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O People! Verily Allah has Prescribed Upon You Hajj So Perform Hajj

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) revealed in the Qur’an:- “And proclaim the Hajj among mankind. They will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways”(Source – Quran ~Surah Al-Hajj~ Ayah #28).

When Ibrahim (Alaihis salaam) completed the structure of the Kabah, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) commanded him to call the people to Hajj. Ibrahim (Alaihis salaam) pleaded…”O, Allah! How shall my voice reach all of those people?” Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) told him that his duty was only to give the call….. and it was up to Allah to make it reach the people. Ibrahim (Alaihis salaam) then climbed Mount Arafat and called out in his loudest voice… “O, People! Verily Allah has prescribed upon you Hajj, so perform Hajj.”

‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas narrates:- “When Islam entered my heart, I went to the Messenger of Allah and said:- ‘Give me your hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.’ The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) spread his hand, but I withdrew mine. He (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:- ‘What is wrong ‘Amr?’ I said, ‘I want to make a condition.’ ‘And what is that?’ he (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said. I said, ‘That Allah will forgive me.’ Then the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, ‘Did you not know that Islam wipes out what came before it, and that Hijrah wipes out what came before it and that Hajj wipes out what came before it!”
(Source:-Sahih Muslim).

Hajj is the fifth pillar upon which Islam stands. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) made it compulsory …. for every able Muslim male and female to perform it, at least once in a lifetime.

Allah (Subhanuhu Wa-Ta’ala) revealed: Hajj thereto is a duty mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the journey, but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures”.
(Source:- ‘Quran’ ~Surah Ali Imran, Ayah # 97).

Performance of the Hajj washes away all sins. Abu Hurairah narrates:- I heard the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) say… “Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit any Rafath (obscenity) or Fusooq (transgression),
he returns (free from sin) as the day his mother bore him”.
( Source ~Sahih Bukhari).

Hajj is one of the greatest deeds one can accomplish in his or her lifetime.

Abu Hurairah narrates:- The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked… “What deed is the best?” He (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said… “Iman in Allah and His Messenger.” “Then what?” “Jihad for the sake of Allah.” “Then what?” “Hajj Mabroor”!!!
{a Hajj accepted by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) }

Abu Sha’thaa’ said:- “I contemplated the good deeds that a person does. I found that salaah, as well as fasting, are a jihad of the body. And that sadaqah is a jihad of someone’s wealth. But Hajj is a jihad of both body and wealth.”

Hajj is the greatest Jihad. Aishah (Radiallahu anha) asked the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)… “We find that jihad is the best deed, shouldn’t we (women) do jihad?” The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied… “Rather the best jihad is a Hajj Mabroor!” Aishah (R.A.) later said… “I’ll never cease performing Hajj after I heard that from Rasul Allah”
(Agreed Upon).

The dua of the one in Hajj shall be accepted. The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “The soldier in the path of Allah and the one who performs Hajj and the one who performs ‘Umra, all are the delegation of Allah!

He (Subhanuhu wa-ta’ala) called them and they answered. And they asked Him, and He shall grant them (what they ask for)!”
(Source:-Authentic hadith, narrated by Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban).

In the Islamic history books, it was narrated that on the day of Arafat, a man from Turkmenistan stood on the plains of Arafat in Hajj. To his left, all he could see were Muslims crying and praying to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). To his right, all he could see were Muslims crying and praying to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). Because of his native tongue, he could not imitate the lengthy prayers of the others. At this realization, everything blurred in front of him. His face reddened, and his eyes poured tears as he raised his hands, “O Allah! Grant me everything that they are asking for! Grant me everything that they are asking for!” And Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) accepted his dua!!!

There is not a single day that the sun has come up on more beloved to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) than the Day of Arafat. The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:- “There is no day on which Allah frees more of His slaves from Fire than the Day of Arafat, and He verily draws near, then boasts of them before the angels, saying:- ‘What do they seek?’
(Source:-Sahih Muslim).

And in another hadith:- “Verily Allah boasts of the people of Arafat before the people of Heaven (angels) saying: ‘Look to my servants who have come to Me disheveled and dusty.'”

Abdullah ibn Al-Mubaarak narrates:- I went to Sufyaan ibn al-Uyaynah as the day of Arafat was setting. He sat on his knees, his hands raised to the Heavens, and tears moistened his cheeks and beard. He turned and looked at me, so I asked him, “Amongst the people who have gathered here for Hajj, who is in the worst state?” Sufyaan ibn al-Uyaynah said… “He who thinks that Allah will not forgive him.”

A Mabroor Hajj is one in which Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) is not disobeyed during or after. Others have said that a Hajj Mabroor is one that is accepted, and the sign of its acceptance is that a person will go back in a better state than when he came, and that he will discontinue the sins that were between him and Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala).

when Ibn Umar was on his deathbed and his son reminded him of all the good deeds that he did with the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and the companions. He told him,:- “Quiet! Don’t you know whom Allah accepts from… Verily Allah only accepts from the God-Fearing
(Al-Muttaqoon).”

Indeed, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:- “And there is no reward for an accepted Hajj- except …*Jannah*

Tears in my Eyes!
‘Insha Allah’!
‘ Son of Adam! You are nothing but a number of days, whenever each day passes then part of you has Gone.
{Al-Hasan Al-Basree}

Common Misconceptions About Islam

Perhaps the most common misunderstanding about Islam is its attitude toward women. In light of modern sensibilities, Islam, as practiced by most Muslims, does retain some pre-modern attitudes. Much of this is cultural; however, some are not. For example, although the home is generally considered the best place for a woman, Islam does not prohibit a woman from a career in the outside world. In fact, many early Muslim women including the Prophet’s wife, Khadijah, were scholars and merchants. While Islamic law does legislate some differences between men and women, they are few in number. The majority of practicing Muslim women do not view them as demeaning because a woman is considered equal to a man before God. The Qur’an clearly states, “Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him will We give a new life, and life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions” (Qur’an, p. 663).

Another aspect of Islam that tends to spark interest is the idea of Jihad or holy war. Some people think Islam condones violence and even terrorism. In reality, Islam rarely permits Muslims to use coercive force and does so only for reasons such as self-defense. Moreover, with the exception of self-defense, only legitimate state authority can exercise coercive force. Although there is a religious duty to fight to defend the lands of Islam, strict rules of engagement apply. The Prophet specifically prohibited the killing of religious people, old people, as well as women and children. Later, Muslim legal theorists included any noncombatants in this prohibition. Sadly, like other religions, Islam has violent fanatics and extremists who justify their crimes by distorting Quranic verses and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for heinous ends.

Muslims are a racially diverse community, the majority of which are non-Arab. Although Islam began in Arabia, Arabs comprise less than 15 percent of Muslims. The largest Muslim population is in Indonesia, and the second-largest is in Pakistan. There are estimated to be over 60 million Muslims in modern China. Islam is considered to be the fastest-growing religion in the twenty-first century. Islam is the third largest religion in the United States and is expected to be the second after Christianity.

Living And Dying In Islam

The German philosopher Goethe wrote, “If Islam means submission to the will of God, then in Islam we all live and die.” This succinctly summarizes the goal of Muslims: To live and die in accordance with God’s will as revealed in the Qur’an and practiced by the Prophet. Muslims attempt to adjust their view of the world with the lens of the Qur’an. The will of God is expressed in the Qur’an through both expectations and examples. The expectations are usually descriptions of how a believer should live his or her life, and various stories in the Qur’an provide positive and negative examples. The epitome of a positive exemplar is Moses, whose story is dealt with in great detail in the Qur’an. The struggle is at the root of life on earth, a spiritual survival of the fittest. The fittest are those closest to God; they are those who are “steadfast in prayer and spend out of what We have provided for them” (Qur’an 2:3; Ali 1999, p. 17). The negative prototype is embodied in Pharaoh, who elevates himself above God’s law and makes his own law the only source of guidance. Moses is given the Promised Land for his perseverance and steadfastness, and Pharaoh is destroyed by his own hubris and rebellion against the divine will. The story of Moses is an example of submission (Islam), and Pharaoh’s is of rebellion and infidelity (kufr). Between these two lies the struggle of humanity.

Life is meant to be an arena whereby one struggles with good and evil. The Qur’an teaches that good and evil exist in the heart of every individual as well as in society. The individual struggle is to act righteously in accordance with the Qur’an and prophetic example and to shun one’s own evil and its impulses. The collective struggle is to work with others to make the world a more righteous place. In Arabic, this inward and outward struggle is called jihad. While it can mean a militant struggle against those who attack the Muslim lands, it also signifies a person’s struggle with the lower tendencies of the soul, the gravitational pull of self-destructive forces that lead to alienation from God and a state of spiritual disequilibrium. Because humans inevitably fall short morally and succumb to these destructive tendencies from time to time, a means of reestablishing spiritual balance is given, called Tauba or atonement. This is done by experiencing a genuine sense of remorse for one’s transgressions and removal of the unhealthy effects of that state by turning to God and seeking divine grace through prayer, charity, and a sincere resolution not to return to the destructive patterns of the past.

While life is seen as a spiritual test and journey, it is also seen as being filled with blessings from God to be enjoyed: “Eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for God loveth not the wasters. Say: ‘Who hath forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of God which He hath produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, (which He hath provided) for sustenance?” (Qur’an, p. 352). Thus, in Islam, marriage is highly recommended and celibacy is frowned upon. The Muslim savants of the past identified sexual relations between a wife and her husband as a foretaste of eternal bliss in the afterlife. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged marriage and stated, “There is no monasticism in Islam.” In Islam, children are highly esteemed and seen as one of God’s greatest blessings to humanity. The Prophet stated that humans were born innocent and later corrupted by their societies. Thus, parents are held responsible for maintaining that state of innocence and raising them with a sense of love and awe of the divine. Motherhood is highly regarded in the Qur’an and the prophetic tradition. In most Muslim societies, adult women are still predominantly mothers and housewives during their productive years.

 

Return To Tawheed: Solution Begins With The Individual

The Kalimah (word) of Tawheed, La ilaha ill-Allah, came to correct belief – not only that of the ancient polytheists but of all men up until the Day of Judgement. It testifies that there is no divinity except Allah none other than Him and none along with Him. None is similar to Him, none creates and sustains except Him, and none has the right to govern creation but Him. The concept of Tawheed necessarily overflows into all aspects of belief and worship into all aspects of life.

Whether he recognizes it or not, man is totally indebted to his Creator for his continuing existence hour by hour, not to mention such blessings as his many possessions and abilities.

Knowing that Allah alone is the Creator – the Sustainer, the Provider, the Controller, the source of all benefit and harm in whose hands is the Judgment and the final destination of men – requires through common sense and reason that He alone be worshipped.

Although the concept of worship (ibadah) has been gradually reduced in common usage to mean little more than the performance of certain religious rites and rituals, the original and true definition is comprehensive.

It encompasses all actions and intentions motivated by a recognition of greatness – that combination of love and fear, producing efforts to please the Lord Alone and to avoid His displeasure.

An object of worship continually occupies the mind of the worshipper and consequently governs his behavior, both consciously and unconsciously.

When applying the correct definition, it becomes clear that despite lip-service to “La ilaha ill-Allah,” one’s object of worship could well be something other than Allah.

“Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his god, and Allah knowing (him as such), left him astray…?” (Qur’an, 45:23)

Pursuers of falsehood like those who embrace political ideologies might assume that by bowing to Allah in prayer, they worship Him alone. But Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) firmly corrected this misconception.

Once, Adiyy Bin Hatim entered while the Prophet was reciting a verse from the Qur’an: “They took their rabbis and their monks as lords besides Allah and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, Son of Mary, while they were commanded to worship none but One God…” (Qur’an, 9:31)

Adiyy (a former Christian) said, “O Messenger of Allah, they did not worship them.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “Did they (the priests) not tell them (the people) that the Haraam was Halaal and that the Halaal was Haraam and (the people) followed them in that?” When Adiyy admitted, “Yes,” the Prophet stated, “That was their worship of them.” (Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi)

Willful obedience to what is disobedience to Allah is impermissible. Worship in the above Hadith was defined as obedience – a fact that becomes evident from even a superficial study of the Qur’an in which Allah orders repeatedly:

“Obey Allah and the Messenger.” (Qur’an, 3:32; 3:132; 4:59; 8:1; 8:64; 24:54; 47:33; 58:13; and 64:12) Many other verses, although worded differently, carry the same meaning.

“The command (or the judgment) is for none but Allah…” (Qur’an, 12:40)

Two types of shirk were common both before and after the commissioning of the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). The first of these is the dedication of acts of worship (especially du’a) to others besides Allah while still claiming belief in Him. The Qur’an orders:

“And invoke not any other god along with Allah. There is no god but Him.” (Qur’an, 12:40)

The other type of shirk is the willful adherence to laws and rulings other than those of Allah.

“Have you seen those who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgment (in their disputes) to the Taghut (false judges, etc.) while they have been ordered to reject them…?” (Qur’an, 4:60)

The absence of Tawheed is sadly evident today in the acceptance of foreign philosophies, political oppression, innovations in religion, and countless forms of disobedience. Allah warns:

“Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord. And do not follow any patrons besides Him.” (Qur’an, 7:3)

“And if you obey most of those on earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah’s Path.” (Qur’an, 6:116)

Reform will be accomplished only when the majority of Muslims return to the true worship of Allah and do not tolerate Shirk. The Jihad against tyranny and oppression everywhere on earth will neither be accepted by Allah nor aided by Him until the participants are truly dedicated to His cause and free of all other motivations. Jihad against the self and refinement of the soul should be the first step.

“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves…” (Qur’an, 13:11)

The solution begins with the individual… in the soul.

– An excerpt from Realities of Faith, Abul-Qasim Publishing House

Dream Prophecies Come True

In describing the victory of Damascus, Syed Mullah Muhammad Wakedi writes that the Muslim forces endured extreme hardship during the war.

Hazrat Abu Obaida (radi Allah unhu) dreamed of the Beloved Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihe Wa Sallam) near the end of the war. In the dream, the Beloved Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihe Wa Sallam) declared: €œInsha’Allah, the city will be conquered tonight.€ After this, the Beloved Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihe Wa Sallam) expressed his desire to leave. At this Hazrat Abu Obaida (radi Allah unhu) humbly stated: Oh Prophet of Allah! (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), you are leaving very soon.” The Beloved Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihe Wa Sallam) replied: €œI have to attend the funeral prayer of Abu Bakr.â€

The subsequent events confirmed the prophecies contained in the dream. Damascus was conquered on the very night Hazrat Abu Obaida (radi Allah unhu) dreamed the Beloved Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihe Wa Sallam). It also turned out that Hazrat Abu Bakr (radi Allah unhu) passed away on the same night.

In the morning, Hazrat Abu Obaida (radi Allah unhu) received the good news of the victory of Damascus from Hazrat Abu Huraira (radi Allah unhu). Hazrat Abu Obaida (radi Allah unhu) did not find it necessary to further confirm the victory of Damascus since he had already received the news earlier in his dream. Hazrat Abu Obaida (radi Allah unhu) entered Damascus on Monday, the 11th Jamadi-us-Sani in 13 Hijri.