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When Death Came Knocking

It was early in the morning at four,
When death knocked upon a bedroom door.

Who is there? The sleeping one cried.
I am Malkul Maut (Angel Of Death), let me inside.

At once, the man began to shiver,
As one sweating in deadly fever,

He shouted to his sleeping wife,
Do not let him take away my life.

Please go away, O Angel of Death!
Leave me alone, I am not ready yet.

My parents and family on me depends,
Give me a chance, O please prepense!

The angel knocked again and again,
Friend! I will take your life without pain,

This your soul Allah requires,
I come not with my own desires.

Bewildered, the man began to cry,
O Angel I am so afraid to die,

I will give you gold and be your slave,
Do not send me to the unlit grave.

Let me in, O Friend! The Angel said,
Open the door; get up from your bed,

If you do not allow me in,
I will walk through it, like a Jinn.

The man held a gun in his hand,
Ready to defy the Angels’ stand.

Hajj A Model For Life

The blessed days of Hajj are approaching, and Muslim pilgrims are traveling to the holy sites. The memories and spirituality of Hajj are really moving. Pilgrims cannot help but have tears in their eyes while observing this magnificent gathering that is heading to the House of Allah in total submission and devotion. The pilgrims supplicate humbly, asking Allah to wipe off their sins, accept their Hajj, and grant them happiness in this world and the hereafter.

But should all of these awe-inspiring feelings be restricted to a few days of Hajj? I always think of Hajj as a journey intended to guide us on how to lead our larger journey of life. It is the model after which Muslims should pattern their lives. This connection between Hajj and life is very important; after all, both of them are journeys that need special preparation and should have special goals.

Take, for example, the first steps pilgrims take in preparation for their Hajj journey. They pay off their debts and bathe themselves. The lesson here is that our lives should be based on purity and cleanliness. How beautiful life would be if each and every one of us tried to adhere to this principle? If only everyone tried to steer clear of anything that may taint their beliefs or blemish their relations with Allah. Of course, it may happen that Muslims commit a sin or succumb to Satan’s whispers, but once such a thing occurs, they hasten to “clean” and “wash” their spirits. Just as they wear pure and clean clothes for their Hajj journeys, they are keen to meet Allah after the journey of life with a pure and clean heart.

“Labbayk, Allahumma, labbayk. Here I am, O Allah, at Your service.” This eternal call, chanted by millions of pilgrims every year, gives us further inspiration. The pilgrims respond to Allah’s call with pleasure, paying no heed to the trouble they may undergo; they come to Him declaring in words and in deeds their submission to His commands, their unconditional obedience to His orders, their love of what He loves, and paying their honor to what He honors. This is the spirit that Muslims should keep throughout their entire lives. Labbayk, Allahumma, labbayk. This is not merely a ritual phrase to be uttered in Hajj and then forgotten afterward, rather, it is a motto for every Muslim, a way of life.

After hours, even longer days, and months of travel, pilgrims reach Makkah and cool their eyes with the sight of the holy sites. Throughout their observances of Hajj, in their movements from place to place, and from rite to rite, Muslims recall great scenes of sacrifice by their great forbears, such as Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his family, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his noble companions. These glorious scenes inspire us and motivate us to face the challenges of life with a bold heart as well as to rise up to our responsibility of working and sacrificing in defense of our religion and for the advancement of our Ummah.

Hajj Tips For Pilgrims

  • Always have drinking water as you may become dehydrated.
  • Use your time wisely – be busy with Dhikr, Du’a, and recitation of the Qur’an.
  • Wear comfortable, ‘broken-in’ footwear, that does not conceal fingers or ankles.
  • Be very careful to stay within the specific boundaries during the days of Hajj, especially in Arafat – overstepping them may affect the correctness of your Hajj.
  • If you wear spectacles, secure them with a spectacle cord.
  • Take some rest on the night of Muzdalifah because the following day is full of activity and requires energy.
  • Observe landmarks when going out so you can find your way back.
  • Arrange a meeting place with your group in case you get lost.
  • Keep the phone number of your hotel/flat and the group leader with you whenever you go out.
  • Don’t go out alone on the days of Hajj as it is very easy to get lost.
  • Always inform someone in the group when you go out and when you are expected to return.
  • Have some cash with you when you go out, in case you get lost.
  • Bathrooms are aplenty at Hajj sites, select one which is clean.

Hajj – The Real Blessings

What are the blessings of Hajj? One may describe them in great detail. But, in the Qur’an, where Allah instructs Prophet Ibrahim to invite people to come to Hajj, so: “That they may witness things that are of benefit to them…” (22: 28)

Hence, the real blessings of Hajj can only be experienced by those who actually perform it. Imam Abu Hanifah, it is narrated, was unsure which act of worship was more excellent among the various ones laid down by Islam. But once he had performed Hajj, he had no hesitation in declaring that Hajj was the most excellent of all.

I shall now try to give you, briefly, some idea of its blessings.

The Journey
We usually think of journeys as of two kinds: those made for business and those made for pleasure. In both cases, it is to fulfill your worldly desires and benefit yourselves that you leave your homes, separate from families, and spend money — all is done for your own sake. No question arises of sacrifice for any higher, sublime purpose.

But the journey that is the Hajj is quite different in nature. This is not meant for any personal end. It is undertaken solely for Allah and the fulfillment of the duty prescribed by Allah. Nobody can be prepared to undertake this journey until and unless he has love of Allah in his heart, as well as fear of Him, and is convinced that Allah wants him to do what he is doing. That you are willing to bear the hardships arising from separation from your family, to incur great expenses on a journey that will bring no material rewards, and to suffer any loss of business or job, all are signs of certain inner qualities: that you love and fear Allah more than anything, that you have a strong sense of duty to Him, that you are willing to respond to His summons and ready to sacrifice your material comforts in His cause.

Delaying Hajj? Think Again

Umar Bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) once remarked: “I was about to send envoys to the towns (on the outskirts of the Muslim empire) to check on all those who have the means to make Hajj but do not perform it, in order to impose the Jizyah upon them.” (Al-Bayhaqi; Al-Haithami declared it Sahih)
 
The auspicious Hajj trip is one of the five pillars of Islam, a one-time obligation upon those who have the ability to perform it. Every year millions of devout Muslims answer the call to Haj following in the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in answering the call of their father Ibrahim.

Unfortunately, many people delay performing the Hajj until the latter part of their lives simply because of convenience. They wish to postpone the trip until they feel they are financially ‘stable’. Some people hold back out of fear of a new Islamic lifestyle they will be obligated to embrace when they return – one should never fear drawing closer to God. Indeed the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Hurry to perform Hajj (the obligatory one), as none of you knows what may happen to him” (Ahmad, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Majah) and “Whoever wants to do Hajj, let him hasten to do so.” (Ahmad and Abu Dawood)

There is of course a well-known scholarly difference of opinion as to whether Hajj is an obligation that must be executed promptly, or, can be delayed. According to scholars who hold the opinion that the obligation of the Hajj is one of promptness; the Hajj must be carried out as soon as all the preconditions are fulfilled and one cannot delay performing it for the next year. The one who delays the performance of Hajj, even though he has the means to perform it, and then dies, is sinful and has left himself open to the punishment and displeasure of Allah in the Hereafter.

Others opine that the Hajj may be delayed because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) chose to perform Haj in the 10 AH – around four years after the obligation was revealed. This school has other supporting arguments for which there exist counterarguments.

Without wanting to endorse one opinion over another, I would like to place the legal difference of opinion to one side and draw our attention to a few other points. Allah the Almighty encourages His servants to compete with each other in performing virtuous deeds. He says in one verse,

And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for the pious. (Qur’an, 3:133)

Why would one delay the prospect of performing a Haj Mabroor, the accepted Hajj, the reward of which is nothing less than the gardens of Paradise?

This is your chance to have all of your sins forgiven as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever performs Hajj to this house – Ka’bah – and does not commit any obscenity and wrongdoing, he, or she, will come out as the day he, or she, was born – pure and free from sins.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

From another perspective, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: “Hurry to perform Hajj, as none of you knows what may happen to him.” It is as if the Prophet is telling us to think about the matter in a rational way. If someone who has the ability to perform the Hajj delays it; do they not fear that death may catch up with them and they then meet Allah with no Hajj to their account?

The reality is that many do delay Hajj until it’s too late. As the years pass by some of them fall sick with debilitating conditions, others become financially stricken and so the great opportunity is lost.

An appeal to all Muslims who know that they can perform Hajj without great difficulty is to do so before they lose this unique chance of attaining complete forgiveness for their sins and being granted Paradise.

The Soul Of Hajj

No annual event on the face of the earth, religious or non-religious, compares to Hajj in terms of the sheer number of participants, duration of the event, and the breadth of the agenda. In spite of this fact, it has always remained equally fascinating and mysterious to not only non-Muslims, who are barred from entering the holy city, but also to millions of Muslims, who had not performed Hajj.

What then is Hajj? In essence, Hajj is man’s evolution toward Allah; his return to Him. It is a symbolic demonstration of the philosophy of the creation of Adam, the first man. To further illustrate this, it may be stated that the performance of Hajj is a simultaneous show or exhibit of many things. It is a show of creation. It is a show of history. It is a show of unity. It is a show of Islamic ideology. It is a show of Ummah, the community of Muslims. That is why it is said in the Qur’an: “And proclaim unto mankind the Hajj. “… That they may witness things that are of benefit to them ….” (22:28)

Hajj is a duty unto Allah for mankind, for “…. those who can afford the expenses …” (3:97). It is not a tax on your wealth, but a duty. Thus, to qualify, you must be sane and wise to understand what you are getting into, and able-bodied to go through this task, and lastly, have the means or resources to perform Hajj.

The pillars of Hajj are five :

  1. Assuming Ihram
  2. Attendance at Arafat
  3. Tawaf of the Ka’ba
  4. Sa’i or running between the Safa and the Marwa (5) cutting or trimming of hair.
  5. Cutting or trimming of hair.

Others are not pillars, although some may require kaffara or a penalty, if not done. The person who puts on the Ihram or cloth for either Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) or Hajj (greater pilgrimage) is called a Muhrim.

Hajj and Umrah are performed in three ways — ifrad, tamattu, and qiran. Ifrad involves first performing Hajj and then Umrah.  Tamattu is when one first performs Umrah and then Hajj, both in the same year with some break in between the two.

Qiran is when one puts on the ‘Ihram with the intention of combining both Hajj and Umrah without any break in between the two.

The 10 etiquette of Hajj are:

  1. Requite all wrongdoings and seek forgiveness from all those who have a grudge against you.
  2. Make provision for Hajj from one’s lawful means.
  3. Learn the pillars of Hajj and its observance.
  4. Be kind and bear with others with patience, lest the reward is nullified.
  5. Observe the obligations of prayers and their rulings.
  6. Be generous, support the poor, and spend as much as he/she is able to.
  7. At the station of Arafat, remember the Day of Judgment.
  8. Should not miss visitation of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Mosque in Madina.
  9. After returning from Hajj, one should turn oneself toward praying for Akhirah (Hereafter).
  10. One should remember parents and other close relatives who have passed away with humble prayers and make-up for them if they could not fulfill their obligations of Hajj.

Journey Of A Lifetime

Hajj is performed from the 8-13 of Dhul-Hijjah. The Manasik (rites) of Haj At-Tamattu’ is described below and has been summarized on the right. Early on the morning of 8th Dhul Hijjah, the Day of Tarwiyah, the pilgrim assumes Ihram for Hajj as he did for Umrah, but says “Labbayk Allahumma Hajjan” and begins reciting the Talbiyyah. All the rules of Ihram which applied to Umrah also hold for Hajj. He then proceeds to Mina where he spends the day in worship and performs Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha shortened but not joined. He spends the night there.

After Fajr on 9th Dhul Hijjah, the Day of Arafah, he leaves for `Arafah. At the time of Dhuhr, he prays Dhuhr and `Asr shortened and combined with one Adhan and two Iqamah. He remains there until Maghrib, standing with hands raised in supplication anywhere within the boundaries of Arafah.

After sunset, he proceeds to Muzdalifah where he performs Maghrib and Isha shortened and combined with one Adhan and two Iqamah. He then goes to sleep until Fajr. After performing Fajr at its earliest time on the 10th Dhul Hijjah, the Day of Sacrifice, he leaves Muzdalifah before sunrise and returns to Mina. He continues reciting the Talbiyah.

He collects seven pebbles and does a stoning of the Big Jamarah sometime between sunrise and night, standing with Makkah to his left and Mina to his right. He says “Allahu Akbar” with each stone throw. The slaughter must be done and then he may partially come out of the state of Ihram by shaving the head or cutting the hair for men and trimming the hair for women.

Perform Tawaf Al-Ifadah walking normally, then do Sa`ee. One is now completely out of Ihram. On the 11th-13th Dhul Hijjah, the Days of Tashreeq, one stays in Mina and performs stoning of the three Jamarat each day between Zawal (the sun is at its peak) and night – 21 pebbles must be collected for this. The smallest Jamarah is stoned first, then the medium, then the big one. After stoning at the first two, one may face the Qiblah and supplicate to Allah. On the 13th after stoning the Jamarat one leaves Mina.

One must perform the Farewell Tawaf prior to leaving Makkah. This completes the Manasik of Hajj. May Allah grant all pilgrims Hajj Mabroor (an accepted Haj, the reward of which is nothing but Jannah).

The Day Of Aashura (10th Muharam ) And Historical Events

Although the month of Muharram is a sacred month as a whole, the 10th of Muharram is the most sacred of all its days.

The day is named ‘aashurah’. it is one of the most important and blessed days of allah ta’ala in the Islamic calendar. This day has been accepted as having deep significance. evidence of its significance has been clearly found in authentic traditions.

There are many prophetic events of great historical importance and also events that happened after the beloved and final messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had left this world, such as the battle of Karbala, that have taken place on this day.

The importance of the month of Muharram has been mentioned in the Qur’an in surah taubah verse 36. This day of Ashura derives its importance from prophetic traditions. in the ahadeeth (sayings of rasulullah sallallaho alaihe wassallam) the following have been mentioned :

Fasting
The prophet Muhammad(sallallahu-alaihe wasallam) has exhorted and encouraged his ummah to fast on this day. He said: ” This fast is a compensation for the (minor) sins of the past year ” ( hadith: Muslim )

The prophet Muhammad (PBUH), when migrated to Madinah, found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which the prophet Musa (Moses), alaihe salam, and his followers crossed the red sea miraculously and the pharaoh was drowned in its waters. On hearing this from the Jews, the prophet, sallallahu alaihi wassallam, said, “We are more closely rotated to Musa, alaihi salam, than you, and directed the Muslims to fast on the day of “Ashura”. ( hadith-abu Dawood)

“Observe the fast of Ashura and oppose the Jews. Fast a day before it or a day after.” (hadith: baihaqi)

Hence, it is important to either fast on the ninth and the tenth or the tenth and the eleventh of Muharram.

Being Generous
One should be generous with one’s family and dependents and spend more on them than what is normally spent.

Rasulullah ( sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam) said:” One who generously spends on his family on the day of Aashora, Allah will increase (his provision) for the whole year.” ( hadith: baihaqi )

Historical Events
There is no doubt about the blessedness of the day of Ashura. Many historical events of deep significance have also been recorded on this day.
Hazrat Musa (as) and his people, the Bani Israel, were saved from the Egyptian pharaoh by the miracle of the parting of the sea on the day of Ashura. it was for this reason that the Jews used to fast on this day.

The tragic battle of Karbala was also fought on this day. This event has many important lessons for the ummah (Muslim nation), especially at this point in time when the ummah is being maliciously targeted and persecuted just because of their attachment to and love for Islam.

Reward Of 10 Days of Dhu’l Hijjah

Among the great seasons of worship are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, which Allah has favored over other days. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” They said: “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?” He said: “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah unless a man goes out himself for jihad taking his wealth with him and does not come back with anything.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2/457

It was also narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no deed that is better before Allah or more greatly rewarded than a good deed done in the (first) ten days of al-Adha.” It was said: “Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah?” He said: “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah unless a man goes out himself for jihad taking his wealth with him and does not come back with anything.” Narrated by al-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as stated in al-Irwa’, 3/398.

These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than all other days of the year, with no exception, even the last ten days of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadaan are better than the first ten nights of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because they include Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months. See Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/412.
So the Muslim should start these days with sincere repentance to Allah, then he should do a lot of righteous deeds in general, then he should pay attention to doing the following deeds:

1 – Fasting
It is Sunnah for the Muslim to fast on the first nine days of Dhu’l-Hijjah because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) encouraged us to do righteous deeds in the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and fasting is one of the best of deeds, which Allah has chosen for Himself as it says in the hadeeth Qudsi: “Allaah says: ‘All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except fasting, which is for Me and I shall reward for it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1805.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the first nine days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. It was narrated from Hunaydah ibn Khaalid from his wife, that one of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast on the first nine days of Dhu’l-Hijjah and the day of ‘Ashoora’, and three days each month, the first Monday of the month and two Thursdays. Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 4/205 and by Abu Dawood; classed as Saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2/462.

2 – Reciting tahmeed, tahleel and takbeer a great deal
It is Sunnah to recite takbeer (saying Allaahu Akbar (Allah is most great)), themed (saying al-hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allaah)), tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allah (There is no god but Allah)) and tasbeeh (saying Subhaan-Allah (Glory be to Allah)), during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, saying these words out loud in the mosques, homes, streets and every place in which it is permissible to remember Allah, to perform this act of worship openly and proclaim the greatness of Allah. Men should recite out loud and women should recite quietly.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade), and mention the Name of Allah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)” [al-Hajj 22:28]

The majority are of the view that the “appointed days” are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because it was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the appointed days are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are no days that are greater before Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a great deal of tahleel, takbeer and tahmeed during them.” Narrated by Ahmad, 7/224; its isnaad was classed as Saheeh by Ahmad Shaakir.
The takbeer is as follows:
Allah akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise).
And there are other versions.
This takbeer has become a forsaken Sunnah nowadays, especially at the beginning of these ten days. You can hardly hear it except a few. It should be recited out loud, so as to revive the Sunnah and remind the heedless. It was proven that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to go out to the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, reciting the takbeer our loud, and the people would recite takbeer when they heard them, i.e., the people would remember the talkbeer and each one would recite it by himself; it does not mean that they recited in unison – that is not prescribed in shari’ah.

Reviving Sunnahs that have been forgotten brings a great deal of rewards, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Whoever revives one of my Sunnahs that has died out after I am gone, will have a reward like that of everyone who does it, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 7/443; this hadeeth is hasan because of corroborating reports.

3 – Doing Hajj and Umrah
One of the greatest deeds that can be done during these ten days is Hajj to the sacred House of Allah. Whoever Allah helps to go on Hajj to His House and do the rituals in the required manner will – in sha Allaah – be included in the words of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise .”

4 – Udhiyah (sacrifice)
One of the righteous deeds that bring a person closer to Allah in these ten days is to slaughter the sacrifice and to look for a good, fat animal, and to spend money on it for the sake of Allah.

Let us hasten to make the most of these great days, before the negligent regrets what he did, and before he asks to go back and receives no response

All praises and thanks be to Allah, Lord of everything that exists. The most Gracious, the Most Merciful.Master of the Day of Judgment You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help. Guide us to the Straight Way The Way of of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor those who went astray. Ameen