Articles

Hajj-Mabrur: "Its Meaning and Virtues"
Author : His Grace Shiekh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh
Date Added : 20-07-2023

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

 

Hajj-Mabrur: "Its Meaning and Virtues"

 

Narrated by Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her), she said: "O Messenger of Allah, we see Jihad as the best deed. Should we not then strive in Jihad?" He said, "The best Jihad (for women) is Hajj-Mabrur (i.e., one accepted by Allah)." {Transmitted by Bukhari}.

Hajj-Mabrur (The pilgrimage in which a person attains full reward) is the best act of worship in Islam after Jihad in the cause of Allah. This is because it is a cornerstone of the religion and one of the five pillars of Islam, without which Islam cannot be complete. It is obligatory on every adult, sane, free Muslim who is capable and has the provisions and means to undertake the journey.

 

Hajj-Mabrur is the one that is free from sin and showing off, or one in which generosity and good manners are observed. This according to a narration in Musnad Ahmad (a Hajj which is accepted will receive no less a reward than paradise). The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was asked about Hajj-Mabrur, and he replied, "Feeding others and spreading peace."

 

Some scholars explain Hajj-Mabrur as the one free from any sin and An-Nawawi opted for this view. Al-Qurtubi mentioned that the various interpretations of Hajj-Mabrur converge in meaning, and the main point is that it is Hajj performed with all its obligatory rites fulfilled as requested from the performer.

To achieve the forgiveness of sins and the promise of Paradise through Hajj, the following should be adhered to:

 

First: Sincere repentance from all sins and disliked actions, as the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "The one who repents from sin is like one without sin." {Transmitted by Ibn Majah}.

 

Second: The expenditure on Hajj and all its requirements should be from halal (lawful) money without any doubt.

Third: Perform Hajj purely for the sake of Allah, seeking His pleasure and nearness. Fulfill any pending obligations and return any deposits to their rightful owners. Write a will, giving rights to Allah, His servants, and bear witness to it.

 

Fourth: Be kind to relatives, mentors, and neighbors. Fulfill the required maintenance for those dependent on the pilgrim until their return.

 

Fifth: Abstain from immoral conduct during Hajj. Avoid arguments and conflicts while purchasing. It is said, "Good conduct during travel includes providing provisions, minimal disputes among companions, good humor except in things that displease Allah, and patience in the face of adversity."

 

Sixth: To bid farewell to one's family, neighbors, relatives, and acquaintances, and to seek their forgiveness and prayers, and to give charity upon departure.

 

Seventh: Frequently remember Allah (Dhikr) during Hajj, as Allah has commanded to remember Him abundantly during the rites of Hajj, including Talbiyah, Takbir, and Tahleel. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "The best Hajj is loud Talbiyah and Takbir." {Transmitted by At-Tirmidhi}.

 

Hajj-Mabrur has numerous virtues, including:

 

First: Forgiveness of sins and wrongdoings, as narrated by Amr ibn Al-'As (May Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "Islam obliterated what preceded it, Hijrah (Emigration for the sake of Allah) obliterates what preceded it, and Hajj-Mabrur obliterates what preceded it." {Transmitted by Muslim}.

 

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Perform Hajj, for it washes away sins just as water washes away dirt." (Reported by Al-Tibrani in "Al-Mu'jam Al-Awsat").

Second: The reward for spending during Hajj is multiplied by seven hundred times. Buraidah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "The spending during Hajj is like the spending in the cause of Allah multiplied by seven hundred."{Transmitted by Ahmad and Tabarani in "Al-Mo`jam Al-Waseet}.

 

Third: The performers of Hajj and Umrah are the delegation of Allah; their supplications are answered, and their repentance is accepted. Narrated by Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "The delegation of Allah are three: The fighter in the cause of Allah, the pilgrim, and the Mu'tamir (the one performing Umrah). They will call upon Allah and He will answer them, and they will seek His forgiveness, and He will forgive them." {Transmitted by An-Nasa'i}.

 

Fourth: Allah guarantees Paradise for the performers of Haj and Umrah upon their meeting with Him. Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit sexual misconduct or transgress will return (free from sins) as on the day his mother gave birth to him." {Transmitted by Al-Bukhari}.

 

May Allah grant us complete faith, true certainty, humble hearts, praising tongues, accepted deeds, and Hajj-Mabrur….. Amen.

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Summarized Fatawaa

Can a menstruating woman listen to the Quran from the radio or television?

Yes, a menstruating woman is allowed to listen to the Quran from the radio or television. What is forbidden for her is reciting the Quran and touching the Mus-haf, but listening is permissible—in fact, it is an act of worship.However, she should not repeat along with the Qur’an or try to keep pace with it. 

I work overtime after regular working hours and may become occupied with my phone or the work computer for personal matters — what is the ruling on this?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory upon an employee to abide by the instructions and regulations governing overtime hours, and equally obligatory to uphold honesty and avoid all forms of deception and dishonesty. Allah the Almighty says {what means}: "O you who have believed, be mindful of Allah and be with the truthful." [Al-Tawbah/ 119]
Whoever is assigned to work overtime must be present at his workplace — even if he has no specific tasks to carry out at that time. In such a case, he should strive as best he can to spend that time in a manner that benefits the institution he works for. If there is genuinely no work for him to do, there is no objection to occupying his time with something beneficial — such as reciting the Holy Qurʾān, reading, or listening to educational lessons — provided he has already completed all the responsibilities assigned to him.
If, however, he does have work to complete, he must spend that time fulfilling it. He may attend to phone calls or other personal matters to the extent that is customarily acceptable, as long as this does not result in delaying or postponing his work. If he delays his work on account of personal preoccupations, the wages he received for that wasted time are not lawfully his to keep, and he is obliged to return the equivalent amount to the institution by whatever means available to him. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Does post-natal bleeding (Nifas) stop before forty days after childbirth?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Yes, post-natal bleeding (Nifas) can cease before the completion of forty days. If the bleeding stops completely and its return is not expected, the woman has attained ritual purity (Taharah), even if forty days have not yet passed. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who purchases a sacrificial animal (uḍḥiyah) and it then develops a defect before slaughter?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a defect that invalidates the sacrifice (uḍḥiyah) arises after its purchase — for example, if one purchased a sound, defect-free animal, and it then developed a limp, blindness in one eye, or a similar defect before slaughter — it does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah, according to the Shāfi'ī school.
It is stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib (Vol.1/P.535): "Even if the limp develops [in the animal] while the knife is upon it, it still does not fulfill the requirement, because it is lame at the moment of slaughter — this is analogous to a case where a sheep's leg breaks and one hastens to slaughter it [in that condition]."
The Ḥanbalī school, however, held that if the one offering the sacrifice purchased the animal while it was sound and defect-free, and a defect then befell it afterward, the sacrifice remains valid and there is no obligation to replace it.
It is stated in Masā'il al-Imām Aḥmad, one of the Ḥanbalī reference works (Vol.8/P.4021): "I said: If a person purchases the sacrificial animal while it is sound, and it is then afflicted with illness, blindness in one eye, or a broken limb [before slaughter]? He [Imam Aḥmad] said: It is said that it still fulfills the requirement. Isḥāq said likewise, because he purchased it while sound, and the defect befell it only afterward, so it remains sufficient on his behalf." [End of quote]
Accordingly, a sheep afflicted with a defect that invalidates the sacrifice does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah — whether the defect arose after purchase or during the slaughter itself — according to the Shāfi'ī school. However, there is no objection to following the Ḥanbalī position on this matter [as a valid alternative]. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.