LESSON FOUR

THE PILGRIMAGE (AL-HAJJ)

This lesson explains:
1. The meaning and ruling of Hajj.
2. Identify types and rites of Hajj.
3. The Pillars of Hajj, its duties and sunnah practices.
4. The virtues of Hajj.
5. Design a commercial advert illustrating the rituals of Hajj.

Allah says:
)27 :‫و أذن فى الناس بالحج يأتوك رجاال وعلى كل ضامر يأتين من كل فج عميق (الحج‬
“And proclaim to the people the Hajj (Pilgrimage); they will come to you on foot
and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass” (Surah Al-Hajj:
27)

“The Messenger of Allah (SAW) stayed in –(Madinah) for nine years but did not
perform Hajj, then he made a public announcement in the tenth year to the effect that
Allah’s Messenger was about to perform the Hajj. A large number of people came
to Madinah and all of them were anxious to follow the Messenger of Allah (SAW)
and act according to his actions. We set out with him until we reached Dhul-
Hulayfah. The Messenger (SAW) prayed in the mosque. He pronounced the call of
Tawhid (oneness of Allah) saying: “Here I am (Labbayk), O Allah! Here I am
(Labbayk), Here I am (Labbayk) You have no partner, all praise, grace and
Sovereignty is yours. You have no partner””.

Hajj Linguistically means: To go out heading towards a great aim.

Hajj technically means: Going to Makkah to perform special rituals in a particular
time.
Pillars of Hajj:
a. Ihram for Hajj
 b. Staying Arafah by night
c. Tawaf al-ifadah
d. Circuits between Safa and Marwah
Obligation of Hajj:
a. Ihram from miqat
b. Tawaf al-qudum (arrival)
c. Staying Arafah until sunset
d. Spending the night in Muzdalifah
e. Sleeping in Mina the nights of Tashreeq
f. Throwing pebbles
g. Cutting or Shortening hair

Sunnah Practices:
a. Ghusl (ritual bath) applying perfume before assuming Ihram
b. Tawaf Al-wada
c. Two units of Tawaf
d. Talbiyah (invocation) and supplication
e. Shortening the five prayers in Mina
f. Takbir when throwing pebbles.
g. Takbir after Zuhr (noon) of Yawm-al-nahr (the day of sacrifice) from 11th of
Dhul’l-Hijjah to Zuhr (noon) of 13th Dhu’l-Hijjah.

Timings of Stoning the jamarat (stone pillars)

10th Dhu’l-Hijjah - Al-Jamrah al-Khubra or Al-Jamrah al-aqab
(The largest stone pillar) (Seven pebbles)
11th Dhu’l-Hijjah - The Three Jamarat
(Seven pebbles for each)
12th Dhu’l-Hijjah - The Three Jamarat
(Seven pebbles for each); a pilgrim in a state of
urgency leaves Mina on this day.
13th Dhu’l-Hijjah - The Three Jamarat
(Seven pebbles for each)
Dress code for men: The cloths of Ihram (two white sheets: rida and izar)
Dress code for women: Cloths that cover the body except the face and hands.
Things forbidden after Ihram:
1. Wearing sewn cloths.
2. Cutting hair and nails and perfuming
3. Hunting and cutting trees.
4. Marriage relationship
5. Covering hair with something that touches it.

There are three types of Ihrams:

a. Ifrad
b. Qiran
c. Tamattu’

Ifrad means Assuming Ihram just for performing Hajj alone.

Qiran means Assuming Ihram with intent to combine the Hajj and ‘Umrah without
a break in between
Tamattu’ means Assuming Ihram with inter for ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj.
He then performs it and exits his Ihram upon which he assumes Ihram for Hajj on
the day of Tarwiyah.

Allah says:
)197 :‫الحج اشهر معلومات فمن فرض فيهن الحج فال رفث وال فسوق وال جدال فى الحج (البقرة‬
“Hajj is (during) well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon
himself therein (by entering the state of Ihram) there is (to be for him) no sexual
relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj”. (Surah Al-Baqara: 197)
The way of performing Hajj by the Prophet (SAW):
✓ Came to the House of Allah
✓ Greeted the Black Stone
✓ Made Seven Circuits, running three of them and walking four.
✓ Went to Station Ibrahim (that was between Him and the House of Allah)
recited ‫“( واتخذوا من مقام إبراهيم مصلى‬And take, (O believers), from the standing
place of Abraham a place of prayer.
✓ Prayed two unit of prayer reciting Surat al-Ikhlas and Surat al-Kafirun.
✓ Greeted the Black Stone.
✓ Went out of the gate to Safa and recited ‫إن الصفا والمروة من شعائر هللا فمن حج البيت‬
‫( او اعتمر فال جناح عليه أن يطوف بهما ومن تطوع خيرا فإن هللا شاكر عليم‬Indeed, as-Safa
and al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah, So, whoever makes Hajj to
the House or performs ‘Umrah – there is no blame upon him for walking
between them. And whoever volunteers good – then indeed, Allah is
appreciative and knowing. (Surah Al-Baqara: 158))
✓ He began with Safa and ascended it until he saw the House of Allah and facing
the Qibla recited, “There is no god but Allah, the One, having no partner
alongside him. To him belongs all Sovereignty and to Him all praise is due.
For He is over all things, Omnipotent. There is no God but Allah alone who
fulfilled His promise. Who helped his servant and who alone conquered the
tribes”. He repeated these words.
✓ He then descended and walked towards Marwah and when his feet arrived in
the bottom of the valley, He walked briskly until he reached Marwah.
✓ He repeated till of the seventh round of circuits- all the people cut their hair
and exited the state of Ihram apart from the Prophet and those who sacrificial
animals with them.
✓ When it was the day of Tarwiyah (the 8th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah) went to Mina
and put on the Ihram for Hajj.
✓ He led the Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr prayers.
✓ After sun rose came to Arafah he addressed the people.
✓ Then he led the Zuhr and Asr prayer
✓ He then faced the Qiblah and kept standing there the sun set.
✓ He used to say to the people gesturing with his right hand: “O people, (have)
tranquility, (have)tranquility.
✓ He reached al-Muzdalifa. There he led the Maghrib and Isha prayer with one
Adhan and two Iqamah.
✓ When the morning light was clear. He mounted his camel he came to the
Sacred Precint (al-Mash’ar al-Haram) and faced towards the Qiblah,
supplicating Allah and kept standing till the day light appeared.
✓ He went to the Jamarat (stone pillars)
✓ On arriving at the al-jamrah al-kubra (the largest stone pillar) he threw seven
small pebbles towards it saying “Allah-u -Akbar”
✓ He went to the place of sacrifice and sacrificed the animal for that purpose.
✓ He came back again the Holy House offered the Zuhr prayer.
✓ He said: “The Hajj is Arafah” indicating its central importance.
✓ The Prophet (SAW) said: “There is no day on which Allah frees more people
from the fire than on the day of Arafah”.
✓ “Verily Allah is proud of His servants at Arafah and he says: Look at My
servants, they have come from far and near, with hair disheveled and faces
covered with dust, to seek my Mercy. Bear witness I have forgiven them”
✓ The most excellent supplication on the day of Arafah is ‫ال اله اال هللا وحده ال شريك‬
‫له له الملك وله الحمد يحي ويميت وهو على كل شيئ قدير‬
 ✓ The Prophet (SAW) spent the night of the tenth of Dhu’l-Hijja in Muzdalifa
and stayed there until before sunrise on the day of sacrifice (Yawm al-Nahr)
and permitted women and the elderly to leave Muzdalifah to go to Mina after
midnight.

The rewards of performing the Hajj:

The Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever performs pilgrimage and does not utter any
obscenity or commit sin will return as (on the day) his mother bore him”.
“The performance of ‘Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and
the previous ‘Umrah and the reward of Hajj Mabrur is nothing but Jannah
(paradise)”.