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Introduction
Introduction
Hajj (Arabic: حج), the pilgrimage to Makkah, is one of the five pillars of Islam, the others being the profession of faith, prayer, fasting and charity. It should be undertaken once in a Muslim’s lifetime, providing health and means permit.
Definition of Hajj
Definition of Hajj
Linguistically, the word “Hajj” is derived from the Arabic verb “Hajja” (Arabic: حَجَّ) meaning, “to exert effort” or “to set out to a great place.” From a Shariah perspective, Hajj means “to take oneself to a certain place at a particular time to perform devotional acts as required by Islam.” Specifically, the place refers to the Kaaba within Masjid al-Haram as well as sites in and around Makkah including Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifah. As for the time, Hajj can only be performed during specific months, namely Shawwal, Dhul Qadah and the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. The devotional acts refer to the many rites of Hajj, including Tawaf, Sa’i, Rami al-Jamarat etc.
Obligation of Hajj
Obligation of Hajj
Quran
Quran
Hajj is a categorical and definitive obligation, as stated in the following verse:
فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَنْ دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ
In it are clear signs [such as] the standing place of Abraham. And whoever enters it shall be safe. And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves – then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.
As well as highlighting the obligation of hajj, this verse also declares that sincerity of intention and the ability to undertake the journey are also prerequisites for performing Hajj. The verse also alludes to the fact that rejection of the obligation of Hajj is tantamount to disbelief.
The majority of the scholars hold the view that Hajj was prescribed in the sixth year after Hijrah with the revelation of the following verse:
وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ
And complete the Hajj and Umrah for Allah.
Other scholars are inclined to the view that Hajj was made obligatory in the ninth or the tenth year of Hijrah.
Hadith
Hadith
There are also many Hadiths that allude to the obligation of Hajj. Abu Huraira I narrates:
Allah’s Messenger ﷺ addressed us and said: ‘O people, Allah has made Hajj obligatory for you, so perform Hajj.'1
Abdullah ibn Abbas رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates:
"A woman from the tribe of Khath’am came in the year (of Hajjat al-Wada of the Prophet ﷺ) and said: ‘O Allah’s Messenger ﷺ! My father has come under Allah’s obligation of performing Hajj, but he is a very old man and cannot sit properly on his mount. Will the obligation be fulfilled if I perform Hajj on his behalf?” The Prophet ﷺ replied in the affirmative".2
This narration not only emphasises the obligation of Hajj but also stresses that if an individual is unable to perform the Hajj himself, he must appoint someone to perform it on his behalf.
Virtues of Hajj
Virtues of Hajj
Hajj Removes Sins
Abu Huraira رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever performs Hajj for Allah’s sake and does not speak obscenely, nor commits acts of impiety, he returns home free of sin like the day his mother gave birth to him.’3
Abdullah ibn Masud رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates:
The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Alternate between Hajj and Umrah (regularly), for these two remove poverty and sins just as the blacksmith’s bellows removes all impurities from iron, gold and silver. There is no reward for an accepted Hajj (Hajj Mabrur) except Paradise.'4
Amr ibn al-‘As رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ said:
When Allah instilled the love of Islam in my heart, I went to the Prophet ﷺ and said: ‘O Prophet of Allah! Stretch out your hand so that I may pledge my allegiance to you.’ The Prophet ﷺ stretched out his hand towards me, but I withdrew my hand. The Prophet ﷺ asked: ‘O Amr! What is the matter with you?’ I said: ‘I would like to stipulate a condition! ‘The Prophet ﷺ asked: ‘What is it?’ I said: ‘That all my past sins be forgiven!’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘O ‘Amr! Do you not know that Islam eradicates all past sins, and migration eradicates all sins, and (similarly) Hajj eradicates all past sins!’5
The Reward of Hajj Mabrur (Accepted Hajj) is Paradise
Abu Huraira رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ reports:
"All sins committed in between the performance of one Umrah and another are expiated and erased. And there is no reward for a Hajj Mabrur except paradise".6
“Hajj Mabrur” and “Hajj Maqbul” are often used interchangeably and translated as ‘accepted’ but there is a subtle difference between the two.
Hajj Maqbul is that pilgrimage in which all the obligations and requirements are completed without any minor or major expiation. It is a fulfillment of the obligation of Hajj.
Hajj Mabrur is that pilgrimage which is is free of sin and is graced with divine acceptance and pleasure.
In essence, Hajj Mabrur includes Hajj Maqbul, but Hajj Maqbul does not necessarily include Hajj Mabrur. If a pilgrim avoids the minor and major violations of Hajj but displeases his Lord by engaging in sinful behaviour, Hajj Maqbul may be attained but the chances of obtaining Hajj Mabrur are placed in jeopardy.
Defining Hajj Mabrur, Hasan al-Basri V said: “Hajj Mabrur is that Hajj, after which an aversion for the material worldly life is created and an inclination to the hereafter is brought about.”
A Safeguard from Punishment
Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:
There is no day wherein Allah saves more of his servants from the fire of hell than the Day of Arafat. He draws near and praises them to the angels, saying: ‘What do my servants want?'7
One of the Best Deeds
Abu Huraira رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ reports:
The Prophet ﷺ was asked: ‘What is the best deed?’ He replied: ‘To have faith in Allah and His Messenger.’ The enquirer asked: ‘What next?’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘To strive in the cause of Allah.’ He was then asked: ‘What is the next best thing?’ He replied: ‘To perform Hajj Mabrur’.8
A Form of Jihad
Aisha رضي الله عنها reports that she once said:
‘O Prophet of Allah! Jihad (striving or fighting in the cause of Allah) is the best deed. Should we (women) then, not actively participate in it?’ The Prophet ﷺ replied: ‘The best Jihad for you is Hajj Mabrur.'9
Abu Huraira رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates:
'Jihad for the elderly, the young, the weak, and women is Hajj and Umrah'.10
Pilgrims are Guests of Allah
Abu Huraira رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ narrates:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘The guests of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, are three: The warrior, the pilgrim performing Hajj and the pilgrim performing Umrah.'11
He also narrates:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Pilgrims are the guests of Allah; should they supplicate, Allah will answer their supplications; should they seek forgiveness, Allah will forgive them.'12
Conditions of Hajj
Conditions of Hajj
Although the duty of Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime, there are a number of prerequisites that need to be met in order to partake in the pilgrimage:
Islam
The pilgrim must be Muslim and must know that performing Hajj is obligatory.
Maturity
The pilgrim must have reached puberty i.e. he must be Baligh. All scholars agree that if a minor performs Hajj, the pilgrimage would have to be repeated during adulthood as children aren’t obligated to perform Hajj.
It is reported from Abdullah ibn Abbas I that after Hajjat al-Wida, a woman presented a child to the Prophet ﷺ and asked: “Will this boy be rewarded for Hajj?” The Prophet ﷺ answered: “Yes, and you too will be rewarded.”13 The narration indicates that the child will be rewarded for his obedience, while the mother will be rewarded for helping and instructing him to perform Hajj.
Sanity
The pilgrim must be mentally sound and in full control of his mental faculties. Those who are mentally ill aren’t obligated to perform Hajj. If an individual with such a condition was to perform the Hajj, presumably in the way expected of someone in control of his mental faculties, the Hajj would still need to be repeated were he to return to a state of mental well-being.
Capability
The pilgrim must possess a conveyance and sufficient funds for the journey to Makkah and back.
Freedom
Although not applicable in the modern era, the pilgrim must not be a slave.
Ability
Ability
With regards to a person’s ability, there are further conditions that fall into this category:
Physically Able
The pilgrim must be physically capable of travelling and performing the rites of Hajj and must be free from any illnesses or diseases that would restrict him from doing so. If an individual is not capable of performing Hajj due to being old, ill or incapacitated, he may pay someone to perform Hajj on his behalf, providing he is financially capable of doing so.
Financially Able
The pilgrim must have sufficient expenses to cover travelling, accommodation and all other requirements during the course of the journey. He must also have sufficient expenses to support his dependents during his absence. If the individual doesn’t have sufficient funds to cover the needs of his family, Hajj isn’t incumbent on him. Being debt-free isn’t a prerequisite, although arrangements for debts to be fulfilled should be made prior to going on Hajj.
Safety En-Route
The journey to Hajj must be deemed safe enough to ensure that the pilgrim’s life and possessions are secure from any danger.
Transport
The pilgrim must have access to and should be able to afford the appropriate means of transport to travel to Makkah and perform Hajj.
Women
Women
There are two additional conditions for the obligation to perform Hajj that apply solely to women. These are:
Necessity of a Mahram
A woman intending to perform Hajj or Umrah must be accompanied by a Mahram, according to the Hanafi and Maliki schools of thought. If she doesn’t have a Mahram that would be willing to accompany her, Hajj would not be obligatory for her. On the other hand, according to the Shafi’i and Maliki schools of thought, she may perform the pilgrimage with trustworthy women (two or more) or even alone, according to some scholars, on condition that her safety is guaranteed in terms of her life, wealth and honour. However, for a Nafl Hajj or Umrah, the escort of reliable women wouldn’t suffice and she would have to be accompanied by her husband or a Mahram.
Although not a condition, it is also desirable for a married woman to seek her husband’s permission for the pilgrimage, although he has no right to prevent her from carrying out the obligatory Hajj. He may, however, prevent her from carrying out a Nafl Hajj.
Free From Iddah period
She should also be free of the post-divorce or mourning (following her husband’s death) waiting period, known as Iddah. Therefore, if the other conditions of the obligation to perform Hajj are met while she is in her waiting period, or her waiting period is at a time when it is possible for her travel for Hajj, then it is not obligatory for her to perform it.
Immediacy of Hajj
Immediacy of Hajj
Once the conditions for the obligation of Hajj are met, it should be carried out as soon as possible. It is sinful to delay the pilgrimage according to the majority of opinions, although a delayed Hajj still fulfils the obligation. The Shafi’i school of thought, on the other hand, opines that it is not obligatory to perform it as soon as possible and an individual would not be sinful for postponing it. This postponement, however, can only be made under the condition that a firm intention is made to perform the pilgrimage in the future, without the fear of being unable to carry it out.
The History of Hajj
The History of Hajj
The origins of Hajj extend as far back as the second millennium BCE during the time of the Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام. Ibrahim had two sons, Ishaq عليه السلام and Ismail عليه السلام, the latter of whom being a forefather of the Arab tribes and an ancestor of the Prophet ﷺ.
Pilgrims performing Sa’i between Safa and Marwah
After returning to her son, she found the that the Angel Jibril عليه السلام had miraculously brought forth a spring of water from the earth, which is now known as Zamzam. The well of Zamzam attracted tribes to settle in the area and the settlement flourished into what is today known as the city of Makkah.
On his return to the settlement some years later, Ibrahim S, along with his son Ismail, was instructed by the Angel Jibril to construct a monument in dedication to Allah near the site of the well. This monument, the Kaaba, was to become a place of pilgrimage for the worship of the one true God, free of any idolatry and polytheism.
Centuries down the line, the people of Makkah abandoned the worship of one God and denigrated into idolatry and polytheism, during a period known as the Jahiliyyah (the Age of Ignorance). During this time, the Kaaba was surrounded by 360 idols and statues depicting human and animal deities which were openly worshipped. The pre-Islamic Arab tribes would also perform Tawaf around the Kaaba, sometimes even naked.
In 610 CE, the Prophet ﷺ received his first revelations from Allah during which he was divinely instructed to re-establish monotheism. Twenty years after the first revelation, in 630 CE, the Prophet ﷺ had amassed enough religious and political authority to gain victory in Makkah, the city where he was born and where he suffered much persecution at the hands of its inhabitants. He destroyed the idols in and around the Kaaba and rededicated it to the worship of one God, as was its intended purpose.
In 623 CE (10 AH), shortly before his demise, the Prophet ﷺ personally led his one and only Hajj, known as Hajjat al-Wida, accompanied by thousands of companions. He gave his farewell sermon at Jabal Arafat, where he emphasised the equality and unity of the Muslim Ummah, a symbol of the egalitarian nature of the Hajj pilgrimage. The Hajj, as performed by the Prophet ﷺ on that occasion, continues to this day.
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