O Returning Pilgrims, Rejoice at the Glad Tidings

17/10/2012| IslamWeb

O pilgrims returning from Hajj! O you who have travelled to your Almighty Lord! He called you and you responded. He invited you and you answered. Your immortal cheer of 'Labbayk Allahumma labbayk (I hasten to You, O Allah)' fills the corners of the universe.

Congratulations! You are good and your path is also good. May you enter your residence in Paradise. Today, you have completed your rituals, performed your obligation, mentioned Allah frequently, witnessed benefits for you and returned to your lands, and this is a return unlike any other return. Today, you return to your homes and families with light in your hearts from Allah The Almighty as well as with glad tidings from the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention), who said: "Whoever performs Hajj and does not approach his wife for sexual relations nor commit sins (therein), will emerge as sinless as a newborn child." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] He also said: "Hajj Mabroor (An accepted Hajj that is performed in accordance with the Prophet's tradition without committing sins and accepted by Allah) has no reward other than Paradise." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

This is the great news for every pilgrim who has fulfilled the Hajj. He or she will return after performing the obligation as sinless as the day they were delivered by their mothers; a new person as if a newborn child upon pure nature; with no sins, misdeeds, acts of disobedience or transgressions to his or her name. A new page is thus being opened in the life of that human. He or she is a new creature who is not stained and whose heart is not hardened with extensive hope; a whole new person; new in character, behavior, morals, qualities and nature; a new person like a newborn child who bears no spite and knows no hatred, envy or grudge. He or she is never too proud to admit guilt and does not disdain or suppress people and never admires him or herself. Moreover, he or she never imposes his or her opinions, never follows his or her desires, is never enslaved by his or her lusts and never disregards any human being. Such a soul is pure with the wholesomeness of natural and innate Tawheed (monotheism). Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Aadam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this unaware."} [Quran 7:172] It has the seed of Tawheed that was implanted by Allah in all mankind. The obligation of Hajj has strengthened, developed and grown this seed.

Dear pilgrim,

Would you return from Hajj joyful and delighted at the glad tidings of the Prophet then engage in life and live therein as you used to live before being reborn and before coming to the world as a new creature after Hajj?

Would you return to live your life with the same qualities, morals and behavior, with the same errors and characteristics and with the same persistence in sins and acts of disobedience as you were before Hajj?

Would you return to make the record of your deeds black after it was cleaned by Allah The Exalted in Hajj because of your frequent sins, acts of disobedience and transgressions?

Dear pilgrim,

Hajj has exhausted you as it is a difficult act of worship, and so it should be, as it is considered the Jihaad of the women and the elderly. You have made your intention sincere for the sake of Allah The Exalted. Did you understand the wisdom of Hajj and its power to effect change? Will you preserve the whiteness and purity of your record no matter how long your life lasts till you meet Allah The Almighty as a new born child just as you returned from Hajj?

Let Hajj be a provision once in your lifetime that transforms your life into one of righteousness and goodness.

You are today renewed by closing your previous pages and regretting the shortcomings, negligence and mistakes therein. You are renewed by your determination to start the new white page of your life which your Exalted Patron has given you after Hajj and your resolve to preserve its whiteness, cleanliness and purity.

"Hajj Mabroor (An accepted Hajj that is performed in accordance with the Prophet's tradition without committing sins and accepted by Allah) has no reward other than Paradise." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
This is the great news from the Prophet who never spoke from his own inclination; it is the promise of Allah The Almighty delivered by His Messenger . How beautiful is the promise of Allah who Says (what means): {And who is truer to his covenant than Allah?} [Quran 9:111] How wonderful are the glad tidings of the Prophet and how beautiful and great is the reward, dear pilgrim!

Today, you are among those who have received the glad tidings of entering Paradise. You shall have therein that which no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no heart has ever imagined. You have therein the everlasting bliss. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do.} [Quran 32:17]

Congratulations for seeking your Lord hoping to attain His mercy, being fearful of His punishment, asking Him for Paradise and seeking refuge with Him from Hell. Congratulations for returning after performing your obligation after having your sins forgiven and receiving glad tidings of the Paradise of your Lord, the precious commodity of Allah which is surrounded by hardships.

Know that your life may be long or short, for life-spans are in the Hand of Allah The Almighty, the Knower of the Unseen, and that your life may be long. Thus, adhere to patience and uprightness to the methodology of Allah, the path of Allah, the orders of Allah, obeying Allah and avoiding disobeying Him. Adhere to persistence in being upright, being patient and steadfast till you reach your rank in Paradise. Moreover, beware, dear pilgrim, of feeling secure from the plan of Allah for no one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the disbelieving people. Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq, may Allah be pleased with him, was the first of those who received glad tidings of Paradise from the Prophet and yet he, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "By Allah, if one of my feet had entered Paradise and the other was outside it, I would still not feel secure from the plan of Allah!" Try to always remind yourself with his statement.

Furthermore, ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, who was the second who received glad tidings of Paradise from the Prophet feared that he was among the hypocrites. He did not subside until Huthayfah Ibn Al-Yamaan, may Allah be pleased with him, who was the keeper of the secrets of the Prophet swore that he was not among the hypocrites whose names the Prophet had disclosed to him.

This status you have reached and the glad tidings you have received should be a relief for you from the disasters, hardships, difficulties and problems of the life of this world. The Muslim who has come to know of his place in Paradise should head towards it, work for it, and strive to reach it. He should not be stopped by any of the affairs and pleasures of this world nor be distracted by grudge or envy of others so that he would have thereby forsaken the great news he received and the status he reached. He should not be satisfied with any worldly alternative to this status whether in terms of money, authority, power, fame or praise. He is humble to Allah, obeying and remembering Him, thankful for His blessings, patient and steadfast till he meets the Prophet at the Hawdh (basin).

Congratulations O blessed delegation, for returning safely to your homes and receiving the great news of the pleasure of your Lord as well as Paradise, if you realized the true meaning of Hajj.