day of Eid than making a sacrifice. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) told his beloved daughter Sayyida Fatima al-Zahrah that she would be forgiven for her previous wrongdoings with the first drop of blood to be shed from the sacrificed animal. She asked if this reward was specifically for the household of the Prophet, and he replied: “For us and for all the Muslims.”

The Excellence Of Adhan

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Were people to know the blessing of pronouncing Adhan and the standing in the first row, they would even draw lots to secure these privileges. And were they to realize the reward of performing Salat early, they would race for it; and were they to know the merits of Salat after nightfall (Isha) and the dawn (Fajr) Salat, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Commentary: This expression to crawl is used to illustrate the high merit of praying Isha and Fajr in congregation in the mosque. This Hadith also urges making the best effort to occupy the first rows, as the ‘Angels of Mercy’ pray for the Imam first, then for those who pray immediately behind him in the first row, then for those behind them, and so on. The Hadith also points out the excellence of Adhan and the great reward of the person who pronounces it.

Muawiyah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) saying: “The Muadhdhinun (callers to prayer) will have the longest necks on the Day of Resurrection.” [Muslim].

Adhan – The Call For Prayers

Adan is the first call to Prayer. The Azan is uttered in a loud, albeit sweet, voice to announce to the faithful that it is time for the Obligatory Prayer and to invite them to offer the prayers. Those who perform Azan are known as Mu’ezzin.

The honor of being the first Muezzin goes to Hazrat Bilal, a black slave who converted to Islam. He had a lovely, resonant, and musical voice. He was appointed as Muezzin by the Prophet of Islam. The appointment of a black slave as the first person to call Muslims to prayer shows that in Islam, all human beings are treated as equals. Rich or poor, black or white, short or tall – all are equal in the eyes of Allah. It is the piety of each individual that makes the difference.

Azan is recited in a loud voice by the Muezzin facing the direction of the Kaaba in the following words, which are said in the order mentioned:

“Allahu Akbar” – recited FOUR times.
Meaning, “Allah is Most Great.”(four times)

“Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill-Allah” – recited TWO times.
Meaning, “I bear witness that there is none worthy of being worshipped except Allah.”(twice)

“Ash-hadu anna Muhammad-ar-Rasoolullah” – recited TWO times.
Meaning, “I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him)  is the Apostle of Allah.”(recited twice)

“Hayya alas-Salah” – recited TWO times.
Meaning, “Come to prayer.”(turning the face alone to the right and saying it twice)

“Hayya alal-falah” – recited TWO times.
Meaning, “Come to Success.”(turning the face alone to the left and saying it twice)

“Allahu Akbar” – recited TWO times.
Meaning, “Allah is Most Great” (face back to front and saying it two times).

“La ilaha ill-Allah”
Meaning, “I bear witness that there is none worthy of being worshiped except Allah.”(twice)