Exerting Great Efforts During Worship

25/10/2010| IslamWeb

One of the benefits one gains in Hajj is understanding the meaning of exerting an effort. A Muslim who performs Hajj leaves his house heading towards The Sacred House of Allah The Almighty (Ka'bah in Makkah). Some people go by air, others by sea and yet others go by land, either driving or riding an animal. There are some people, however, who still have to walk great parts of their Hajj journey.

 

People do this in order to fulfill their servitude to Allah The Almighty despite the different forms of hardships they face during their journey. Such hardships do not stop them from continuing their journey; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {"And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass."} [Quran 22:27] Scholars stated that the "lean camel" is one that is extremely exhausted due to the long trip.

 

A Muslim gets very worn out and strives hard in order to attain the pleasure of his Creator (Allah). It is due to the great effort and hardships people face that it was considered a form of Jihaad. The Prophet said: “The Jihaad of elders, weak people and women is Hajj and 'Umrah"

 

Allah The Almighty has promised to protect the one who sets out to perform Hajj. The Prophet said: “There are three types of people who will be protected by Allah; a man who leaves his house heading to one of the mosques of Allah, and man who sets out in order to perform Jihaad, and one who sets out to perform Hajj" [Ahmad]

 

The one who weakens and gives up and gives in when faced with difficulties and hardships during his Hajj journey is a person who does not understand or value the great act of worship. Such a person starts giving himself excuses not to go or not to continue claiming that the weather is too hot or too cold, or that it is crowded or that it is exhausting and so on …and the list of false excuses continues.

We ask Allah The Almighty to enable us to perform Hajj and strive against our desires and our inner evil that try to prevent us from performing good deeds and try to prevent us from doing what please Allah The Almighty.