Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim.

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn . The Only Owner of the Day of Recompense. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help. Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace , not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray .

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22: (Al-Hajj)- The Pilgrimage

Surah Al-Hajj
(The Pilgrimage),
No. 22

This Holy Surah was revealed in Medina and contains 78 verses.

Since some verses of this Surah are about Hajj pilgrimage, it has been called Surah Al-Hajj.

Content of the surah

In view of the fact that the commandment of Hajj pilgrimage accompanied with some of its details, as well as the command of Holy War, which were related to the circumstances of the Muslims in Medina, the verses of this Surah are somehow like the Medinan Suras.

From the point of the contents, the matters recited in this Surah can be divided into several parts:

Many verses of this Surah are about Resurrection and its logical reasoning. They also consist of some warnings upon those people who are negligent of the events of the Hereafter, and the like. A considerable part of this Holy Surah speaks about the struggles against idolaters and polytheists. Another part of it invites people to verify the instructive fate of those who passed away, and the painful Divine punishments which were sent down upon them.

And, another part of it is about the Hajj pilgrimage and its historical background. Again, a part of it is rather about the struggles which were performed against the hostile invaders. And, finally, a part of the Surah contains some advices upon different fields of life, and some encouragement to prayer, almsgiving, trust, and considering Allah.

This Surah is called Surat Al-Hajj, because it mentions the rites of Hajj in it. It is the only Surah that is named by one of the Pillars of Islam and is characterized by consisting of two prostrations.

The Main Theme of the Surah

The theme of the Surah revolves around the command of Taqwa (fear of Allaah and keeping one's duty towards Him), Tawheed (Islamic monotheism), the mentioning of the Hour and its dreads and preparation for it, in addition to mentioning the rites of Hajj.

There is a strong link between the title of the Surah and its theme, and that is because the pilgrim prepares for Hajj by lawful expenditure. He removes his normal clothes, symbolizing his detachment from the Dunya. Then he joins the great gathering in 'Arafah, Muzdalifa, and Mina, and circumambulates the Ka'bah with one type of clothes, pronouncing the Talbiya "Labbayk Allaahuma Labbayk" all together, which symbolizes Tawheed. All pilgrims seek Allaah's forgiveness and acceptance of their deeds for the sake of salvation from the earthquake of the Hour.

The Surah emphasizes the role of Hajj in building up the Ummah with Taqwa and Tawheed.

The greatest matter that one should consider when he is journeying to Allaah is to establish Tawheed and avoid Shirk.

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Virtues

A tradition narrated from the holy Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h) indicates that he said:

"Whoever recites Surah Al-Hajj, Allah will reward him both the reward of pilgrimage and lesser pilgrimage of all those who have done them in the past and all those who will do them in the future."

No doubt this great reward and virtue is not for a mere recitation of the Surah in expression, but it is a recitation which provides contemplation, and a contemplation which leads to action.

Also, Imam Sadiq (as) has been narrated who said:

"Whoever recites this Surah every three days, he will not go out of the year but he will be honored to go to the Sacred House."

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Rewards of reciting this surah

Whoso recites this surah for 3 days consecutively, will go to Kabah to do hajj or umrah within a year, and if dies in the journey will go to paradise.
Whoso recites this surah would be given recompense equal to hajj and umrah performed from the beginning to the day of judgement.
If this surah is written on the skin of a deer and washed with water and sprinkled on the seat of a tyrant or oppressor, his rule would come to an end.

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Lessons

One of the wonders of this blessed Surah is the emphasis it places on the role of Hajj in establishing Taqwa in the hearts.

"In verses (1-2), Allaah (Ta'ala) addresses all of mankind, commanding them with Taqwa, which is to fear Him and keep their duty to Him by obeying Him, and to avoid His prohibitions. He is our Lord, Who has created us, disposes our affairs, and nurtures us with His blessings – the apparent and the hidden. He is the One Who deserves to be feared by abandoning Shirk, disobedience, and sins, and to carry out His commands as much as we can." [Tayseer Al-Kareem]

Taqwa has three components:

a) Knowledge

b) Love, fear, and hope

c) Acting or Avoiding

This means, when one acquires knowledge about Allaah, His laws, what He loves, what He hates, and so forth, one is going along the path of Taqwa, and his heart moves with fear, hope, and love for Allaah. Accordingly, he expresses all these feelings by acting upon His commands and avoiding His prohibitions.

So, have Taqwa,beware and avoidbeing of those whom Allaah grants blessings and thank other than Allaah.Have Taqwa and avoid being of those whom Allaah grants favors to strengthen them and help them to worship Him, and they use His blessings in disobeyingHim instead of being obedient to Him.Have Taqwa and avoid being ungrateful for Allaah's blessings.Have Taqwa and avoid being of those whom Allaah granted well-being and 'Aafiyah (in body, wealth, etc.) and they defame and criticize those who are deficient and have defects.Have Taqwa and avoid being of those who give others thinking that the favor is from them.Have Taqwa and avoid being of those who venerate and magnify other than Allaah or are attached to other than Allaah.Have Taqwa and avoid following your desires and pleasures, preferring that over the pleasure of Allaah.

Rather you should be an obedient slave of Allaah, seeking His Pleasure, and directing all your efforts for His Sake and in His Cause.

Accordingly, two matters help and urge one to have Taqwa:

a) Knowing that Allaah is his Lord Who nurtures him with His blessings

b) Knowing about the earthquake of the Hour. Indeed, the earthquake of the Hour is a terrifying crisis.

So the Muttaqi knows that the means of one's salvation on that Day is Taqwa of Allaah. When the horror of the Day of Judgment occurs, it is the time of reaping the recompense of one's Taqwa.

Truly, the mindful person who knows all what he is going to face tomorrow will prepare for it and not be deceived and diverted by false hopes and abandon taking action. Let the Taqwa of Allaah be his provision, love of Allaah and His remembrance be the soul of his deeds, and fear be his clothes." [Tayseer Al-Kareem]

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Many of us are familiar with the rites and rituals of Hajj – some of you may even have made this blessed journey to the holy city of Makkah. But whether you've fulfilled this vital pillar of Islam yet or are still adding to your Hajj fund, we can all still learn from the wisdom behind these few days.

Hajj teaches and reminds us many of vital lessons from Allah (swt). Here are five important spiritual messages we can learn from this holy pilgrimage.

1. We are all equal as humans

Rich or poor, old or young, millions of Muslims from across the world, from all walks of life and every corner of the world unite to perform the holy pilgrimage, reminding us that in the eyes of Allah (swt) we are all equal as human beings. As Allah (swt) tells us in the Holy Qur'an:

'O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.' (49:13)

In his final sermon in Makkah, Prophet Muhammad (swt) repeated this message, reminding his followers to treat women equally and not to distinguish between race, skin colour or nationality, as the only thing that distinguishes us is our taqwa (God-consciousness or piety).

2. Allah (swt) is All Forgiving

Undertaking Hajj is obligatory for any able bodied, sane Muslim who can afford the journey. When we undertake this duty, all of our sins are forgiven. Every prior sin is wiped clean as though we were a new-born child or new Muslim, subhanAllah! How merciful is Allah (swt)!

3. With hardship comes ease

One of the many stages of Hajj is the running between mounts Safa and Marwa, as Hajar (as) did. As one of the most revered women in Islam and the wife of Prophet Ibrahim (as), Hajar's story is one of hardship, endurance and ultimately hope and patience. When we run between these two mountains, we are reminded of the struggles she faced. Tired and thirsty in the desert with a new-born baby – Prophet Ismail (as) – Hajar ran in search of water. Yet her patience and hope were rewarded when a spring burst forth offering holy Zamzam water. This part of Hajj serves as a reminder that as we go through the trials and tribulations of life, things will get better: 'For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease' (Holy Qur'an, 94:5-6).

4. We are stronger than Shaytan

Another important lesson from Hajj is offered during the 'Stoning of the Devil'. As we throw these stones, we remind ourselves that we are ultimately stronger than Shaytan, alhamudlillah. Although he may tempt us, it is up to us to seek refuge in Allah (swt) from his evil and stand strong as with His help we can deafen our ears to Shaytan's whispers.

5. Allah (swt) will test us, but He is always with us

Hajj itself is physically and emotionally demanding but the reward is unlike any other, subhanAllah! During this period in particular when we sacrifice an animal, we commemorate the actions of Prophet Ibrahim (as) and how he almost sacrificed his son Prophet Ismail (as). What this story teaches us is that Allah (swt) will test us but Al-Rahman, Al-Raheem is always with us, looking out for us, subhanAllah!

So, for all of you undertaking this holy pilgrimage, from everyone at Muslim Hands, we'd like to wish you Hajj Mabroor (an accepted Hajj) and for all of us, near and far.

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Hadiths

In the following lines, we explore some of the Prophet's hadiths about Hajj. You will learn about the significance of this great worship and how Allah welcomes His guests.

*A Pillar of Islam

Among the many and diverse rituals of Islam, Hajj is a main component. It is an indispensable pillar of Islam according to the following hadith:

1. 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:

"Islam has been built on five [pillars]:testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing the prayers, paying the zakah, making the pilgrimage to the House, and fasting in Ramadan." 

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*Once in a Lifetime

Despite the great significance of Hajj, it is enough to do it only one time in your whole life. Islam is easy and takes into consideration the difficulties that pilgrims go through:

2. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that one day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed people saying:

"O people! Allah has prescribed Hajj upon you, so perform it."

A man asked, 'Every year, O Messenger of Allah?'

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kept silent. When the man repeated his question thrice, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Had I answered in the affirmative, it would have become a (yearly) obligation, and this would have been beyond your capacity."

Then he added:

"Leave me alone so long as I leave you alone (i.e. do not ask questions about things I didn't mention). What caused the destruction of the people before you was that they used to ask so many questions, and disagree with their Prophets.

So when I command you to do something, do it to the extent of your ability, and if I forbid you from doing something, avoid it." (Muslim)

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*A Special Rank and Value

The Companions were keen to know the best deeds so that they can prioritize their good actions according to their value.

Here is one of the beautiful hadiths about Hajj that shows its special position:

3. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet was asked, "Which deed is the best?"

The Prophet said, "Belief in Allah and His Messenger."

He was asked again, "What is next?"

The Prophet said, "Jihad [striving] in the cause of Allah."

He was further asked, "And what is next?"

He said, "Hajj mabroor [i.e. Hajj accepted by Almighty Allah]" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

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*Jihad without Conflict

Going through the difficulties of travel and crowd; the physical effort exerted while doing the different rituals of Hajj; the movement from one place to another and the sacrifice of money and time all make Hajj a form of Jihad.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recommended it for women and for weak men who are unable to participate in Jihad in the battlefield:

4. 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet, "As jihad is the best deed, shouldn't we [women] make jihad?"

The Prophet replied, "The best jihad for you [women] is a Hajj mabroor."

'A'ishah later said, "I have been keen to regularly perform Hajj since I heard that from the Messenger of Allah" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

5. Al-Husain ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying that he is weak and coward.

The Prophet told him to participate in a type of Jihad that does not involve any fight, namely, Hajj. (Authenticated by Al-Albani)

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*Generous Reward for Ethical Pilgrim

The following hadith highlights two things:

a. Hajj is a training course for Muslims on sticking to the highest manners whatever the circumstances are,

b. and Hajj is an effective means to erase your sin records:

6. Abu Hurairah narrated that he heard Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say,

"Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit any obscenity or transgression will return [free from sins] as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him." (Al-Bukhari)

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*The Ultimate Success

In one Qur'anic verse (), Allah tells us that getting protected from hell fire and being admitted to the Jannh is the real success. That is exactly what Hajj earns you:

7. Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

"The reward for a Hajj mabroor is nothing but Paradise" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

8. 'A'ishah narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

"There is no day on which Allah frees servants of His from Fire more than [those freed on] the Day of 'Arafat.

And, verily, He draws near and then proudly speaks about them [i.e. the pilgrims] before the angels, saying, 'What do these seek?'"(Muslim)

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*The Honorable Delegation

Here is one of the most beautiful hadiths about Hajj. Pilgrims are the guests of Allah and you can imagine how much Allah will honor His own guests:

9. 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

"The one striving in the cause of Allah and the one performing Hajj and the one performing 'Umrah are all the delegation of Allah. He calls them and they respond to His call, and they ask Him and He answers their supplication." (Ibn Majah and authenticated by Al-Albani)

---*Special Days and Precious Opportunities

The days of Hajj are very special. Their blessings are not for those performing Hajj only. It is a season of goodness for everyone:

10. Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days."

The people asked, "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?"

He said,

"Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out, giving himself and his wealth up for the cause (of Allah), and came back with nothing." (Al-Bukhari)

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It can be concluded that Surah Al-Hajj has a great importance in our daily life. Reciting this Surah has a great virtue. Equal to the reward of performing the pilgrimage (Hajj).

As the name of this Surah suggests, some of its verses are about pilgrimage. It has the message of Jihad as well. It reclaims the territory and the sacred places of the Muslims. Moreover, Reciting this Surah Al-Hajj with complete belief and deliberation will certainly lead one to perform pilgrimage.

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