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Hajj: Leaving Worldly Matters and Preparing for the Hereafter
Author : An Article by the Secretary General Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassanat
Date Added : 25-06-2023

 

Hajj: Leaving Worldly Matters and Preparing for the Hereafter

 

After making the intention of entering into the holy rite of Hajj, a pilgrim takes off worldly pleasures the moment he takes off his clothes and wears the Ihram clothing. He/she resembles the angels in shunning desires and ornaments, and dedicating themselves for worshipping Allah, their Lord. Just as a pilgrim casts off his everyday clothes, he/she should cast off sins and seek refuge in Allah.

 

During this holy rite, people become as equal as the spikes of a comb in the sense that there is no difference between a white man and a black man. A pilgrim answers the call of the truth: "And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways;" {Al-Hajj, 27} by chanting Talbiyah (“Labbayka Allahumma labbayk (Here I am, O Allah, here I am)." By doing so, he/she seeks the mercy and bounty of Allah to be admitted into Paradise and spared Hellfire.

 

Hajj isn`t a journey for seeing sights and discovering places. Rather, it is about seeking the pleasure of Allah and coming closer to Him. The moment a pilgrim takes off his/her clothes, he/she knows that Allah looks at the hearts and intentions, not the form or appearance. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah does not look at your figures, nor at your attire but He looks at your hearts and accomplishments".[Muslim].

 

The heart casting off worldly concerns is what is required in this sacred journey of Hajj and this is the gist of the supplication of Our Father Ibrahim, which reads: "So fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks." {Ibrahim, 37}. During this journey, a pilgrim leaves his/her homeland and family, races to Mecca to which his/her heart yearns, and escapes to Allah seeking His forgiveness.

 

Once a pilgrim arrives in Mecca, it welcomes him/her warmly. On Seeing the Ka’abah for the first time, he/she says the Du`a: "O Allah! Increase this House in honor and reverence and nobility and awe, and increase those who honor and revere it as pilgrims for Hajj and Umrah in nobility and goodness and status and righteousness." 

 

Next, a pilgrim makes the Tawaf of arrival, like a mother hugging her long gone children. During this Tawaf (Circumambulation around the Kabah), he/she makes the Du`a: "O Allah! This House is Yours, this Haram is Yours….."

 

Then, pilgrims go to perform Sa`ee ( the act of Sa'ee refers to the ritual of walking or running between the two hills of Safa and Marwa) with sincere hearts putting their trust in Allah and remember the words of Hajar who said: "Allah won`t cause us to be lost."

 

They perform Sa`ee and ask their Lord for forgiveness and mercy. They keep repeating this seeking to please Allah the Almighty and win Jannah. Allah says {What means}: "And there are others who say, 'Our Lord, give to us in this world good, and good in the Hereafter, and guard us against the chastisement of the Fire'." {Al-Baqarah, 201}.

 

After that, pilgrims gather in the plain of Arafah the land of the mercies of Allah." the day when neither wealth nor children will avail, except him who comes to God with a heart that is sound." {Al-Shu`ara`, 88-89}. Indeed, on that day nothing avails but coming to Allah with a sound heart.

And all perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on giving Zakat al-Fitr in cash?

The default ruling is that Zakat al-Fitr should be given as the staple food of the land. In Jordan, for example, the staple food is wheat or rice, and the amount of Zakat al-Fitr is 2,500 grams per person. It is easy to give this amount of rice to the poor and needy, and this is the correct ruling according to all Islamic schools of thought.
However, Hanafi scholars have permitted giving Zakat al-Fitr as monetary value, considering it more beneficial for the poor and easier for the giver.

If a father stops his daughter from getting married, is it permissible for her to conclude the marriage contract herself?

It is permissible for the father to stop his daughter from getting married if there was a lawful reason for that, and she isn`t allowed to conclude the marriage contract without her guardian. However, if her father denied her right in getting married for an unlawful reason, then she should go to court.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on participating in the prize draws (raffles) that commercial stores hold for their customers?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
There is no objection to participating in the prize draws (raffles) that commercial stores hold for their customers, provided that the buyer's intention in purchasing is not merely to enter the competition without any need for what is bought — rather, the purchase must be genuinely intended for the item itself, and one must not pay more than the item's fair market price. This is because paying an amount above the market price would effectively be paying a fee to enter the prize draw, which would render it a form of gambling (qimār).
These prizes are, in essence, gifts that businesses offer through a random drawing (qur'ah) to those who purchase from them, as a means of encouraging sales, without the customer bearing any additional monetary cost for participation. So long as the aforementioned conditions are met, there is no objection to benefiting from the prize offered by the store, as it is considered a lawful prize from the viewpoint of Islamic Law.
It is stated in the resolutions of the "Jordanian Iftaa' Board" (Resolution No. 47), in the context of outlining the conditions for permissible prizes: "The price of the ticket [or item purchased] for the sake of the prize must not exceed its original price, so that there is no payment of money in exchange for participation in the draw." And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

What are the Sunnahs and etiquettes related to the slaughtering of an animal?

 

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
1-Avoid terrifying the animal before it is slaughtered.
 
2-Do not slaughter the animal in front of others of its kind.
 
3-Offer water to the animal before the sacrifice.
 
4-Sharpen the knife thoroughly prior to slaughtering to ensure the cut is made as quickly and cleanly as possible. This is in accordance with the statement of our Master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Indeed, Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, has prescribed excellence (Ihsan) in all things. So when you kill, kill well; and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each of you sharpen his blade, and let him put his sacrificial animal at ease." (Narrated by Muslim)
 
Do not begin skinning the carcass until you are absolutely certain that the animal has completely passed away.
 
Slaughter cattle, sheep, and goats while they are lying down on their left side, facing the Qiblah (direction of prayer). Leave the right leg untied so the animal can move it, helping it rest more easily during its final moments. For camels, however, the preferred method (Nahr) is to slaughter them while they are standing up, with their left knee tied. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

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