The #Prophetic Hijrah: A Turning Point in History

The Arabic noun Hijrah literally refers to the act of abandoning or relinquishing. Hence, the derived word Muhaajir, as mentioned in a Hadeeth, is a person who renounces what Allah The Almighty prohibited. This is not confined to a certain time or place; anyone who abides by the commands of Allah the Almighty and abandons sins, is considered a Muhaajir. 

However, the Hijrah of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) has a different dimension to it; it refers to his emigration, seeking the satisfaction of Allah The Almighty, despite his attachment to his homeland and affinity to its natural and social environment. That longing for Makkah was also fervently expressed by the Muhaajiroon – those who emigrated with him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) – particularly during the first melancholy days. 

That was so, because Hijrah required adapting to the new atmosphere of Madeenah, in terms of a differing climate, which caused some of the Muhaajiroon to suffer from fever; as well as economy, since it was agriculture-based here, whereas it was commerce-based back home in Makkah, where they had left behind property and wealth. 

However, Hijrah was a Divine obligation to be obeyed and all difficulties endured in its undertaking. When it began, processions of the Muhaajiroon successively set out to the new land – the abode of emigration. Women also took part in this blessed event, such as Umm Salamah Hind bint Abu Umayyah, may Allah be pleased with her, who was exposed to great harm at the hands of the disbelievers in Makkah. In an effort to prevent her from Hijrah, they had pulled her newborn from her until his hand was dislocated; but she persisted and succeeded in emigrating, despite the danger and hardship. 

Another woman was Asmaa' bint Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with her, who immortalized her name in history, earning the title, Thaat An-Nitaaqayn (the one with two waistbands), because she tore her waistband in half, in order to carry provisions for the two pursued emigrants, i.e., the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Later, the sporadic Hijrah of women continued until it became an obligation; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them.} [Quran 60:10] 

The commandment was general for all believers, as Quranic verses were intermittently revealed, pointing out the merits for performing the Hijrah; this occurred since the beginning of emigration,well until the year 8 AH, when it was revoked after the conquest of Makkah. This was in accordance with the declaration of the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: "There is no Hijrah after the conquest of Makkah; but, [there is] Jihaad and good intention [to perform good deeds]. So, when you are commanded to set forth [for Jihad], you must immediately." 

As for Madeenah being the destination of Hijrah, Allah The Almighty Himself had specified it, revealing it to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) who said: "I have seen in my vision that I am migrating from Makkah to a land with palm-trees. At first, I thought it was Al-Yamaamah or Hajar, but it was Madeenah (Yathrib)." 

It would later become clear that this city, already burgeoning with faith, had required the mass arrival of Muslims, to safeguard it from the lurking enemies among Quraysh, the Jews and the Bedouins, against whom Jihaad was ordained. Thus, Allah The Almighty revealed motivational verses for emigrants, Saying (what means):

• {Indeed, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah - those expect the mercy of Allah.} [Quran 2:218] 

• {And those who emigrated for [the cause of] Allah after they had been wronged - We will surely settle them in this world in a good place.} [Quran 16:41] 

• {And whoever emigrates for the cause of Allah will find on the earth many [alternative] locations and abundance.} [Quran 4:100] 

True to His noble Promise, the Muhaajiroon attained great honor in this life, apart from reward from Him. By being the first people to establish a Muslim state, they gained the Pleasure of Allah The Almighty and closeness to Him, as He Says (what means): {And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them.} [Quran 9:100] 

Thus, Allah The Almighty memorialized them in the Quran, which is, and will be, recited by Muslims as worship to Him until the end of time

Hijrah: a norm of the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was not the first to emigrate for the cause of Allah The Almighty. Many prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, underwent such a trial. Allah The Almighty informed us that Ibraaheem (Abraham) emigrated from his homeland to Egypt and other countries, preaching Tawheed (monotheism); Ya‘qoob (Jacob) and Yoosuf (Joseph), may Allah exalt their mention, went from Palestine to Egypt; Loote, may Allah exalt his mention, abandoned his valley because of its corruption and disregard of his message; and Moosa (Moses), may Allah exalt his mention, emigrated with his people from Egypt to Sinai in order to escape with their religion from the tyranny of Fir‘awn (Pharaoh). 

Thus, Hijrah is a custom of the prophets, with the emigration of the Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) being the last and most significant in its impact.

Hijrah: A Turning Point in History

The Hijrah brought about the establishment of a Muslim state in Madeenah, that consolidated the society on the basis of solidarity, love, brotherhood, freedom, equality and guaranteeing of rights. 

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was the head of government, the commander in chief, the supreme judge and the foremost mentor. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) gradually implemented the Islamic Sharee’ah, as it was revealed to him, verse by verse. The Companions would study it and apply it to themselves, after learning its interpretation from the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). 

Hence, they formed a God-conscious generation that was able to merge the worship of Allah The Almighty with inhabiting this worldly life. They worked under the motto: work for your life as if you will live forever and for your Hereafter as if you will die tomorrow. 

Within a decade, most of the Arabian Peninsula united under this banner of Islam that swathed large areas of land, extending from As-Sind in the east, to the Atlantic in the west, with most of the people embracing Islam and its Sharee‘ah. They formed a flourishing civilization that produced its fruit for many centuries in the fields of legislation, education, cosmography and physics.

Relating a Story can Change a #Child’s Behavior- I

A mother said, "I have a friend who is married and has two children, aged five and six. On one occasion when I visited them, she asked her children not to fiddle with the alarm clock that belonged to their father. However, the children did not pay attention to what their mother was saying." 

Therefore, I said to them, “Would you like to listen to a nice story?"

The children sat next to me, paying full attention, because they loved stories and tales. I started my narration:

'Mustafa was a little boy who was five years old. He liked to play with the alarm clock that was in his parents’ room. His father asked him many times to stop doing that, but he liked doing it. It was nice. He did not stop. He continued to play with the alarm clock of his father, twisting the buttons in different directions and laughing while seeing the hands moving right and left and all around. [Do you think that Mustafa was a good boy? “No,” said the children.]

On the day of ‘Eed, Mustafa and his family were invited to a party for celebrating the ‘Eed in the house of his friend. Mustafa was very excited about the invitation, because he would see all of his Muslim friends there, and they would play together, eat sweets and cakes and drink refreshments. Mustafa waited impatiently for the day of the celebration, which was scheduled to last from seven to nine at night.

He got ready for the ‘Eed and wore his new clothes, and was very happy. He waited for the time of the celebration to come.

By five o’clock he felt bored, went to the room of his parents, and fiddled with the alarm clock. He moved the hands, which made the time three instead of five o’clock. His father called him for dinner and he went and ate. After dinner, his father and mother went to their room and Mustafa went to his. Every ten minutes he asked them whether it was time for the party.

They told him that they still had some time. Mustafa waited for a long time until it was the time to leave. He was extremely excited because he was going to play with his friends. His family and he arrived at his friend’s house. He rang the doorbell, and Mr. Riyaadh opened the door.Mustafa greeted him and said that they had come for the party.

"What party? It’s over. It’s nine now,” replied Mr. Riyaadh. 

“True,” the mother, seeing her watch, said, “It’s nine now.”

Mustafa's father said, “But, it is seven o’clock at our home.”

He realized what Mustafa had done and asked, “Have you been fiddling with the alarm clock again?”

"Yes,” said Mustafa.

His mother said, “We have told you many times not to fiddle with the alarm clock. Look what happened. We have missed the party because you have been fiddling with the alarm clock and ignored our advice.”

Mustafa was sad because he missed the party, yet he learned a great lesson and promised his parents to stop that bad habit.

The two children listened with full attention. I think that they learned a lesson, which would be difficult for me to make them learn by just saying, “You should listen to the advice of your parents...’ [Awlaaduna Akbaaduna].

Why a story?

Sayyid Qutb  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him said, “Stories have magic that affects souls ... Which magic is it? How does it affect the souls?'

No one knows exactly whether it is imagination that pursues the scenes of the story from one situation to another and from one behavior to another... and from one behavior to a feeling.

Is it the “emotional participation” with the characters of the story and the feelings that the story moves in the soul and makes them spring and flow?

Is it a reaction to the situations when a person imagines himself a part of the events, nevertheless, he is saved from them and observes from afar?

In any case, there is no doubt that people who read and listen to a story cannot take a passive attitude towards its characters and events. They push themselves, intentionally or unintentionally, on the stage of events and imagine being in one situation or another. They draw comparisons between themselves and the protagonists, and thus, agree or disagree with them, or feel impressed.

Relating a Story can Change a #Child’s Behavior - II

Islam realizes the natural inclination toward stories, due to their magical effect on the hearts, and thus, endorses listening to them as a method of upbringing and rectifying. [Awlaaduna Akbaaduna].

Stories attract the children in their early years and gain their preference over other types of entertainment, because they leave a clear effect on their souls, and implant in them the desired values by getting the children to sympathize with the protagonists and making them live the conversations and events depicted by the story. Also, stories play a big role in attracting the attention of children and stimulating their thought and minds.’ [Al-Insaat Al-In‘ikaasi]

·        The best sources for clear and impressive stories are the great Book of Allah, the Seerah (biography) of the Messenger,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and the life of the Companions, Taabi’oon (successors of the Companions) and eminent scholars of the Ummah (nation). 

However, the family:

- Should spend enough time to listen to and read these stories, in order to satisfy the curiosity of their children, their love for stories and to answer their numerous questions. 

- Should use an exciting style and simple language that is accessible to the hearts and minds of children.

- Should verify the sources of the stories, and avoid doubtful stories, because they might leave a bad effect on children when they grow up and know that such stories were not authentic.’ [Awlaaduna Akbaaduna]

·        2- Parents should select meaningful stories that do not have terrible ends, include myths and which do not talk about events where the protagonists are fierce animals. [Daleel At-Tarbiyah Al-Usariyyah]

- Examples of purposeful stories: 

-  What makes children watchful of Allah The Almighty, such as the story of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, and the seller of the milk and her daughter. 

- What makes children grateful to Allah The Almighty for His blessings, such as the story of the blind man, the leprous man and the bald man. [Al-Insaat Al-In‘ikaasi]

·        3- It is important to exclude detective stories and novels that teach children methods of crime and make it easy for them to employ such methods, in addition to the stories where the protagonists fall into major sins, such as killing, drinking alcohols and fornication. [Daleel At-Tarbiyah Al-Usariyyah]

·        4- The stories should be realistic: Strangely enough, most stories of nowadays are about adventures, violence and mythical people, some of them are animals or spacemen. The children are thus indulged in fancies with the stories of ‘Superman’ or ‘Batman’, ‘Mickey’ and ‘Cinderella’. These are Western stories that have been translated including all of the behaviors and absurdities which they relate. The least to be said about them is that they do not communicate lofty meanings related to upbringing, nor do they tend to inculcate sound morals and values. More gravely, they overlook the existence of Allah The Almighty altogether. Much more, some stories portray some protagonists as controlling the universe, instead of Allah The Almighty. Other stories are about the Jinn and devils. As such, they are harmful to children because they fill them with terror, as well as bearing no values or scientific benefits.’ [Atfaaluna Wal-Tarfeeh]

The children may have a reason for being attracted to such stories, because Muslims do not produce stories and animated movies with such a technology and exciting style that attracts the attention of children. This gap must be filled to satisfy our children.

Finally, Islam does not forbid art, nor does it forbid the moment of fall and weakness. However, it represents it as it should be – a transient moment of weakness after which a person restores his consciousness, not a moment of heroism.

This way, the requirements of art and the requirements of faith-based conception intersect without clashes. That is how Islam utilizes stories in bringing up children without evading its original objectives, steering away from the truth or changing art into sermons with superficial effect.’ [Awlaaduna Akbaaduna].

The Company We Choose to Keep

Allah has blessed me with many wonderful friendships throughout my life. Most have served as a comforting, healing balm that has pulled me through some of the more difficult times of my life. Others have created so much drama and turmoil that I couldn't cut them loose fast enough! I have friendships that have followed me from childhood until now, as I attempt to raise my own children, and I have encountered fresh, new relationships in the process of carving their own deep, meaningful connections. The Prophet  was known to have said, "When souls recognize one another, they will become friends, if not, they will simply part ways." [Muslim]

The Prophet  also stated, “A true believer is a mirror to his brother. He prevents him from any harm.” [Abu Daawood] We are in fact mirrors in some way of those we decide to take on as companions. I have been guilty of associating with individuals whose behavior is not worth mentioning, let alone imitating. I have suffered the consequences of those alliances. When left alone for a while after having departed their company, I would suddenly see the light and recognize them for the lying/undependable/deviant person they really were all along. But then also came the sobering realization that I might not be so different, as I had found something attractive enough in them to pursue an acquaintance, regardless of all the glaring, warning signs.

As believers, we are instructed to be careful of the companions we choose for friendship. Our friendships can draw us closer to our Creator or cause us to sever all ties of faith we have established. As with most relationships in this lifetime, we will experience blessings in some friendships, and trials through others. Just who are your friends? How do they affect the person you are or hope to become? What kind of friend are you?

The Peer Pressure that Never Ends

It doesn't matter if you are a high school student, university student, or working your way through the corporate world. Peer pressure is a never-ending presence that must be dealt with. Its face may change, but its goal is unwavering: to influence you by attacking your personal vulnerabilities. It may be the quiet urge to join your fellow students after a difficult exam at that party everyone's been talking about all week. Sure there will be drinking, smoking and free gender mixing, but you can still go and have a good time without indulging in all of that, right? Or maybe it's the feeling that you might fit in with your coworkers even better if just once and a while you joined them after work at their favorite little bar down the street. After all, there's no harm in a little socializing after work, right?

We all want to fit in. In our human desire to feel comfortable in our surroundings with others, we must always consider the cost, for there is a consequence for every action we choose. Most of us are usually aware of who, what, when and where pressure to do wrong can surface. It is important that we surround ourselves with righteous friendships, the kind that provides goodness, security, and remembrance of Allah. The Quran encourages us to cultivate such relationships: “And keep your soul content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His face, and let not your eyes pass beyond them, seeking the pomp and glitter of this Life; nor obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the remembrance of Us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond all bounds.” [Quran 18:28]

When faith wanes in the presence of beneficial friendships, you find that you are surrounded by those who stand strong in front of you, beside you, and behind you providing much needed support. When it seems you might slip and fall, they are there with ropes of faith that tie around you and pull you up and onward. The Prophet  gave a beautiful analogy of this sort of friendship saying, “The good companion and the bad companion are like the bearer of musk and the one who pumps from the bellows. With the bearer of musk, he will give you a share, or you will buy from him, or you will smell a pleasant scent from him; but the one who pumps the bellows, either he will burn your clothes or you will smell a foul stench from him.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

What About Your Friends?

We are most likely to be similar to those we spend the majority of our time with. As the Prophet  once said, “A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, look (carefully) whom you choose to befriend.” (Ahmad) So what are some specific traits of sincere, loving, true friends?

They Help You to Become a Better and More Productive Person. A good and sincere friend actually inspires you, through his/her words or actions, to do self-reflection and to improve yourself.

He/She is Like a Mirror to You. The Prophet  stated, "The believer is like a mirror to other believers (in truthfulness)." [Abu Daawood]. Like a mirror's ability to cast a true reflection, so should your friend be true enough to give you an honest image of yourself. They should be able to for-give your mistakes, but not hide or exaggerate your strengths and weaknesses.

His/Her Manners and Lifestyle Remind You of Allah? The Prophet was once asked, “Who is the best person to befriend?” He who helps you remember Allah, and reminds you when you forget Him," he wisely counseled. The Prophet  was also asked, "Who is best among people?" He replied, "He who, when you look at him, you remember Allah." A friend such as this reflects qualities of love, mercy, honesty, service, patience, optimism, professionalism, and the entire lifestyle taught by Islam.

Does He/She Love You Solely for the Sake of Allah? Often the friendships we have from school, work, and throughout our community may crumble over time if not initiated for the right reasons. A friendship based on Islamic principles is sincere and ever-lasting. It can be strengthened by a higher purpose and strong faith.

Do You Feel Comfortable and Secure in His/Her Presence? If you are in the midst of a friendship that leaves you feeling guilty about the things you do and the conversations you share, then it might be time to question the benefit of that relationship. Is the short time in this life with such a friend worth the consequences that you may ultimately have to face with Allah?

It is important that you have complete confidence in your values and beliefs. This makes setting limits and boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable much easier. You must be completely aware of your boundaries at all times. Above all, you must know what pleases and offends Allah. Friendships based on superficial principles can lead you to an artificial world of false hopes and illusion. There are two ways to handle a "toxic" friendship: either try gently to influence your friend through positive, Islamic inspiration, or simply to end the relationship. We are all familiar with the popular saying that every relationship that we encounter has "a season and a reason," meaning some friendships will stand the test of time and last a life-time, while others will be brief encounters. Every relationship has a valuable lesson for us to learn. When considering your friendships, remember the wise saying: “Being alone is better than having an evil companion; and having a sincere companion is better than being alone.” (Unknown)

#Children and Good Behavior

What is good behavior?

Is it to help one's mother at home?

Is it not to raise one's voice when speaking with her?

Is it to help one's father with his work?

Is it to be quiet and not disturb others?

Is it to do homework on time?

Is it one or all of these things?

The situation differs from one home to another and from one family to another.

Therefore, dear people who are responsible for the children’s upbringing, dealing with children's bad behavior is the most difficult task related to upbringing. This is because each of us has a strong legacy of feelings towards this issue. With such diversity of feelings and views towards the bad behavior of our children, we can answer this question: Why don't our children learn good behavior?

The following are the main reasons enumerated by specialists as being behind the children's inability to learn good behavior. They emanate from the diversity of feelings towards the behavior that we are about to change: 

1. Rejecting the way we were raised:

You may harbor some unpleasant memories of the way you were raised; (for example, you might have been slapped, locked up in your room, punished with your siblings for an offense committed by one of you, following the principle of generalized punishment).

As such, you are resolved to avoid all of such methods, whether right or wrong. Consequently, you bring up your children in a different way, because you think that your parents followed a mistaken approach with you.

This way of thinking is sound if you want to avoid the mistakes that your parents made towards you and, therefore, do not want to repeat the same mistakes in dealing with your own children. However, it is wrong when a child misbehaves and his parents do not react, because they used to reject their parents’ reaction to their misconduct. With this, the child does not learn good behavior but instead, maintains the bad one. 

2. Raising children following the approach of one’s parents:

On the contrary, some may boast about their parents and of how they brought up the preceding generation. Hence, they wish to emulate their method while considering other methods as quite mistaken, because they believe that their parents were more experienced, older and had a deeper understanding. Thus, fathers imitate their fathers and mothers copy their mothers in bringing up their children, while maintaining all the pros and cons.

This approach might be good if those responsible for the children’s upbringing want to benefit from the experience of their parents in bringing up their children and adopting the relevant points of distinction in this regard. The terrible mistake, however, is to make only our parents the standard of correctness, for they are fallible humans and it would not be wise to copy their mistakes.

3. Differences in methods of upbringing and parents’ beliefs:

Behavior that is bad in the eyes of the father may not be the same to the mother, and vice versa, due to differences in beliefs and methods whereby the father and mother have been brought up. This creates a great deal of discord between the spouses who turn to dispute in front of the children. The children would probably think that they are the cause behind the problems taking place between their parents.

4. Reactions of grown-ups to us when we want to deal with children’s misconduct:

Whether they are grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles or aunts, many people cannot help making comments and expressing their opinions on what they think is correct. Moved by good intentions, these people who might be relatives of the child, or friends of the parents, or even strangers, certainly have a great effect on parents and their children when they interfere.

5. Parents’ lack of focus on the child's individual needs and character:

Many parents follow the principle of generalization in dealing when they change children's misbehavior. They do not differentiate between those who make a mistake for the first time and those who regularly make mistakes. Moreover, they do not distinguish between those who misbehave intentionally and those who do so unintentionally; the old and the young, males and females, and the obstinate and the compliant. Thus, for many parents, it does not make a difference to change the children's misconduct in all these cases. They apply the principle of generalization, which in reality incorporates gross injustice and affects the child's responsiveness to changing their bad behavior. 

6. Not overlooking some matters:

A ten-month-old child enjoys throwing things off the chair, yet he quickly grows up and, after eighteen months, he becomes adequately capable of recognizing wrong behavior. Therefore, the challenge faced by the family is to determine the suitable time to encourage the children to apply the ideal behavior. A further challenge is to cleverly disregard the children's behavior in the formative years; because they do not realize the reality of their behavior.Therefore, parents should have infinite patience with children in this stage of life. They should maintain their safety, without repressing their freedom. 

7. Keeping in mind the norms of society:

Each society is dominated by certain habits and traditions. Some of these conform to Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) and, therefore, it is permissible to apply them.Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Take what is given freely, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.} [Quran 20:199] However, certain well-established traditions are often counter toSharee‘ah and, therefore, should be dismissed and replaced with that which complies with Sharee‘ah. When parents try to rectify the conduct of their children, they often experience an opposition from society, because the adaptation might be opposite to some social traditions. For example, when parents teach their child to seek permission before they enter upon others, some people may say, "Do not make things difficult for the child. Take it easy. The child is still young." The proper attitude to be taken by parents is to stand in the face of the bad habit that has been established in society, and teach their children the right conduct, and not be affected by what others say.

8. Changing bad behavior with anger:

Many parents mistakenly teach their children good conduct in a moment of fury. They associate their instruction with shouting, a loud voice, frowning and sometimes insulting and beating. This gives the children an awful impression about good conduct and makes it unpalatable. This is because in their subconscious mind, they associate good conduct with beating, shouting and punishment. Consequently, teaching good conduct should be separated from punishment. Rather, punishment may be used after teaching, so as to comply with justice.Children can be punished when they know what is right and do not adhere to it. However, it would be unfair to punish them for something which they do not know is wrong.

Before we conclude, we should provide those who are raising children with a definition to identify good behavior:

Good behavior is what is commanded by Allah The Almighty in the Quran and taught by the Prophet, , and dictated by the sound natural disposition, conventions and traditions.

Good behavior should not be formulated from people's opinions or the actions and traditions of relatives if they do not comply with the Sharee‘ahof Allah The Almighty and the Sunnah (tradition) of the Prophet, .

This is the good behavior that we want our children to uphold.

#Make Your Mark

When we're little, our parents are our heroes. We look up to them and get impressed by everything they do. We watch their every move and try to follow them. In our rooms, we play house; we pretend that we're cooking, cleaning, even raising our own (Cabbage Patch) kids.

We're amazed at how much they know and we're impressed by all that they can do. We hope that we can be just like them when we're grown up.

Then, when we're older gradually things change to overturn. We ignore them when they tell us to cut our hair or wear looser or longer clothing. We get mad at them when they ask about our friends and who they are. We even lie to them about what we do and where we're going.

We say that we don't want to be any-thing like our parents. We make promises to ourselves that we will never do such and such the way our parents did. And we're sure that when we have kids, we will know better how to raise them because we will be able to relate to them better.

“Parents just don't understand.” In the 1980s, this little mantra made a pop song a big hit on the charts. Kids of all generations agree on one thing that parents just don't understand. In fact, if you ask your own parents, you can probably get them to tell you of at least one instance when they felt that their own parents didn't understand them. Think about it. Think about our parents and forefathers. Do you seriously think that they didn't have issues that their parents couldn't understand?

Every generation faces a gap from the one preceding and the one following. Our generation is no exception. Of course we have differences in thoughts and ideals. It's virtually impossible to live in a growing, multicultural society and not have a generation gap. Things change rapidly and it's hard to keep up with advancements in technology, finance, culture, and language, to say the least. For example, the Ipod that you've got attached to your ear makes no sense to your parents, who still hold onto their cassettes.

But, these changes don't have to be the end-all for strong communication between the generations. On the contrary, there is much to be learned from earlier generations, especially from our parents. Islamically, we all know that we are supposed to respect our parents, do not behave them harshly or rudely and do not use even the silly expression such as ugh! We are to care for them in their old age. But what about actually being friends with our parents?

Your parents are the ones who most likely love you the most. They have shared their adult life with you, caring for you, providing for you, and loving you. They have sacrificed for you and they pray for only the best for you. Which friend does this for you? You have a lot in common with your friends, but you and your parents have more similarities than you might think.

The truth is that we are a product of all of our experiences; therefore, though we say that we don't want to be like our parents, we really are. In some way or another, we all have our parents' tendencies. Maybe you've learned to be punctual like your mother or you're always running late like your father. Whatever the habit or trait, it remains a mark left on you by your parents. It's like a finger-print of love; it's the invisible mark that our parents leave on us as they raise us. These marks ultimately define who we are and where we've been. These combine with your own individual and independent nature to create a whole being: You.

The real beauty of these marks is that we can choose them. We can determine what attribute of our parents we admire enough to keep. Maybe you admire your mother's honesty or your father's stability. We have been watching our parents all of our lives, we see how they live, we hear what they say and we soak it up either consciously or unknowingly. If we are now aware of what we see and hear, we can learn from it and perhaps incorporate it into our own lives.

Similarly, we can also see and hear what we don't like and we have the option to prevent ourselves from adopting what-ever unattractive traits they may have. The point is that we should not focus on our differences but rather hasten to find what we have in common. You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that your mom can do more than make a biryani.

#رخص_الحج

رَفْع الحرج، وعدم إلحاق الضرر والمشقة بالمكلف، من المقاصد الأساسية التي رعتها الشريعة، وتظافرت عليها أدلة الكتاب والسنة، ومن ذلك قوله جل وعلا: {يريد الله بكم اليسر } (البقرة 185) وقوله سبحانه: { يريد الله أن يخفف عنكم } (النساء 28) وقوله: {وما جعل عليكم في الدين من حرج } (الحج 78)، وقوله- صلى الله عليه وسلم-: ( إن الله يجب أن تؤتى رخصه كما يكره أن تؤتى معصيته ) رواه أحمد ، وفي رواية: ( إن الله تعالى يحب أن تؤتى رخصه كما يحب أن تؤتى عزائمه ) رواه البيهقي وغيره .

وقد قرر أهل العلم استناداً إلى هذه النصوص عدداً من القواعد الفقهية، التي تفيد رفع الحرج وإزالة الضرر والمشقة عن المكلف ؛ من ذلك قولهم: " المشقة تجلب التيسير " ، وقولهم : " الضرر مدفوع شرعاً " ، وقولهم : " الأمر إذا ضاق اتسع " ، ونحو ذلك مما أصله الفقهاء في قواعدهم الفقهية .

وهناك بعض الرخص التي شرعت في الحج تخفيفاً وتيسراً على المكلفين ومن ذلك :

- الأصل في الإحرام أن يكون عند المواقيت المكانية المحددة ، لكن يجوز لقاصد الحج أن يحرم قبل الميقات إن خشي فواته لجهل به أو نوم ، أو نحو ذلك .

- الأصل عدم جواز لبس المخيط للمحرم ، لكن إذا لم يجد المحرم إزاراً جاز له أن يلبس السراويل وإذا لم يجد نعلين جاز له أن يلبس الخفين .

كما أجاز بعض أهل العلم لبس المخيط إن كانت ثمة ضرورة تستدعي ذلك ، كبرد ، وجرح وما أشبه ذلك ، مع وجوب الفدية على الصحيح .

- لا حرج على المحرم أن يغتسل للتبرد ويغسل رأسه ويحكه برفق وسهولة إذا احتاج إلى ذلك.

- للمحرم أن يغسل ثيابه التي أحرم فيها من وسخ ونحوه، ويجوز له إبدالها بغيرها إذا كانت الثياب الثانية مما يجوز للمحرم لبسه .

- لا حرج في عقد الإزار وشد ما يحفظ المال على الوسط.

- يباح للمرأة من المخيط ما شاءت من الثياب من غير تبرج ولا زينة ، إلا أنها لا تلبس النقاب والبرقع ولا القفازين ، وإذا احتاجت إلى أن تضع الخمار على وجهها فلا حرج عليها ، بل ينبغي لها أن تسدل خمارها إذا قابلت الرجال الأجانب .

-الأصل في الإحصار الذي يجوز معه التحلل أن يكون بالعدو فحسب ، وأجاز بعض الفقهاء التحلل بالمرض ، أو بأي عذر يمنع المحرم من مواصلة أعمال الحج ، كنفاد النفقة ، أو ضياعها، أو ضلال الطريق، ونحو ذلك.

- الأصل في وقوف عرفة أن يكون نهارًا مع جزء من الليل، لكن لو مرَّ المحرم بعرفة مرورًا ، أو كان فيها نائمًا ، أو مغمًى عليه ، أو جاهلاً بأنها عرفة ، صح وقوفه عند بعض أهل العلم ، وأجزأه ذلك.

- الواجب عند بعض أهل العلم المبيت بمزدلفة إلى طلوع الفجر ، ورخَّص بعض الفقهاء تقديم الضعفة، وأصحاب الأعذار إلى منى بعد منتصف الليل لرمي جمرة العقبة  .

- الأصل في التكاليف الشرعية أن يقوم بها المكلف بنفسه ، لكن تجوز الإنابة في أعمال الحج كاملة ، لمرض ، أو عجز مُقْعِد، كما تجوز الإنابة في بعض الأعمال ، كالرمي لمن عجز عنه لمرض ، أو خوف زحام، أو دَفْعٍ شديد يعود عليه بالضرر والأذى ، ولم يمكنه الرمي في وقت آخر .

- الأصل في وقت الرمي أيام التشريق أن يكون بعد الزوال إلى الغروب ، وأجاز بعض أهل العلم الرمي ليلاً ، إن كان ثمة حاجة تدعو لذلك ، كخوف زحام وتدافع ، وعدم تمكن من الوصول إلى المرمى .

- الأصل لمن أراد التعجل أن ينفر من منى ثاني أيام التشريق ، وقبل غروب الشمس ، فإذا غربت عليه وهو فيها ، تعين عليه المبيت تلك الليلة ، وتعين عليه أيضًا الرمي في اليوم الثالث، لكن لو غربت عليه الشمس وتأخر بغير اختياره ، مثل أن يكون قد ارتحل وركب وتهيأ للخروج ، ولكن تأخر بسبب الزحام ونحوه فلا يلزمه شيء .

- المبيت في منى أيام التشريق ، واجب عند جمهور أهل العلم ، يلزم بتركه دم ؛ لكن ُرخَّص لأهل الأعذار ، ومن كان به مرض يشق معه المبيت ، أو له مريض يحتاج إلى تعهده ، ومن يشتغل بأمر يخاف فواته ، وما أشبه ذلك فهؤلاء لهم ترك المبيت ، ولا شيء عليهم .

- الأصل في طواف الإفاضة أن يكون في أيام النحر ، ولو فعله في أيام ذي الحجة ، أو بعدها صح ولا شيء عليه على الصحيح .

- الطهارة شرط عند جمهور أهل العلم لصحة الطواف ، لكن لو اضطرت الحائض أو النفساء لمغادرة مكة ، ولم تكن قد طافت طواف الإفاضة ، ولا يمكنها أن تبقى في مكة حتى تطوف ، ولا أن تعود من بلدها لتطوف ، ففي هذه الحالة تغتسل وتتحفظ ، وتطوف للإفاضة وتسعى، ويصح ذلك منها للضرورة .

- يرخص للحائض والنفساء ترك طواف الوداع وليس عليهما شيء ، لقول ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما : " أمر الناس أن يكون آخر عهدهم بالبيت إلا أنه خفف عن الحائض " .

هذه بعض الرخص التي يذكرها الفقهاء في هذا الباب ، والذي ينبغي على الحاج أن يتفقه في أحكام المناسك ، وأن يسأل أهل العلم فيما أشكل عليه منها ، وأن لا يكون همه الترخص والبحث عن الأسهل والأيسر فقط ، ولكن الاقتداء برسوله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - واتباع سنته وهديه ما استطاع إلى ذلك سبيلاً.

#محظورات_الإحرام

إذا أحرم العبد بالحج أو العمرة ودخل في النسك، فإن هناك أموراً تحرم عليه ما دام محرماً، وهذه الأمور هي التي يُطلق عليها أهل العلم محظورات الإحرام ، وهي على ثلاثة أقسام : قسم يشترك فيه الرجل والمرأة، وقسم محرم على الرجال فقط ، وقسم محرم على الإناث فقط.

فأما ما يشترك فيه الرجل والمرأة فهو:

1- إزالة شعر الرأس بحلق أو غيره لقوله تعالى: {ولا تحلقوا رءوسكم حتى يبلغ الهدي محله} (البقرة:196)، وألحق به جمهور أهل العلم شعر سائر البدن، وعليه فيحرم على الحاج أن يتعمد أخذ شيءٍ من شعره حال إحرامه، وتلزمه الفدية إن فعل ذلك، وأما لو سقط الشعر بغير اختياره فلا حرج عليه، ويجوز له إزالة شعره إن كان يتأذى ببقائه مع وجوب الفدية، لقوله جل وعلا: {فمن كان منكم مريضاً أو به أذىً من رأسه ففدية من صيام أو صدقة أو نسك} (البقرة:196)، وتفصيل ذلك سيأتي في الكلام عن أحكام الفدية.

2- تقليم الأظافر قياساً على حلق الشعر قال ابن قدامة رحمه الله: "أجمع أهل العلم على أن المحرم ممنوع من أخذ أظفاره"، ولا فرق في ذلك بين أظافر اليدين أو الرجلين ،  لكن لو انكسر ظفره وتأذى به ، فلا حرج أن يقص القدر المؤذي منه ، ولا فدية عليه.

3- استعمال الطيب في الثوب أو البدن لحديث ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما في الصحيح أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلّم قال في المُحْرِم: (لا يلبس ثوباً مسه ورسٌ ولا زعفران)، وقال في الذي وقصته راحلته فمات وهو محرم: (لا تُمِسوه طيباً ولا تخمروا رأسه) رواه البخاري.

والمقصود به ابتداء استعمال الطيب بعد الإحرام، وأما الطيب الذي تطيب به على بدنه قبل إحرامه وبقي أثره عليه فلا يضره بقاؤه لقول عائشة رضي الله عنها: (كنت أنظرُ إلى وبيص المسك في مفارق رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلّم - وهو مُحرم) متفق عليه.

4- عقد النكاح؛ لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (لا يَنْكِحُ المحرم ولا يُنْكَح ولا يخطب) رواه مسلم، فلا يجوز للمُحرِم أن يتزوج ولا أن يعقدَ النكاح لغيره، ولا أن يخطب حتى يحل من إحرامه.

5- المباشرة بشهوة بتقبيل أو لمس أو نحوه [ويُقصد بالمباشرة هنا: مماسة بشرة الرجل بشرة المرأة من غير حائل بشهوة] لقوله جل وعلا: {فلا رفث ولا فسوق ولا جدال في الحج} (البقرة:197)، ويدخل في الرفث مقدمات الجماع من تقبيل ولمس وما أشبه ذلك، وعليه فلا يحل للمحرم أن يقبل زوجته أو يمسها لشهوة ، كما لا يحل لها أن تمكنه من ذلك حال إحرامها.

6- الجماع لقوله تعالى: {الحج أشهر معلومات فمن فرض فيهن الحج فلا رفث ولا فسوق ولا جدال في الحج} (البقرة:197)، والرفث هو: الجماع ومقدماته، وهو أعظم المحظورات وأشدها تأثيراً على الإحرام، لأنه المحظور الوحيد الذي يفسد الحج به، وأما ما يترتب عليه فهو مفصل في أحكام الفدية.

7- قتل صيد البر المأكول لقوله تعالى: {وُحُرِّم عليكم صيد البر ما دمتم حُرُماً} (المائدة:96). فلا يجوز للمحرم اصطياد شيء من حيوانات البر المأكولة كالغزال والأرنب ونحوهما، ولا قتلُه ولا الإعانة على ذلك بدلالة أو إشارة أو مناولة أو نحو ذلك، كما يحرم عليه أن يأكل من الصيد إذا صاده غير المحرم لأجله ، وأما إذا لم يصده لأجله فلا حرج عليه في الأكل منه.

وأما المحظورات التي يختص بها الرجال دون النساء فهي:

1- لبس المخيط، لحديث لحديث ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم سُئل: ما يلبس المُحرِم من الثياب؟ قال: (لا يلبس القميص ولا العمامة ولا البرانس ولا السراويل ولا الخفاف ولا ثوباً مسه زعفران ولا ورس) متفق عليه ، والمقصود بالمخيط: ما يلبس ويفصَّل على هيئة الأعضاء ، سواء كان شاملاً للجسم كله كالبرنس والقميص، أو لجزء منه كالسراويل والخفاف والجوارب، ولا يقصد به ما فيه خيط، ويجوز للمحرم شد وسطه بحبل وحزام ونحوه، كما أن له أن يلبس الخفين إذا لم يجد نعلين.

2- تغطية الرأس بملاصق لقول النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلّم- في الذي وقصته راحلته بعرفة: (اغسلوه بماء وسدر، وكفنوه في ثوبيه، ولا تُخَمِّروا رأسَه -أي لا تُغطوه-) متفق عليه .

فلا يجوز للمحرم أن يغطي رأسه بما يلاصقه كالطاقية، والغترة، والعِمامة ونحو ذلك، أما إذا كان الغطاء غير ملاصق للرأس - كالشمسية مثلاً، أو الاستظلال بشجرة، أو خيمة أو سقف السيارة -  فلا حرج فيه لقول أم الحصين رضي الله عنها: حججت مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حجة الوداع فرأيت أسامة وبلالاً وأحدهما آخذ بخطام ناقة النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- والآخر رافع ثوبه يستره من الحر حتى رمى جمرة العقبة" رواه مسلم.

كما لا يجوز للمحرم أن يغطي وجهه لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام في الذي قتلته ناقته في الحج – كما في بعض الألفاظ-: (ولا تغطوا وجهه) رواه مسلم.

أما المرأة فلها أن تغطي رأسها ، ولها أن تلبس في الإحرام ما شاءت من الثياب من غير تبرج ولا زينة، ولكنها لا تنتقب ولا تلبس القفازين -وهما جوارب اليدين- ، ولها أن تُغطي وجهها إذا مر الرجال قريباً منها ، فتسدل الخمار على وجهها.

وجميع المحظورات السابقة لا يجوز فعلها عمداً من غير عذر، ومن ارتكب شيئاً منها عامداً من غير عذر فعليه الفدية مع الإثم، وأما من احتاج لفعل شيء منها لعذر يبيحُ له ذلك، فعليه ما يترتب على فعل المحظور من غير إثم، ومن فعل شيئاً منها ناسياً أو جاهلاً أو مُكرَهاً فلا شيء عليه على الصحيح لقول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: (رفع عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليه) رواه ابن ماجه، لكن متى زال العذر فَعَلِم الجاهل، وذكر الناسي، واستيقظ النائم ، وزال الإكراه وجب عليه التخلي عن المحظور فوراً ، فإن استمر عليه مع زوال العذر كان آثماً، وعليه ما يترتب على فعل المحظور من الفدية وغيرها، كمن غطى رأسه وهو نائم فلا شيء عليه ما دام نائماً، فإذا استيقظ لزمه أن يكشف رأسه فوراً، فإن استمر في تغطيته مع علمه بوجوب كشفه كان آثماً، وعليه ما يترتب على ذلك، وسيأتي تفصيل أحكام الفدية في موضوع مستقل.

#أنواع_النسك

من تيسير الله على عباده أن شرع لهم فريضة الحج على ثلاث صور ، رفقًا بهم، ودفعًا للحرج عنهم ، وهذه الصور هي ما يعرف عند أهل العلم بـ " أنواع النسك " ، فإذا وصل الحاج إلى الميقات في أشهر الحج - وهي شوال وذو القعدة والتسع الأول من ذي الحجة - وهو يريد الحج في عامه ذلك فإنه مخير بين ثلاثة أنواع من النسك وهي : التمتع وصفته أن يُحرم بالعمرة وحدها من الميقات في أشهر الحج قائلاً عند نية الدخول في الإحرام : " لبيك عمرة " ، ثم يقوم بأداء مناسك العمرة من طواف وسعي وحلق أو تقصير ليحل له كل شيء حرم عليه بالإحرام ، ثم يبقى في مكة حلالاً إلى اليوم الثامن من ذي الحجة وهو يوم التروية ، فإذا كان يوم الثامن أحرم بالحج وحده وأتى بجميع أعماله . القِران وصفته أن يحرم بالعمرة والحج معًا ، فيقول : " لبيك عمرة وحجًا " ، أو يُحرم بالعمرة من الميقات ثم يُدخل عليها الحج قبل أن يشرع في الطواف ، فإذا وصل إلى مكة طاف طواف القدوم ، وإن أراد أن يقدم سعي الحج فإنه يسعى بين الصفا والمروة ، وإلا أخره إلى ما بعد طواف الإفاضة ، ولا يحلق ولا يقصر ولا يحل من إحرامه ، بل يبقى محرماً إلى أن يحل منه يوم النحر ، والمتمتع والقارن - إذا لم يكونا من حاضري المسجد الحرام - فإنه يلزمهما هدي شكراً لله أن يسر لهما نسكين في سفر واحد . الإفراد وصورته أن يحرم بالحج وحده ، فيقول : "لبيك حجاً" فإذا وصل إلى مكة طاف طواف القدوم وسعى للحج إن أراد ، وإلا أخره إلى ما بعد طواف الإفاضة كالقارن ، واستمر على إحرامه حتى يحلَّ منه يوم العيد ، وبهذا يتبين أن أعمال المفرد والقارن سواء ، إلا أن القارن عليه الهدي لحصول النسكين له ، بخلاف المفرد فلا يلزمه الهدي ، لأنه لم يحصل له إلا نسك واحد وهو الحج . وقد أجمع أهل العلم - كما نقل ذلك ابن قدامة وغيره - على جواز الإحرام بأي نوع من هذه الأنساك الثلاثة ، لقول عائشة رضي الله عنها: "خرجنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فمنا من أهل بالعمرة ، ومنا من أهل بحج وعمرة ، ومنا من أهل بالحج"، إلا أنهم اختلفوا في أيها أفضل على ثلاثة أقوال والأحسن في هذا المقام التفصيل وأن ذلك يتنوع باختلاف حال الحاج - كما قال ابن تيمية رحمه الله - فإن كان يسافر للعمرة سفرة وللحج سفرة أخرى ، أو يسافر إلى مكة قبل أشهر الحج ويقيم بها حتى يحج، فهذا الإفراد له أفضل باتفاق الأئمة الأربعة ، وأما إذا فعل ما يفعله غالب الناس ، وهو أن يجمع بين العمرة والحج في سفرة واحدة ، ويقدم مكة في أشهر الحج ، فهذا إن ساق الهدى فالقِران في حقه أفضل ، وإنْ لم يسق الهدى ، فالتحلل من إحرامه بعمرة أفضل ليصير متمتعاً . لقول ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما وقد سُئل عن متعةِ الحج ؟ فقال : « أهل المهاجرون والأنصار وأزواج النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلّم- في حجة الوداع وأهللنا ، فلما قدمنا مكة قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلّم: ( اجعلوا إهلالكم بالحج عُمرةً إلا من قَلّد الهدي فَطُفنا بالبيت وبالصفا والمروة وأتينا النساء ولبسنا الثياب )  رواه البخاري . وللحاج إن خشي شيئاً يعوقه عن إتمام نسكه أن يشترط عند الإحرام فيقول : " إن حبسني حابس فمحِلِّي حيث حبستني " لحديث عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: " دخل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على ضباعة بنت الزبير فقال لها : ( لعلك أردت الحج؟ قالت والله لا أجدني إلا وجعة ، فقال لها : حجي واشترطي، قُولي : اللهم محلي حيث حبستني ) رواه البخاري .

#Hajj Organizers vs. the Man with the Crook

Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said in a 

Hadeeth (narration) in which he described what he saw in Paradise and Hell during the eclipse prayer: “Hell was displayed to me and that is when you saw me moving backwards for fear that its heat might touch me. I saw therein a man with a crook dragging his intestines in the fire - he used to steal from the pilgrims with his crook. If he was discovered he would say, ‘It got caught on my crook’; but if he was not noticed then he would take it.” [Muslim]

In another narration, ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘Aas, may Allah be pleased with them, said that the Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “I saw a man with a crook reclining on his crook in Hell. He used to steal (the belongings) of pilgrims with his crook. If he was noticed he would say, ‘I am not stealing from you, but it got caught on my crook.’” [Ahmad]

In a third narration, ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘Aas, may Allah be pleased with them, said that the Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “…until I saw in it (Hell) a man with a crook, who used to steal from pilgrims with his crook, reclining on his crook in Hell saying ‘I am the thief with the crook.’” [An-Nasaa’i]

This man with the crook combined two grave sins: the sin of stealing plus the sin of transgressing against the visitors of the most Merciful. Yes, the one who performs Hajj or ‘Umrah is the visitor of Allah The Almighty. Ibn Khuzaymah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  himtitled a chapter in his Saheeh indicating that pilgrims are the visitors of Allah The Almighty. Ibn Hibbaan  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him did the same and he cited the narrated Hadeeth on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “The guests of Allah are three: the one who is fighting in the Cause of Allah, the one who is performing Hajj and the one who is performing ‘Umrah.” [Ibn Hibbaan and An-Nasaa’i]

Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “The one who goes to fight in the Cause of Allah, the one who is performing Hajj and the one who is performing ‘Umrah are the guests of Allah whom He Invited and they accepted His invitation and asked from Him and He Gave them.” [Ibn Maajah]

“Guests of Allah” means those who walk to Allah and go to Him since they intend -- by their travel -- the pleasure and reward of Allah.

Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Had those who reside known the right of the pilgrims upon them, they would have gone to them when they arrived and kissed their mounting animals because they are the delegates of all people to Allah The Almighty.” [Al-Bayhaqi]

Once Al-Husayn bin ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, met pilgrims who said, “We want to go to Makkah.” He told them, “You are visitors of Allah. So, when you reach Makkah ask Allah for all your needs.” [Ibn Abi Shaybah]

Let us ponder on this following great Qudsi Hadeeth. Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Allah The Almighty said: ‘A slave whose body I made healthy for him and increased his provision, and five years pass without him visiting Me; indeed, he is deprived.’” [Ibn Hibbaan and Al-Bayhaqi]

Pilgrims are the visitors of Allah. They travel seeking the reward of Allah The Almighty and leave for His Sacred House which is made a place of return and security for people as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And [mention] when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place of] security.} [Quran 2:125] that is to say that people feel secure and safe for their souls and properties.

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), pointed out that robbing a pilgrim is a sin and a shame:

‘Abdullaah bin ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said on the pulpit: “May Allah forgive the tribe of Ghifaar! And may Allah save the tribe of Aslam! The tribe of ‘Usayyah have disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.” [Al-Bukhari]

Ibn Hajar  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said in Fat-h Al-Baari, “Banu Ghifaar used to rob pilgrims during the pre-Islamic era, so the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) supplicated Allah for them after their reverting to Islam in order to have their shame removed.”

Although “Reverting to Islam wipes out the sins committed before it,” the Prophet’s asking Allah The Almighty to forgive the tribe of Ghifaar after they reverted to Islam indicates how shameful and grave their sin was as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {and (you) thought it was insignificant while it was, in the Sight of Allah, tremendous.} [Quran 24:15]

The clever thief and the organizers of Hajj campaigns:

Beware and contemplate… the man with the crook who is mentioned in the Hadeeth is what modern law calls “the clever thief”. He does not kill or physically harm anyone. He does not burglarize any building or break its locks. He does not carry a weapon to threaten and terrify those whom he robs. However, he commits a grave sin because he transgresses against the visitors of Allah The Almighty. This is a very heinous crime which exceeds the crime of theft. Accordingly, those who organize Hajj campaigns should beware of being gathered on the Day of Resurrection with the man of the crook if they transgress against pilgrims by taking their money unjustly. For example, they may promise the pilgrims services and advantages to be delivered in Hajj whereas these promises are mere lies to steal from them and usurp their money.

Flag of the angel and flag of the devil:

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “No one comes out of his home but there are two flags in his hand: a flag that is held by an angel and a flag that is held by a devil. If he goes out for whatever pleases Allah The Almighty, the angel will follow him and he will remain under the flag of the angel until he returns home. If he goes out for whatever displeases Allah, the devil will follow him and he will remain under the flag of the devil until he returns home.” [Ahmad]

Hence, those who go out to perform Hajj or in the service of pilgrims enjoy the shade of the angel’s flag. It is a magnificent pride and honor and a great reward. On the other hand, those who go out for the sake of robbing pilgrims and usurping their money are wretched under the flag of Satan. What a humiliation, and what a sin and punishment!

Beware of consuming any ill-gotten gain:

The one who used to steal from the pilgrims with his crook will drag his intestines in Hell. Why will he drag his intestines and not any other part of his body in Hell?

That is because the intestines are the resting place of the ill-gotten gains which he made out of stealing from pilgrims. It is from that ill-gotten food that his flesh grew on and with which his body became strong. Jundub bin ‘Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that he heard the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), saying: “The first thing to rot in the human’s body after death will be his abdomen, so let him only eat food from lawful gains.” [Al-Bukhari]

In this Hadeeth, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), pointed out that the first thing to rot after the person’s death is the abdomen. He urges us to eat only what is gained by lawful means so that our end will not be like that of the man with the crook who filled his stomach with ill-gotten gains. Ka‘b bin ‘Ujrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said to him: “O Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah, no flesh grows that is nourished by unlawful gain but Hell is more befitting for it.” [At-Tirmithi]

There is no blessing in unlawful gains and the person who consumes it will not find rest in this worldly life, and in the Hereafter his end will be Hell.

The Many Virtues of #Hajj – II

… Continued

·        After the pilgrim starts saying, “Labbayk Allahumma labbayk (Here I am at your service, O Allah, here I am)” at the Meeqaat (station from where one enters into the state of Ihraam), he must not continue sinning further, having responded to his Lord’s call. When he says it he should think of it as, “I am responding to Your prohibition of it (committing sins) and this is the time I am giving it up.”

·        When he enters the Sacred House of Allah The Almighty, which He has made a sanctuary for humankind, he remembers the sanctuary of the Day of Resurrection, which no one can reach without first striving hard in this world. Tawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allah The Almighty) and shunning Shirk (association of others with Allah The Almighty) provides the greatest sanctuary on that Day. Allah The Almighty Says which means: {They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice – those will have security, and they are (rightly) guided.} [Quran, 6: 82]

·        Kissing the Black Stone, which is amongst the first rituals to be carried out, teaches the pilgrim to honor the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) and not oppose the laws of Allah The Almighty with his feeble reasoning. He realises that there is wisdom behind the laws and rites which Allah The Almighty has prescribed for humankind, and trains himself to submit to his Lord wholly. ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said after he kissed the Black Stone, “I know that you are only a stone and that you can neither benefit nor harm. If I had not seen the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) kiss you, I would not have kissed you.” [Al-Bukhari, Muslim]

·        When the pilgrim does Tawaaf, he is reminded of his father Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention, who built the House so it could be a place of refuge for humankind and a safe haven, and that he called them to perform pilgrimage to this House. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), also called humanity to perform pilgrimage to this House, and Moosa, Yoonus and ‘Eesa, may Allah exalt their mention, also came for the same purpose. This House was venerated by all these Prophets.

·        When drinking Zamzam, the pilgrim is reminded of the blessedness of this holy water, from which millions of people have drunk throughout history, yet it has never dried up. He is encouraged to make Du’aa (supplications) when he drinks it, according to the Hadeeth in which the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), is reported to have said:“The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.” [Ibn Maajah, Ahmad]

·        When he does the Sa’y, he is reminded of the despair of Haajar, the mother of Ismaa’eel, may Allah exalt his mention, who ran back and forth between Safa and Marwah searching for water so she could give her little son water to drink. When a man remembers the struggle and patience of this great woman, it makes it easier for him to bear his problems; a woman will also relate to Haajar’s suffering and find it easier to cope with the tribulations of life.

·        Standing on the day of ‘Arafah reminds the pilgrim of the throngs of people on the Day of Gathering. If the pilgrim is tired due to being in a crowd of thousands, how will it feel to stand amongst the hordes of barefoot, naked, uncircumcised people, for fifty thousand years?

·        When throwing the pebbles at the Jamaraat (the three small stone-built pillars in Mina), the Muslim trains himself to obey Allah The Almighty without arguing and questioning His commands, even if he does not understand the reason and wisdom behind this act, and cannot make the connection between rulings and their purpose. This is the manifestation of complete submission to Allah The Almighty.

·        When he slaughters his sacrificial animal, he is reminded of the great incident when Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention, submitted to the command of Allah The Almighty to sacrifice his only son Ismaa’eel, may Allah exalt his mention, after he had grown up and become a helping hand for him; there is no room for emotions which go against the commands of Allah The Almighty. This teaches him to respond to what Allah The Almighty orders, as He tells us that Ismaa’eel said: {…‘O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.’}[Quran, 37: 102]

The Many Virtues of #Hajj - I

There are numerous Hadeeths (narrations) that talk about the virtues of Hajj and its great reward. Some of these are:

·        Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “From one ‘Umrah to another is an expiation for the sins committed between them, and the accepted Hajj has no less a reward than Paradise.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

·        ‘Aa’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), “O Messenger of Allah, can we not go out on campaigns and fight in Jihaad with you?” He said: “But the best and most beautiful of Jihaad is an accepted Hajj.” ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “I never stopped going for Hajj after I heard that from the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).” [Al-Bukhari]

·        ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “Hajj wipes out whatever (sins) came before it.” [Muslim]

·        ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “Keep on doing Hajj and ‘Umrah, for they eliminate poverty and sin just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron, gold and silver.” [At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa’i]

·        Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “The one who fights for the sake of Allah and the pilgrim who goes for Hajj or ‘Umrah are all guests of Allah. He called them and they responded; they ask of Him and He will give them.” [Ibn Maajah]

Allah The Almighty Himself Says which means: {That they may witness (i.e., attend) benefits for themselves…} [Quran, 22: 28] The benefits of Hajj are both worldly and religious (spiritual). As for the latter, the one who goes for Hajj earns the pleasure of his Lord and comes back with all his sins forgiven. He also earns immense reward, which he cannot earn in any other place. For instance, one prayer in Al-Masjid al-Haraam (i.e., the Sacred Mosque in Makkah), is equal to a hundred thousand prayers elsewhere, and Tawaaf (circumambulation of the Ka’bah) and Sa’y (pacing between Safa and Marwah) cannot be done anywhere else. Other benefits include meeting other Muslims and discussing their circumstances, encountering scholars and learning from them and asking them about one’s problems. Worldly benefits include trade and business, as well as other kinds of earnings related to Hajj.

Some examples of the wisdom behind some of the rituals of Hajj are:

·        When the pilgrim travels for Hajj, he leaves his near and dear ones behind as well as his homeland, which reminds him of his final journey to Allah The Almighty and the Hereafter.

·        Whoever equips themselves with provisions sufficient to help them reach the sacred land should remind themselves that they also need enough provisions to help them reach their final destination. Allah The Almighty Says which means: {…And take provision, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah…}[Quran, 2: 197]

·        Traveling is tiring, and this is also true of the journey to the Hereafter – only on a much greater scale. Man goes through various stages of existence: there is the stage of his passing away, the grave, the gathering, the accounting, the scales and As-Siraat (a bridge that will be laid across Hellfire, for people to pass over on the Day of Judgment), followed by either Paradise or Hell. The only ones who truly blessed are those whom Allah The Almighty saves.

·        When the pilgrim puts on the two garments of his Ihraam (the state of a pilgrim in which he performs Hajj and ‘Umrah, and during which he is prohibited from certain acts that are lawful otherwise), he is reminded of the shroud in which he will be wrapped after he dies. This prompts him to give up disobedience and misdeeds. Just as he gives up his regular clothing (for Hajj), likewise he should give up sins. Just as he has put on two clean, white garments, he has to cleanse his heart and make it clean and pure, and guard his senses so they remain uncorrupted, uncontaminated and unsullied by sins and disobedience.

(To be continued)

Errors and Innovations in #Hajj – II

Continued

·        Supplicating after stoning the big Jamarah.

·        Some people think that they are actually stoning Satan and that he is there physically, and start giving Satanic names to each of the three Jamaraat. This is incorrect and is not permitted.

·        Wasting the meat of the sacrificial animal after slaughtering it, even though it is possible to distribute it amongst the poor.

·        Running and uncovering the right shoulder (for men) during Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah, while this should only be done during the first Tawaaf.

·        Some people push, shove and harm others in order to kiss the Black Stone, they may even abuse others or hit them. This is not suitable behavior for such a place, and Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Hajj is (during) well known months, so whoever has made hajj obligatory upon himself therein (by entering the state of ihram), there is (to be for him) no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj}[Quran, 2: 197]

·        Some people believe that the Black Stone benefits on its own and they touch it with their hands then rub their bodies with them. This is ignorance, because Allah The Almighty alone is the One who benefits, and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him,said while he was touching it, "I know that you are merely a stone which neither harms nor benefits, and had it not been that I saw the Prophet , kissing you I would not have kissed you."

·        Some people touch all corners of the Ka’bah, and all four of its walls. This is incorrect; theSunnah (Prophetic tradition) is to only touch the corner which contains the Black Stone and Yemeni Corner.

·        Kissing the Yemeni Corner when one is only supposed to touch it with the hand if possible or else pass it without uttering “Allahu Akbar” or doing anything else.

·        Some people commit to certain supplications during Tawaaf.

·        Some people recite supplications aloud so that others can collectively repeat after them. This is incorrect, because it disturbs others around them and contradicts the Sunnah.

·        Some people push others in order to pray behind the station of Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention. It is permissible to pray the two Rak’ahs after Tawaaf anywhere in the mosque.

·        Some people recite the Quran for a long time during the two Rak’ahs after Tawaaf, then raise their hands and supplicate.

·        Some people perform Tawaaf as a group while holding each other’s hands, thus make things extremely difficult for others trying to perform Tawaaf.

·        It is not permissible to go inside the semi-circular wall that begins at the corner after the black stone, because this area is considered as being inside the Ka’bah. If this is done then one must repeat the current circuit.

·        Combining prayers in Mina.

·        Not spending the night in Mina.

·        Abandoning supplications after stoning the first two Jamaraat.

·        Some people stone during times other than those designated for stoning, which starts when the sun reaches its zenith.

·        Some people think that they are actually stoning Satan and that he is there physically, so they shout and scream. We must remember that this rite was legislated so as to establish the remembrance of Allah The Almighty, and this is why the Prophet, , used to utter “Allahu Akbar” after each pebble.

·        Supplicating after stoning the last one of the three Jamaraat.

·        Some people do not stone the three Jamaraat in the correct sequence.

·        Some people throw all pebbles at once, which is a serious mistake that necessitates that they must re-throw, as the scholars have said, "If someone throws all pebbles in one go, it will count as one pebble only. One should throw only one pebble at a time."

·        Some people authorise others to throw on their behalf whilst being capable of doing it themselves, and this contradicts the command of Allah The Almighty for fulfilling the rites ofHajj.

·        Some people authorise others to stone on their behalf and then return to their countries without spending the nights in Mina during the days of Tashreeq, and without stoning.

·        Some people go from Minaon the day they are returning to their countries of residence and perform the farewell Tawaaf, they then return to Mina and stone the last day’s three Jamaraat. By doing so, they have not made the farewell Tawaaf the last act that they have performed.