… Continued

The Fourth Message: The Righteous Predecessors:

The Prophet the finest and purest human, called on pilgrims to: "Learn your rituals (of Hajj) from me."

Here are also some examples from among the righteous predecessors who followed the example of the Prophet :

- Anas Ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, put on Ihraam (the clothing of ritual consecration) at Thaat ‘Irq (the place from where the people of Iraq put on Ihraam) and he was not heard saying anything except the mentioning of Allah until he finished.

- When Al-Qaadhi Shurayh put on Ihraam, he was like a deaf snake (not talking to or mixing with people).

- Sufyaan Ath-Thawri never abandoned enjoining good and forbidding evil while going to and coming from Hajj.

- When Al-Fudhayl Ibn ‘Iyaadh was standing at ‘Arafah, he bowed down and his eyes shed abundant tears.

- Bakr Ibn ‘Abdullaah Al-Muzani said, "Had I not been one of the pilgrims, I would have said, 'They must have been forgiven.'"

- Al-Awzaa‘i during Hajj, remembered and mentioned Allah in each location and position with humbleness and servitude.

Reflect!

The Fifth Message: Words of Light:

On the 10^th year after Hijrah, the Prophet went to Hajj. On the 9^th day of Thul-Hijjah, about 150,000 Muslims gathered around him and he delivered his famous Khutbah (sermon), saying:

"O people, listen to me. Perhaps I will not see you after this year. Your blood and property are inviolable like the sanctity of this day, this month and this land. All evil practices of the pre-Islamic era are hereby canceled and all bloodshed in the pre-Islamic era are canceled as well. The first blood-revenge I cancel is that of ours - the blood of Rabee‘ah Ibn Al-Haarith. Riba (interest/usury) which was common in the pre-Islamic era is also hereby abolished, and the first Riba I abolish is that of Al-‘Abbaas Ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib.

Fear Allah regarding your wives; Allah has entrusted them to you and made intercourse lawful with them by the word of Allah. They should not allow anybody you dislike to enter your houses; if they do, you may strike them lightly. You should provide for them and clothe them according to what is acceptable. I leave among you the Book of Allah; should you hold onto it, you will not go astray.

O people, there is neither a prophet after me nor a nation after you. Worship your Lord, perform the five obligatory prayers, fast the month (of Ramadan), pay the Zakah of your properties with content and tolerance, perform Hajj to the House of your Lord and obey your rulers, you will enter the Paradise of your Lord. When you will be asked about me, what will you say?"

The people replied, "We testify that you have perfectly delivered the message and advised." The Prophet pointed his finger to the sky and then lowered it, saying three times: "O Allah, bear witness!"

The Sixth Message: Ostentation and Reputation:

After performing the rituals of Hajj, it happens that some pilgrims boast and state that they were a member of such-and-such a delegation, with the such-and-such a group, and that they did such-and-such, performed Tawaaf, cast the pebbles, slaughtered, and so on. The pilgrim may boast of these deeds, whether deliberately or unintentionally, and forget that sincerity and dedicating the acts of worship solely to Allah is the real goal of Hajj. Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion.} [Quran 98: 5]
• {So worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion. Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion.} [Quran 39: 2-3]

In an authentic Hadeeth, the Prophet said: "Intentions are what count in deeds and each one will be rewarded according to his intentions."

Shurayh said, "The (true) pilgrims are few, although the travelers to Hajj are many. Many do righteous deeds but few are those who dedicate them solely to Allah."

Ibn Rajab said, "The pilgrim should not intend ostentation, reputation, showing off, arrogance or haughtiness with his Hajj. Rather, he should dedicate it solely to Allah and to obtain His satisfaction. The pilgrim has to be humble, modest and submissive to Allah while performing it."

It was narrated on the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said, "The Prophet performed Hajj on a worn-out saddlebag and velvet that was worth four Dirhams. He said: 'O Allah, I seek a Hajj that is free from ostentation and from seeking reputation.'" [Ibn Maajah]

The Seventh Message: Talbiyah:

"Labbayka Allahumma labbayk. Labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-hamda wan-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk. La shareeka lak (I am responding to Your call O Allah, I am responding to Your call! I am responding to Your call, You have no partner with You, I am responding to Your call. All perfect praise and bounty belongs to You, and the dominion is Yours)."

With a tender and clear voice, all pilgrims coming from the different parts of the world to witness the great benefits for them repeat this slogan, declaring their allegiance to Allah, intending His House, hoping to receive His bounty, seeking His mercy and repeating the call of their forefather, Ibraaheem (Abraham), the intimate friend of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, with full humbleness and purification.

With this Talbiyah, the pilgrim spends a long journey of faith where he is motivated by repentance to Allah and purification from each sin out of exalting and honoring the symbols of Allah and in compliance with the Sunnah of the Prophet . Repeating this slogan and saying it loudly is explicit evidence and truthful declaration that greatness exclusively belongs to Allah alone and that he will keep obedient to Allah wherever he goes.

How beautiful this call is! How wonderful the response to the commands of Allah is!

Talbiyah is not a chant or song that one says while those behind him repeat it with neither reflection nor contemplation. Repeating the Talbiyah in one tone by all pilgrims is against the Sunnah of the Prophet and distracts and disturbs other people. This collective recitation of Talbiyah is an innovation in religion and it has no ground in Sharee‘ah. Sometimes the voices of women become even louder than the men's, and this denotes great evil! We should avoid innovation in religion and be keen to comply with the Sunnah of the Prophet .

Messages for the Pilgrim - I

Messages for the Pilgrim - III

Messages for the Pilgrim - IV

To be continued …