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 is the ruling on one who vows to fast a specific or non-specific year? Are the two Eids, the days of Tashreeq, Ramadan, and the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding included in them? And do these days break the consecutiveness if it was intended?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If someone makes a vow (Nadr) to fast a specific, designated year, this vow does not include the days of Eid, the days of Tashreeq (the three days following Eid al-Adha), Ramadan, or the days of menstruation (Hayd) and postnatal bleeding (Nifas). Furthermore, there is no requirement to make up (Qada) these specific days.
 
However, if someone vows to fast a year that is not specifically designated (i.e., any twelve-month period) and stipulates that the fasting must be consecutive, they are bound by that condition. They must not fast on the days of Eid, during Ramadan, or during menstruation, but they are required to make up these days afterward—with the exception of the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, which do not need to be made up.
 
It is stated in Hashiyat al-Bajuri ‘ala Sharh Ibn Qasim ({Vol.2/P.606): 'If one vows to fast a specific year, the Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, and days of menstruation or postnatal bleeding are not included. This is because Ramadan does not accept any fast other than its own, and the others do not accept fasting at all. Therefore, they do not enter into the vow, and no makeup is required for them because they are legally excluded—contrary to Al-Rafi’i regarding menstruation and postnatal bleeding.
 
If one vows to fast a non-designated year: if they stipulated consecutiveness (Tatuabu’) in their vow, they must fulfill it; otherwise, they are not bound to it. Consecutiveness is not broken by the days that do not enter into the specific year vow (Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, menstruation, and postnatal bleeding). However, one must make up the days missed—excluding the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding—immediately following the end of the year. As for the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, it is not made up, contrary to Ibn al-Rif’ah, who argued that it must be made up just like Ramadan.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the Islamic ruling on the aqiqa?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The 'aqīqah is a confirmed Sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah). Two sheep are to be slaughtered for a newborn boy, and one sheep for a newborn girl. This is established by numerous Prophetic traditions, among them:
The narration of Samurah ibn Jundub, may Allah be pleased with him, who reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Every child is held in pledge for his 'aqīqah, which is slaughtered on his behalf on the seventh day, and he is named, and his head is shaved." — Narrated by al-Tirmidhī, who graded it as ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ.
And the narration of 'Ā'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to slaughter one sheep as 'aqīqah for a girl, and two sheep for a boy." — Narrated by Aḥmad and Ibn Mājah.
The imperative in these narrations is understood to denote recommendation rather than obligation, based on the ḥadīth of 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb, on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about the 'aqīqah, whereupon he said: "Allah does not love 'uqūq" — as though he disliked the name itself — and then said: "Whoever has a child born to him and wishes to offer a sacrifice on their behalf, let them do so: two equivalent sheep for a boy, and one sheep for a girl." — Narrated by Aḥmad and Abū Dāwūd.
The legal inference drawn from this narration is that the Prophet ﷺ linked the slaughter to the wish and willingness of the individual, saying: "whoever wishes to offer a sacrifice... let them do so" — thereby indicating that the 'aqīqah is recommended (mustaḥabb) and not obligatory (wājib).
And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on kissing while fasting?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is prohibitively disliked (makrūh taḥrīman) for a husband to engage in foreplay with or kiss his wife during the daylight hours of Ramaḍān if doing so stirs his desire. If pre-seminal fluid (madhī) is released as a result, the fast is not invalidated; however, if seminal fluid (manī) is released, the fast is broken.
Imām al-Khaṭīb al-Sharbīnī, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated: "It is prohibitively disliked to kiss — whether on the mouth or elsewhere — for one whose desire is stirred, whether man or woman, to the extent that he fears it may lead to intercourse or ejaculation. Embracing, touching, and similar acts without a barrier carry the same ruling as kissing in this regard, because such acts expose the act of worship to being corrupted — and as the two Ṣaḥīḥs record: 'Whoever circles around a protected boundary is liable to fall into it.'"
He further added: "It is preferable for one whose desire is not stirred — even if he is a young man — to refrain from such acts as well, so as to close the door entirely. For he may believe his desire has not been aroused when in fact it has. Moreover, it is Sunnah for the fasting person to abstain from all desires without exception." — Summarised with minor adaptation from [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj]. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What advice do you have for those who spend their nights and days of Ramadan watching TV?

Time is too precious to be wasted on entertainment, let alone in the blessed month of Ramadan, where a Muslim should strive for reward and forgiveness.