Articles

Peace and Security during Hajj
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 25-06-2023

Peace and Security during Hajj

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of The Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

Allah the Almighty says {What means}: "Remember Abraham said: "O my Lord! make this city one of peace and security: and preserve me and my sons from worshipping idols." {Ibrahim, 35}. He also says {What means}: "whoever enters it attains security;" {Al-Emran, 97}.

 

The greatest purpose for Hajj is safety and security, so this great blessing enables the believers to perform this ritual properly and in the best form possible. His saying {O my Lord! make this city one of peace and security} indicates that Prophet Ibrahim is showing us today that life can`t be stabilized save with peace and security and a person can`t perform acts of worship if they are missing. Therefore, the symbolism of Hajj reminds the Muslim nation every year that the duty of worshipping Allah can`t be performed without peace and security.

 

Accordingly, Allah gave Mecca this special status making it a place to which the hearts of the believers aspire and feel safe for their life and property. Allah the Almighty says {What means}: "Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety" {Al-Baqarah, 125}. Glorifying the House of Allah (Kabah) is tied with the peace and security that prevails in it and a pilgrim experiences this feeling during this journey of Hajj. It is as if he/she has entered into a fortified fortress protected by Allah, the provider of peace and security. Kabah is the source of peace and security and Allah has blessed the people of Mecca with this great blessing where He said {What means}: " Who provides them with food against hunger, and with security against fear (of danger)." {Quraish, 4}.

 

As we are experiencing the season of Hajj, we realize the greatness of time and place, the symbol of peace and security. A meaning that many Muslims have missed because of the heinous crimes committed by terrorist and extremist groups under the name of Islam although Islam is innocent of them. One group would terrorize civilians thinking that doing so will bring them closer to Allah while another would accuse Muslims of disbelief (Takfir) where a time would come when the murderer would not know why he has committed the murder, and the victim would not know why he has been killed. In these blessed days, we call upon Allah the Almighty to bless Muslims with permanent peace and security.

 

Delivering the sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage on the day of Sacrifice at Mina, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Verily your blood, your property and your honour are as sacred and inviolable as the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in this town of yours. Verily! I have conveyed this message to you." {Transmitted by Muslim}. He (PBUH) also said: "Everything belonging to a Muslim is inviolable for a Muslim; his honour, his blood and property." {Transmitted by Muslim}.

By this invocation of Ibrahim (PBUH), Makka became a safe place and will continue as such, God willing, until Allah inherits this earth and whatever is on it. Al-Kortobi said: "Ibrahim invoked Allah for his offspring and others to be blessed with peace and security at a time when Makka was a barren place." {Tafsir Al-Quran Al-Atheem}.

 

Some commentators of Quran said: "Before the invocation of Ibrahim, Makka was a place where every unlawful matter was lawful, but after the invocation it became a sacred and inviolable place, and the same applies to Madinah before and after the arrival of the Prophet (PBUH). Allah says {what means}: " Do they not then see that We have made a sanctuary secure, and that men are being snatched away from all around them? Then, do they believe in that which is vain, and reject the Grace of God?" {Al-Ankaboot, 67}.

 

Allah also says {what means}: "For Hajj are the months well known. If anyone undertakes that duty therein, Let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Hajj. And whatever good ye do, (be sure) God knoweth it. And take a provision (With you) for the journey, but the best of provisions is right conduct. So fear Me, o ye that are wise." {Al-Baqarah, 197}.

 

This verse reflects meanings of great beauty and perfection as far as the etiquettes of Hajj are concerned, which helps establish the concept of peace and security during Hajj. These divine directives steer the pilgrim towards shunning the ephemeral worldly pleasures and seeking the pleasure of Allah alone. Thus, it doesn`t befit a pilgrim to dispute with others or use vile language because the manners of the one seeking to please Allah are elevated by reading this verse, following its orders and avoiding its prohibitions, before heading to perform this great ritual.

 

The implementation of the content of this verse is reflected in the tranquility and serenity that we observe during Hajj and hastening to please Allah through self-discipline and enjoying the great Islamic morals.

 

We ask Allah to preserve the blessing of safety and security in Makkah and all Muslim countries, and all praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

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Summarized Fatawaa

What should someone do whose gums are bleeding?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Whoever experiences bleeding gums while fasting must spit until his saliva runs clear — that is, until the bleeding has stopped — and then rinse his mouth to purify it.
If any of the blood enters his internal cavity (jawf) unintentionally, then his fast remains valid. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

A pregnant woman has iron deficiency. When she showers, she becomes very tired and feels cold. What is the ruling on tayammum in this situation?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
One should not resort to tayammum (dry ablution) as a substitute for the obligatory ghusl (ritual bathing) so long as it remains possible to use water — for example, by heating the water, warming the place where the bathing takes place, or taking other similar precautions. However, if such measures prove ineffective, or are simply not possible to carry out, and performing ghusl [with cold water] would result in severe harm, then tayammum becomes permissible in that case, due to genuine inability to use water on account of the harm that would result, as described in the question. That said, she must make up (qaḍā') the prayers she performed using this tayammum.
It is stated in Bushrā al-Karīm: "One should not perform tayammum on account of cold unless warming the limbs fails to remove the aforementioned harm, and no means are available to heat the water — such as a vessel, firewood, or fire — and one fears [that using cold water would result in] any of the harms mentioned earlier in the discussion on illness: danger to life, loss of function in a limb, the onset or worsening of an illness, delayed recovery, or the [visible bodily] blemish mentioned in that discussion on illness. In such a case, tayammum becomes permissible due to the harm involved, but the prayer must still be made up afterward (qaḍā'). If, however, warming the body proves effective, or the means to heat the water are available, or none of the aforementioned harms are feared — then tayammum is not permissible, even if using the water causes some degree of discomfort or pain, since mere discomfort alone does not permit resorting to tayammum." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What are the Sunnahs and etiquettes recommended for the person offering the Udhiyah?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
There are several Sunnahs (prophetic traditions) and etiquettes that are highly recommended for the person offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) to observe:
 
First:
It is a Sunnah for anyone intending to offer a sacrifice to refrain from cutting or removing any of their hair or nails once the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah begin. This is based on the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "When the ten days [of Dhul-Hijjah] begin and one of you intends to offer a sacrifice, let him not touch any of his hair or skin." (Narrated by Muslim)
 
However, if someone does happen to remove any hair or nails, they have not committed a sin, and their sacrifice remains perfectly valid.
 
Second:
The person offering the sacrifice should ideally slaughter the animal themselves. If they are unable to do so, they should at least witness its slaughter. This is drawn from what our Master, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), said to Lady Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her):
 
"Stand up and witness your sacrifice, for with its very first drop of blood, every sin you have committed will be forgiven." (Narrated by Al-Tabarani in his Mu'jam, Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, and Al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan)
 
Third:
Face the Qiblah (the direction of prayer) at the time of slaughtering, as the Qiblah is the most honorable of directions.
 
Fourth:
Pronounce the name of Allah (Tasmiyah) at the moment of slaughter by saying: "Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim" (In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful). Even if one forgets to say it, the meat remains lawful (Halal) to eat. Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, says:
 
"So eat of that [meat] upon which the name of Allah has been mentioned." (Al-An'am: 118)
 
It is also recommended to send blessings upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and to follow it with the Takbeer (Allahu Akbar).
 
Fifth:
Supplicate for acceptance by saying: "Allahumma hadhihi minka wa ilayka, fa-taqabbal minni" (O Allah, this is a blessing from You and is offered back to You, so please accept it from me). This means: This sacrifice is a blessing that originated from You, and I am offering it to draw closer to You. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What is the correct point at which to raise the hands when standing up for the third rak‘ah (after the middle tashahhud)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Raising the hands while saying the takbīr [when rising for the third rak‘ah] is a recommended sunnah, and omitting it does not affect the validity of the prayer. The proper time for this is after rising from the middle tashahhud, once one has fully stood up.
It is stated in I‘ānat aṭ-Ṭālibīn (Vol.1/P.158): "His statement, 'and rising from the first tashahhud' — meaning, this manner [of raising the hands] is also a sunnah when he rises from the first tashahhud, that is, when he stands upright from it.
Consider [the question]: when precisely does the raising of the hands begin? Is it at the very start of rising from the first tashahhud, or after he has reached the minimum position of rukū‘ [i.e., once fully upright]? The apparent, [correct] view is the latter — even though the outward wording [of the text] might suggest the former — because at the very start of his rising, he is still relying on both hands [to push himself up, and therefore cannot yet raise them]."
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 53): "If his prayer extends beyond two rak‘ahs, he sits after them in the iftirāsh position, recites the tashahhud, and sends blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ alone, without [mentioning] his family [at this point]. He then stands while saying the takbīr, supporting himself with his hands; and once he has stood upright, he raises them level with his shoulders." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.