
# All You Need To Know About Umrah and Hajj

Researched and Written by: | Alia Khan  
---|---  
Edited by: | Abdul Samad Khan  
Consulting Scholar: | Sheikh Sohail Hanif

Copyright 2013 Alia Khan  
Smashwords Edition

# How To Use This Book

Asalamo'Alaikum,

This book is meant to be comprehensive and informative. When reading it in its entirety, the pilgrim is meant to learn the spiritual, historical, and deeper value of the many facets of Umrah and Hajj. However if you wish to skip to just the "How To" portion of this book, then kindly follow the RED titles only as follows:

\- Go to sections U1 to U8 for "How to Perform Umrah" only

\- Go to sections U1 to H8 for "How to Perform Hajj (including Umrah)"

\- Go to sections H1 to H8 for "How to Perform Hajj" only

The next page with the YELLOW title will serve as a "Quick Guide" on the step by step process. The BLUE titles called "My View" are MY experiences that I hope will give you better insight. The GREEN titles are what I call "pearls" that I hope will add to your experience. Also the dates mentioned in this book ONLY apply to Hajj; whereas Umrah can be performed any time of year.

Please make dua - May Allah grant you and your loved ones all you'd ever want from Him and to those that helped to make your pilgrimage a meaningful experience and their loved ones InshaAllah! Ameen.

Wasalam, Alia Khan

* October 2012 will always be remembered lovingly as the time that I went on the amazing Hajj journey with my protective, kind, and caring brother Tariq, my beautiful and vibrant sister Saima, and my best friend Samar.

** And a special thanks to my mother Noreen and my father Abdul Samad for encouraging me to write this in their purest intentions that it may benefit others InshaAllah.

Note: I have found some wonderful writings online that I've shared with you to increase your experience as a pilgrim. You'll find these same pieces repeatedly shared on multiple websites but with no credit or source, hence it's hard to know who wrote them. There is no doubt, they will be rewarded immensely for enhancing our experience on this journey.

# Umrah and Hajj Step by Step

##  U1

1. Go to Meeqat

##  U2

2. Get in state of Ihram

3. Do 2 Rakat Salat

4. Make Niyyah for Umrah

5. Continuously recite Talbiyah

##  U3

6. Enter Haram with right foot

7. Make Dua upon seeing Kabah

8. Drink Zamzam with niyyah for easy, healthy pilgrimage

##  U4

9. Go to Kabah, make niyyah for Tawaf ul Umrah – men do Rumal and Idtiba

10. Perform Tawaf ul Umrah – start at Black Stone, do Istilam – repeat Istilam every time you come to the Black Stone. Keep count of 7 circuits!

##  U5

11. Pray "Rabana atina fi'l duniya..." at Yemeni Corner

12. Finish Tawaf by doing 8th Istilam – now men cover both shoulders

13. Cling to Multazam or acknowledge from afar – make dua

##  U6

14. Pray behind Maqam Ibrahim –2 Rakats Salat

15. Drink ZamZam

16. Istilam of Black Stone

##  U7

17. Climb Safa – make niyyah for and start Sai – Complete 7 circuits between Safa and Marwa

18. Do 2 rakats Salat upon finishing Sai

##  U8

19. Shave/Clip Hair

20. If just doing Umrah – give qurbani. If moving on to Hajj – delay qurbani

21. Both Hajj and Umrah, remove ihram. Hajjis observe some ihram rules still

# Hajj Step by Step

##  H1 – 8th Dhul Hijjah

1. Get in new state of ihram from where you are staying in Mecca

2. Do 2 rakat Salat

3. Make Niyyah for Hajj

4. Continuously recite Talbiyah

5. After Fajr, you may do nafl tawaf before you go to Mina

6. Stay in Mina for dhuhr, asr, maghrib, and fajr (qasr mode for each)

7. Leave Mina for Arafah after sun rises

##  H2 – 9th Dhul Hijjah

8. Arrive in Arafat before dhuhr – face Qibla as much as possible all day

9. Observe boundaries of Arafat – stay within at all times!

10. SUPPLICATE A LOT on this day

11. Attend khutba in Arafat

12. Combine dhuhr and asr prayers in qasr model, Go into your tents until Qayam ul Araftat (Standing on Arafat)

13. After Asr and before sunset come out of your tents and Stand on Arafat – SUPPLICATE until just after sunset.

14. After Qayam ul Arafat, DO NOT pray Maghrib at Arafat – delay and combine with Isha at Muzdalifah later that night

##  H3

15. Shortly after sunset, leave for Muzdalifah

##  H4 – 10th Dhul Hijjah

16. Combine Maghrib and Isha prayers at Isha time in Muzdalifah

17. Collect 70 pebbles for pelting shaytan

18. Stay and rest in Muzdalifah, pray Fajr then stand and supplicate at Mash'ar al Haram until sunrise

19. Depart Muzdalifah before Ishraq for Mina

20. Quickly cross the valley called Muhassar – do not loiter here at all!

##  H5

21. Arrive Mina and go to Jamarat ul Kubra

22. Pelt 7 stones at Jamarat Al Kubra saying "Allaho Akbar" at every throw

23. Do Not stand around after the pelting is finished to make duas. Leave.

##  H6

24. Make sacrifice – Qurbani

25. Shave/Clip Hair

26. Shower and change out of ihram

27. Go to Kabah and perform Tawaf al Ifadah and Hajj Sai (if not done earlier)

28. Go back to Mina, spend the nights there until 13th Dhul Hijjah (3 days)

##  H7 – 11th, 12th, and 13th Dhul Hijjah

29. Perform Rummy on all 3 columns – start with Jamarat Sughra (smallest), then Jamarat Wusta (middle), then Jamarat Kubra (largest) –7 stones at each. Stop and make at least 15 to 20 min dua after each one EXCEPT Jamarat Kubra after which you will proceed to leave Mina before Maghrib on the 3rd day

30. LEAVE MINA BEFORE MAGHRIB on last day otherwise you MUST stay for another day of pelting

##  H8 – 14th Dhul Hijjah and Onward

31. Go Back to Mecca and rest and pray in Haram a lot

32. Perform Tawaf ul Wuda (Farewell Tawaf), you must leave immediately after this tawaf.

# My View

I compiled this book only for private use before my siblings and I performed our Hajj in 2012. However, when I came back from Hajj, and since more family and friends wanted to use this booklet to prepare for their own Hajj and Umrah, I decided to add a "My View" page in each section. I hope, now that I've experienced Umrah and Hajj, this will give a better perspective on the different aspects of the Pilgrimage – though I agree with my mother when she says, "Nothing can ever truly prepare you for Hajj; because everyone has a different experience that is tailor made by Allah. Allah gives you what you need in order to show you something about yourself". How correct she is, only after going to Hajj and seeing/experiencing all the different stories, do I really understand how my mother was spot on with this advice!

When you return, you may get asked how did you come back changed from your Hajj? Start thinking about this answer from today. The best advice I can give you about your Hajj is "have a high opinion of EVERYONE and EVERYTHING" and hope that that is what you will bring back with you from your Hajj. Amongst the many beautiful things you will see and feel there, you will also see chaos, pushing, rude behavior, and the list goes on. Do not complain. Do not dispute with anyone. FORGIVE. Give everything the benefit of the doubt. You will find that everyone has a story, and only when you start delving into people's lives will you understand why they are the way they are – so just always let it go. Remember, you want to be on your best behavior because this is what counts with Allah, and that's all that should matter to you. When you can come back from Hajj and say with honesty that you did not even say "uff" to anyone or about anything, only then can you find some comfort in the thought that your pilgrimage may have been accepted...and an accepted Hajj is the most ultimate thing in life! An accepted Hajj means you get to come back with a clean slate and pure soul. How wonderful would it be to have your duas answered quickly because now there is nothing (no sins, no doubts, no trials) in the way between you and Allah. Now the challenge is to keep your Hajj with you for the rest of your life; live your life having the highest opinion of everyone and everything and be the best human being under all circumstances. So excuse the pushers, shovers, and chaos makers of life – and if you can't excuse them, then avoid them for the love of Allah and His peace.

The best intention you can make for your Hajj is to do everything to please Allah. Intend to do khidmah (service) for people: take food to feed the many poor people that come, take sadaqa money to give away, study your deen really well so when you go there you can share your knowledge.

Finally, I'll end this page by emphasizing to you the importance of trying to do your Hajj and Umrah as closely as you can to the Prophet's (SAW) pilgrimage.

There is immense barakah in this. You will be given options and rulings from scholars to take shortcuts, or avoid crowds, or bypass things altogether – don't take alternatives! They aren't optimal and you will still hit the crowds and get into all sorts of other potential difficulties; but when you follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW), miracles happen. You won't believe how you will get "partings of the sea" amongst the crowds and how opportunities will be created that seem tailor made just for you – and I believe that's exactly what Allah has done for you as a reward for you following His beloved Rasool (SAW). I hope you will deeply consider this point, it is probably the profound thing you can do to add the special power to your Hajj and Umrah.

Remember it isn't a mechanical thing, there are reasons, stories, rulings, laws of the Supernatural, prophets' journeys, and so much more that factor into each step. In the humblest and most imperfect way, I have attempted to explain the full picture to you in this booklet so you can really understand the profound meaning behind all the rituals you will be doing and what you should be feeling, saying, doing, and why. I have covered information in this booklet with the intention of helping you through a pilgrmage based on the Sunnah. However, if for some reason you choose to take shortcuts or follow other rulings, please be very careful. I was shocked at the amount of misinformation being offered so freely; and not just by common people, but by people who were brought there to be scholars and guides. One scholar in our group gave us some grave misinformation. Thankfully I was able to confirm it was wrong as I had valid information with me, but I was shy to say anything to him. Sure enough, another couple who had done quite a bit of study on their own spoke up loudly and took out a well accepted book and read from it to confirm that we had been misinformed. This is one case where the scholar/guide was corrected, there are many many cases where people did things completely inaccurately and it was simply too late to correct – for example, a woman in our group did 14 Sai between Safa and Marwa because she was told that one round is from Safa to Marwa and back!

It would truly be a tragedy to go through all the effort, expense, and emotions of Hajj and Umrah to only later find out that it was done incorrectly – though Allah is most forgiving, wouldn't you want to be as perfect as possible for Him?

This booklet is organized in a way so that you will know how to direct yourself quickly through it should you need to. The green pages are the instructional pages that you will need to refer to on a day to day basis. You will see there are very few green pages, as Hajj and Umrah is not complicated and very easy to perform. The best way to use this booklet is to read it entirely at least once before you leave for your trip. Maybe even do a study group – as we my siblings and I did. Then I highly recommend that the night before each ritual day, you take out the green page that pertains to that day. Read only this page and get familiar with what you are required to do. If you follow this simple system, InshaAllah you will have an enjoyable and blessed Pilgrimage with no doubts and confusion on what you need to do.

# Pearls

You will find that your love of God heightens...as you start preparing for your pilgrimage journey, with the sole intention of pleasing Allah. With your heart longing to reach your goal, you become purer in thought and deed. You repent for past sins, seek forgiveness from people whom you might have wronged, and try to render your due to others where necessary so as not to go to God's court burdened with injustices that you may have done to your fellow beings. In general, the inclination for doing good intensifies and abhorrence for doing evil increases.

After leaving home, the closer you get to the House of God, the more intense becomes your desire to do good. You become careful so that you harm nobody, while you try to render whatever service or help you can to others. You avoid abuse, indecency, dishonesty, squabbles and bickering, because you are proceeding on the path of God. Thus your entire journey constitutes an act of worship. How can, then you do wrong? This journey, in contrast to every other, is a continuing course through which a Muslim attains a progressive purification of the self. On this journey, then, you are pilgrims to God.

# Pearls

**UMRAH – The lesser pilgrimage. Linguistically means "to visit a populated place". In the Islamic context, Umrah means to perform the lesser pilgrimage. The Hajj being the 'major' pilgrimage. The Prophet (SAW) performed 4 Umrahs in his lifetime.**

**HAJJ – The greater pilgrimage. It is the Fifth Pillar of Islam. Prophet Mohamed (SAW) said the best type of Hajj is Hajj At Tamattu'. This is where Umrah must be performed as a condition for this type of Hajj to be completed. Hajj At Tamattu' is optimal because it allows us to do Umrah in full, then we can come out of ihram as we wait to commence our Hajj rites on 8th Dhul Hijjah (the first day of the Hajj rituals). Therefore, we will go through the complete process of Umrah in this book first then following this section we will go through the complete process for Hajj InshaAllah. The Prophet (SAW) did only one Hajj in his lifetime as a prophet.**

The word Hajj, linguistically, means heading to a place for the sake of visiting; in the Islamic context, it implies heading to Mecca to observe the rituals of the greater pilgrimage.

Hajj is made obligatory by Allah upon every Muslim, male and female, who is physically and financially capable. It is obligatory only once during the lifetime of a Muslim. Allah Almighty Says : "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." (Quran 3:97)

Hajj was prescribed in the sixth year after Hijrah (migration) upon the revelation of the following verse in which Allah Says : "And complete the Hajj and 'Umrah for Allah..." (Quran 2:196)

Hajj is not a new institution introduced by Islam, rather it is as old as the Kabah itself. Allah Almighty Says : "Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Bekkah [i.e., Mekkah] – blessed and a guidance to the worlds." (Quran 3:96)

The whole origin of Hajj is rooted to the acts of devotion of Prophet Ibrahim (AS). This demonstrates that Muhammad (SAW) did not innovate this institution, all he did was to clear it of all the evil practices that had crept into it after the pagans took over the Kabah. After a few centuries of the death of Ibrahim (AS) and his son Ismail (AS) (who rebuilt the Kabah in their time), people abandoned their teachings and gradually went astray. Hundreds of idols were installed in the Kabah. Ironically, idols were made after the image of Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) too, whose whole lives had been spent eradicating idol-worship. The Kabah was turned into a type of temple for idol-worship and superstition though ultimately the pagans used the idols to reach Allah so it was still seen as the House of Allah. This predicament lasted for about two thousand years, until the advent of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

Muhammad (SAW) was known to regularly perform the Umrah, even before he began receiving revelation. In 630 CE, Muhammad (SAW) led his followers from Medina to Mecca, it was the first Hajj to be performed by Muslims alone, and the only Hajj ever performed by Muhammad (SAW). When he got there, he (SAW) and the Muslims cleansed the Kabah, destroyed all the idols, and re-ordained the building as the house of God. It was from this point that the Hajj became one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

The Prophet (SAW) was asked, "What deed is the best?" He said, "Iman in Allah and His Messenger." "Then what?" "Jihad for the sake of Allah." "Then what?" "Hajj Mabroor, a Hajj accepted by Allah."

Abu Sha'thaa' said, "I contemplated the good deeds that a person does. I found that Salat as well as fasting are a jihad of the body. And that sadaqa is a jihad of someone's wealth. But Hajj is a jihad of both body and wealth."

The dua of the one in Hajj shall be accepted. The Prophet (SAW) said, "The soldier in the path of Allah and the one who performs Hajj and the one who performs Umrah, all are the delegation of Allah! He called them and they answered. And they asked Him, and He shall grant them (what they ask for)!" (Authentic, narrated by Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban).

Hajj is rightly said to be the perfection of faith, since it combines in itself all the distinctive qualities of other obligatory acts of prayer, patience, privation of amenities of life, devotion, Zakat (alms), slaughtering the sacrifice, and supplication. In fact, the physical pilgrimage is a prelude to the spiritual pilgrimage to Allah when man would bid goodbye to everything of the world and present himself before Allah as His humble servant saying: 'Here I am before You, my Lord, as a slave.'

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah the Prophet (SAW) said: "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" (Bukhari).

'Amr ibn Al-'Aas narrates, "When Islam entered my heart, I went to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and said, 'Give me your hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.' The Prophet (SAW) spread his hand, but I withdrew mine. He said, 'What is wrong 'Amr?' I said, 'I want to make a condition.' 'And what is that?' he said. I said, 'That Allah will forgive me.' Then the Messenger of Allah (SAW) 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!" (Muslim).

Hajj is comprised of several acts of worship to God. People of different nationalities, languages, and colors gather in the millions at Mecca during this time. The concept of one humanity upheld by Islam is explicit during the Hajj pilgrimage. It is a time when people have the same thought, carry the same prayer on their lips, and are uniformly dressed. There is no discrimination between master or laborer, black or white, elite or lowly, native or foreigner. This equality before God becomes apparent in the multitude of human beings that assemble for this holy pilgrimage.

You will find in many Hadith regarding Hajj the term "Hajj Mabroor.". Do you know what Mabroor means? It means an accepted Hajj. 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 it's acceptance is that a person will go back a better Muslim than when he came, and that he will discontinue the sins that were between him and Allah.

# Pearls

## The excellence of Hajj:

**1. It is one of the best deeds:**

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (SAW) was once asked: "What is the best deed?" He replied: "To believe in Allah and His Messenger." The enquirer then asked: "What next?" The Prophet replied: "To fight in the cause of Allah." He again asked: "What is the next best thing?" He replied: "Hajj 'Mabroor' (An accepted Hajj - the Hajj that is free of sin and all its pillars and conditions are fulfilled)."[Al-Bukhaari]

**2. It is a form of Jihad:**

Al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali and his father, said that a man came to the Prophet (SAW) and said: "I am a coward and a weak person. Is there anything I can do?" The Prophet (SAW) replied: "You may go for a Jihad that involves no fighting, that is, Hajj." ['Abdur-Razzaaq and At-Tabaraani]

The Prophet (SAW) also said: "Hajj is the Jihad for the old, the weak and the women." [An-Nasaa'i]

**3. It wipes away past sins:**

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: "He who performs Hajj seeking Allah's pleasure and avoids all lewdness and sins (therein) will return after Hajj free from all sins, just as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

**4. Pilgrims are the Guests of Allah:**

The Prophet (SAW) said: "Pilgrims are Allah's guests; their prayers are answered and their supplications for forgiveness are granted." [An-Nasaa'i and Ibn Maajah]

**5. The Reward of Hajj is Paradise:**

The Prophet (SAW) said: "All sins committed in between the performance of one 'Umrah and the next are expiated and erased, and the reward of Hajj 'Mabroor' is nothing save Paradise." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

# Pearls

## Lessons and Reflections of Pilgrimage:

The pilgrimage is an act of Worship - not tourism or promenade - which requires a physical and spiritual preparation. It is a station of renewing Iman as many other stations where sins are wiped out by forgiveness and where faith, trust, and love of Allah, His Messengers, and the believers increase. The Hajj pilgrim gets purified and comes out of his sins like a newborn baby. - It is a school of training for Taqwah - consciousness of one's duties toward Allah - good character and discipline like in the other schools of the pillars of Islam. It is a manifestation of brotherhood, equality and Unity. The Muslims are like different branches but from one tree. In a pilgrimage we learn how to develop the Spirit of Unity. It is a Muslim convention attended by Muslims from different horizons, colors, races, and tongues... They exchange ideas and news and celebrate their unity in faith and diversity in culture. They meet in their center-point Mecca (Qiblah). Muslims always have to have a center-point and should be constantly focused on their noble goals.

Prayer regulates the believer's relationship with God; Zakah controls his relations with society; fasting exercises and strengthens his will: the Pilgrimage offers Muslims, as one nation, the opportunity to exercise the high principles, values, and objectives upon which Islam bases the shaping of the individual and the nation. It is the climax of the individual's spiritual life and an embodiment of the unity of the nation, which is based on a brotherhood in the faith that towers above narrow considerations or race, nationality, color, or tongue.

A psychological and spiritual function: The Pilgrimage is an exercise of the will of the believer at its height, where he rises above day-to-day preoccupations and casts off what men ordinarily cherish. Thus we can understand the deep symbolic meaning of the clothes he wears during ihram (the state of consecration). They symbolize his inner state that makes him leave behind his family, home, wealth, position, and everything dear to him. With his free choice, he leaves the good things that were lawful to him and enters a spiritual haram (sanctuary) that he sets up within himself before he enters with his body into the haram in Mecca.

A moral, behavioral function: The stations of the Pilgrimage are entrances through which pilgrims pass coming from every distant quarter, returning to the sacred House where the message of Truth was imparted to Muhammad (SAW). In this blessed land, the Muslims meet to live a spiritual life on a special level, enacting a rite that exposes the exalted value of Islam and where equality, brotherhood, and unity among the faithful are embodied, where response to the call of God comes before any other call: "And proclaim among men the pilgrimage: they shall come to you on foot and upon every lean beast; they shall come from every deep ravine" (Quran 22:27).

The Pilgrimage is a unique gathering that gives the pilgrims an experience unavailable to them at home in their usual life. In it there is an exercise of strict self-discipline and control where sacred things are revered and the life of even plants and birds is made inviolable and everything lives in safety: "And he that venerates the sacred things of God, it shall be better for him with his Lord..." (Quran 22:30); "And he that venerates the Symbols of God, it surely is from devotion of the heart" (Quran 22:32); "And when We made the House (at Mecca) a resort for men and a sanctuary..." (Quran 2:125).

A rigorous training in self-control: "The pilgrimage is in the well-known months. He that undertakes the duty of the pilgrimage during them must abstain from coition, ungodliness and acrimonious dispute, and whatever good you do, Allah is aware of it. Take provision (from it) for yourselves, for the best provision is piety" (Quran 2:197). "Take provision" indicates that the effects of this experience should extend to the conduct of the Muslim in his normal life afterward and that he should live and conduct

# Pearls

## A True Hajj - Amazing Explanation - Imam Junaid al--Baghdadi

A man came to visit Junaid Baghdadi, whose life reflected no change, even after having performed Hajj.

Junaid asked him: "Where are you coming from?"

"Sir, I have returned after performing Hajj of the House of Allah", was the reply.

"So, have you actually performed Hajj?"

"Yes, Sir, I have performed Hajj," said the man.

"Did you pledge that you would give up sins when you left your home for Hajj?" asked Junaid.

"No, Sir, I never thought of that", said the man.

"Then, in fact, you did not even step out for Hajj. While you were on the sacred journey and making halts at places during the nights, did you ever think of attaining nearness to Allah?"

"Sir, I had no such idea."

"Then you did not at all travel to the Kabah, nor did you ever visit it. When you put on the Ihram garments, and discarded your ordinary dress, did you make up your mind to abandon your evil ways and attitudes in life as well ?"

"No, Sir, I had no idea of that."

"Then, you did not even don the Ihram garments!" said Junaid ruefully. Then he asked; "When you stood in the Plain of Arafat and were imploring Allah Almighty, did you have the feeling that you were standing in Divine Presence and having a vision of Him?"

"No, Sir, I had no such experience.

Junaid then became a liltle upset and asked: "Well, when you came to Muzdalifah, did you promise that you would give up vain desires of the flesh?"

"Sir, I paid no heed to this."

"You did not then come to Muzdalifah at all." Then he asked: "Tell me, did you happen to catch glimpses of Divine Beauty when you moved round the House of Allah?"

"No, Sir, I caught no such glimpses."

"Then, you did not move around the Kabah at all." Then he said: "When you made Sai (running) between the Safa and the Marwa, did you realize the wisdom, significance and objective of your effort?"

"Sir, I was not at all conscious of this."

"Then you did not make any Sai!" Then he asked: "When you slaughtered an animal at the place of sacrifice, did you sacrifice your selfish desires as well in the way of Allah?"

"Sir, I failed to give any attention to that!"

"Then, in fact you offered no sacrifice whatever. Then when you cast stones at the Jamarahs, did you make a resolve to get rid of your evil companions and friends and desires?"

"No, Sir, I didn't do that."

"Then, you did not cast stones at all", remarked Junaid regretfully, and said: "Go back and perform Hajj once again, giving due thought and attention to all the requirements, so that your Hajj may bear some resemblance with Prophet Ibrahim's Hajj, whose faith and sincerity has been confirmed by the Qur'an: "Ibrahim who carried out most faithfully the Commands (of his Lord)." (Quran 53:37)

# Pearls

While Malcolm X was in Mecca performing his pilgrimage, he wrote to his assistants: "They asked me what about the Pilgrimage had impressed me the most. ... I said, The brotherhood! The people of all races, colors, from all over the world coming together as one! It has proved to me the power of the One God.' ... All ate as one, and slept as one. Everything about the pilgrimage atmosphere accented the oneness of man under one God."

# Preparations:

• Start NOW by repenting for your sins. The conditions for repentance are: Resolve to abandon sins to your best ability; Regret sincerely all sins you have done; Firmly be determined to abstain from sins and ask Allah's help in this,

• Perform with peace of heart and mind – remember that everything you do on this journey counts as ibadah; so (from the minute you get on the plane to the minute you come back) DO NOT waste any precious second on your mobile phone, computer, vain talk, looking around, and being idle... just lower your gaze and remain humble while supplicating to Allah alone.

• The acceptance of your Pilgrimage depends on how diligently you avoid sin and remain focused on Allah. Use your time to read the Quran, make duas, have meaningful Islamic discussions, helping others and always doing khidma wherever you go (carry peoples' bags, buying random strangers food and water, smiling and being pleasant and helping your companions). You are here for just a limited number of days and it may be your last chance – don't blow it.

• Keep in mind that our journey begins from the moment we make the niyyah...so prepare now by practicing the above as much as possible. Your intention must be to perform Pilgrimage solely for the sake of Allah. Considerations of pleasing or impressing others with your show of piety should never be a factor.

• All your expenses must be paid out of money obtained through legitimate (Halal) means. Money obtained through illegitimate or doubtful means is not acceptable.

• It is best that all of your debts and financial obligations be fully settled before you start your journey and, where necessary, a written acknowledgement of the transaction obtained for proof of payment.

Where are you going? To the House of your Lord? And you squandered his requirements in your own house? Imam Ghazali on the importance of paying off debt before Hajj

• You must make an honest effort to resolve your outstanding differences with others and seek forgiveness from those you may have hurt in any way in the past. This is based on specific instructions of Rasool Allah (SAW) and must be followed for the Pilgrimage to be meaningful.

• It is necessary for you to make your Will before you leave for Hajj

• Increase your stamina before going to Hajj...walk, walk, walk. Get to the point where you can walk for 1 hour continuously without needing rest. The prophet (SAW) often spoke of the importance of physical fitness in general.

• When there, try to only drink the natural Zamzam water with the niyyah of "ease, wellbeing, and optimal health and energy" throughout your Pilgrimage. Take a glass bottle (like and empty Perrier bottle) as it is healthier to drink from this than anything plastic. Try not to use the disposable plastic cups provided as some people do not know where to put the used glasses and they mix with the new ones – may lead to infection or hepatitis.

• Zamzam is for drinking and consumption. Please respect this holy water and do not use for other reasons, you will have plenty of normal water for that.

• Lose excess weight before your journey – it will make a huge difference in your overall experience.

• For Hajj, try to eat healthy, dried foods as much as possible.

• Learn to ask Allah SINCERELY, Allah can give you anything!

• Leave the illusion that the human being is in a state of independence, you are never in control of yourself until you submit and ask Allah to help you. Now is your chance to make this your ultimate state, and finally reach the success you have wanted in life. The only thing you lose when you submit to Allah, is your delusion – once this is removed you can see more clearly.

• Joking and nonsensical talk is highly advised against in Pilgrimage – so choose pious, learned companions for this journey. Be serious about the MOST important thing you can do for Allah – In Hajj you have ALL 5 pillars: Tawheed, Prayer, Fasting, Charity, and Pilgrimage. Most of one's time should be spent in some form of ibadah.

Prepare for your Pilgrimage by making your Salat outstanding.

• The first thing in the Hereafter you will be asked is "how was your Salat?" The quality of your Salat must be outstanding. Start doing this in preparation for your Hajj.

• Allah says "Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their Salat (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness." (Quran 23:1-2)

• The Prophet (SAW) said: "The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the Salat prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad" (Hadith)

• Remember in Hajj there will be days when you can shorten and combine your Salats. However, it is highly recommended that you follow up all your sunnah salats after the fard - except after Asr of course, when no extra Salats are allowed after the fard Asr – so for example, no sunnahs will be prayed in Arafat since you are combining Dhuhr and Asr and there will be no space for you to do any sunnah salat after this. You are going on such a mubarak journey, it would be a shame to miss your sunnah salats altogether.

To help perfect it, note the following for yourself for each Salat:

• Did you do your wudu perfectly? (see end of this booklet for instructions on Wudu)

• Did you pray on time?

• Did you do your Sunnah prayers?

• Did you feel the presence of Allah in your Salat?

• Did you make dua in sajda?

• Did you do the prescribed dhikrs and duas after Salat?

• Did you focus on the meaning of what you are reciting?

• Is there full concentration in your Salat, no distractions, just focusing on your love and gratitude to Allah?

• For men, did you pray in the masjid? How many Salats per day?

• Did you read the Quran in Arabic with meaning after your Salat or at least once a day. Did you act on the meaning you read in the Quran? Tahajud and Fajr is optimal time for reading Quran.

Following the above is tremendously beneficial and will ensure a higher quality Pilgrimage InshaAllah.

Tip: Give sadaqa before, after, and during your pilgrimage; as sadaqa removes calamities.

## Taken From Sheikh Muhammad Alshareef's Book "The HeartWheel Journal"

Sheikh Alshareef Extracted information directly from Quran and Sunnah to formulate the HeartWheel which guides you to purify your heart. It challenges you to:

• Perform Salat with full concentration

• Map out dhikr time – time which you block out to remember Allah

• Guard your chastity – lower your gaze, dress in a way pleasing to Allah, protect your mind, body, and soul.

• Night Prayer – with focused Quran recitation

• Upright Character – sincerity with everyone, not lying, not deceiving, not exaggerating, not talking about others, not talking about yourself, not bringing attention to yourself, upholding best manners, honoring your guests, being kind to everyone, keeping your mind, body, and soul pure, being committed to truth, gratitude in all states, and the service of others – starting with your parents and family.

• Avoiding Distractions – things that are not important in life

• Daily Sadaqah – with money, body, and time

• Fasting – optimize closeness to Allah and optimal health

Please download the HeartWheel Journal and take the challenge at

<http://www.islamchannel.tv/heartwheel/>

It will change your life... and help develop your character to become closer to that of the Prophet (SAW)!

"Be the toughest prosecutor against yourself and the best defense attorney for others" – Fethullah Gulen

Throughout your pilgrimage, abstain from even THINKING of the smallest of sins... don't let it even enter your space and constantly remember Rasool Allah's (SAW) words "Today is such a day that whoever controls his eyes, his ears, and his tongue against sin shall be forgiven"

"The human being is designed to worship, we need to worship" – Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

"Throughout Hajj, you have an ideal opportunity to recite the salawat (darud) Ibrahim" Sheikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller

"(At Hajj you will) See the vision of human beings that transcends nationalism. Human boundaries are an illusion we impose on ourselves. God did not impose this on us" – Sheikh Hamza Yusuf.

• Make tawba before you leave and all the way through

• Ask people to make dua for you...you are going to the Rahma of Allah, in this Rahma you want people's duas

• Keep focused on the blessings at Pilgrimage not the problems – the crowds, cleanliness, chaos etc – just don't complain and be grateful at all times. This is why some people come back unchanged, they did not display their sabr and gratitude to Allah.

• Remain patient and show Allah you are working hard for Him.

• Always be merciful

• Feed people while you are there as much as you can.

• Take it easy and do the best you can

• Make dhikr and labayk all time

• Detach when you are there...make it all about Allah.

• Performance of Hajj leads to perfection in a person –a sign of acceptance is that you return a changed person and a better person.

• Sincerity is the biggest tool you can keep with you at all time

• Hajj is not necessarily easy or comfortable – lower your expectations. Umrah is much easier than Hajj.

• Stay in wudu at all times during the entire journey – it is most beneficial.

• Eat salt, eat light and healthy so you don't get sick

• Get in good shape, eat soup and salad until the Pilgrimage so you get lighter – eat smaller meals to get used to eating less.

• Drink 3 litres of water everyday – this gives you amazing energy!

• Fast the extra fasts before you get there – this optimizes your health AND it brings you closer to Allah.

• Sleep fewer yet optimal hours and get used to it – it is the best way to live – pray Allah put barakah in your sleep.

• Take a good amount of spending money. There is immense blessings in giving and doing service while you are on pilgrimage...buy food and gifts for people there, give sadaqa to the poor. It may also be useful for you to generously tip a cleaner to clean the bathroom before you use it – you will be more comfortable and they will be well rewarded. In general all the cleaning staff should be generously recognized. The reward for each $1 given at pilgrimage = $100,000... so give, give, give!

BEWARE - IT IS NOT NECESSARILY SAFE THERE JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE DOING HAJJ and UMRAH!!! SO:

• Try to leave as many of your valuables as possible at home, travel as lightly and easily as you can.

• Take fanny pack or waist pouch so you can keep your money, credit cards, passport, etc safely with you at all times.

## For Hajj, Your Backpack – what you should pack for this trip:

**All toiletries to be unscented:** deodorant, toothbrush/paste, soap/shampoo travel pack, sunblock, tissue, hand sanitizer, razor, moisturizer, nail clipper, towel,1 pair slippers, 1 pair walking shoes/sandals, clean underwear, as few Islamic tops and bottoms as possible, umbrella, Vaseline (men can get rash under their ihram), sleeping mat or blanket (make it smallest possible – use backpack for pillow!), ear plugs - it gets noisy when you want to sleep (the sponge ones keep noise out), eye shades to help you sleep, Vitamin C powder drink to boost your energy, extra bag if you plan to shop, Powerbar or granola bar, healthy snacks, pen/notebook, Quran with translation, Dua books, Salah material, tasbih, small folding fan, bag for shoes, glass bottle for water.

**FOR BOTH HAJJ AND UMRAH** \- DO NOT TAKE A SURGICAL MASK, IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE TO COVER YOUR FACE WHILE IN IHRAM, SO DON'T DO IT!

## Work on your dua list, here are some suggestions that you can add to your own list –Scholars say you should have up to 16 pages!! :

• Ya Allah bestow immense blessings and goodness of every kind on the Prophet (SAW) – Do many Daruds.

• Please forgive me and blot out all my sins, mistakes, bad ways from every record

• Grant the UMMAH immense success and uprightness in the deen, duniya, and Akhira – let us always be obedient to you

• Let all the Muslims be prosperous – grant ALL pilgrims all their duas, hopes, and desires

• Help all Muslims to attain excellence

For my parents, siblings, all of our children, all of our spouses, and all family, friends, Sheikhs, students, all our loved ones, and all the Believers:

• Grant us ilm, hikmah, hidayat

• Let us always be happy, content, and pleased with You at all times

• Let us always remain Godfearing and grateful

• Let our niyyah for everything always be for seeking Your pleasure

• Allow us to do optimal charity and khidma consistently

• Grant us secrets and powers and the hikmah to use them in the best way

• Put barakah and healing in our food

• Put barakah and healing in our sleep . Let us sleep less yet optimally, waking up with immense energy

• Let our ibadah be optimal with complete love, gratitude, and focus of You

• Grant us gifts beyond what we could ask for or expect

• Make all Muslims hygienic and pleasant smelling

• Grant us immense beneficial knowledge and talent to share with people everywhere

• Grant us immense inner and outer beauty

• Grant the unmarried ones spouses from the best of Your people that are the best and happiest match

• Grant us happy marriages at a young age and let us be happily married forever

• Let us all have pious, righteous, and happy marriages

• Grant us happy, safe, secure, protected homes everywhere we go

• Grant us an optimal relationship, knowledge, and love of Allah and the Prophet (SAW)

• Grant us best and optimal relationships with all your creation especially love between all of our family and loved ones.

• Keep us in a constant state of gratitude, compassion, love, respect, honor

• Make us the best of your people and surround us by the best of your people

• Grant us highest EMAN

• Grant us optimal HEALTH and ENERGY

• Grant us the best of the HEREAFTER

• Let us be the beneficial for our FAMILIES and FRIENDS and COMMUNITIES

• Grant us healthy and optimal FINANCES

• Grant us optimal EMOTIONAL HEALTH

• Grant us offspring that are the best of your people

• Guide us to success in the best and halal OCCUPATION, with the purest halal income

• Bless us, our families, our homes, our properties, possessions with safety, protection, and immense goodness and barakah

• Accept all our duas and grant us what we request right away

• Remove our anger

• Remove our insecurities and weaknesses

• Grant us every victory, success, goodness, ease, and comfort of the deen, duniya, and akhira

• Increase our rizq, grant us the highest income and give us hikmah to use it wisely

• Give us hikmah to use our bounties to please You.

• Grant us outstanding communication skills, demeanor, personality, and character

• Grant us optimal motivational and inspirational skills – to inspire others to be righteous and successful

• Make us the best example for all mankind like the Prophet (SAW), let us emulate him (SAW) optimally

• Give us the ability to always know right from wrong and always act correctly

• Give us the strength to stay away from wrong

• Show us the truth and show us things as they really are

• Show us falsehood and give us the strength to protect ourselves from it

• Give us courage

• Give us confidence and keep us free from the scary, panicky, nervous state – prevent us from making mistakes

• Protect us from oppressors and from being oppressors

• Grant us optimal knowledge of Arabic - the ability to communicate, comprehend, understand, and memorize the Quran optimally

• Grant us the most beautiful character, wit, charm, humor, magnetism, and personality

• Let us please You in all our conduct and give us highest Adab and Akhlaq towards all

• Let us easily maintain pure hearts and healthy minds, body, and souls.

• Let us be compassionate, sincere, and affectionate always

• Let us deal with everything optimally with love, goodness, compassion, and fairness – let us be just, for You are most Just

• Make us outstanding and exalted in the eyes of Your creation but allow us to always remain humble

• Let us be the best of your leaders and grant us the best leadership skills

• Let us be talented and continue to sharpen and increase our skills

• Put love, respect, and honor between us and all of your creation

• Allow us to live with no adversaries and foes, keep us protected from this experience

• Help us to preserve your beautiful deen, Islam

• Let us all be blessed with peace

• Remove all our fear and help us to fear You optimally

• Allow us optimal hope in You

• Let us be positive and productive and accomplished people

• Let us always do good in everything we do – put khair in everything for us

• Let us rely on You to be Disposer of all our affairs

• Let us overcome our base selves and not fall into temptation that leads to blameworthiness and Your displeasure

• Let us always be sincere

• Grant us the highest beneficial knowledge of everything worthwhile

• Protect us from cruelty and tyranny

• Let us be awe inspiring

• Protect us against jealousy, magic, and all things harmful

• Help us to see our shortcomings and blameworthy things and help us to correct them immediately.

• Allow us to always be loved by You and be Your favorite and have Your Affection, Ya Allah!

• Help us to overcome our carnal and base desires and all other blameworthy acts

• Guide us to the straight path

• Allow us to shun and avoid bad habits

• Grant all the lands optimal agriculture

• Grant us status, reverence, and positions amongst the masses

• Allow us to always remain healthy and capable with full abilities and faculties in tact until our dying day

• Grant us sharp eyesight, hearing, and senses in an optimal way

• Grant us healthy appetites, let us eat well and healthfully. Help us to avoid all that is bad and unhealthy for us. Let our food be a barakah and healing for us

• Put barakah in our time and money, allow us to be productive and optimal

• Allow us to fast the sunnah fasts with ease

• Allow us to sleep less optimally and lets us wake up on time for tahajud and fajr

• Allow us to pray our Salats on time and do the sunnah prayers with ease

• Help us to do perfect wudu

• Let every aspect of our lives and income be halal and barakah filled

• Protect us from all diseases and always keep us healthy

• Allow us and our families and all believers optimal obedience to You

• Allow us to recover anything we have lost immediately

• Make us free of sloth, laziness, tardiness

• Bless us with immense, happy, positive energy at all times

• Grant us optimal love and kindness toward our parents

• Protect us from vulgar language and vilification

• Grant us excellent ethics – let us always be loving, kind, caring, compassionate, and soft optimally

• Make us an instrument of Your peace and goodness

• Bless us with making Your creation happy and healthy

• Cure all Your creation of everything that afflicts us and challenges us all

• Shower all Your bounties on us at every moment

• Protect us from ever incurring any type of debt

• Allow us to always be liberated and free

• Grant us safe, beautiful beneficial, and optimal travels

• Allow us to live and die in Your faith

• Protect us from and remove all doubt, allow us certainty through You

• Put tenderness between us and our children

• Put tenderness between us and our parents

• Put tenderness between us and all our family and friends

• Put tenderness between us and all your creation in an optimal manner

• Eliminate and protect us from all difficulties, hardships, sadness, and worries

• Grant us clear answers for our istikharas always

• Let us have a direct, powerful and optimal relationship with You without us relying on anyone else

• Make all of Your creation free of distress, trouble, hatred, and negativity – let the world be a positive, loving place to live in tranquility and prosperity always.

• Protect the environment and allow us to contribute to it optimally

• Grant us true and good dreams and let us always know what they mean.

• Keep us free from cowardice

• Free us from our blameworthy nafs and help us to keep it purified

• Grant us beautiful Hayah

• Grant us serenity and be free of quarrels and arguments

• Grant us the highest optimal opinions of your creation and your creation on us

• Allow us to be in the state of Islam optimally and allow us to always remain successful in it

• Allow us to always be affluent and be blessed with good fortune

• Put tenderness between us and our spouses

• Put tenderness between us and our siblings

• Give us ease in all matters and overcome all impediments and obstacles with ease

• Grant us a sharp, strong memory and healthy minds

• Give us constant increase in all good things

• Allow us to never sin and be excellent in our conduct

• Grant us dignity, sanctity, and blessings of every kind

• Protect us from and remove all calamities and hardships from us and our loved ones

• Give us ease in livelihood

• Grant us the best community and SOCIAL LIFE and let it be good for us and us for them

• Grant us optimal EDUCATION and beneficial knowledge of every kind

• Let us leave a legacy behind that is pleasing to You and a sadaqah jariyyah for us

• Always protect us against shaytan and help us to always overcome shaytan.

• Never let shaytan come near us

• Protect us and others from evil and wickedness within ourselves and others

• Blot out all evil and wickedness within us.

• Give us the gift of making everyone happy and pleased for the sake of You

• Grant us Afia (wellbeing) and tawfiq

• Give us clean, pure, beneficial, optimal thoughts, feelings, ideas, inspirations, goodness, communication, magnetism

# Pearls

...But the willingness to give up what is dear to us for "It"- a universal seed within us-is necessary for death before death. Ibrahim (Abraham) (AS) loved his son Ismail (Ishmael) (AS) and his willingness to sacrifice his son for "Allah" permitted him to have both- Ismail (AS) and Allah. I found many "Ishmael" within me: for instance my love for my self- what I do for a living, the money I earn, my family, my house, my car- within me. Travelling or journeying in the Hajj with so little- two pieces of cloth and the bare necessities that I could carry with me- showed me how little I actually needed.

When I was tired, I sat on the ground before me; at one point, having forgotten to take water with me, I stood in line for a bottle of water generously gifted by a man. I found that the simplest of pleasures were the most satisfying ones.

But why should anyone of us seek death before death? For the love of ourselves and God. The death we seek is not to the breath of God within us but to everything else. It is actually the pursuit of the beautiful. I am also cognizant that My Allah is He who loves us to live our lives as our nature dictates- to live it passionately, when we must. The mother of Ismail ran between two mountains in search of water for her son- and this natural of all acts was so loved by God that he made the imitation of that act mandatory on all Muslims during the Hajj. The mother of Ismail failed to get water for her son- her action had no natural effect- yet God loved us being true to our nature so much that the spring of Zamzam emerged below Ismail's feet!

All dressed in white in two pieces of white cloth is and should be a sign of equality. It became apparent to me that I should pray that God should grant the prayers of the other pilgrims and mine: we were all standing together searching a glimpse of the Divine.

– Moiz Billah "Personal Reflections on Hajj"

# 1st Dhull Hijjah – My Dear Sibs:

• **Today, we will be preparing for our journey to leave tomorrow so this is an excellent day to start contemplating our desire to please Allah. Today marks the first day of the month of Hajj – 1st Dhul Hijjah.**

• **We are now in the first 10 days of Hajj, which are sacred and powerful:**

On the authority of Abu Hurayra (RA), the Messenger of God (SAW) said: "There are no days more beloved to God that He be worshipped in them than the first ten days of Dhul Hijja. Each day of fasting in it is equivalent to the fast of an entire year. And each night standing in prayer is equivalent to standing in prayer on the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr). "

Also due to the stature and merits of these days, Allah swore by them when He said: "By the Dawn. And by the ten nights" [Surah al--Fajr: 1--2]

**In these 10 days, Allah bestowed many of His bounties on His Prophets:**

Ibn Abbas relates that in the ten days of Dhul Hijja, Allah accepted the repentance of Prophet Adam (AS) , and in it Prophet Ibrahim (AS) became the intimate friend (khalil) of Allah "...Allah took Ibrahim as His intimate friend" (Quran 4:125) Hence, he submitted his wealth to the two noble guests (i.e. the angels sent to the people of Lut (Quran 11:69-79), his soul to the flames, his son to sacrifice, and his heart to the Most--Merciful One (al-Rahman).

In it the Prophet Musa (AS) was also honored with the following call: "[Allah] said: 'O Musa, I have chosen you over the people with My messages and My words [to you]. So take what I have given you and be among the grateful" (Quran 7:144)"

Prophet Dawud was granted forgiveness: "So We forgave him that; and indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return" (Quran 38:25)

It is said that the chief of all the months is Ramadan and the most sanctified of the sacred months (ashhur al-hurum) is Dhul Hijja and the most beloved days of this month to Allah is the first ten.

• **Good works in these 10 days are multiplied. It is also said that whoever honors these ten days, Allah honors him with ten bounties:**

blessing in his life

increase in his wealth

protection of his family

atonement for his sins

multiplication of his good deeds

ease in his last days of life

light for his darkness

weight on his scale

salvation from descending [into Hellfire]

ascension into [Heaven]

# My View:

Madinah was a very special place for us to start our journey. There is something about connecting with the Prophet (SAW) in this place that is beyond moving. All of my siblings and I were moved to tears at many moments in this city and the special Masjid Nabi. The only thing was that the ladies had the hardest time going to the Rawdah (the place where Rasool (SAW) is burried and the site of his home with Aisha (RA) ) as they are restricted to timings and then they are grouped by their countries and made to wait until their turn comes. This experience only put more meaning in our awareness that the whole place is mubarak and we particularly enjoyed making dua outside the wall of the Rawdah where we all swore we could smell that special musk scent only identifiable with the Prophet (SAW).

There was so much emotion in our salats and duas at this masjid, that it is actually hard to describe. One day, we ventured out to Mt. Hudayba where we learned about the battle where the Muslims were winning until some soldiers defied the Rasool's (SAW) orders, which quickly resulted in their downfall. This is the battle where Rasool (SAW) was badly injured and we were shown the cave where he was taken to safety. Then we went to Masjid Quba, which was actually the first Masjid built by the Prophet (SAW) when he first came to Madinah. It is said that whatever you pray for here is granted! Then our final stop was at Masjid Qiblatain, this is where the revelation was received to change the direction of the Qibla from Jerusalem toward Mecca. We passed by the location of the 7 Masajids, which were a significant site during the Battle of the Trenches when the Sahabas had to protect the city of Madinah from attacks.

It is important to not be in a rush at any point during your journey to Pilgrimage. Everything you do has barakah and savoring it must be maximized. Take your time to make duas, read the Quran, read from dua books. This is a valuable journey that can only be quantified by the amount of ibadah you do – this could include doing many good deeds like helping each other, feeding people, teaching and sharing what you know. Always be in good spirits and feel the blessings of Allah wherever you go; always remain connected to the character of the Rasool (SAW) as well, this will help guide your conduct.

By the time you go to the Meeqat to enter into your ihram, be sure you have reviewed the instructional (green) part of this book fairly well. We were told many conflicting things, some that just didn't make sense. Thank God we had the information in this book to rely on, otherwise I feel it could have been unpleasant for us to try to keep up with everything we were told – much of which was just simply wrong. Having said this, please keep in mind that there are a few legitimate schools of thought that may offer a different perspective. This is why my siblings and I stuck to the way of the Sunnah – we simply wanted to perform our Hajj as close to the way of the Prophet (SAW) as possible. So we were not so bothered by the allowances and concessions given in the 4 madhabs, for example. If the Prophet (SAW) did things a certain way, it was our ultimate goal to do it that way as well. Again, the barakah of following the Sunnah was remarkable! We witnessed one miracle after another because of our dedication to the Sunnah. Miracles like openings being created in the busiest of places, like the tawaf of Kabah where it seemed impossible to find space and most would give up and go to the 2nd floor or rooftop – but somehow a parting of the sea occurred for us and we found ourselves performing the most amazing tawaf right by the Kabah wall! Other miracles like people (who we were convinced were angels sent from Allah) would give us a hand or give us something special to eat or drink just as we felt our energy was draining – it was hard to explain how they would be at the exact place where we needed their help the most, but they were always there. We also slept remarkably well even though we didn't sleep as much as usual, we would wake up fresh and full of energy. There were times when we went through a good part of the day without eating and never felt the slightest hunger pangs. I am convinced if you stay devoted to the Sunnah for the love of the Prophet (SAW) and ultimately to please Allah, incredible things happen. A final note about the Meeqat, though it was crowded (as everyone was making their niyyah there), there was something very special about doing the niyyah salat there and starting our talbiyyah. Don't rush, enjoy this process....it's the beginning of the most special journey of your life!

# UMRAH STEP BY STEP (U1)

**TIP: CRYING IS A SIGN OF ACCEPTANCE, SO CRY AND DO NOT HOLD BACK DURING YOUR ENTIRE PILGRIMAGE.**

**If going to Madinah first** , do ghusl, then spend as much time in the Prophet's (SAW) Masjid as possible and stay in good shape with plenty of water and rest. Try to get used to staying up at night and sleeping where feasible in the day – from Fajr to Dhuhr is a good time for a nap. This is where your preparatory duas will be made useful for the upcoming pilgrimage. Get familiar with your dua list. (For those doing Hajj after this Umrah, note:The ONLY Hajj that the Prophet (SAW) did, started from Madinah.) Enter the Prophet's Masjid, go to the part of the Masjid called the Rawdah. This is the place next to the grave of The Ptophet (SAW) – Enter through the Gate of Jibreel (AS). In the Rawdah, the place between his (SAW) house and the minbar is reported in a hadith to be a piece of Jennah, therefore all prayers are accepted here.

( **NOTE: People performing Hajj al-Tamatt'u must also do the Umrah first.** So this means first you perform Umrah, then come out of Ihram and enter a new ihram again for Hajj on 8th Dhul Hijjah in Mecca. You will make 2 separate niyyas: 1 for Umrah and later, 1 for Hajj. The Prophet (SAW) said this is the best type of Hajj.)

### TO START YOUR UMRAH JOURNEY:

1) **Get in clean state before ghusl and ihram** \- Clip nails, hair, shave bodily hair (men also shave armpits, pubic hair, etc).

2) **Do Ghusl bath** (see end of this booklet for instructions)

3) **Wear Ihram** – after getting in a totally clean state as per above, put on your ihram clothes as follows:

**Women** in clean (preferably white) Islamically compliant clothes – this means you are covered from head to toe, only your face and hands can show. This means you must cover over the hairlines for the face, and up to the wrists for the arms. It is advisable to wear socks in order to keep the feet covered.

**Men** as follows:

• Wrap the larger of the two portions of the Ihram around your waist to cover your body from just above the navel to about the ankles.

• Secure the Ihram either with a belt or with a two to three inch wide strip of fabric torn from the Ihram material.

• Drape the other part of the Ihram over the back and the shoulders.

• Do not cover your head even for Salat while in a state of Ihram. Wear sandals that expose the toes and ankles. You are now a Muhrim (i.e., one in a state oh Ihram) and are subject to certain obligations and prohibitions (see next pages).

The literal meaning of Ihram is to make haraam (forbidden). When a haji pronounces the Niyyah of Hajj and Umrah and utters Talbiyah, certain halal (permissible) things become haram for him during this time. This combined action (Niyyah and Talbiyah) is called Ihram. The two sheets that a haji wears are figuratively known as Ihram but the real Ihram is Niyyah & Talbiyah. If someone wears these two sheets and does not declare his niyyah or utter Talbiyah, he does not become a Muhrim. That is why, before Niyyah and Talbiyah, he (a man) can cover his head during two rakahs of Nafl, whereas after this, covering the head for a haji (male) is not allowed while in Ihram

**Ihram is reminiscent of what one wears when in the grave – the Pilgrimage is a prep to return to Allah, hence the ihram**

• **Women DO NOT use scented soaps** or any perfumes as this subjects you to a penalty.

• **Men do not** get scent on the actual cloths, or use any scent after you have entered ihram; otherwise there is a penalty (see end of booklet for penalties).

• **Make sure you do not bleed** from anywhere, as this breaks your wudu.

• **DO NOT** get najz (impurities like urine) on your clothes...you must wash off before you pray.

# U2

4) **Go to Meeqat to offer 2 rakat Salat al Sunnah** – Meeqats are the boundaries of the Haram from all directions approaching Mecca re-established by the Prophet (SAW). Upon crossing the Meeqat, you have entered the Haram (the sacred precinct) and now the rules of the Haram apply to you. If you have made niyyah (intention) for Hajj or Umrah, then you must be in ihram, otherwise pilgrims cannot cross the Meeqat line. If you are crossing the meeqat from a plane, make sure you hear the announcement for this. It is important to follow instructions in order to initiate your pilgrimage properly.

Meeqat - The stations at which pilgrims must stop to enter the state of ihram; served to remind them of the inner renunciation of worldly preoccupations so that their pilgrimage may produce its desired effect. The meeqats were first fixed by Ibrahim (AS), then renewed by Muhammed (SAW). Since the meeqat denotes the boundary of the sacred haram, people coming for pilgrimage cannot pass the meeqat without being in a state of ihram –a pure state that must be maintained from the moment the pilgrim steps foot into the sacred haram boundaries.

NOTE: Masjid Aisha (in Ta'neem - just a few minutes drive from Kabah) is NOT a meeqat but a valid place for one to renew their ihram if they have already legitimately entered through a valid meeqat in ihram. Meeqat boundaries are only relevant for people entering for the first time who don't live within the Meeqat. The Haram boundary is within all meeqats. In order to be in ihram, one must do some traveling. Because Masjid Aisha is on the boundary of the Haram, it is not a meeqat however, it's ok to renew ihram here and start another Umrah.

5) **To initiate niyyah (intention) for Umrah, offer the two rakah Salat al Sunnah at the Meeqat** , men cover their heads here. Surah Kafirun is recited in 1st rakah and Surah Ikhlas in 2nd

• **Men remove head covering now** and keep off for entire pilgrimage. Always keep both shoulders covered, except in Tawaf (only if the tawaf is followed by Sai), then you cover again when done with this particular tawaf.

6) **After salat, make niyyah for Umrah here** \- Pronounce your intention to perform the Umrah. (If you are going on to Hajj, you still ONLY pronounce intention for Umrah. Your Hajj intention is made separately later) Umrah Intention is made by saying: **"O Allah! I intend to perform Umrah. Please make it easy for me and accept it from me. Ameen."** And **"Labbayka Allahumma Umrah"** which means "O Allah I answer Your call to perform 'Umrah"

7) **Recite the Talbiyah (below) loudly and frequently now** , and continue to do so until you arrive at the Masjid ul Haram. You are now in a state of Ihram.

• **After reciting Talbiyah 3 times,** say darood sharif and make any dua you want. In fact it is good to always say talbiya in 3's. Constantly repeat talbiya as often as you can throughout the pilgrimage, except for the parts when you are instructed not to recite it anymore.

• **Talbiyah** \- implies response and surrender to the command of Allah The Almighty as well as obedience to Him with love and fear. Consequently, it is obligatory to reflect on the meanings of these words so that they come from the heart. Memorize it:

**Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk. Inna al-hamd wal-ni`mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika lak**

[Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.]

• **Continue reciting Talbiyah** A LOT throughout your journey - It is the greatest act of worship while in a state of ihram.

• **NOTE:** it is permissible to use an umbrella and to also take baths regularly while in a state of ihram (however, do not rub the body vigorously with hands or soap as removing dirt and hairs, etc is not allowed while in ihram. In other words, what entered with you into a state of ihram, stays with you throughout the state of ihram).

8) **After entering state of Ihram from the Meeqat** , go on to Mecca to perform the Umrah - remember to continue reciting Talbiyah at all times. It will prevent you from idle talk, wandering mind as well, and to stay focused on Allah at all times. Your niyyah at all times should be to do all this for Allah and Allah alone, just to please Him and beg Him for forgiveness so that you leave your Hajj pure and closer to Allah.

# Pearls

**Ihram** \- the clothing of the deceased who has continued his journey beyond this world and into higher realities of the Hereafter. In Ihram therefore, our clothing immediately reminds us of the fragility of our life in this world.

### PROHIBITIONS WHILE IN STATE OF IHRAM:

Having started Pilgrimage, you are now in the state of ihram. From now until you finish the Umrah, you are supposed to abandon certain things (called mahzurat al-ihram) or the don'ts of the state of ihram. For those going on to Hajj, it begins again for you after you get into ihram a 2nd time to perform your Hajj rites. The prohibitions are the following:

1. Clipping nails, combing hair, and shaving hair from any part of the body. Do not scratch or wash hair or beard (however, bathing is permissible).

2. Using perfume in any way. Do not even oil yourself (unless there is a valid reason for it), it's like perfume.

3. Approaching your spouse, intimate interaction, any marital relations.

4. Proposing or contracting marriage.

5. Hunting or eating from game meat. Pilgrims are forbidden to hunt, help in hunting, or eat of any land game prepared for their sake, at their suggestion, or with their help. It is also forbidden to kill lice should one be afflicted with this in a state of ihram.

6. In the haram, do not hurt vegetation: flowers, grass, trees, etc.

7. For men - covering the face or head or wearing clothes sewn to fit the body's limbs. So wearing shirts, robes, trousers, turbans, hats, gloves, socks, etc. is prohibited.

8. For women, wearing Niqab or gloves.

Because the face is not to be covered for men and women in a state of ihram, be sure not to put blanket over your face while sleeping – men should also not cover their head while sleeping. Do not wear surgical masks, as this covers your face.

Its noteworthy that Jesus used to wear un-hemmed clothes, which were off-white or cream in color.

In the state of Ihram we wear for a couple of days a seamless garment, which is exactly like a shroud. It is a symbol of total renunciation of worldly life in order to get purified and to raise the soul to a high spiritual level of consciousness of Allah and the Eternal life. It makes the pilgrim humble, equal to others, and helpless as if it is the Day of resurrection.

Why no marital relations in ihram? – marriage in law comes to an end at death...our state of ihram is similar to death. Being resurrected purified resuscitates it and we go back to a "new life", being better people...Islamic version of "born again" InshaAllah.

# U3

9) **When you enter The Haram** , enter with your right foot. While entering say: **Bismillah** (In the name of Allah) **was-Salaatu was-salaamu 'ala Rasoolillaah** (and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Allah's Messenger) **Allahumma iftah-li abwaaba Rahmatik** (O Allah, open for me the doors of your Mercy)

10) **At first Sight of Kabah, make dua** : keep your eyes fixed at Baitullah (Kabah) and standing at one side, it is suggested that you do the following:

• Say **Allahu Akbar** three times

• Say **La Ilaha Illallah** three times

• Proclaim **Darud** on our beloved Prophet (SAW) and very humbly and with tears in your eyes supplicate to Allah for whatever you wish. This is a special time for the acceptance of prayers.

11) **FIRST THING TO DO after making the above dua:** take Zamzam and make dua **"O Allah make this Umrah (and Hajj) easy for me, keep me and my companions healthy and strong, and accept ALL our duas and grant us all we could ever ask you for and more. Let us go back to barakah filled lives. (For Hajj) Grant us a Hajj Mabroor. Ameen".** The Prophet (SAW) stated that Zamzam is for whatever niyyah we drink it for...so drink with this niyyah before you start the Pilgrimage rites!

11) **After this, while uttering Talbiyah** , move forward to perform tawaf of Kabah.

12) **VERY IMPORTANT - Make niyyah for Tawaf ul Umrah. Then go straight into performing your Tawaf ul Umrah without distraction.**

• **TAWAF – One Tawaf = 7 circuits around Kabah.** You are in prayer when doing tawaf, so do not get distracted or talk unnecessarily. You are only talking to Allah and anyone you do talk to, should be for the sake of your ibadah (ie. Questions, instructions, Islamic statements). The circling is believed to demonstrate the unity of the believers in the worship of the One God, as they move in harmony together around the Kabah, while supplicating to Allah. Stay focused in this supplication.

# Pearls

## Kabah

The first house of Worship appointed for mankind was that at Becca (Mecca). Full of blessings, and a guidance to all worlds. "In it are signs manifest; whoever enters it attains security, and pilgrimage there is a duty men owe to Allah.." (Quran 3:96, 97)

Ibrahim (AS) rebuilt the Bait ul Allah, a building which had been originally constructed by Adam (AS) and today is called the Kabah, a building toward which all Muslims around the world face in prayer, five times each day. When Ibrahim (AS) was ordered by Allah (SWT) to build the Kabah for worship, he uncovered the original foundations of the Kabah built by Adam (AS). With the help of his son Ismail (AS), they erected the Kabah on the same foundations. It is then that Ibrahim (AS) said: "Our Lord, accept this service from us, verily you are the All Hearer, the All Knower" (Quran 2:127)

It is a wonder that all the royal palaces built throughout history have been demolished but the Kabah, a house built of mud and stone about four thousand years ago by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his son Prophet Ismail (AS) in a parched land is still upright and will continue to be loved by human beings until the Day of Judgment. To know that this small building has been constructed and reconstructed by Prophets Adam, Ibrahim, Ismail and Muhammad (peace be upon them all) is remarkable. No other building has had this honor.

The Kabah is covered by a black cloth known as 'Kiswa', which is produced and changed every year. Special factory designed for the making of Kiswa in Mecca. It costs approx. SR 17million. The cloth is made of 670kgs of Silver dyed black, about 120kgs of pure Gold and 50kgs of Silver used in writing the Quranic verses over the cloth. The total area of the cloth is 658sqr meter.

When Kabah was rebuilt before Muhamed (SAW) received revelation – he (SAW) helped rebuild it and put the black stone in. The tribe of Quraish did not have sufficient funds, so this reconstruction did not include the entire foundation of Kabah as built by Prophet Ibrahim (AS). This is the first time the Kabah acquired the cubical shape it has now, unlike the rectangle shape, which it had earlier. The portion of the Kabah left out is called Hateem now and is still considered a part of the Kabah.

Prophets Adam (AS) and Abraham (AS) performed circumambulation around the Kabah. The Prophet Adam (AS) was ordered by Allah to make a place for worship and Allah sent down the angel Gabriel (AS) who lay the foundations at this precise place. Likewise, the angels perform circumambulation around the throne of God, Most High, timelessly. It is the system of our universe, designed by the All-Knowing Creator. Even the galaxies have counter clockwise orbits!

"And from wherever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of al-masjid-al-haram (Kabah), and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it (when you pray) so that men may have no argument against you except those of them that are wrong-doers, so fear them not, but fear Me! – And so that I may complete My Blessings on you and that you may be guided." (Quran 2:150)

Even looking at the Kabah is an act of worship. This is the only place in the world which has such a privilege and is so blessed. Always look at the Kabah with immense reverence and love for Allah.

When Adam and Eve (AS) were told to build the Kabah, it was to make the replicate of the house of worship to Allah on the seventh heaven (Bait-ul-Mamur) where angels do tawaf. The tawaf is done anti-clockwise which is the natural order of the universe, the Earth rotates anti-clockwise on it's axis, the Earth revolves around the Sun anti-clockwise , the Sun rotates anti-clockwise on it's axis and electrons of an atom revolve around it's nucleus in the same manner (anti-clockwise)

Angel Gabriel (AS) brought down the stone from Paradise to have it embedded in the corner of the Holy Shrine. This stone was bright in the beginning and became black over time – it is believed the sins of the people touching it and kissing it turned the stone black – it is now known as the Black Stone.

The Kabah - This was the first place of worship to God built by Man on earth, "blessed and a source of guidance for the worlds" (Qur'an, Surah Al-'Imran, 3:96). It was the first man on earth, Prophet Adam (AS), who originally built the Ka'bah, with the Friend of God, Prophet Abraham (AS), rebuilding it many centuries later. The Kabah is the archetypal House of God on earth, just as there is a House of God, called the "Oft-Visited House" (Qur'an, Surah al-Tur 52:4) in every one of the seven heavens, where the inhabitants of each heaven, such as the angels, worship.

This act of worship reminds us of the angels' tawaf around the "Oft-Visited House" and around the Throne of God, whilst they glorify and praise their Lord. The Prophet (SAW) said that tawaf was like salah, except that we are allowed to talk during tawaf. Any prayer, du'a or phrase of dhikr is allowed during tawaf, as is the recitation of the Quran and even conversations involving the seeking of knowledge.

The 2 rakat after tawaf - Every set of seven circuits of the Kabah (tawaf) is followed by a two-rak'at prayer, in which the sunnah of the Prophet is to recite Surah al-Kafirun and Surah al-Ikhlas in the respective rak'at. These two surahs are the same ones that he would often recite in the sunnah prayers before the dawn prayer, after the sunset prayer and during the "odd" (witr) three- rak'at at the end of voluntary night prayers. The significance of reciting this pair of surahs is that the first represents a rejection of whatever is worshipped besides God whilst the second affirms the Absolute Purity of the Oneness of God.

People shall remain protected as long as they continue to honor and respect the Kabah and Mecca...and when they stop that, they shall be destroyed. (Mishkaat)

The tawaf was taught to Adam (AS) directly by Jibreel (AS) to ensure the most befitting way to perform this circumambulation.

# My View:

How can I even begin to describe to you what was rushing through our minds and hearts as we were dropped off by our chartered bus near the Kabah. We walked about half a mile reciting the talbiyyah all the way...the adrenaline building up with intensity and excitement. Finally, we got through the door of the Masjid Al Haram with our right foot first. We were so excited and didn't want to blow the moment, so we kept our gazes lowered until we were sure we were at a spot where we would clearly see the Kabah. At this point, we lifted our eyes to look directly at the Kabah as we made dua! With tears pouring, nothing phased us other than the overwhelming fact that we were at the BaitUllah – The House of Allah! What could be more amazing than this. I can tell you one thing, this moment will never disappoint...it is every bit the highlight of life and it stays with you in an inexplicable way.

We drank ZamZam water, prayed our Fard Salat (it was time for Duhr) and commenced the Umrah part of our Hajj Tamattu as explained above. The whole thing was beautiful. We got very close to the Kabah for all of our tawafs throughout the next few days – it just happened for us without pushing or forcing it. I highly recommend that you not rush through your tawafs (or anything really), just go with it and savour every bit of it. Whatever happens, whatever amount of time it takes, whatever experiences you have – it all has meaning. Most importantly it's all from Allah so try to understand the deeper meanings to all your experiences. It is said that one's experience in Umrah and Hajj is a reflection of themselves. This means whatever you go through, it's about you and what you need to learn or perhaps even change in yourself. Remember this in the highest spiritual state, this is when you will see life's beautiful changes occur – when you're able to read into and learn from your experiences as you learn what you need to change in yourself to be a better person.

There is one part of the tawaf that I want to share a theory with you on. If you make tawaf close to the Kabah, you will see how chaotic our fellow man can be at times. You will see them pushing to touch the Black Stone, the Multazim, or even the Yemeni corner. At each place of the Kabah, you may likely see people making dangerous reaches that can lead to crushing or hurting others badly. It is best to avoid these things for the sake of safety –I believe this would be more pleasing to Allah than putting fellow pilgrims at risk by doing something dangerous. Having said this, there is one type of pressure you will feel in your tawaf that is unlike any of the madness I have described above. When you pass the Black Stone to commence your new circuit, as you near the area marked by the Maqam Ibrahim, you may start to feel a pull, push, or pressure. This will last until about the mid point of the Hatim (the uncovered part of Kabah around the corner). Now, pay attention to this pressure...it is not like the one you may feel at the Black Stone or Yemeni Corner. Because I believe it is not man...it is some other type of energy. We paid close attention to those around us to see who was pulling and pushing, everyone felt it but they swore it was not them...they were right, it was not them. It is something beyond any explanation. I think there is a very special energy here, rather than give in to the chaos here...it is best to try to rise above the distractions, raise your hands, and pray! I believe the connection with Allah you will make here, can be a key point in your pilgrimage.

# U4

13) **While in Tawaf ul Umrah, please note:**

**Men perform Idtiba** \- this is only done in a tawaf followed by Sai, so it will be done for this Tawaf ul Umrah. This is where for the entire tawaf men cover their left shoulder, leaving the right one bare by having the sheet go from under their right armpit.

• **Always make niyyah for the type of Tawaf you will be doing** before performing it and do all circuits with extreme love and devotion. Make sure you complete each circuit perfectly.

• **As you start your first shawt (circuit)** , you can stop saying the talbiyah now and say the Basmallah.

• **Each circuit (called shawt) starts from Hajar ul Aswad (black stone)**

14) **Start Tawaf by performing takbir and the Istilam (kissing the stone or from afar)** \- Start with raising palms up to ears towards Hajre-e-Aswad and say:

**"Bismillahi Allahu Akbar Wa Lilla Hil Hamd"** and drop your hands down. Now point the palms of your hands again towards Hajar-e-Aswad and kiss them. This act of kissing Hajar-e-Aswad or pointing towards it is called Istilam. Now make dua and start your tawaf.

In order for you to recognize the point of initiation of the Tawaf, there is a green light on the wall opposite the Black Stone to identify the starting location of your new circuit, or the end of the previous circuit.

• **Each circuit ends at Hajar ul Aswad.** The pilgrim will begin a new circuit after reciting **"Allah-o-Akbar" and Istilam** as above from this spot every time.

• **Each circuit is performed in the counterclockwise** direction with the Kabah always to your left. You must go around the Hatim, this is the semicircular open space attached to Kabah and is considered a part of the Kabah.

15) **Ramal:** Like idtiba, this is required of any tawaf that is followed by Sai. For the first three circuits of Tawaf ul Umrah, men are required to move their shoulders and walk with quick short steps, as if brisk walking/jogging. This act is called Ramal and is Sunnah. This was done by the Prophet (SAW) victoriously after the Kabah was taken back from the pagans so is continued since it is Sunnah. They walk normally during the remaining four circuits.

• **Tawaf is to be completed with no interruptions.** However, if "adhan" (the call to prayers) is recited during the Tawaf, you should stop to join the prayers at wherever you may be at that point in time, and resume the Tawaf from there after the prayer is over. It is not necessary to restart the interrupted circuit afresh from Hajar ul Aswad.

• **There are no specific prayers to be recited during Tawaf.** You may constantly pray in any way and in any language you prefer.

# U5

16) **At the Yemeni corner** you will pray, **"Rabbana atina fi'l duniya hasanatan wa fi'l akhiratan hasanatan wa qin'adhab'an'naar"** , this is best dua recited here. It is also Sunnah to touch the Yemeni corner with both hands when possible.

• **During your circuits** it is beneficial to repeat **"Subhan-Allah wal-hamdu-lillahi wa la ilaha ill-Allah wa-Allahu Akbar wa la haula wa la quwwata illa-billah.**

The Prophet (SAW) has said that there are two kalimahs that are light on tongue yet weigh heavy on the scale (Mizan) and are liked by Allah. These kalimahs are: **Subhan Allah Wabe Hamde hi Subhan Allah Hil Azeem**

• **You may also use supplications used in the daily Salat** or you may seek forgiveness of Allah and ask Him whatever you wish.

• **TIPS for Tawaf:**

– Keep track of the number of rounds as it is really easy to forget! You may wish to take a counter with you. If you do lose count, assume the least in nafl tawaf (like this one for Umrah), you must start again if you lose count.

– Never face the Kabah, always keep it on your left.

– Think well of everyone – even the ones pushing, being rude, etc...do not look down on anyone!

17) **The End of Tawaf:** At the end of seven circuits, do Istilam of Hajar-e- Aswad or point towards it an eighth time which is Sunnat Mu'akidah. Also say:

**"Bismillahi Allahu Akbar Wa Lillah Hill Hamd"** – DO NOT GO INTO ANOTHER CIRCUIT AFTER THIS! Otherwise you will have to do another Tawaf (7 circuits!). However, some rulings say this is the case only if one makes the niyyah for another tawaf; otherwise it is merely walking.

18) **Tawaf Finished:** Now men cover both shoulders with upper portion of the Ihram sheet.

19) **Multazam:** Now, come to Multazam, which is a place five or six feet in length between Hajar-e-Aswad and the door of Kabah. This is a highly sacred place where prayers are accepted. Among a large crowd of people, if it is possible to reach Multazam, cling to it pressing your chest and cheeks, and while trembling and crying with devotion and with all humility seek Allah's mercy, His blessings and ask Him whatever you wish. If you are unable to come close to Multazam, just face towards it and supplicate from a distance.

# Pearls

• MULTAZAM - Multazam means place of clinging. The Arabic term iltizam (clinging) refers to the act in which a person who makes dua (supplication), places his or her chest, face, forearms, and palms against the Multazam, and calls upon Allah, saying whatever dua he or she wishes.

• It is reported that `Abdur-Rahman ibn Safwan said, "When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) conquered Mecca, I said, 'I will put on my garments,' as my house was on the road, 'and I will wait and see what the Messenger of Allah (SAW) will do.' So, I went, and I saw that the Prophet (SAW) had come out of the Kabah along with his Companions, and they were touching the House from the door to the Black Stone. They placed their cheeks against the House, and the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was in the midst of them" (Abu Dawud and Ahmad).

• Invocations at this place are specially granted. According to 'Sunnat' you are to go to Multazam after Tawaf. There, you are to place your both hands upright in the direction over your head on the wall of this particular part of Kabah. You are also to touch the wall with your breast and cheeks, and pray to Allah humbly and submissively, crying. This is called munajat – the pouring out of one's heart and surrendering oneself in order to be closer to Allah. It is believed that such invocation is never rejected.

• "Multazam is a place where duas are accepted. Whenever a person prays to Allah at this spot, Allah grants his prayer" (Prophet Mohammed SAW)

# U6

20) **Maqam Ibrahim:** Next offer two rakahs of nafl Salat behind and close to Maqam Ibrahim. As you go there, recite the verse if you wish: **"Wattakhithoo minmaqami ibraheema musallan"** (And take of the station of Ibrahim as a place of prayer) **(Quran 2:125) Pray Surah Kafirun in the first rakah and Ikhlas in the 2nd as per sunnah.**

"...then he (SAW) stood at a place where the Station (of Ibrahim) was between him and the House. There he prayed two rak'ahs reciting Surah Al-Kafirun and Surah Al-lkhlas..." (Jabir)

Maqam Ibrahim (Station of Abraham) - is the location of the stone on which the foot of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was imprinted when he used it to step on when building the Kabah. Performing the ritual prayer here is extremely virtuous.

It has been narrated that when Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his son Ismail (AS) were building the Kabah, he couldn't reach the top so he put a rock under his feet, and as a result of the pressure exerted from his feet on the stone, an imprint of his foot was left on it. It is said this rock is from Paradise like the Black Stone and that it elevated into the air to help the construction.

"And behold! We made this House a place of Assembly for mankind and a Sanctuary. And take ye the Maqam-i Ibrahim as a place of Salat. And We enjoined upon Ibrahim and Ismail: Sanctify My House for the doers of Tawaf, and the performers of I'tikaf, and the bowers down, the prostraters." (Quran 2:125)

21) **Zamzam:** Now go to the Zamzam water - Drink this water by saying Bismillah 3x and drinking in 3 large sips at a time - and fill yourself until you can t drink anymore, and pour over your head, while in standing position, facing Kabah. Then supplicate to Allah with this if you wish:

**"Allahummah inni as'aluka ilm-an naafi'an wa rizqan waasi'an wa shifa'am min kulli daa'in."** (O Allah! I implore Thee for beneficial knowledge, for vast provisions, and for cure from every disease.)

Make any specific intentions and duas for drinking Zamzam – Remember it has been reported in Hadith, that the water of ZamZam has healing effects. In one Hadith it is said: Narrated by Jabir that the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) said: "Water of ZamZam is good for whatever purpose it has been drunk. In another Hadith the Prophet (SAW) said "Water of ZamZam is a healer of every disease. Muslims throughout the world do believe that the water is blessed and accordingly it is considered as one of the best gifts to be offered.

Al-Ajmi said that when drinking Zamzam water one should ask for forgiveness from sins

Imaam Abu Hanifah drank from Zamzam water in order to be a knowledgeable scholar and he became the best among the scholars in his era

Ibn 'Abbaas narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: "One difference between us (believers) and the hypocrites is that they could not drink much from Zamzam." [Ibn Maajah] A Muslim loves Zamzam and drinks it abundantly until he is full, whereas a hypocrite could not. This inability is caused by innate dislike to whatever the believers do in accordance with Allah's wishes which, in turn, causes the wretched one to forsake this divine gift for a mere mortal one.

22) **After drinking zamzam, do Istilam of Hajar-e-Aswad.** While at Zamzam, do Istilam of Hajar-e-Aswad again (this makes it the ninth time after you did 8 from your tawaf) or point towards it, saying: **"Bismillahi Allahu Akbar Wa Lillah Hil Hamad."**

# Pearls

• ZAMZAM - Originally water from the well was drawn via ropes and buckets, but today the well itself is in a basement room where it can be seen behind glass panels (visitors are not allowed to enter). Electric pumps draw the water, which is available throughout the Masjid al- Haram via water fountains and dispensing containers near the Tawaf area

• For thousands of years, the water of ZamZam continues to flow, and millions of people throughout the history of Islam drink it fervently.

• Zam means "stop". It was flowing so fast, so Hajra (RA) said this a few times when she was overwhelmed by the abundant water.

• Zamzam is a cure for everything except death.

• Ibn 'Abbaas narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: "When Ibrahim (Abraham) (AS) had differences with his wife Sara, (because of her jealousy of Hagar, Ismail's (AS) mother), he took Ismail (AS) and his mother Hagar away. They had a water-skin with them containing some water, Hagar used to drink it so that her milk would increase for her child. When Ibrahim (AS) reached Mecca, he made her sit under a tree and afterwards returned home. Ismail's (AS) mother followed him, and when they reached Kada, she called him from behind, `O Ibrahim! To whom are you leaving us?' He replied, '(I am leaving you) to Allah's (Care).' She said, 'I am satisfied to be with Allah.' She returned to her place and drank the water from the water-skin, her milk increased for her child. When the water had all been used up, she said to herself, 'I better go and look so that I may see somebody.' She ascended the hill Safa and looked hoping to see somebody. When she came down to the valley, she ran till she reached the hill Marwah. She ran to and from (between the two hills) many times. Then she said to herself, 'I better go and see the state of the child,' she went and found it in a state at the of point of dying. She could not endure to watch her child dying and said (to herself), 'If I continue looking, I may find somebody.' She continued running between Safa and Marwah for seven rounds, finally at Marwah she heard a voice, and she said 'Help us if you can offer any help.' It was Gabriel (AS). Gabriel hit the earth with his heel like this (Ibn 'Abbaas hit the earth with his heel to illustrate it), and water gushed out under the baby's foot. Ismail's (AS) mother was astonished and started digging around it to contain the water. She drank from the water and her milk increased for her child..." [Al-Bukhaari]

• When Prophet Ibrahim (AS) left his wife Hajra and his son Ismail at the Kabah, he made his famous supplication: "O Our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by the Sacred house; In order, O our Lord that they may establish regular prayer. So fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits; so that they may give thanks" – (Quran 14:37)

• It's because of ZamZam and Hajra's method of containing this miraculous water, that began the settlement of the Mecca valley, where the descendants of Ismail (AS) populated the area.

• One of the greatest attributes of Zamzam is that it will never dry up. This is a gift from Allah to Mecca and to its pilgrims. Ibn 'Abbaas narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: "May Allah be merciful to the mother of Ismail! If she had left the water of Zamzam (fountain) as it was, (without digging a basin as she did in order to contain the water), it would have been a flowing stream.

• Jurhum (an ancient Arab tribe) came to Hajar and asked her, 'May we settle at your dwelling?' She said, 'Yes, but you have no right to possess the water.' They agreed." [Al-Bukhaari]

• The angels brought all items from heaven to cleanse Prophet's (SAW) heart, except the water for washing the black dot...they used zamzam for this. Imagine, the key ingredient used is something that we all have access to in this world; subhanAllah.

• The Jurhums eventually plugged the well to deny their conquerors its blessings. Many generations passed in Mecca with Zamzam in complete oblivion, until Abdul-Muttalib (the paternal grandfather of the Prophet (SAW) resurrected the dead well. For 3 nights, Abdul- Muttalib had a vision about digging a well. On the fourth night, both Zamzam and its location were communicated to him. The Meccans and Abdul-Muttalib agreed to seek arbitration for ownership of this well. They set out for a priestess whose judgment was accepted by both parties. On their way, the caravan ran out of water and they thought they would die. Abdul-Muttalib's camel hit an area where water came out. Upon seeing this, the Meccans knew that He who saved Abdul-Muttalib from this eminent death on this very journey settled the very question of Zamzam. Abdul-Muttalib was the sole heir to this special water. The matter was settled and the family of the Prophet (SAW) was ennobled with a mark of clearest distinction. It is of paramount importance to mention that Abdul-Muttalib's possession of Zamzam was not an act of ownership where he would deny its water to others. Being the sole heir to Zamzam meant that Abdul-Muttalib alone was to provide Zamzam water to the pilgrims; no one else (save his family of course) could.

• One of the miracles of ZamZam water is its ability to satisfy both thirst and hunger. One of the Companions of the Prophet (SAW) said that before Islam, the water was called 'shabbaa'ah' or satisfying. It was filling and helped them nourish their families. More recently, in the last few decades, samples of ZamZam water have been collected by scientists and they have found certain peculiarities that make the water healthier, like a higher level of calcium. Prophet Mohammed (SAW) said it has healing effects. This is why pilgrims to Mecca to this day collect it in bottles, to bring back for relatives and friends back home who are ill. It was also reported that the Prophet (SAW) used to carry the water of ZamZam in pitchers and water skins back to Madinnah.

• It is also reported that the Prophet (SAW) rubbed the gums of his two grandchildren - Hassan and Hussain - with dates and ZamZam. He also used to sprinkle it over the sick and make them drink it.

• Four senior experts of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission have found the water of ZamZam well to be scientifically superior to normal water. The experts have analyzed and tested samples of water from ZamZam and from tap and solar pumps. It was found that the ZamZam water has a curative effect. Alkaline in nature, the ZamZam water can neutralize excess hydrochloric acid formed in the stomach and reduce heartburn. Iodide, sulphate and nitrate contents are also much higher in the ZamZam water. Supply of iodide through ZamZam may sufficiently fulfill the requirement of iodide for the thyroid. The research was carried out jointly by M. A. Khan, A. K. M. Sheriff, K. M. Idris and M. Alamgir. It was revealed that contents of macro-nutrients like magnesium, sodium and potassium were manifold higher in ZamZam water than in tap and solar pump water. The scientists said all the data indicated that ZamZam water had much more nutritive values than ordinary underground water.The hardness of ZamZam water is four times that of tap and solar pump water but it is within the acceptable limit set by the WHO, the researchers found.

• In another report: This small 5 ft. deep well is far away from any other source or body of water. It is self-replenishing. In an astonishing report by the BBC, it was confirmed that after usage the zamzam water level went down a few meters, then within hours the water level went back up again. It is constantly replenishing itself in order to produce gallons upon gallons of water for consumption of thirsty pilgrims plus the additional amount that is bottled and also the amount that is taken as gifts distributed worldwide to millions. Zamzam water has scientifically been proven to contain healing qualities due to its higher content of Calcium and Magnesium Salts and also the natural fluorides that encompass a germicidal action. It is also an established scientific fact that pools or water wells tend to grow vegetation such as algae—especially in warm climates. Amazingly this is not the case in the well of Zamzam. It has remained free from biological contaminants.

• The Prophet (SAW) would say "Bismillah" then drink zamzam for as long as possible, after he would say "Alhumdulillah" and then repeat again and again. He (SAW) said "the difference between the hypocrites and ourselves is that they cannot drink a lot of zamzam".

# U7

23) **After drinking zamzam and 9th Istilam, now proceed to Safa to commence Sai** \- As you near it, recite the verse: **"Inn-as-Safa wal-Marwah min Sha'a'irillah."** (Indeed Safa and Marwah are among the Signs of Allah.) (Quran 2:158)

**Sai** – Literally means "struggle" - is defined as ritual walking. In Islamic terms it means to make seven rounds between Safa and Marwah, in a particular way. It serves to commemorate Hajra's (RA) search for water and God's mercy in answering prayers.

24) **Climb the hill of Safa (or get as close as you can)** and make intention ( _niyyah_ ) for Sai: **"O Allah! I perform Sai between Safa and Marwah to please You. Make it easy for me and accept it from me."**

25) **After climbing Safa** to the point from where you can see the Kabah (if possible, otherwise just get as close as you can), then facing the Kabah raise your hands in supplication, say:

**Allahu Akbar** 3x and recite the following supplication if you wish:

**"La ilaha ill-Allahu wahdahu la Sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa ala kulli shai'in Qadeer."** (There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah Alone. He has no partners. To Him alone belongs the Kingdom, and all praise. In His hand is all the good, and He has power over all things)

If you don't remember this, you may use the supplication recited earlier during Tawaf: **"Bismillahi Allahu Akbar Wa Lillah Hill Hamd"**

Follow with Darud and ask Allah whatever you wish. NOW ENJOY THE SAI PROCESS – GLORIFY ALLAH! PRAY FOR ANYTHING YOU WANT!

26) **Proceed towards Marwah.** Come down from Safa and move towards Marwah while reciting this supplication if you wish: **"Subhan-Allah wal-hamdu-lillahi wa la ilaha ill-Allah wa-Allahu Akbar wa la haula wa la quwwata illa-billa."** And make any dua you wish for as you proceed to the other side.

27) **When you reach Marwah** – again climb it if you can and stand where you can see Kabah. Here also you are to repeat the practice you observed on Safa like raising your hands, pronouncing Takbir-o-Tahlil 3 times and ask for whatever you wish.

• **Other suggested supplications to recite: Subhan Allah, Alhamdu Lillah, Allahu Akbar** repeatedly. You may also praise Allah and ask for His mercy in your language. Eg. **"O Allah ! You said, 'Call on me, I would respond' and You never break Your promise ; and I ask You that as You have guided me to Islam, do not deprive me of it till You take me unto You while I am a Muslim."** or use supplications taken from the daily Salah.

• **Now come down from Marwah.** One trip is over, the second trip will be from Marwah to Safa and third trip will be back to Marwah. Continue for 7 trips.

• **The strip of ground between Safa and Marwa** is known as Masaa. For both ways, start running a bit before you reach the green pillars on this strip and shortly after passing them.

28) **End of Sai.** The seventh trip will end at Marwah. If not undesirable time, offer 2 Rakahs nafl salat here for completion of Sai.

# Pearls

• GREEN PILLARS - To make her search easier and faster, Hagar went alone to find help, leaving her infant Ismail on the ground. She first climbed the nearest hill, Al-Safa, to look over the surrounding area. When she saw nothing, she then went to the other hill, Al-Marwah, to look around. While Hajra was on either hillside, she was able to see Ismail and know he was safe. However, when she was in the valley between the hills she was unable to see her son. Thus Hajra (RA) would run while in the valley between the hills and walk at a normal pace while on the hillsides. Today, this running area is marked at the same section of the Masaa by the green pillars on both sides.

• Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) narrates that the Prophet (SAW) climbed up Mount Safa when Allah revealed the verse in Surah Shu'ara: _"And warn your tribe (O Muhammad) of near kindred."_ [26:214]

• After ascending Safa the Prophet (SAW) shouted: "Ya Sabahah!". When the people of Mecca had gathered, he (SAW) said to them, "If I told you that horsemen were advancing to attack you from the valley on the other side of this mountain, will you believe me?". "Yes", they replied, "We have always found you truthful." The Prophet (SAW) said, "I am a plain warner to you of a coming severe punishment." After this vivid analogy the Prophet (SAW) asked them to save themselves by declaring that Allah was one and that he Muhammad (SAW), was his messenger. He tried to make them understand that if they clung to polytheism and rejected the message he had brought to them, they would face Allah's punishment. Abu Lahab (his uncle) said, "May you perish! You gathered us only for this reason? "Then Abu Lahab went away. Upon this 'Surah al-Lahab' (Perish the hands of Abu Lahab!) was revealed.

• After conquering Mecca back, the Prophet (SAW) went to the Hajar al-Aswad and performed Tawaf. After completing the Tawaf, the Prophet (SAW)climbed Mount Saf, faced towards the Kaba and after praising Allah, he started making dua. It was from here that he announced, "Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyaan (The Prophet SAW's adversary) has amnesty and whoever closes the door to his house has amnesty." This was when the Prophet (SAW) generously granted safety for all people of Mecca whether they were on Abu Sufyaan's side or his (SAW) side. Abu Sufyaan later accepted Islam.

• Mount Safa is allegedly the mountain referred to in the European proverb "If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain", frequently quoted the opposite way. English language sources trace the saying to Francis Bacon.

• Sai is a search. It is a movement with an aim. It is depicted by running and hurrying. During tawaf (circumambulation) you acted as the angels do at Allah's throne. In Ibrahim's position you acted as Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS). Once you begin Sai you are acting as Hajar (RA). Here is a true demonstration of oneness... Man and stripped humanity are on the scene! Nothing but faith, belief and action are eminent! Here nobody is spoken of; even Ibrahim (AS), Ismail (AS) and Hajar (RA) are only names, words and symbols. Whatever exists is moving constantly, humanity and spirituality and between them only discipline. Furthermore, this is Hajj, a decision for an eternal movement in a certain direction. It is also how the whole world moves. – Author, Dr. Ali Shariati

• Ibn Abbas said " It was when Hajar went up on Mount Marwah (the final time after her 7 circuits between the two hills), she heard a voice, and said to herself, 'Shush,' and tried hard to listen. She heard something again, and then said (aloud to whom she thought she heard), 'I heard you! Do you have relief for us so that you will provide us with assistance?' She then saw an angel digging up the ground with his wing where Zamzam exists today, and water then started to flow. She then started to contain the water with her hand (trying to make a pool of mud to collect the water in it), and she was also cupping her hands to fell her Siqaa' (water jug), yet the water was flowing as fast as she was filling." Ibn Abbas then said, "So she drank and nursed her son. The angel then said to her, 'Do not fear abandonment, for a House for Allah (the Kabah) will be built in this area by this boy and his father, and most certainly, Allah does not abandon His people." [Al-Bukhari].

• Abu Sufyaan (RA)'s house was situated close to Marwah.

# Pearls

When Hajra is in the depths of despair - Perhaps she thinks when will come God's help. Perhaps she answers her own question and realizes that the help of God is always near. At once a stream of water burst up from the sand where Ishmael lay. Thus, she finds provisions in the most unlikely of places.

Such is life. When the shadow of despair appears God reaches out with his light and touches the down trodden soul. God brings that soul provisions from sources which are not perceived. Patience is tested as the Quran states,

By time, verily man is in loss. Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy. (Quran 103:1-3)

The Muslim seeks the provisions of his lord this season during hajj. Continuously saying "here I am Lord". The pilgrim seeks the provisions that are generously bestowed from God. The Muslim seeks provisions for the mind, body, and soul. All three components of the human being need nourishment.

So Hajra will serve her lord. She represents the sacrificing mother who gives of everything for her family. This is a lesson for all mankind. It is a lesson especially in these times of difficulties around the world. Hajra demonstrates the need to accept the changes one experiences in life. She never gave up the pursuit of something better, never tired of running through Safa and Marwa. For Hajra knew that provisions can come from the most unlikely source.

# U8

29) Shaving or clipping of hair. After Sai, men should get their heads completely shaved or get their hair clipped to the length of their finger tip. If they are moving on to do Hajj they can cut their hair and shave after the Hajj if they wish or shave both times. Both shaving and clipping are permissible for men, though shaving is preferable. If there is not enough hair to cut or if he is bald, then men must shave entirely.

Women are, however, allowed to have a lock of their hair clipped without letting men around them see their hair. They are forbidden to shave their heads. Nobody can clip/shave their own hair; it must be done by someone who has already had their hair clipped/shaved, ie. Somebody who has completed their ihram state, therefore it is halal for them to clip/shave other people's hair.

It is reported by a number of authorities that the Holy Prophet (SAW) has prayed to Allah thrice for bestowing his mercy on those who shave their heads after performing pilgrimage, while he prayed only once for those who cut their hair:

Narrated by Abu Huraira - The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "O Allah! Forgive those who get their heads shaved." The people asked. "Also those who get their hair cut short?" The Prophet (SAW) said, "O Allah! Forgive those who have their heads shaved." The people said, "Also those who get their hair cut short?" The Prophet (SAW) at the third time said, "(O Allah) also (forgive) those who get their hair cut short." (Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.786)

"Indeed Allah shall fulfill the true vision which He showed to His Messenger (SAW) [i.e. the Prophet (SAW) saw a dream that he has entered Mecca along with his companions, having their head shaved and cut short] in very truth. Certainly, you shall enter Al-Masjid-al-Haram; if Allah wills, secure, (some) having your heads shaved, and (some) having your head hair cut short, having no fear. He knew what you knew not, and He granted besides that a near victory. (Quran 48:27)

"And the Prophet (SAW) shaved all of his head." (al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah18/98).

And complete the Hajj or `Umra in the service of Allah. But if ye are prevented (from completing it) send an offering for sacrifice such as ye may find, and do not shave your heads until the offering reaches the place of sacrifice. And if any of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp (necessitating shaving) (he should) in compensation either fast or feed the poor or offer sacrifice; and when ye are in peaceful conditions (again) if anyone wishes to continue the 'Umra on to the Hajj he must make an offering such as he can afford it he should fast three days during the Hajj and seven days on his return making ten days in all. This is for those whose household is not in (the precincts of) the Sacred Mosque. And fear Allah and know that Allah is strict in punishment. (Quran 2:196)

Some scholars have said that the wisdom behind the cutting of the hair is to show we are ever ready to sacrifice everything for the Pleasure of Allah, even our heads if need be, and thus as a gesture of this intention of sacrifice, the hair is shaved.

This is the Islamic understanding of being "born-again," for newborn babies also have their heads shaved.

30) Alhumdulillah! Your Umrah is complete!, qurbani or sadaqa is optional. However if you are continuing to complete Hajj rites; then qurbani is delayed until Hajj is completed. The Quran speaks about this in 2:196.

31) For both Umrah only and Hajj pilgrims - You will now shower and change into normal clothes. Please note: For Umrah, a farewell tawaf is NOT compulsory, it is optional; your ihram restrictions are now lifted. If you are moving on to the Hajj rites, you will do your farewell tawaf after Hajj. For those doing Hajj al Tammat'u, all restrictions of the Ihram are now temporarily lifted from you. You will now wait for the 8th of Dhul Hijjah to start the rites of Hajj.

# Pearls

**MABROOK TO THOSE THAT COMPLETED UMRAH! YOU ARE DONE. MAY ALLAH ACCEPT YOUR DUAS. If you are going on to perform Hajj, please continue to the "Hajj Step by Step" section.**

## SADAQA:

• It is said that sadaqa was often given in silver equivalent to the amount of hair shaven.

• "Sadaqah extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire." (Tirmidhi : 2541)

• "Sadaqah appeases the Lord's anger and averts an evil death." (Tirmidhi : 1909)

• "Give the Sadaqah without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity." (Tirmidhi: 1887)

• "The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his Sadaqah." (Tirmidhi: 1925)

• "For those who give in charity, men and women, and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward." (Qur'an 57:18)

• Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was asked: "We used to sacrifice Atirah in pre-Islamic days during Rajab; so what do you command us?" He said: "Sacrifice for the sake of Allah in any month whatsoever; obey Allah, Most High, and feed (the people)." (Abu-Dawood : 2824)

• Each dollar given in sadaqa on pilgrimage is equal to a hundred thousand.

## QURBANI:

• The history of _qurbani_ , the slaughtering of meat bearing animals after the Hajj pilgrimage, dates back to the beginning of mankind with the two sons of Adam. When Cain and Abel had an argument, their father Adam (AS), commanded them to do qurbani to see whose sacrifice Allah, the Most High, would accept.

_"And recite to them the story of the two sons of Adam in truth. When each offered a sacrifice, it was accepted from one, but not from the other. The latter said to the former, "I will surely kill you." The former said, "Verily, Allah accepts only from those who have taqwa (God- consciousness)."_ (Quran 5:27)

• The beloved Prophet (S) recognized the sacrifice of an animal as a form of worship during 3 days of Dhul Hijjah, namely,the 10th,1lth and 12th of the month. This is to commemorate the unparalleled sacrifice offered by the Prophet Ibrahim (AS).

• Prophet Abraham (AS), who is known as the Friend of Allah, was commanded to make a great sacrifice. He was told by the Almighty to sacrifice his son. In this, he did not hesitate for an instant, although we find the venerable Ibrahim (AS) to have prayed to Allah Almighty fervently for a son:

_"My Rabb (Cherisher & Sustainer), grant me a son, one of the righteous. So, We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy.'"_ (Quran 37:100)

After a few years, the venerable _Ismail_ (Ishmael) (AS), a radiant son, was born to Ibrahim (AS) and his wife, the venerable Lady _Hajra_ (Hagar). Yet, when the Friend of Allah, Ibrahim (AS), was commanded by his Lord to sacrifice his beloved son, the Most High found father and son obedient to the Divine command:

_"And, when he (Ismail) was old enough to walk with him, he (Ibrahim) said: "O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you. So, what you think?" He said: "O my father! Do that which you are commanded, if Allah wills, you shall find me of the patient.''_ (37:101-102)

• In _Tafsir Usmani_ we find: "As Ibrahim (AS) was pressing the knife to Ismail's throat, the sound of _takbir_ "Allah is Great, Allah is Great," was heard coming from heaven. This was the voice of Angel Jibril (Gabriel) (AS). Allah had created a ram as a substitute sacrifice for Ismail (AS) then, summoning Jibril (AS) from paradise, commanded Jibril (AS) to take the ram to Ibrahim (AS). The angel appeared in the heavens, bearing that ram and proclaiming the Supreme Greatness of Allah. When Ibrahim (AS) heard the voice of Jibril (AS), he realized that his trial was over. In grateful response, he glorified and extolled his Rabb with the words: "There is no god but Allah, Allah is Greater [than anything whatsoever]." The venerable Ismail (AS) also realized that the mercy of the All-Compassionate and Beneficent Allah had arrived. Saying: "Allah is Great, and to Allah belongs all praise," as he joined in the glorification. Then Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, addressed His special friend, Ibrahim (AS), with the following words: _"O Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the vision!'' Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good. Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial." And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice. And We left him among the later generations."_ (Quran 37:103-108)

• The present-day _Qurbani_ is offered in memory of this great model of submission set before us by the great father and the great son. So _Qurbani_ must be offered in our time emulating the same ideal and attitude of submission.

• There is no alternative to Qurbani - the _Qurbani_ is an independent form of worship and this obligation cannot be discharged by spending money in charity instead.

• "Exhort all men to make pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and the backs of swift camels from every distant quarter; they will come to avail themselves of many benefits to pronounce on the appointed days the name of Allah over the cattle, which He has given them for food... Eat of their flesh, and feed the poor and the unfortunate... Their flesh and blood does not reach Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him" (Quran 22)

# My View:

Getting to the Sai is a nice milestone in your Umrah. You are in the last stretch...and what a meaningful stretch it is. Imagine, you are in the same state of desperation that Hajar (RA) was in when she just didn't know what to do and there was no one to help her. She ran back and forth between the 2 mountains hoping and praying for sustenance. Have you ever felt like this? So desperate that you just didn't know where to go or who to go to? Well, the Sai is the place for you to realize the beauty of this desperation...because in this state you will discover the gift of knowing Allah. When you perform Sai remember that you have no one but Allah to turn to, so make it count. Make the most of this "reenactment" of the manifestation of the a great miracle in history... and manifest miracles for yourself!

By the time you complete your Umrah, there is a light feeling that overcomes you. You feel relieved to clip your hair, and offload all that you have to the Greatest Power, the Almighty... ALLAH! There will be many people with clippers and scissors on or near Mt. Marwa. Some will offer to cut your hair for money, others will just do it to help you. Go to the one that has already finished their Umrah and has had their own hair clipped legitimately – that is the way to do it. Do not go to those seeking a fee or anything else in return. When we finished our Umrah, we were so grateful to Allah. We couldn't stop looking at the Kabah as we walked off toward an exit. After giving sadaqah (should you choose to), we had worked up an appetite and headed straight for food. One thing there is no shortage of, is places to eat around the Kabah. So reward yourself, and with every bite remind yourself this is a most valuable Umrah gift from Allah. Savor all the moments after your Umrah, and bring it as far forward into your life as possible.

# Pearls

NOW ON TO COMPLETING HAJJ!!

Eve (AS) also joined the ceremonies of Hajj. Today, in the fashion of Adam and Eve (AS), people stand in the same valley of Arafat and invoke Allah's mercy – this is the greatest fundamental of Hajj. Adam and Eve spent the whole day standing here in Arafat in a state of extreme humility, gratitude, and awe and did nothing but worship their Creator. This is what is done today by the Pilgrims and is known as Wquf-e-Arafat. Adam and Eve (AS) then moved to Muzdalifah, the place between Mina and Arafat, where they spent the night in remembrance of Allah. Then they came to Mina and went to Mecca to perform the tawaf of the House of the Almighty, to express their gratitude to Allah. Later, the Kabah built by Adam (AS) was destroyed by the Storm of Noah (AS), only a heap remained.

Many years later, the King of Egypt gave his daughter Hagar (AS) to be brought up in the "good family" of Ibrahim (AS) and Sara (AS) who did not have children of their own. Sara brought up Hagar and since she could not have kids of her own, she insisted Ibrahim (AS) marry Hagar (AS) to have offspring. Ironically, soon after Hagar (AS) gave birth to Ismail (AS), Sara (AS) also gave birth to Ishaq (AS).

"Behold! When we gave the site to Abraham of the sacred House. Associate not anything in worship with Me and Sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves. And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men; they will come to thee on foot, and on every kind of animal, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways; that they may witness the benefits for them, and celebrate the name of Allah.... Let them complete the ceremonies prescribed for them, perform their vows, and circumambulate the "Ancient House". (Quran 22:27-29)

"And remember when Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the House with this prayer: Our Lord, accept from us this service, for Thou art The All Hearing, The All Knowing.... Our Lord! Send among these people an Apostle of their own, who shall rehearse Thy Signs to them and instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom, and sanctify them, for Thou art the Exalted in Might, The Wise" (Quran 2:127, 129)

Just 1400 years ago, these ceremonies were repeated in the perfect manner of the guided ones, by the Seal of the Prophets – Muhammed (SAW). Every detail of the etiquette of the sacred worship was thus safeguarded with faith and truth and practiced ever since!

# My View:

In Hajj, lower all expectations and you will be fine. When we first got to Mina, we were taken aback. We spent the first 2 days in the common tents, then we were moved to the VIP tents. So we got a good idea of what Mina is all about. I have to say, my siblings and I felt it was important to go through the common tents experience – it was difficult, but filled with many lessons. The best way to describe it is you feel like you are living in the slums. It is a refugee camp type of a feeling. Very ordinary, very impersonal, the bathrooms are a difficult experience – the toilets were the ones on the floor where you have to squat; taking a shower has never been a bigger challenge. But having said all this, it is the most profound lesson in humility. We started in Tent #32 which was shared with maybe 50 other women, my brother in a similar tent for men – our tents shared a common wall made of flimsy canvas whose gaps we covered by hanging blankets so the men couldn't see us. All tents are very large but right next to each other sharing canvas walls. So there is no "garden space" or any place you can go for a stroll. The streets are filled with rubbish – in fairness to the hajjis, I believe the reason for this rubbish is also because the Saudi government just didn't provide enough trash cans or cleaning staff, this goes for the state of the bathrooms too. In all my time at tent #32, I saw a bathroom cleaner once for just a couple of minutes. After this, neither I nor my siblings saw any cleaning staff. I think this matter needs to be looked into and improved InshaAllah. Food was scarce in the common tents – it was usually a box of rice and some meat and often the evening box would come well after most of us were asleep so there was no point really in even sending us a meal that late – this is when the snacks we brought came in handy. One cannot expect hajjis to be awake late (often around 11.30pm) when they are to get up for tahajud and fajr before they start a day of more rituals. Though we had plentiful snacks, we just didn't feel hungry most of the time anyway. I think we subconsciously avoided eating and drinking too because we wanted to stay away from those horrendous bathrooms.

When we moved to the VIP tents, frankly the streets were not in any better condition. In fact we had to pass by an area with a terrible stench to get to our VIP tent. The inside of the tents seemed the same to me, not much better than the common tents. The only major difference was that there was a buffet laid out for each meal – so definitely more food, and the bathrooms were with the normal western toilets and there was a cleaning person more in sight. However, by day 2 a lot of the toilet seats were broken and the door locks didn't work. I don't think any of this was worth paying the VIP price for. I think it is safe to say, that Mina is not meant to be a luxury experience. It is meant to be a place where you rest and make dua. So make the most of this time, there is nothing else to do here. Just connect with Allah alone. Don't fall into the trap of chatter – especially in the women's tents I felt there was a lot of idle talk, complaining, and sometimes even arguing going on. For the love of Allah, avoid this... perhaps you will never see these days again, so don't waste it on talk of shopping, food, people, etc. After all, despite everything, Mina is a very special place. It is a part of the holy land, there are many anbiya that are reported to have been buried there, and you will definitely feel something special there that (believe it or not) you will miss once you leave. Despite everything however, there is also a special camaraderie you will feel with your tent mates. People are there for a very special reason, and you all have this in common. If you keep good focus, there is a brotherhood/sisterhood that develops so beautifully in Mina. Make sure you use your time to read the Quran with your fellow Hajjis, even if you read independently, sit together and create the beautiful environment. Make individual duas, but also do group duas – there's power in numbers. Do little Islamic classes with each other, share knowledge, share what you are reading, share quotes from hadith, etc. Many groups will have Islamic scholars that accompany the hajjis to give regular classes (dars). Take advantage of these, ask a lot of questions – use this opportunity to come to know your Lord and the Prophet (SAW). Experience the love that oozes out of your heart from coming to know Allah and his Messenger (SAW). Take this time to reflect and learn more about yourself and your relationship with God. Challenge yourself to emulate the Prophet (SAW) – the perfect human example of success we have...do this to become successful in this life and the Hereafter!

# HAJJ STEP BY STEP (H1)

**8th Dhul Hijjah - Mina - The first day of the Hajj rituals - Yawm At Tarwiya**

This day is called Yawm At'Tarwiya – The day of watering - because on this day the pilgrims in Mecca were given drink and they filled their vessels in preparation for the Day of Arafah.

1) **NEW Ihram for Hajj** \- The Hajj ihram is separate from the Umrah ihram. Because you made niyyah for Umrah (as a part of your Hajj At Tamattu) in the beginning, new Ihram for your Hajj is now worn from wherever you're staying without having to go to a meeqat.

2) **Do** ghusl, wear Ihram, **pray 2 rakats** , pronounce niyyah, and talbiya in the prescribed manner as mentioned above for Umrah.

3) **The Niyyah for Hajj** is: **Labayk Allahuma Hajjan** (I am here at your service O Allah to perform Hajj)

4) **Recite Talbiyah** continuously as instructed above for Umrah

5) **Afer Fajr Salat, before you go to Mina,** you may do a nafl (optional) tawaf. Most people don't but you can follow with the one Sai that is done for Hajj at anytime. You can do this Sai now or at end after your fard Tawaf Ifadah (done later). Arrive in Mina before Dhuhr Salat.

• **Most people go to Mina after Fajr** prayers by bus. Leave all your bags, etc. in your hotel – do not take them to your Mina tents. You don't need anything in Mina but a few toiletries and change of clothes for when you get out of ihram. The Sunnah is to get there in time for Dhuhr. As always, recite the Talbiyah often and with devotion and fervor during your journey. For the next few days, eat and drink light for the sake of less frequency to the bathrooms .

Mina – also known as the Tent City is approximately 5km from Mecca. Mina is where Ibrahim (AS) and his son Ismail (AS) walked t rough to carry out Allah's command of sacrifice. It is here that shaytan tried to talk Ibrahim (AS) out of going through with Allah's order.

6) **After you settle down in your tents** \- you will offer Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha prayers in the "qasr" mode by shortening them as if you are in the course of a journey. Therefore you will do 2 rakats for dhuhr, 2 rakats for asr, 3 rakats for maghrib, and 2 rakats for isha and the next morning 2 rakats for Fajr at their appointed times and NOT combining them. This applies to everyone regardless of whether he is a resident of Mecca or is an outsider. While in your tent, spend as much time as you can in prayers, and supplications to Allah.

It is related that Haritha ibn Wahb was heard to say, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, led us in the prayer at Mina doing two _rak'ats_ in a time of peace."

• **Try to pray the five daily prayers with the congregation** – while in Mina, it is best to pray in the Masjid of Khaif if you are able to. As the Prophet (SAW) said: "Seventy Prophets have prayed in the Masjid of Khaif". It is also said this is where the 70 prophets are buried.

There is the mursalat cave near Masjid Al Khaif where Surah Al Mursalat was revealed. This Surah was revealed on the evening of this day

7) **Depart for Arafat after spending the night in Mina and after Fajr, leave around Ishraq** \- thus, you will have offered a total of five obligatory prayers at Mina before departing for Arafah after sunrise on the morning of the 9th of Dhul Hijjah.

"When it was the day of Tarwiya (8th of Dhhul-Hijjah) they went to Mina and put on the ihram for Hajj and the Messenger of Allah (SAW) rode and led there, the noon, afternoon, sunset, Isha and fajr prayers. He then waited a little till the sun rose, and commanded that a tent of hair should be pitched at Namira (Masjid in Arafah). (Jabir)

# My View:

Arafat was unlike anything I had expected. Because this is the day, the day they call the actual Hajj, my siblings and I were so nervous yet excited about this day. We just didn't want to blow it. We wanted to do everything perfectly on this day. It started by us getting on the wrong bus with some other group- Our group and their bus didn't hit the road until much later. Thankfully, we were in the bus that was going to the same tent allocation as we were in, but we got there way before our group did. We got there right after Fajr – around 7am; and our group got there around Duhr. When we arrived – it took 20 minutes or so by road - we were so happy with the way it was set up. Our area had slurpy machines, popcorn, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate dispensers... omg we were in heaven! I understand not all the Arafat tents are the same, so don't raise your expectations too much. We were simply happy because we were one of the first to get there and we just weren't expecting this at all after the Mina experience, the bathrooms were clean, the tents were laid out in a more open way so there was actually some grass to sit on and areas to walk around in. But really, on this day, none of that matters. Your goal is one thing and one thing alone on this day – to be forgiven by your Lord. That is it. Don't lose this focus and don't worry about anything else.

We had some challenges finding our tent, etc. We got the run around by our group leader, the guy in charge, then finally the Pakistani cleaning staff came to our rescue – God bless them! This nice man lead us to our lovely tent with wall to wall Persian rugs laid out. Simply beautiful. Remember no one spends the night there (we all move on to Muzdalifah after Maghrib) so don't get too concerned about this part. We spent a bit of time resting, drinking tea or cold drinks, ate some dates, and then scouted the place to see what we needed to do when the time came to spend that very special moment with Allah... alone. We decided that we got there so early because we were meant to climb Jabel Rahmah. So we asked the staff there which way to this Mount of Mercy also known as Mt. Arafah. Everyone was so discouraging. We were told by everybody that it was far and too long to walk there. Something didn't seem right, so I asked someone in Arabic thinking the answer might change with the language; but it got worse, now we were told it was at least a 10 km walk! Something in us didn't want to give up, it just didn't feel right to have all this time on our hands and not at least try to get to this monumental hill. Finally, my brother decided to ask our trusted Pakistani gentleman, who told us we can get there in 30 minutes by foot most likely. Allah bless him, he gave us clear directions and we actually got there in 25 minutes – walking a normal relaxed pace! So the lesson we learned was that information is not necessarily reliable in these places, it is best to be as well informed as you can before you embark on this journey. When we got to Jabel Rahma, all 4 of us climbed right to the top. It was now 8:30am... still so early! We went straight over to the white monument that jets out at the top of this mount. It is said that this monument marks the place where Adam (AS) and Eve (AS) were reunited by Allah's mercy after being separated for so long. The base of this Mount is where the Prophet (SAW) is said to have stood to supplicate for his forgiveness at the time of wuqoof-e-arafat (this will be explained in detail later in the book). Standing anywhere within the boundaries of Arafat is acceptable on this day, so if it is difficult to get to Jabel Rahmah, feel blessed that your Hajj today can be performed anywhere on the plain of Arafat... just don't step out of the boundary lines of Arafat for even a second, otherwise this day will be null and void and you must repeat your Hajj another year.

On this day, be as alone as you can with Allah. Don't worry about what's going on around you, don't look at or listen to how others are doing anything. The rules of this day are simple – know them on your own and prepare to beg Allah for forgiveness - it is all about you connecting as well as possible with your Creator so you can reset your record InshaAllah. It's as good as that. Realize how profound this day is – it is the ONLY day that Allah has allowed you to delay a fard Salat (Maghrib) so that you and He, the Almighty, can spend quality time together. Can you imagine such a thing? To be allowed to put off something obligatory for the sake of something MORE important? Wow. Simply wow... feel the power of today folks!

# H2

## 9th Dhul Hijjah - Yawm al Arafah – The Day of Knowing

Arafah – means to know...it was where Adam and Eve came to "know" each other. This is THE day. Masjid Al Namra is in Arafat - it is said to be built by Ibrahim (AS).

8) **Arrive at Arafah before Dhuhr.** This is the Day of Arafah (it is sunnah to bathe once you arrive here), it is THE critical point of your Hajj! Your Hajj will not be complete without this day and observing Qayam ul Arafat (Standing on Arafat - see below) in accordance with the Sunnah of Rasool Allah (SAW). Like with all the days of Hajj, you should spend as much time in prayers and remembrance of Allah as possible – really step it up today! You may never see this day again in your life. Make the most of it.

• **The Prophet (SAW) faced the Qibla the whole time while** in Arafat. Try to do the same

• **Try to rest as much as possible** until the Dhuhr and Asr prayers.

9) **The boundaries of Arafat will be marked for you** , remain within these boundaries at all times...to validate this day, boundaries must be observed. You must never step out!

10) **Supplcate** as much as possible today!

11) **Like when the Prophet (SAW) gave his Hajj khutba** on this day, you must listen to the khutbah intently before you pray Dhuhr.

12) **The Prophet (SAW) did not enter his quarters at Arafah until he offered his Dhuhr and Asr prayers.** You will offer the Dhuhr and Asr prayers in the qasr mode. You will also combine them, i.e. offer them at the same time with one adhan and two separate takbeer, one each for Dhuhr and Asr. Only two rakahs each will be offered both in Dhuhr and Asr prayers. No nafl, or any other prayers, will be performed either before or after these obligatory prayers.

"Then adhan was pronounced and later on iqama and the Prophet (SAW) led the noon prayer. Then another Iqama was pronounced and the Prophet (SAW) led the afternoon prayer and he observed no other prayer in between the two. (Jabir)

13) **Pray LOTS in Arafah** until just after the sun sets. If you want, it is Sunnah to stay in your quarters until just before sunset time – then come out and observe Qayam ul Arafat (see below). Spend time in reading the Quran, Talbiyah, and offering supplications. THIS IS A CRITICAL DAY TO YOUR FORGIVENESS AND ACCEPTANCE OF DUAS – THIS IS YOUR HAJJ!

14) **Qayam ul Arafat** : In the afternoon before sunset, stand in the open air outside your tent facing the Qiblah and raise your hands in supplication to Allah. Rasool Allah (SAW) spent this time in submitting himself in humility and total devotion to Allah, raising his hands in prayers all the way until after sunset. There are no prescribed prayers for Qayam ul Arafat. During these sacred moments, you are alone with Allah. Cry and pray as you want to and ask that your sins and lifelong shortcomings be forgiven. You may pray in any language. Today you will delay your Maghrib until Isha.

# H3

TIPS to ensure a successful Day of Arafah:

• Be persistent in raising the voice (for men) during Talbiyah while marching to Arafah.

• Avoid laziness, inactiveness and wasting time on the day of Arafah and occupy yourself with invocations and the remembrance of Allah. The Prophet (SAW) said: "The best invocation is the invocation (Dua) on the day of Arafah".

• Be sure to turn one's face to the direction of the Kabah especially when invoking if possible.

• Make sure to stand within the borders of Arafah and not outside it.

• The pilgrim inside the Namira Mosque should be aware that three quarters of the mosque is within the borders of Arafah while the remaining quarter is outside Arafah. Therefore, take care otherwise, you would miss the correct standing in Arafah and consequently you would miss the Pilgrimage all together.

• Standing on the Mount of Mercy (Mt. Rahma) is not compulsory, don't push yourself there because it might result in overcrowding and harming other people.

• Be sure to descend from Arafah AFTER sunset because by doing so you combine between night and day, but if you descend before sunset you must offer a sacrifice.

• Beware of mistrusting Allah, by having any doubt that Allah didn't forgive you - that would be a terrible sin you would have committed after Arafah.

• Use the bathrooms in Arafah before moving to Muzdalifah as the facilities aren't as good in Muzdalifah.

• **You will not offer Maghrib at Arafat.** You will do so at Muzdalifah later tonight by combining it with Isha.

15) **After sunset, you will depart Arafat for Muzdalifah.** Keep reciting the Talbiyah and other prayers as you proceed towards Muzdalifah. The Prophet (SAW) left Arafat calmly and peacefully.

• Advice: Walk to Muzdalifah from Arafat. The buses take too long, go by foot it will be easier.

• The night in Muzdalifah, remember this is the night before Eid Al Adha and there is immense barakah in this night!

# Pearls

• "The best of duas is the dua on Arafah" – Prophet Mohamed (SAW)

• Mount Arafat: The hill is the place where the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) stood and delivered the Farewell Sermon to the Muslims who had accompanied him for the Hajj towards the end of his life. It reaches about 70 m in height. it was on Mount Arafah that Adam and Eve met again, after being separated for 200 years following their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, they met and recognized each other here and were reunited. Here too they were forgiven by Allah for their transgression after offering their repentance. A main reason of the ritual of pilgrimage is the renewal of that Prayer of Repentance every year standing on the hill of mercy, the climax of Hajj.

• When Ibrahim (AS) completed the structure of the Kabah, Allah commanded him to call the people to Hajj. Ibrahim (AS) pleaded, "O Allah! How shall my voice reach all of those people?" Allah told him that his duty was only to give the call and it was up to Allah to make it reach the people. Ibrahim (AS) then climbed Mount Arafat and called out in his loudest voice, "O People! Verily Allah has prescribed upon you Hajj, so perform Hajj." Allah 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" (Quran 22:28).

• Spending time near the rocks or as close to them as possible is commended. The Prophet (SAW) stopped at this place and said, "I have stopped here, but the whole of Arafah is a stopping place (for the Day of Arafat)." (Jabir) Climbing the Mountain of Mercy or the belief that standing on it is better than standing in any other place is wrong. Nor does doing so represent a Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW).

• On the Day of Arafah the Prophet (SAW) mostly supplicated in these words: **"La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd, biyadihil khair wa huwa 'ala kulli sha'in qadeer** (There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah Alone. He has no partners. To Him alone belongs the Kingdom, and all praise. In His hand is all the good, and He has power over all things)." (Amr bin Shu'aib)

• The Prophet (SAW) said, "The best supplication is that of the Day of Arafah, and the best thing that I and other Prophets before me said is: **'La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa 'ala kuli sha'in qadeer."** (Tirmidhi)

• When asked about the above 'But this is glorification of Allah and His praise, and it is not a supplication.' Thereupon Sufyan said, 'Don't you know the hadith of Malik bin Al-Harith which explains it.' I said to him, 'Tell me about it.' He said, 'Mansur narrated from Malik bin Al-Harith that he said "Allah, the Almighty, and the Exalted One, says: 'If a servant of Mine occupies himself in extolling and praising Me instead of asking Me for his needs I give him better than what I give to those who ask for their needs."' Then he added, 'This explains the saying of the Prophet (SAW).' He continued and said, "Haven't you heard what Ummaya bin Abi Al-Salt said to Abdullah bin Jad'an when he sought the hand of Na'ilah in marriage?" I said, "No." At this he said, "Ummaya recited (these lines of poetry) to Abdullah bin Jad'an: Do I have to tell you my need, or your modesty is enough (to plead my case), for modesty is your disposition, You are conversant with rights (and obligations) and come of a family polite and respectable, When someone praises you once he need not repeat it again! Then Sufyan added, "O Hussain, you see how the humans are pleased with praise and are ready to grant request without even asking. What about their Creator then?"

• Al-Baihaqi reported from Ali (with a weak chain of narrators) that the Prophet (SAW) said, "The supplication most frequently used by the Prophets before me and by me on the Day of Arafah is this: **'La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa 'ala kuli sha'in qadeer. Allahumma 'ij'al fi basri nuran wa fi sam'i nuran wafi qalbi nuran. Allahumm ashrah li sadri wa yassir li amri. Allahumma 'udhubika min waswasis sadri wa shatatil amr wa sharri fitnatil qabr wa sharri ma yaliju fil lail wa sharri ma yaliju fin naharwa sharri ma tahubu bihi riyah wa sharri bawa'iqid dahr** (There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone. He has no partners.To Him belongs the kingdom and all praise, and he has power over all things. O Allah! place light (guidance) in my sight, in my ears, and in my heart. O Allah! Open my chest and ease my work. O Allah! I seek refuge with You from evil whispers, from confusion, from the trial of the grave, from the evil that takes place during the day or night, from the evil carried by the winds, and from the afflictions of the world.

• Tirmidhi also reported from Ali that the supplication used most of the time by the Prophet (SAW) during his stay in Arafah was: **"Allahumma lakal hamdu kalladhi naqulu wa khairam mimma naqulu, Allahumma laka salati wa nusuki wa mahyaya wa mamati wa ilaika ma'abi wa laka rabbi turathi allahumma inni a'udhubika min 'adhabil qabri wa waswasatis sadri wa shatatil amri allahumma inni a'udhubika min sharri ma tahubbu bihi riyhu** (All praise belongs to You, O Allah! as we say, and better than what we can say. O Allah! My prayers, my worship, my life and my death are all for You. O Allah! To You is my return, to You belong what I own. O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the torment of the grave, the evil whispers, confusion, and from whatever the wind may bring.)

• One should make supplication to Allah, raising one's hands to one's chest, and after the sunset calmly and quietly leave Arafah. "...He (SAW) faced the Qiblah, and stood there until the sun set, and the yellow light diminished somewhat, and the disc of the sun totally disappeared."

• According to one narration: Even though he loved his son dearly, Ibrahim (AS) was prepared to do what Allah asked of him. Ibrahim (AS) told Ismail (AS) they had to go to Mount Arafat. On the way they passed a place called Mina. The devil, Shaytan, came to Ibrahim (AS) and tried to talk him out of sacrificing his son. Ibrahim (AS) overcame shaytan. When they reached Mount Arafat, Ibrahim (AS) told Ismail (AS) what Allah wanted him to do. Ismail (AS) listened and accepted what was to happen. He was an exceptional child. Ismail (AS) told his father to blindfold himself so he would not see his son suffer. Ibrahim (AS) did as Ismail (AS) had said. He then took the knife and did what Allah had told him to do. When he took the blindfold from his eyes he looked down, not at his son but at a dead ram. Ismail (AS) was at his side. Ibrahim (AS) was afraid. He thought he had disobeyed but then he heard a voice: "We called out to him: O Ibrahim! You have indeed fulfilled the vision! Thus indeed We reward the virtuous. This indeed was a manifest trial. Then We ransomed him with a great sacrifice, and We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times: Peace be to Ibrahim." (Quran 37:104-109)

Allah looks after his followers. Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) had passed a difficult test. Each year, during the month of Dhul Hijjah, many Muslims, from all over the world, travel to Mecca. They want to remember what Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) did. In the month of Dhul Hijjah these pilgrims go to Mecca, Mina and Arafat. They visit places where Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) lived and preached. They give a sacrifice just as Allah commanded Ibrahim (AS) to do. The pilgrims sacrifice animals in memory of the deed. We must obey Allah's commands as Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and Prophet Ismail (AS) did. We obey by doing the things we know are right, praying, being kind to our parents and always telling the truth.

• _Namrah Mosque_ is situated right on the meeting place of the boundaries of Haram and Arafah. Here the Imam leads the Dhuhr and Asr prayers combined and shortened at Dhuhr time.

• The hill in the middle of the Plain of Arafat is Mt. Arafat also know as Jabal Rahmah, the Mount of Mercy. Riding his camel near it, the Holy Prophet (SAW) delivered his famous sermon on the occasion of the Farewell Hajj.

• Imaam al-Khattaabee (rahimahullah) (d. 456H) said: "The wisdom behind saying the Takbeer in these days is that in the times of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance), they used to slaughter for their Taaghoots (false objects of worship). So the Takbeers were prescribed in order to indicate that the act of slaughtering is directed to Allah alone, and by mentioning only His Name." [Fath al-Baree]

• "...And mention the name of Allah on the appointed Days..." (Quran 22: 28)

• Ishaaq narrates from the scholars of the Taabi'een that in these ten days they used to say: **Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar; Laa-ilaaha-ill-Allah; waAllahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar; Wa-lillaahil-hamd.**

• It is a beloved act to raise the voice when saying the Takbeer in the markets, the houses, the streets, the masjids and other places, because of the saying of Allah Most High in Sura al-Hajj verse 37: ...that you may magnify Allah for His Guidance to you... Imaam Bukhare (rahimahullah) said in the book of al-Idayn in the chapter of the Virtue of good deeds during the days of Tashreeq (11th, 12th, 13th dhul hijjah), Ibn Umar and Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhuma) would go out in the marketplace during the ten days and say Takbeer, and the people would say Takbeer when they said Takbeer." [Sahih al-Bukhari]

• From the day of Arafat until the Asr prayer of the 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah, one should make Takbeer after every obligatory Salat. Ibn Abee Shaybah relates that Ali (RA) used to make the Takbeer beginning after the Fajr prayer on the day of Arafat, until after the Asr prayer on the last day of at-Tashreeq." (Related by Ibn Abee Shaybah in al-Musannaf)

• "...And there is no day better in the sight of Allah than the Day of Arafah. On this day Allah, the Almighty and the Exalted One, descends to the nearest heaven, and He is proud of His slaves on the earth, and says to those in heaven, "Look at My servants. They have come from far and near, with hair disheveled and faces covered with dust, to seek My Mercy, even though they have not seen my chastisement. Far more people are freed from the Hellfire on the Day of Arafah than on any other day." (this hadith was reported by Abu Ya'la, al-Bazzar, Ibn Khuzaimah, and Ibn Hibban)

• Repentence is powerful: "But as for him who repented, believed and did righteous deeds, then he will be among those who are successful." (Quran 28:67]

• There is tremendous relief in being forgiven all your sins.

• 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. 'Aishah related that the Prophet (SAW) said: "Allah frees far more people from the Hellfire on the Day of Arafah than on any other day, and that Allah comes closer this day and proudly says to the angels, 'What do these people want and seek?" (Muslim)

• When asked "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."

• Whoever misses the standing on Arafat has missed Hajj, because the Prophet (SAW) said: _"Hajj is Arafat."_ [al-Hakim]

• Talha (radi Allahu 'anhu) reports that Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, "Apart from the day of the Battle of Badr there is no day on which the Shaytaan is seen to be more humiliated, more rejected, more depressed and more infuriated, than on the day of Arafah.

All of this is only because of his beholding of the abundance of descending mercy (on that day) and Allah's forgiveness of the great sins of His servants." (Mishkat)

• "... and he (SAW) pointing out with his right hand, advised the people to be moderate (in speed) saying: "O people! calmness, calmness!" Whenever he (SAW) passed over an elevated tract of land, he slightly loosened the nose-string of his camel till she climbed up. This is how he reached al-Muzdalifah after Arafah." (Jabir)

• Anas bin Malik said: "The Prophet (SAW) spent the day at Arafah until just after sunset. Then he said, 'O Bilal! Ask the people to be quiet and listen to me.' Bilal stood up and asked the people to be quiet and listen to the Prophet (SAW). When the people were quiet, the Prophet (SAW) said: O People! A little while ago Gabriel (AS) came to me. Gave me salutations from Allah, and informed me that Allah has forgiven those who spend the Day at Arafah, and those who stop at Mash'ar al-Haram (in Muzdalifah), and that He has guaranteed their debts.' At this 'Umar bin al-Khattab stood up and asked, 'O Allah's Messenger, is this for us only?' The Prophet (SAW) said, "This is for you, and for all those who will come after you until the Day of Judgment.' 'Umar exclaimed, 'How plentiful and blissful Allah's bounties are!"

# Pearls

### This sermon was delivered on the Day of Arafah, Ninth Day of Dhul Hijjah 10 A.H. in the valley of Mount Arafat' (in Mecca) by Prophet Muhammed (SAW) – This is the Farewell Khutba of our Prophet:

_After praising, and thanking Allah he (SAW) said:_

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life, property, and honor of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. Do not deviate from the right path. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn 'Abd'al Muttalib (Prophet's uncle) shall henceforth be waived...Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your wives, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship ONLY ALLAH, say your five daily prayers (Salah) on time, fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat cheerfully and wholeheartedly. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. Obey the laws of your rulers. The reward of all this is that you will enter Paradise.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray. All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed your message to your people"

# H4

## 10th Dhul Hijjah - Yawm Al Nahr / Eid Al Adha - Muzdalifah

The tenth of Dhul-Hijjah is Eid Al-Adha or the day of an-Nahr (slaughtering). It marks the conclusion of the major rites of Hajj, and commemorates Allah's bounty on His Messenger Ibrahim (AS).

• **You will stay under the sky at Muzdalifah.** No tents or other residential facilities will be available. Arrangements for toilets and wudu are, however, available. They are, understandably, very crowded all the time. Give yourself plenty of time for your needs and be patient with fellow pilgrims.

16) **You will offer Maghrib and Isha prayers combining them** in the qasr mode. Thus, after the adhan, three rakahs of Maghrib will be offered following the usual iqamah. Another iqamah (but no adhan) will be called and then two rakahs of Isha will be offered.

"When he reached Al-Mash'ar Al-Haram he stopped there until there was light all around, then before sunrise, he left the place." (Jabir)

There is no evidence to show that the Prophet (SAW) spent the night (at Muzdalifah) in prayers and supplications. This is the correct position about spending the night at Muzdalifah, stopping there is simply to rest and collect pebbles for the pelting of shaytan in Mina. However, because this the night of Eid, any prayers done here are highly valuable.

17) **Walk to the foot of the nearby hills, and collect seventy pea-size pebbles** for Rummy (hitting the shaytan jamarat). It is a good idea to collect an additional ten or more stones to make up for accidental losses. Do not collect the pebbles lying around the bathroom facilities and MOST definitely do not collect used pebbles later on near the jamarats. It is a good idea to wash or wipe these stones before placing in bag

18) **You will spend the night at Muzdalifah and offer Fajr there.** The Prophet (SAW) stood at Al Masha'ar Al Haram, a mountain in Muzdalifah and made dua after Fajr before moving on.

19) **You will then leave for Mina before sunrise** on the morning of the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. It is sunnah to depart from Muzdalifah from Al-Mash'ar Al- Haram, as mentioned above stopping there to make supplications glorifying Allah for a good hour or more before Ishraq comes. Stopping there is a part of the Hajj rite.

"...and when he came to Al-Mash'ar Al-Haram, he faced Qiblah, and supplicated to Allah, Glorified Him, and pronounced His Uniqueness and Oneness, and kept standing till the daylight was very clear. He then went quickly before the sun rose" (Jabir)

"O Allah take care of rites I owe other people" recommended dua at Muzdalifah

20) **After departing Al-Mash'ar Al-Haram before Ishraq go to Mina through the bottom of Muhassar valley.** When in this valley one should walk fast because this is the place where Allah's wrath descended upon the Companions of the Elephant.

"Then when you pour down from (mount) Arafah, celebrate the praises of Allah at the Sacred Monument and celebrate His praises as He has directed you, even though, before this, you went astray. Then pass on at a quick pace from the place whence it is usual for the multitude to do so, and ask for Allah's forgiveness. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Quran 2:198)

_Muhassar_ : This is a valley between Muzdalifah and Mina, where King Abraha and his troops along with the elephants, came to destroy the Kabah because it was a threat to the success of the Cathedral that King Abraha built in Yemen. They were themselves destroyed by the birds (swallows) which threw small pebbles at them from their beaks and claws. This incident happened in 570 or 571 AD and is referred to as The Year of The Elephant, which incidentally was also the year Muhammed (SAW) was born. The pilgrims pass this place quickly because Muhassar is a tormented area. Interestingly, pelting was again done to do away with an enemy of Islam.

# Pearls

• Muzdalifah means 'become near'. At this juncture, the pilgrim who has performed the rituals most fervently gets nearer to God. And _Al-Masharul-Haram_ means 'sacred consciousness'; a faithful gets sacred consciousness of God. The pebbles, which are to be thrown at the three _Jamarat_ (Posts) at Mina, are picked up from Muzdalifah. At least 49 pebbles should be picked. Those pilgrims who wish to stay an additional day at Mina take 70 pebbles.

• Then in Muzdalifah, we are newborn after Arafah. You own nothing: no bed, no roof over your head, nothing...you sleep outside on the ground. This is a true new beginning!

• On Muzdalifah, it is reported "There he (SAW) led the Maghrib and 'Isha prayers with one adhan and two iqamas and did not glorify (Allah) in between them (i.e. he did not observe supererogatory rak 'ahs between Maghrib and 'Isha prayers). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) then lay down till dawn and offered the dawn prayer with an adhan and iqama..." (Jabir)

• Muzdalifah is also called Jami' as it is a place where people gather.

• Muzdalifah stretches from the Valley of Muhassar to the mountains of Ma'zamayn. It is four kilometres long and covers an area of 12.25km2.

• Referring to Muzdalifah, Allah mentions in Surah Baqarah in the Holy Quran: "There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord during Hajj]. But when you depart from 'Arafat, remember Allah at al-Mash'ar al-haram. And recite His name, as He has guided you, for indeed, you were before that among those astray." (Quran 2:198)

• _Al-Mash'ar Al-Haram_ is the name of a mountain which is located in Muzdalifah. The word, ' _al-mash'ar_ ' means 'sign' or 'symbol', and ' _haram_ ' being 'sacred', the name signifies that this mountain is a sacred monument to Islam. The plain adjacent is called Muzdalifah. The Quraish would not go further than Muzdalifah for their Hajj as Arafat is outside the haram so they would not honor it in the same way. The Masjid of Mash'ra al Haram is where the Prophet (SAW) did his standing, however all of Muzdalifah is sacred.

• At sunset, the Messenger (SAW) of Allah moved from 'Arafat to Muzdalifah. There he prayed Maghrib and 'Isha' and then slept until morning. At dawn he prayed Fajr then rode until he came to the Mash'ar al-Haram the sacred site at Muzdalifah. He faced the qiblah and began to make supplications. He recited the takbir ('Allahu Akbar) and the tahlil ('La illaha illallah'). He left Muzdalifah before sunrise and travelled quickly to the jamrat al-Aqabah at Mina

• The day of al-Fitr [i.e. 'Eid ul-Fitr], the day of an-Nahr, and the days of Tashriq (11th, 12th, and 13th Dhul Hijjah) are 'Eid days for Muslims. They are days of eating and drinking." [Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, Sahih ul-Jami' #8192]

• "...He urged her (camel, al-Qaswa) a little, and, following the middle road, (This proves that it is sunnah to follow a different road on the way back from Arafah than the one taken while going toward it. The Prophet (SAW) went by the Dab road to Arafah. Similarly he used to take different routes going to or coming back from 'Eid prayers, which comes out at the greatest Jamarah, he came to the Jamarah which is near the tree. At this he threw seven small pebbles, saying, 'Allahu Akbar' while throwing every one of them in a manner in which the small pebbles are thrown (holding them with fingers) and this he did while at the bottom of the valley. (That is, he stood there at a place where Mina, Arafah and Al-Muzdalifah were on his right, and Makkah on his left side)"

# My View:

Muzdalifah is a profound symbol of what you have just done. After Arafah, you have every right to believe and hope that you are now sin free like a new born baby InshaAllah. So it only makes sense that we will now spend our first night as "newbies" to life... in the open air with nothing over us, just the sky. This night, we own nothing. There are no tents, nothing is supplied to you, you're lucky if you can use the inadequate number of toilets provided in this area. So this is it. Your new life with nothing but the sheets covering you. We got there quite late ourselves because there is a huge bus line and we got on late. The buses also move very slowly because everyone is going to the same little space called Muzdalifah to commemorate their first day (remember our day begins after Maghrib) in a pure state.

We were quite challenged by the time our bus got there. There was no flat place to sleep! We had to climb the mount of Muzdalifah and find an incline to sleep on. My sister in law and I were lodged between two small boulders, my brother was on top of a short yet flat boulder, my sister was above us on an incline where she propped her feet on our boulder in order not to slide down. There, we looked for our pebbles to pelt the shaytan next day, then went straight to our space to get sleep. We laid down plastic mats, some of us brought sleeping bags, others just light blankets. The idea was to sleep but others in the area didn't have the same plan. We heard people talking loud, looking for pebbles on top of our heads, and doing all sorts of things. One man was looking for pebbles too close to my sister's head and slid down, he caused a landslide and we had to wake up my sister and make her sit up to safety... poor thing woke up in shock. The surprising thing was, we must have averaged 3 hours sleep that night, but it was the most restful, deep, beautiful sleep ever. I just can't explain it. I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud, though I was on a rocky incline of a hill. I am not saying this was everyone's experience, some said they were disturbed all night long and simply uncomfortable. Don't read into any meaning behind how you spend your night in Muzdalifah, I think the only key is that you remain with Allah and focus on the beauty of submission to Him from this point on. We have a chance to begin a new life here. If we keep this as our focus, we can develop a determination to be the best, most ethical successful human beings and servants of Allah. It is up to us now.

We woke up for Fajr, prayed, and started to head back to our tents in Mina. My siblings and I and a few people in our group decided not to take the bus back. We attracted many others from the group as we walked toward Mina. One of our guides was leading us... first in between fume filled bus lines until I asked in my challenged Arabic that he take us to the area that is marked for pedestrians. I can't say it was the most pleasant walk because the buses were everywhere and the fumes still lingering, not to mention our low energy. By this day, you do start feeling the exhaustion. So though the walk wasn't so terribly long, we were ready to go to the tents and lay on fully flat surfaces – amazing how things are relative! Now we were excited about the Mina experience, which was nothing to write home about before! When we got back, a flat surface was all we wanted... after that rocky mountain sleep. There we rested and rested... it felt so good J

One thing to note, the only way to walk to Mina or even around Mina is with a guide. It is very confusing and so easy to get lost. For example, you will read later that we walked a long way to the Jamarat after getting back to our tents, then we walked back to our building in Azizia where we took showers before going for the Hajj tawaf. However, when we came back to Mina, we got so lost! It took us hours to find our tent, we asked the police, the guides, other Hajjis... we just seemed to be going in circles. It was a nightmare, and never again would I want to walk around Mina without one of our guides. More on this later.

# H5

## 10th Dhul Hijjah – Yawm An Nahr / Eid Al Adha - Mina

This is called Yawn An Nahr, the day of Sacrifice

21) **Today by midday, you will perform Rummy (pelting/stoning) of Jamrat ul Kubra (also called Jamrat al Aqabah) only.** All 3 jamarats represent shaytan at 3 different stages of Ibrahim (AS) experience with the accursed as he (AS) was carrying out Allah's orders of sacrificing his (AS) son. Jamarat Al Aqabah (Kubra) is the biggest of the 3 jamarats and the only one you will pelt today.

22) **The sunnah is to pelt 7 stones** at the column before noon on this day – ideally after Ishraq and before dhuhr. You will stone the pillar symbolizing the devil seven times as you recite "Allah-o-Akbar" with each pebble.

23) **This is the only jamarat where we will not stop afterward to supplicate Allah** , we will simply leave once we are done. _Rummy for the elderly, the sick and women may be performed by others delegated for this responsibility. Tip: You must get the stone in the basin, it is not necessary to hit the pillar exactly as long as it is not more than a meter away from it._

Ibn Majah has reported from Ibn 'Abbas that after throwing pebbles at the Jamarah al-Aqabah, the Prophet (SAW) used to leave, and not stop (for supplications).

"The greatest day of Hajj is the Day of an-Nahr (Slaughtering)." [(Sahih) by Shaikh al-Albani in Irwa al-Ghalil (no: 1101). Abu Dawud no: 1945]

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H) said: "The most excellent day of the week is the day of Jumuah (Friday), by the agreement of the Scholars. And the most excellent day of the year is the day of an-Nahr. Some of them said that it is the day of Arafat. However, the first opinion is the correct one, since it is related in the Sunnah collections that the Prophet (SAW) said: "The most excellent days with Allah is the day of an-Nahr, then the day of al-Qarr (the day that the Muslims reside in Mina)."

_Related by Abu Dawud_ "The day of An-Nahr is also known as 'Eid al-Adha' meaning the festival of Sacrifice and it is one of the two festivals, which Allah has granted to the Ummah of Prophet (SAW). Anas (RA) narrated, Allah's Messenger (SAW) came to Medina and the people of Medina in the days of Jahiliyyah had two days of play and amusement. So, Allah's Messenger (SAW) said: "I came to you and you had in Jahiliyyah, two days of play and amusement. Allah has replaced something better for you. The Day of an-Nahr and the day of al-Fitr." ( _Irwa al-Ghalil no: 2018_ )

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "The day of al-Fitr, and the day of an-Nahr, and the days of at-Tashriq (the three days after an-Nahr) are our days of Eid (festivity); and they are days of eating and drinking." [(Sahih) by Shaikh al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami (no: 8192).

"As to the throwing of the pebbles, it is an expression of the thrower's intention to obey Allah's commandment, and a demonstration of his humility and servitude to Him. It signifies compliance with divine commandment without any trace therein of any selfish pleasure, sensuous or intellectual. It is THE pelting of shaytan in every sense.

"By throwing pebbles, one emulates Abraham (AS) when Satan - may Allah curse him - blocked his way at that place in order to cast doubts in his heart or tempt him and divert him away from his Lord, so Allah commanded Abraham (AS) to drive Satan away by throwing pebbles at him. Satan was defeated after 7 pebbles were thrown at him in each of the 3 locations.

# My View:

The wow of these moments just don't stop. So now we are a bit more rested after coming to our tents from Muzdalifah. However, that cloud of exhaustion doesn't really leave you; there is a build up and a lot of it induced from the emotions that overcome you throughout this incredible journey. I have to tell you however, the first day of Jamarat is the portion that has stayed with me in indescribable ways... literally... to this day, my siblings and I have not fully been able to convey the experience in the way that does it justice. So here goes, I will tell you about it to the best of my ability: We were being told to hold off on going to the Jamarat at the time of the Sunnah (after Ishraq, before Dhuhr), but we had made a vow to stick as close to the Sunnah as possible for the entire Hajj, so delaying for the sake of mere convenience just didn't feel like a good deal to us... not now, so far into our Hajj. So, as tired as we were, we pulled ourselves up from the floor beds in the tent and regrouped with my brother on his side, and off we went. Another long walk... 45 minutes... in a thick crowd of Hajjis. But man, what a sight... and what an overpowering feeling. Though we were all just walking, it felt like we were all marching, chanting our Labayks, as soldiers of Allah... heading off to the most critical jihad of our lives, against our sworn enemy – that accursed Shaytan. That same evil that has lead us all astray, who has made us do, say, and be things that caused us, our loved ones, and sometimes even mere strangers great harm. Now was our chance to get him. To fight back. And we had our ammunition ready. Each one of us had our hands on the pebbles in our pouches and we were ready to pelt. It just so happened that we were walking behind a group of Chechen Sufis, as the label read on their bags. The way they were chanting Labayk was a sound from heaven. It was in a sufi melody that was unlike anything our ears had heard... sounded like a tune from Jennah! We credit them for getting us in a mode that we didn't think was possible – totally inspired by their melodic dhikr and in an amazing space of excitement. This experience was beyond an epic scene from the Last SamuraiJ Our battle was more profound than any battle we knew in our lives. The Chechen sufi chant of Labayk was the Dolby music that gave us all the gusto we needed to charge with complete energy. As you march to the Jamarat, depending on where your tents are located you may walk through these surreal tunnels with huge fans blowing the most welcome breeze we ever experienced... really some of this stuff HAS to be from Jennah! It was a scene from a storybook, tired yet charged and ready for battle. Though we are in a thick crowd, Allah gave us all the space we needed to think, comprehend, contemplate and grasp what was happening to us. We loved EVERY minute of it!!! And InshaAllah you will too. Now, we entered the main hall which is the interior that leads us to the Jamarat columns. There is one corner to turn, then it will all happen... we will be facing him, the dreaded, accursed, evil. Trust me, the moment builds beautifully. You start feeling the angst, the hurt, the furor and then... charge!!! Everyone goes for it. With all the might and fervor we start pelting... we feel the hate for shaytan, we feel the anger for our ill ways, we retaliate and hit this Jamarat with all our might yet with all the remorse toward Allah, in hopes He is witnessing how desperate we are for his forgiveness and mercy as we declare war on the one Allah Himself has cursed. With every pebble that leaves our fingers, we feel this sense of satisfaction that "we got him" yep we really got him today.

This first day of pelting is a great prep for the follow up days. After turning the next corner (now doing a u-turn to go back), my brother found Sudanese hajis who shaved his head with the electric razor my bother brought with him... please, don't trust other people's apparatus I must add, these Sudanese men were so sweet, and they had obviously never seen an electric razor before. First they declined to shave my brother's head because, well, they just didn't know how with the contraption my brother was trying to hand them. Then when my brother was relentless and showed them how it works, they got such a kick out of it. One proceeded with shaving my brother's head with the biggest grin on his face while the other two took pictures from their phone camera! That was such a precious scene- This day was another wow experience... truly. Then my brother clipped his wife's hair who in turn clipped mine and my sister's. Now we couldn't wait to get out of ihram. So we went down the stairs onto the street and headed to our rooms in our Azazia hotel. Perfectly tired, of course we got lost... aaaargh... so so so so tired and with no energy left in us, we knew we were close but we just couldn't find our hotel from the directions we had! Alas we stopped in front of a house where some very well groomed hajis were sipping on lemonades in the outside front of their not so shabby property. We find that one's sense of manners on whether you are intruding or not leaves you when you are desperate. So what did we do? Well my siblings voted that I would use whatever Arabic I had to politely ask them for directions. They turned out to be so kind. They brought us chairs so we could sit in the shade while they tried to call our hotel for directions. Then one of them, a nice young man with the kindest face – another angel on our journey, no doubt – was worried that we wouldn't find it ourselves so he walked with us. He was also in his ihram and must have been equally tired from completing his rites too. God bless him. Unfortunately even he had trouble with the directions the hotel gave him, an hour more of walking later we made it! We just couldn't thank him enough... we got back to Dubai and sent him a gift box with chocolates to thank him, still inadequately.

Now barely able to walk further, we made it to our rooms and some hit the bed, others the shower, others the food area. It all felt good. What was a sub standard room when we first came to this place, was now super luxurious just because the bathrooms were clean –a far cry from that of Mina. Alhumdulillah, Hajj shows you so much about yourself. Just be open to learning, you will be amazed.

We called our taxi guy – someone we used when we first went to the Kabbah. What a useful contact he turned out to be. On a day like this, when everyone should be heading to do their Hajj tawaf, it is impossible to find transportation. Many resort to walking, which would mean hours for us from Aziziya not that even less than that would be an option... our legs just couldn't handle the extra movement... we needed to save every bit of our energy for the tawaf!

All showered and cleaned up, we make our way to the blessed Kabbah. Talk about a sea of people. This is why some people choose to wait and do their Hajj tawaf another day. I strongly advise against waiting, do it per the sunnah and go right away. It's not any better on a later day, the sea just doesn't slow down much – trust me when I tell you this! We heard worse stories from people who waited to go another day, one girl was near tears because her feet got so wounded by the stomping and herds of hajis. In fact, I truly believe because we made the niyah to do it per the sunnah solely for the love of our Prophet (pbuh), we were experiencing such little miracles in our tawaf. Somehow, though it looked impossible and people were being herded to the top level to do their tawaf, we managed to make it right next to the Kabah, just a few feet from the actual wall!! The opening just seemed to get created as we were walking, there was no struggle, no pushing, nothing... just an easy flow to the Kabbah, like it called us to it.

Now the toughest part was our attempt to return to our tents in Mina. We couldn't find our taxi guy, understandably since he was a hot commodity on this packed day. So we walked toward Mina hoping we would get lucky, using that term very loosely - we managed to get into a taxi where the driver insisted on charging us exorbitantly PER PERSON! We were so so exhausted, it seemed worth it. But it wasn't. He couldn't get us close enough to Mina at all, just too much traffic and pedestrians. So he dropped us at a spot where we would have to walk for quite a bit to get to our tents. We walked to the main area which is the direction all other Hajis were walking in. There was a young family – the mother, father, a little child who could walk, and a baby. What hardship they were enduring. Carrying the children's things and the baby. So we all took turns carrying the baby and helping the couple. The walk was so difficult for us, we couldn't imagine what they might have been going through. After the main area, hajis broke off to the different directions of their tents. This is where the layout got SO confusing, and this is the night we got miserably lost... like we needed to have this happen again today of all days – the day we started out from Muzdalifah! All of us were practically in tears, but too tired to even cry. We kept getting wrong directions – basically no one knows the layout of the tents in Mina, not the security, cleaning staff, or even the police. At one point my sister just had to sit, so she did... on the littered street. Nothing matters during moments like this, which I can honestly tell you we have never had before. This was a first and we were at a complete loss. We all started making duas with fervor and low and behold... we randomly asked some hajis if they knew where our tent number might be located and... still wanna cry when I think of this... they were going to the tent number next to ours! Alhumdulillah! Not only were they our 3rd set of angels today, but we had the most amazing chat with them about their journey, the profound knowledge that changed their lives, and who they felt they were as Muslims living in the UK – yep, we hit the UK boys. MashaAllah, what a great group. We still ask Allah to bless them immensely for saving us that night.

Needless to say, when we got to our tents, we had been walking for over 22 hours..yes, we returned somewhere in the latter part of tahajud and near fajr. Having started the day with walking from Muzdalifah... the walking theme continued for much of the 24 hours! We were miserably beat, had no energy to eat... the hard floor bed an awkward pillow was the only consolation we were willing to accept. There is a bitter sweetness to this experience. We can't begin to express the realization and appreciation we had for people that live their lives on foot, with hardly any food, going to any lengths to just survive. This was us... and I don't think we can ever look at anyone on the streets who cannot afford transportation, at times with their families, going great distances... they will be cherished and respected by us always.

# H6

## 10th Dhul Hijjah – Yawm An Nahr / Eid Al Adha - Mina

24) **Qurbani** \- Now that you have finished pelting (stoning) the Jamarah al Aqabah sacrifice is required before you can shave your head. Your name will be announced (by your group leader) as soon as your Qurbani is done, then you can clip/shave your hair. If you are clipping hair (eg. Women), it is important to clip hair growing above your ears according to fiqh scholars. A bald man must pass a blade over his head regardless.

"...And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal has reached its place of slaughter..." (Quran 2:196)

"He (SAW) then went to the place of sacrifice, and sacrificed sixty-three (camels) with his own hand. He shared the remaining camels with Ali, who sacrificed them. He then commanded that a piece of meat from each sacrificed animal be put in a pot. When it was cooked, both of them (the Prophet and Ali) ate some of it and drank its soup." (Jabir)

25) **You will now shave your head at Mina.**

26) **Shower, and change into normal clothes.** You are no longer bound by the obligations of Ihram except that you may not have conjugal relations with your spouse until after Tawaf ul Ifadah.

27) **You will now proceed to Masjid ul Haram in Mecca for Tawaf ul Ifadah (this is the Hajj Tawaf!) and Sai.**

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) again rode and came to the House (of Allah), where he performed Tawaf Al-Ifadah and offered the Dhuhr prayer at Mecca. He came to the tribe of 'Abd al-Muttalib, who were supplying water at Zamzam, and said: 'Draw water, O Banu 'Abd al- Muttalib; were it not that people would usurp this right of supplying water from you, I would have drawn it along with you.' So they handed him a bucket and he drank from it." (Jabir)

**Tawaf ul Ifadah (also know as Tawaf uz Ziyarah)** \- is the Tawaf you will perform on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah after taking off the Ihram and changing into normal clothes and before returning to Mina again for Rummy (throwing pebbles) this time of ALL 3 jamarats. **Ihram, Idtiba (uncovering the right shoulder) and Ramal are not required in this Tawaf if you already did the Hajj Sai earlier (there is only one Hajj Sai and it can be done anytme before concluding your Hajj rites BUT must be after a tawaf).** However, if not, then your Hajj Sai may now be performed after this tawaf. In this case men will do ramal in this tawaf. Then after tawaf, proceed to drink Zamzam as before, do Istilam, and move on to Sai as prescribed above.

28) **Now you must go and spend the night in Mina** after your Tawaf ul Ifadah and Sai rites. You will stay in Mina until the 13th of Dhul Hijjah for Rummy of ALL 3 Jamarat performed each of the 3 days. The ideal time for pelting is between midday and Maghrib for all 3 days.

## 11th, 12th, 13th Dhul Hijjah – Ayam At Tashriq – 3 Days Following 'Eid ul-'Adha - Mina

**On these days, the pilgrims complete their rites,** Muslims around the world continue with their 'Eid celebrations, and are prohibited to fast.

"The days of Tashriq (3 days following Eid Al Adha) are days of eating, drinking and mentioning Allah." [Muslim]

# H7

**ON THE LAST DAY, 13th DHUL HIJJAH, LEAVE MINA BEFORE SUNSET SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANOTHER DAY AS PER THE RULES.**

29) **You will perform Rummy of all 3 Columns - Pelt 7 stones at each column saying "Allahu Akbar" with each throw (as before)- Jamrat ul Oola (also known as jamarah sughra), Jamrat ul Wusta and Jamrat ul Kubra, in that order** , everyday after Dhuhr on all three days. Do not pelt before dhuhr, the best time is after Dhuhr and before Maghrib. Wait between pillars about 15 to 20 min and recite duas, verses, etc here. Again, do not wait/pray after pelting the Jamarat Kubra.

• **Do your 5 prayers on time but still shorten them for your entire stay in Mina** \- 2 rakats for dhuhr, asr, and isha, 3 rakats for maghrib, 2 rakats for fajr – NO combining.

• **You must spend each night in Mina** in order to do the pelting the next day.

30) **On the last day, you must leave Mina BEFORE Maghrib** otherwise you are under obligation to stay one more day.

"The time appointed for throwing pebbles during these three days is from midday until sunset. Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Prophet (SAW) threw the pebbles at midday or thereafter. (Tirmidhi)

These days of Tashreeq are mentioned in the Quran: "And remember Allah during the appointed days (i.e. the Days of Tashreeq). Anyone who hastens to leave in two days, there is no sin on him, and whoever stays on (for the 3rd day), there is no sin on him, if his aim is to do good. And obey Allah and know that you will be surely be gathered unto Him." (Quran 2:203)

TIPS:

• You must be certain that the pebbles are thrown within the intended target and not to throw them at random.

• Face Qibla while pelting

• Don't throw the pebbles all at one time, because by doing so the pilgrim is considered to have thrown one pebble only.

• Don't throw the pebbles in reverse of the correct order. You must start from the minor Jamara (Al-Soughra), then the middle Jamara (Al-Wusta), then Jamarat Al-'Aqabah (Al-Kubra).

• Don't throw lesser number of pebbles intentionally (nor more), unless you doubted the number you had thrown.

• Don't forget making supplications after throwing at the minor Jamrat and the middle Jamrat as not doing so would contradict the prophetic tradition (Sunnah) and also would cause the loss of a great source of blessing.

• Don't invoke supplication after Al-Jamra Al-Kubra (Jamrat Al-'Aqaba) since that contradicts with the Sunnah.

All three jamarat represent the devil: the first and largest represents his temptation of Abraham (AS) against sacrificing Ismail (AS); the second represents the temptation of Abraham's wife Hajar (RA) to induce her to stop him; the third represents his temptation of his offspring to avoid being sacrificed. He was rebuked each time, and the throwing of the stones symbolizes those rebukes.

# Pearls

• It is desirable to stand facing the Qiblah, to praise Allah, while supplicating to Him for forgiveness for oneself, and for other fellow Muslims. Ahmad and Bukhari have reported from Salim bin Abdullah bin 'Umar and he from his father that when the Prophet (SAW) threw pebbles at the first Jamarah, which is near the mosque, he said, Allahu Akbar. Thus he threw seven pebbles and each time he said Allahu Akbar. Then he went, turned left toward the bottom of the valley. There he stood tor quite a long time facing the direction of Qiblah, and raising his hands supplicated to Allah. Then he went and threw seven pebbles at the second Jamarah saying Allahu Akbar with each throw. Thereafter he went to the left of the bottom of the valley, stood there facing Qiblah and supplicated to Allah with raised hands. Then he went to the Jamarah near Aqabah, threw seven pebbles at it, uttering a dua with each throw. After this he left and did not pause. According to this hadith the Prophet (SAW) did not pause and supplicate after throwing pebbles at the Jamarah Al-Aqabah, but he did pause and supplicate after throwing pebbles at the other two Jamarahs.

The scholars have in the light of the above hadith suggested that after any throwing (of pebbles at the Jamarahs) that is not followed by another throwing the same day one should not stop (for supplications), but if one throwing (of pebbles) is followed by another throwing the same day one should stand there for supplications.

• Ibn 'Abbas said that the Prophet (SAW) said: "When Abraham (AS) wanted to perform the Hajj rites, Satan blocked his way near 'Aqabah. (Jamarah Al- Aqabah is on the left side inside Mina; the Jamarah Al-Wusta (the Middle Jamarah) is at about 11,677 meters from the first one, while Jamarah Al- Sughra (the Smallest Jamarah) is 1,564 meters further from the middle one) Abraham (AS) threw seven pebbles at him whereupon the Satan sunk into the ground. Again the Satan appeared to him near the second Jamarah. Abraham (AS) threw seven pebbles at him and he again sunk into the ground. Once again the Satan approached him near the third Jamarah, and again Abraham (AS) threw seven pebbles at him and once again the Satan sunk into the ground." Ibn 'Abbas added, "You throw pebbles at the Satan, and (in doing so) you follow the path of your (great) forefather Abraham (AS)." This is reported by Ibn Khuzaimah in his Sahih and by Al-Hakim

• "If you are tempted to think that Satan appeared to Abraham (AS) and therefore he threw pebbles at him, but I am not tempted by Satan, so there is no need tor me to throw these pebbles - if such a thought comes to you - then you must realize that this thought itself is from Satan, who suggests it to make you think there is no benefit in it, and so weaken your resolve and prevent you from throwing pebbles. Fight against these evil whispers with firmness, resolution and by throwing pebbles despite these suggestions. You must also realize that although you are apparently throwing pebbles at the Jamarahs, in reality you are hurling these in the face of Satan and thereby breaking his backbone. This is not possible except by submitting to the commandments of Allah, in submission to Him, and without seeking gratification of any personal desire." (Al Ghazali)

• On another account: When he [Abraham AS] left Mina and was brought down to (the defile called) al-Aqaba, the Devil appeared to him at Stone-Heap of the Defile. Gabriel (AS) said to him: "Pelt him!" so Abraham (AS) threw seven stones at him so that he disappeared from him. Then he appeared to him at the Middle Stone-Heap. Gabriel (AS) said to him: "Pelt him!" so he pelted him with seven stones so that he disappeared from him. Then he appeared to him at the Little Stone-Heap. Gabriel (AS) said to him: "Pelt him!" so he pelted him with seven stones like the little stones for throwing with a sling. So the Devil withdrew from him. ("A Reader on Classical Islam" – Princeton University Press)

• The stoning of the _jamarat_ also represents the repudiation of man's self (literally the "internal despot," _an-nafs al-'amara_ ) and the act of casting aside one's low desires and wishes. As one Islamic theologian puts it, If one is able to crush _al-nafs al-'amara_ during the stoning of Jamrat al-cAqaba [the Jamrah of Aqaba], then one has taken the next step in attaining closeness to Allah, and since between the servant and Allah there is no more than the distance of one step, if one has been able to take this step and make it past one's own low desires and wishes, then that which follows is the level of closeness to Allah. During those two or three days after the Eid that one is in Mina, one must stone the three _jamarat_ , meaning that one must trample upon his internal despot ( _an-nafs al-'amara_ ), the external despot of the Shaitan from the Jinn (Iblis and those like him), and the Shaytan from among the Humans (the enemies of religion and of humanity).The stoning of the three _jamarat_ is, in essence, the trampling upon the despots and waging war against all of them. When one focuses on them and the rejection of them, then one automatically focuses with complete attention upon one's self – and rightfully so – while stoning the _jamarat_ , one must focus entirely upon one's self.

# Pearls

Shaykh ibn al-'Arabi al-Hatimi takes that one step further in his explanation of the rites. He says that at 'Arafa we purify our understanding of tawhid and rid ourselves of shirk and that in throwing the seven stones the next day we are casting out of ourselves certain Shaytan inspired thoughts that make us associate other things with Allah and that is why we call out the takbir as we throw – by declaring Allah to be greater we are disassociating Him from the tendency to commit shirk which Shaytan has tried to instill into our thinking process. So rather than throwing stones at Shaytan we are casting out from ourselves satanic thoughts.

The sheer physical relief of removing the accumulated dust and grime and dishevelment of our days in ihram in itself gives a more than adequate meaning to the act of shaving the head and the cleaning process, which accompanies it. It really does give one a sense of starting life all over again. It is this very feeling which validates a slightly more symbolic interpretation of the rite which is, that in getting rid of your hair you are in a certain sense stripping away your past and that the new hair growth as it emerges truly is indicative of a new beginning to your life as a whole.

# H8

## 14th Dhul Hijjah - Mecca – back at hotel

Go to Haram for extra ibadat, shukr, etc. Delay your farewell tawaf (Tawaf ul Wuda) until just before leaving Mecca. It is Sunnah is to leave Mecca right away after this farewell tawaf – do not hang around Mecca after this.

31) **Today rest up and also pray as much as you can in Haram Shareef** in Tawaf un Nafl, Salat, Quran, and all ibadah – this is your first major ibadah after you have been purified from Hajj!! Therefore, it is more powerful than any prayers you likely made in the past... so go for it and make the most of this golden opportunity. This is a great day... so pray all day at the Haram. You may never see these times again.

**ASK ALLAH, NOW YOUR PRAYERS HAVE A HIGHER CHANCE OF BEING ANSWERED FASTER.**

**Tawaf un Nafl** \- is a devotional Tawaf you may perform any time, and as many times as you wish (remember 1 tawaf = 7 circuits). No Ihram is required for this Tawaf. Sai is also not required, although you may perform it if you so desire.

**FINAL - Tawaf ul Wuda – Farewell Tawaf**

32) **Do this Tawaf ul Wuda (the Farewell Tawaf) just before you are to leave Mecca.**

• **Tawaf ul Wuda (the Farewell Tawaf)** is the Tawaf you will perform immediately before leaving Mecca for your next destination following the completion of Hajj. This is the last act you perform in Mecca. You are not supposed to linger there after this Tawaf. Ihram, Idtiba, Ramal and Sai are not required in Tawaf ul Wuda.

Hikmah: It is not right for a guest to leave without permission of the Host. This is what the farewell tawaf is.

• **Now do 2 rakats Salat** and offer any supplications you desire, and leave Mecca as soon as you can.

• **Proceed to airport**

**Alhamdulillah, you have now completed your Hajj.** May Allah accept your Hajj, and may you be a better person for your efforts in His path

'Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing on you, and I have approved Islam for your religion.'(Quran 5:3)

Umar (RA) said: "We know the day and the place in which that was revealed to the Prophet (SAW); it was when he was standing on Arafat, on a Friday." There once existed a masjid on the right slope of Jabal-ur-Rehmah called Masjid Sakhrah. It signified the spot where the Prophet (SAW), after leading the Dhuhr and Asr salahs faced towards the Qibla and engaged in dua till sunset. It was at this spot where the above verse of the Quran was revealed.

• **REMEMBER! After Hajj, Allah continues to accept your duas 40 days!**

# My View:

Luckily, and despite all the stories we heard, the final tawaf and leaving the country was not at all difficult. I believe a lot of this is a mind set for those that say otherwise. When you hear stories from people who say they had a bad experience, bear in mind the attitude they took with them. We witnessed people fighting, being petty, ignorant, unkind... and then, surely they were always the ones that had a terrible experience with something or other in their pilgrimage. The complainers always managed to come around and sour the atmosphere – don't let that happen, stay positive and grateful. I mean, of ALL people in the world, Allah chose YOU to be His guest! WOW! Come on guys, you are there for God... how amazing is that? Nothing can be bad because even what was difficult was handed to you for a reason. I can tell you, if you maintain the best, most positive attitude, somehow good things happen to you even when others will say otherwise. So getting back to our final moments, they really were easy. We had the best taxi driver who was extremely helpful and literally walked us to the officials at the airport where we got our documents sorted, checked in, and enjoyed a nice cup of coffee with fellow hajis who were leaving too. That moment was precious, we were with a couple of men one of whom converted after growing up in a house where Muslims were hated by his father. That negative environment kept him away from searching for his own answers until he met people in his life – Muslims – one after another, that made a beautiful impact on him. The stories I can share can go on, and one more beautiful than the other. The point is life is not what WE make it, life is what HE gives us only once we submit. A pro-active self is tiring, a submitting servant is taken care of. Then we realize that we can only work for Him.

As I write this, it has been about 5 to 6 months since our Hajj. I can tell you that I am honestly still tired, but in the most beautiful way. I think it is because I genuinely feel I gave it my all at Hajj – mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually –I left so much of myself with Allah. Don't get me wrong, this actually feels SO good and liberating. I never thought I would be the person I am today. My life has changed ginormously! I know that's not a word, but there is no real way to describe this.

The biggest light bulb that went on for me was that, "wow, Allah's system REALLY works, it really works!!" I am so excited about my experience, my realizations, my special moments with Allah that I want to shout it out to everyone! I want to tell everyone, "just follow Allah's rules, do EVERYTHING He says. You never have to do it the hard way again. You don't have to think and struggle as much as you have. Don't self sabotage, don't suffer like you have been. Just do what Allah says, live your life according to his rules because they will surely benefit you. Life is so much better this way! It really is for your own good. It is a favor He has bestowed on you and we don't even get that!" Yeah, I know that is a mouthful and if I actually did go around shouting that, I would be put away within minutesJ Ok so they say the best way to tell others what works, is to live it. So I can tell you, though I fall all the time and am far from being any type of an example, I must tell you that following Allah's advice and system to the best of my ability has given me a new confidence, a beautiful state of happiness and contentment, and an energy that is not mine... I don't know where it comes from but I can tell you it feels Divine. I am not saying that you will hear cheer bells every morning or that life will be perfect – we all have a journey that we must go through, that is Allah's decree for us – but I would rather go through whatever journey that has been carved out for me taking the steps and actions that Allah has marked out, rather than my own. It reminds me of what a scholar once said, "we are all walis (friends), it is our choice whether we want to be wali Allah or wali Shaytan". You see, there is no in between. There is no so called "free will". If we choose our own way, you can be sure we are headed to "wali shaytan", if we choose Allah's way, well then you are choosing to pursue the "wali Allah" way. Don't fool yourself, you are never in control and you don't have free choice, our minds and subconscious is just not in our control as we would like. If it was, don't you think we would be perfect per our standards? For example, how many times have we said "ok, this time I am not going to get mad" or "I won't eat so much" or "I won't sleep in" but in the end, we fail on these intentions. Furthermore, can we marry when we want? Make a high sum of money when we want? Live as long as we want? No. But we can end a marriage easily, lose money easily, and end our lives hopelessly. Why? Getting the best is from Him, getting the worst is from ourselves. We cannot control what is only in HIS domain. We can only achieve our highest selves and best lives when we hold ourselves to the highest and best system, Allah's system – nobody has the key to perfection, happiness, goodness, success but Allah. So hold on to Allah's guidance, He is telling you to follow the one and only way to the best of everything. It's really that easy.

May Allah grant you every success of the Deen, Duniya, and Akhira. Your Hajj and/or Umrah will bear you much fruit InshaAllah. Share this fruit with others and see it multiply. Please keep me and my loved ones in your duas. JazakumAllah Khairun.

# Pearls

## 50 Nice Things You Can Do On Hajj:

By Sheikh Muhammad Alshareef

• Smile in another Muslims face

• Say Salam to strangers

• Shake someone's hand and ask about their health

• Buy tea for someone

• Offer to get someone's groceries

• Sit with a Hajj group from another country and ask about Islam in their village

• Carry someone's bags for them

• Guide someone ill to the infirmary

• Shun vain talk

• Recite talbiyah loudly, encouraging others

• On the days of Eid, walk through the tents reciting talbiyah loudly reminding others

• Gather stones for people

• Offer to throw on behalf of unable Hajjis

• Guide people to the Jamarat

• Lower your gaze

• Remind people of the lives of the Sahaabah

• Read Qur'an with the Tafseer

• Do the authentic Dhikr of the morning and evening

• Make dua during your Sajdah

• Stand to the side of a gate and offer people water/tea as they leave

• Give major attention to shy people in your group

• Remind people of patience, why they came here, and the example of our Ulumaa' in Hajj

• Explain a Hajj Khutbah you may have heard to those around you

• Explain the importance of purifying ones actions for the sake of Allah

• Phone relatives (from Makkah) on Eid day

• Make dua for forgotten friends, teachers, students

• Don't allow Muslims to fight during Hajj

• Help people find a place to sleep

• Remember – during the heat – the unending torment of hellfire

• Say 'Laa ilaaha illa Allah, wahdahu laa sharika lah, lahul Mulk wa lahul hamd, wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay'in Qadeer' 100x

• Say the dua of entering the market place when you go there

• Give charity to those who sell meager things (sandals/eggs)

• Attend the Halaqahs that are given in Mina

• Stay for the 13th of Dhul Hijjah

• Remind people to go home as better Muslims

• Forgive people that wrong you

• Talk to 10 different people from 10 different countries

• Compliment someone sincerely

• Visit the hospital and thank Allah for all that he has given you

• Take young Muslims and invite them to sit with the elders. Make them the center of attention.

• Give a tafseer class after Salah / ask someone knowledgeable

• (For men) On the days of Eid, offer perfume to those around you

• Ask about the health of senior women in your group. Make sure they are attended to.

• Focus hard on helping those immediately near you

• Take people to the slaughter house and help them / Or assist them in purchasing their slaughter coupons

• Remember specific blessings Allah has bestowed upon you and say Alhamdulillah

• Pray to Allah using his 99 most beautiful names (al Asmaa' al Husna)

• Use a Miswak

• Fill your pockets with treats and give to the children that you meet

• Always intend reward from Allah for everything you go through during Hajj

# Pearls

We also imitate the angels who circumambulate around al-bayt al-Ma'amour - the filled house - above in the seven Heaven as reported in many authentic hadiths. When we kiss the Black Stone, which was brought from Jannah, we remember the other life and pray to Allah that Paradise will be our abode. In the Hadith, the Prophet (SAW) said that when the Black Stone was brought from Jennah, it was very white, but it darkened and became black because of the sins of human beings.

We kiss it because we saw the Prophet (SAW) doing it and it is simply an act of following him. The stone cannot bring any benefit or harm to us. All the rituals, the pillars of Islam and our lives should be established by following the best.

In al-Safa and al-Marwa we commemorate Hagar (RA), the mother of Ismail (AS) and the wife of Ibrahim (AS). She performed Sai when she was looking for water for her son. After she relied on Allah and assured Ibrahim that Allah won't leave them without help (he (AS) left with them some dates and water but soon it was finished after a couple of days...). She was certain that Allah would not forsake her and her son. In that remote place, water sprung out from under the feet of Ismaeel the baby. After the certitude she had, her strong faith in Allah, her sacrifice of searching for water by going back and forth between al-Safa and al-Marwa, Allah answered her dua and blessed her with water that runs and never stops in an arid and rocky land. She left a great legacy in sacrifice, piety, trust in Allah, and patience. Allah wants us to learn from her to the point that he made Sai between al-Safa and al-Marwa one of the pillars of Hajj and Umrah.

In Arafat we commemorate the Success of Muslims over the pagans of Mecca. It was the success of truth over falsehood. There, the Muslim remembers that truth always prevails no matter how long it takes for falsehood and delusion to last and deceive. Arafat is also the symbol of unity and solidarity because it is a pillar of Hajj that should be done by all the pilgrims in the same place and at the same time following the same way. The day of Arafah reminds us also of the Day of Judgment when we will all stand up waiting for the Just Judgment of Allah Almighty. Arafat is also another symbol of manifestation of Tawheed in terms of the unified collective standing of all the pilgrims at the same time in the same place. Moreover, when Prophet Muhammad (SAW) performed Hajj he stood on Arafat as his forefather Ibrahim (AS) used to do instead of standing on Muzdalifah as the Quraish pagans used to do because they believed they should not go beyond al- Haram boundaries. This was also another example of the distortion of the religion of Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail(AS).

In the Stoning at al-Jamarat, we commemorate Ibraaheem (AS) and remember how strong and firm he was against Shaytan - our enemy since the time of Adam (AS). We should remember how Satan does his utmost effort to distract us from doing what we're supposed to do to become closer to Allah and to enter Paradise. Allah has told us that Satan is our enemy and that we should be constantly in this life in a state of war with him, **"Then We said: "O Adam! Verily, this - Satan - is an enemy to you and your wife: so let him not get you both out of the Garden, so that you are landed in misery."** (20:117) **"Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherents, that they may become companions of the Blazing Fire."** (35:6)

We also reflect on the great sacrifices and trials Ibrahim (AS) had to undergo such as offering his son Ismail (AS) that he had to wait for his birth for many decades. In the middle of joy and happiness for becoming a father, Allah wanted to see how strong was his commitment to Him. He ordered him to offer the most valuable thing he had; his only son at that time. Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) did not fail in that very difficult test and earned the pleasure of Allah. Allah called this trial a great one when He said, "For this was obviously a great trial." **"So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice), We called out to him, "O Abraham! You have already fulfilled the vision!" thus indeed do We reward those who do right. For this was obviously a trial. And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice"** (37:103-07)

The most important thing we should keep in our minds is that Allah knows better than we do even if we sometimes think that a certain action is not clear to us or does not make a sense to us and why do we have to perform it. Of course Allah orders only what is good and just for us and all mankind. We should accept and submit to Allah. As a matter of fact, one of the meanings of Islam is acceptance and submission. In commemorating this, the pilgrim should think whether he, or she, is ready to offer the dearest thing to his, or her, heart for the sake of Allah. This religion cannot survive in the hearts of people without sacrifices, devotion, sincere love, commitment, and dedication. Allah says, **"By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give (freely) of that which you love; and whatever you give, of a truth Allah knows it well."** (3:92)

# GHUSL

**When Ghusl is required:**

1) After marital relations

2) After menstrual cycle

3) After giving Birth

4) On a dead body

Not to be confused with wudu, which is a "partial ghusl" performed for salat. It is a good idea to always be in a state of ghusl and wudu.

**Dalil:** Surah Nisa: "O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say,- nor in a state of ceremonial impurity (Except when travelling on the road), until after washing your whole body. If ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women.

**How to make Ghusl:**

1) Start by making niyyah (intention) to perform Ghusl, say the Basmallah before disrobing, and cleanse your self of impurities. Start with right side of body.

2) Wash the right hand up to and including the wrist (and between the fingers) three times, then similarly for the left hand.

3) Wash the private parts and remove dirt or filth from the entire body.

4) Perform Wudu.

5) Water should be poured over the head three times so that it flows all over the body.

6) Pour water over both the shoulders three times each. Hands should be passed all over the body when water is poured so that no part of the body is left dry.

7) Move to a clean spot and wash the feet if not washed during Wudu

**Occasions for which Ghusl is preferred but not fard:**

1) Every Jumah

2) Before going to Eid Prayers

3) Before undertaking Umrah or Hajj

4) Upon washing a corpse. (According to many scholars, the performance of Ghusl is preferred for a person who washes a corpse)

5) When a person converts to Islam.

**As for the ethical and spiritual aspect,** since it is performed for God and with the intention of pleasing Him, it possesses an educative influence; especially since its implicit meaning – "from head to toe I strive to obey You" - serves to corroborate this ethical and spiritual philosophy in a tradition, Imam Ali Ibn Musa al Ridha (RA) says: The reason that the order for (the performance of) wudu has been issued, and (the reason) that the acts of worship should commence by it is that when the servants stand before God and converse with Him, they should be clean, away from uncleanness and pollution, and act in accordance with His orders. Apart from this, wudu eliminates drowsiness and lethargy from man so that the heart can acquire the purity and luminosity for standing in the presence of God.

# WUDU

The Qur'an says "For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean."

Muslims are also required to be clean when handling and reading the Qur'an. The Qur'an says "Which none shall touch but those who are clean." Purification of the body and clothes is called tahara. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said "Cleanliness is half of faith". To have tahara for the body, one should do either ghusl or wudu and one must always wash with water after using toilet.

Wudu is often translated as "partial ablution", as opposed to ghusl, which is "full ablution".

Muslims often recite the Durood and Ayatul Kursi after ablution. Quranic mandate for wudu comes in the 6th ayah of surah 5: "O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful".

**How to Perform Wudu:**

1) Start by making niyyah (intention) to perform wudu and cleanse the self of impurities.

2) Say the basmallah.

3) Wash the right hand up to the wrist (and between the fingers), then similarly for the left hand. X3

4) Rinse the mouth and spit out the water and optional to rub the teeth (with a miswak, finger or toothbrush if possible). X3

5) Gently put water into the nostrils until you can feel it pushed into your sinuses. With the right hand, pinch the top of the nose with the left hand to exhale the water. X3

6) Wash the face (from the hairline on the forehead to where neck begins and ear to ear). X3

7) Wash the entire right arm, including the hand, up to and including the elbow; then the left arm in the same way. Pass fingers of one hand between the fingers of the other hand. If wearing a ring it should be moved freely to allow water to pass under it. X3

8) Then perform masah - Wet hands should be passed over the head. X 1

9) Then the first finger of the right and left hand should be moved in the right and left ears simultaneously and in the same operation thumbs should be passed around and behind the ears; then pass the backs of the hands over the hind part of the neck only. Hands should not be passed around the fore-neck as it is prohibited. One may not make masah over a Muslim head cap. X1

10) Starting with the right foot, wash both feet from the toes up to and including the ankles including between the toes. X3. While doing this step, recite the shahadah and Astaghferullah.

11) Offer two rak'at prayer for wudu (beneficial but not fard).

**Wudu is Invalidated by:**

1) Defecation, passing gas or urination

2) Emission of semen (ghusl is required)

3) Sleep while reclining

4) Vomiting

5) Loss of senses

6) Fainting

7) Laughing aloud whilst in Salah

8) Sexual contact (ghusl is required)

9) Blood or pus leaving the body so that it leaves the point of exit

10) Ghusl must be made after woman's monthly cycle is completed.

**The Medical benefits of Wudu** it was confirmed that a person who performs Wudu' (Ritual Ablution) five times a day cleanses his nose from germs, dust and other connected things. It was also confirmed that those who do not perform Wudu' (Ritual Ablution) are more liable to a number of different kinds of germs, nearly 11 kinds of germs. Every thing that Allah prescribes has wisdom behind it. Performing Ablution has been scientifically proven to have many physical benefits.

1) Washing the Hands prevents the transmission of many contagious diseases.

2) Washing the Face recharges such organs as the intestines stomach and bladder, as well as having positive effect on the nervous and reproductive system. The prescribed wudu allows us to go over nodes that are necessary to stimulate for optimal function.

3) Washing the Mouth removes food particles that could cause teeth and gum problems.

4) Washing the Nostrils removes germs trapped inside so they do not reach the respiratory system. Sinuses benefit from this too.

5) Washing the Ears decreases high blood pressure and relieves tooth and throat pain, as well as removing any extra wax that could cause ear infection and general body imbalances.

6) Repeated Washing of the Face invigorates facial skin cells and helps prevent early wrinkles. Skin cells and helps invigorate the ends of the blood vessels, as well as the nerves and glands that are near the skin surface, and therefore helps them perform their functions efficiently.

7) Washing the Feet helps prevent athlete's foot a fungal problem of the feet. Also promotes reflexology which is connected to ALL organs.

8) Additionally, washing the back of the ears (known as the mastoids bone) prevents inflections like mastoiditis from arising. Ablution also helps prevents skin cancer as the ears washed during ablution are the parts of the body that are most prone to exposure to pollution, internal and external, Ablution removes this pollution five times a day and therefore maintains a clean outer layer of the skin, which in turn assists cells underneath to function properly.

Also, there was research done that those men who keep a beard have less chances of having upper respiratory tract infections which are: infection of lungs, throat etc. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) taught us that it is highly recommended to keep a beard.

It was made compulsory to do wudu, in order to pray. Hence, both beard and wudu compliment one another, and decrease the chances of a man having upper respiratory tract infection.

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encouraged doing ablution before going to bed (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sahih Tirmidhi, Sahih Abu Dawud & Sahih Jami ].

This same ritual is also encouraged by Yoga experts who say that washing important motor and sensory organs such as the hands, arms, eyes, legs, mouth and genitals before sleep using cool water relaxes the body preparing it for a deep sleep.

Stay in wudu, stay protected.

**Tahara:**

Always wash yourself with water after using the toilet for any reason.

## Penalties and expiations in Pilgrimage

Once you are in Ihram, violation of the rules can be expiated in the following ways:

• **Clothing**

Whoever wears an item of clothing in a manner that violates the ihram for a complete day or complete night they must perform a sacrifice.

– If for less than that then they must give sadaqa (which is half a sa' of wheat or a full sa' of barley or dates or the financial equivalent. A sa' is approximately 3.6kg This may be paid at anytime in any place.

• **Wearing perfume**

Whoever applies perfume to a complete limb such as the face, hand, shin etc must offer a sacrifice

– If less than a limb then they must pay a sadaqa

– The entire body is as one limb if the perfume was applied in one sitting, otherwise each sitting has its own kaffara

Whoever applies perfume to his/her clothing they must perform a sacrifice if,

– The perfume is a lot, defined as that amount that covers an area of a hand span squared.

– The perfume lasts a full day or full night

• If one of the above conditions is unfulfilled a sadaqa is due

• If both are unfulfilled a handful of wheat is given in charity

• **Oiling oneself**

Rub oil onto oneself, even if not perfumed, is as perfume unless used to treat a condition

• **Removing hair**

Shaving or cutting hair from a quarter of one's head or beard necessitates a sacrifice unless done due to sickness or a related necessity in which case one may choose to either sacrifice, give three sa' of wheat in charity or fast three days. If one cuts hair less than the quarter of the head then one must pay sadaqa. If three hairs fall in the course of wudu one pays a handful of wheat, likewise for every hair that is plucked outside of wudu. If hairs fall out by themselves then one is not obliged to do anything

• **Cutting nails**

If one cuts five or more nails, from one hand or foot or more then one must sacrifice. If less than then one pays a sadaqa for each nail.

• **Killing lice**

Any amount of sadaqa must be given.

• **Intercourse and what leads up to it**

If one performs intercourse before 'Arafa one's Hajj is invalid and one must,

– Complete the current Hajj anyway

– Make it up again

– Perform a sacrifice

If one performs intercourse after 'Arafa and before partially exiting the Ihram

– One's hajj is valid and one must sacrifice a camel

Performing intercourse after partial release from Ihram but before full release

– One must perform a sacrifice

For one performing 'Umra, one's 'umra is invalid if one performs intercourse before completing four rounds, otherwise not.

– One must sacrifice

– One must complete the invalid 'umra and then make it up

• If one performs intercourse after four rounds, the 'umra is valid and one must sacrifice

Acts which may be wrongfully stimulating,

– if direct causes such as romantic or loving talk, kissing, touching with passion, hugging with passion etc one must sacrifice

– if indirect causes such as looking and thinking one is not obliged to do anything, though it is not a good state to be in.

## Penalties and expiations for leaving wajib elements throughout the Hajj

• **Leaving the standing at Muzdalifa**

– one must sacrifice unless left for an excuse such as sickness or weakness

• **Leaving stoning**

– one must sacrifice if

• one misses all days of stoning

• one misses a complete day

• one misses most of the stones of a complete day

– one must give sadaqa for each stone if

• one misses less than half of the stones of a complete day

• **Performing the tawaf not in a state of ritual purity**

– one must sacrifice a camel if

• one performs the obligatory tawaf in a state of major ritual impurity and does not make up the tawaf during the days of nahr

– if one makes up the tawaf after the days of nahr one must sacrifice a sheep

– one must sacrifice a sheep if

• one performs the obligatory tawaf in a state of minor ritual impurity and does not make it up, even after the days of nahr

• one perform the tawaf of arrival or departure in a state of major ritual impurity and does not make it up.

• one performs the tawaf of umra in a state of major or minor ritual impurity and does not make it up.

– one must give sadaqa if

• one performs the tawaf of arrival or departure, and likewise any supererogatory tawaf, in a state of minor ritual impurity and does not make it up.

• **Passing the miqat not in a state of ihram**

– One is not obliged to do anything

• if one returns back to the miqat and then enters ihram

• if one enters ihram then returns back to the miqat and says the talbiyya

– One must sacrifice if

• One performs a rite of Hajj or Umra and then returns

• One does not return and goes on to complete the Hajj or Umrah

### NOTE FOR WOMEN IN MENSTRUATION DURING PILGRIMAGE

Women often take unnecessary and unhealthy measures to stop or delay their menstruation when they embark on their pilgrimage journey. This is a drastic and potentially dangerous measure due to ignorance since it is clear that even a woman menstruating can have an accepted Hajj or Umrah by doing what is permissible to her in that state.

Women in menstruation can do everything except Salat and Tawaf in pilgrimage. They do not have to offer a Damm (penalty of qurbani) in it's place. The ONLY thing they MUST do is the Tawaf ul Ifadha (The Hajj Tawaf done after scarifice and hair cutting) once they are clean. So they must wait to get done with their menses, perform ghusl and do this tawaf. If they do not perform this Tawaf, they are still considered in a state of ihram and therefore are not halal to their husband, even the Tawaf ul Wuda (Farewell Tawaf) is not compulsory for them in menses.
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