General
Every year some blessed individuals take the sacred journey of hajj to Makkah and although it is not the best of practises, they are given the title of‘ Haji’ and‘ Hajin’, as the local culture follows.
Hajj Lessons to apply To your Daily Life
The sacred pilgrimage is one that is full of reward and even a greater benefit than it would appear, since a pilgrim, successful in his purpose of the journey, returns as sinless as a baby.
During this sacred time as a pilgrim, you are actively required to instil many traits and practises in and out of the trip that would ensure your lofty reward in paradise. Here is a list of the top nine:
Submitting
Certainly the profoundest benefit of hajj is the lesson of submission, which is initiated by the many lessons given by the symbolic father of the whole pilgrimage, Ibrahim AS and his son Ismail AS. You will learn that whatever is commanded by Allah( SWT) it is to be followed without deliberation. Submission is, without a doubt, dedicated to this core lesson and scattered throughout the pilgrimage of Hajj. One of those moments is at the juncture of entering into the sacred state of Ihram with the recital of the talbiyah( call to the submission of compliance):
“ Here I am at Your service, O Rabb, here I am. Here I am, no partner do You have, here I am. Truly, the Praise and the Favour is Yours, and the Sovereignty. No partner do You have.” [ narrated Muslim on the authority of Ibn Umar( RA)]
Only truly an experience will translate to you the emotion attached to the proclamation of the talbiyah that gushes through the heart as it is recited.
As the Quran talks of the submission of Ibrahim AS: And We ransomed him in exchange of a great sacrifice.( The sacrifice of Ibrahim and Ismail – peace be upon them – is commemorated every year) [ Surah Saffaat 107 ]
Accepting revelation
Highlighted separately, but very much connected to‘ submission’ is the trait of compliance to revelation and not logic. From the theoretic bases of the Hajj to the practical implementation of it, Allah shows you that your logic and understanding is limited. You, as a human, are subjected to knowledge and experience to be able to understand anything. However, Allah the all Knower, all Aware, when commanding you to an action, is fully and actively paving a path for your success. In Hajj there are restrictions that are necessary for correctness of it, that resist the logical acceptance of the so called norms of society. Maybe it’ s the‘ no applying perfume’ or it’ s the‘ no covering of the face’, whatever the rulings, your compliance is not an option it’ s a command and when done positively it becomes an honour, one that is a very appreciatedone to lead a daily attitude.
The Prophet would only speak what was commanded: He does not speak out of( his own) desire. It is but revelation revealed( to him). [ An-Najm 3-4 ]
Spending & Worshipping
The jurists explain that hajj is the one major act that requires physical endurance and ability as well as financial stability to happen, without these two strengths the hajj is not compulsory. Hence you as a person must learn that in your daily life, you are
12 | Ihsaan | Issue 1