Merits of Hajj and ‘Umrah- I

Ever since Allaah The Almighty commanded His Khaleel (intimate friend) Ibraaheem (Abraham), may Allaah exalt his mention, to proclaim Hajj to the people, hearts have been in longing..

Ever since Allaah The Almighty commanded His Khaleel (intimate friend) Ibraaheem (Abraham), may Allaah exalt his mention, to proclaim Hajj to the people, hearts have been in longing for this House and location, and crowds of visitors come to it from every distant pass in response to the call of Allaah The Almighty. In this respect, Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said,

When Ibraaheem finished building the House, it was said to him (by Allaah): “Proclaim (Hajj) to the people.” He said, “O Lord, to what extent would my voice reach?” He said: “It is your duty to proclaim, and it is incumbent upon Me to convey (your voice to everywhere in the world).” Ibraaheem then called, “O people, (the obligatory duty of) Hajj has been enjoined upon you to the ancient House, so come to perform Hajj.” All what is between the heaven and earth heard his voice. Do you not see the people coming from the farthest ends of the earth announcing (with Talbiyah (the Hajj related chant)) their response (to the call)?

The obligatory duty of Hajj was made obligatory by Allaah The Almighty upon the capable among His salves once in lifetime, as He States (what means): {And [due] to Allaah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves - then indeed, Allaah is free from need of the worlds.} [Quran 3:97] The obligation of Hajj is among the indisputably established facts of Islam.

Allaah made the outcome of performing this act of worship the great reward that stimulates the Muslim’s zeal, whets his will power and makes him proceed to it with an expanded chest and energetic determination in the hope of the reward and forgiveness of Allaah and what has been prepared of good by Allaah to the pilgrims of His honorable House. There are many texts about the merits of Hajj and ‘Umrah (lesser pilgrimage), of which a mention may be made of the following:

Hajj effaces sins and misdeeds that are committed before it

Hajj is among the greatest means of the forgiveness removal of sins and misdeeds. If one performs Hajj Mabroor (which is a Hajj that is accepted by Allaah), he would return from Hajj (as pure from sins) as a newborn on the day his mother gave birth to him, that is, purity from all sins and mistakes. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that he said that he heard the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, say: “Whoever performs Hajj, during which he neither has sexual activity (with his wife) nor commits sins, he will return (as sinless) as a newborn child on the very day his mother delivered him.”[Al-Bukhaari] The Hadeeth very clearly confirms the forgiveness of sins, be they minor or major, according to Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy upon him.

However, this forgiveness is, according to the Hadeeth, conditional on abstention from having sexual activity (intercourse and foreplay with one’s wife) and disobedience to Allaah during the Hajj.

It was narrated in an authentic Hadeeth that ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas, may Allaah be pleased with him, came to the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to embrace Islam and he put a condition that his previous sins should be forgiven for him, thereupon the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, mentioned to him three things, each of which removes the sins and mistakes prior to it. Thus, it was narrated on the authority of ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas, may Allaah be pleased with him, that he said,

When Allaah placed the love of Islam in my heart, I went to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said, “Stretch out your hand so that I can give you the pledge of allegiance.” However, when he stretched out his hand, I withdrew mine. He said: “What is the matter with you, O ‘Amr?” I replied, “I want to place a certain condition on this.” He asked: “What condition do you wish to place?” I said, “That I should be granted forgiveness.” He said: “Do you not know that (embracing) Islam effaces all the previous misdeeds committed before it as does the Hijrah (emigration) and Hajj?”[Muslim]

Thus, Hajj was made among the acts of worship that remove all sins previously committed.

The reward of a Hajj Mabroor is Paradise

Allaah The Almighty promises His slaves reward for their obedience to Him and made for Hajj no reward other than Paradise. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "The performance of two ‘Umrahs expiates the sins that are committed in the interval between them; and the Hajj Mabroor (that is accepted by Allaah as being performed with sincerity and according to the rules of Sharee‘ah) has no reward other than Paradise."[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] However, this reward is contingent on the condition of its being accepted, as not every Hajj will be rewarded with Paradise. That reward is restricted only to the aHajj Mabroor, and a Hajj Mabroor is that which complies with the teachings and principles of Sharee‘ah in deed and belief, and is not contaminated with anything of Shirk, (polytheism) sin, sexual relations or disobedience.

Among the signs of Hajj Mabroor is that the Muslim’s condition after Hajj becomes better than before it. The evidence for that is the statement of Allaah The Almighty (which means): {And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.} [Quran 47:17] Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,“(The sign of) a Hajj Mabroor is that the pilgrim returns (from it) having no desire for this world and seeking the Hereafter.” Overall, Hajj Mabroor, as Al-Qurtubi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, put it, “Is that whose rulings are fulfilled and which is performed perfectly according to what is required from the one competent for religious assignment.”

Hajj is among the best righteous deeds

Righteous deeds are numerous and vary in rank and degree of reward and excellence. Since one’s lifetime is very short, the deeds are numerous and he may not know which of them should be given priority, it is incumbent upon the slave to be eager to understand the ranks of deeds to get closer to Allaah with the dearest of deeds to Him, and give it priority over what is lesser in rank and excellence. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, put the deeds in order (according to their ranks) in the Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, when the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was asked about the best deed, he replied: “To believe in Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad)." The questioner then asked, “What comes next (in goodness)?" He replied: “To participate in Jihaad (religious fighting) in the cause of Allaah." The questioner then asked, “What comes next (in goodness)?" He replied: “To perform a Hajj Mabroor." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

In clarification of why Hajj was given such preference and rank, one of the righteous predecessors said, “I have reflected on all the righteous deeds and found that the prayers exhaust only the body and not wealth, as does fasting, and found that charity exhausts only wealth but not the body, whereas Hajj exhausts both; thus, I saw it as the best.” Hajj then is a financial as well as a physical worship.

(To be continued).......