n : Life after Hajj- What Change it should bring?
http://www.ummah.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-79181.html
fiazfazili
25-02-06, 11:30 AM
---Life after Haj….. What change it means?
Adriana Decker,young lady Doctor from Canada was amongst three million Muslims who stood in Arafat seeking forgiveness;.She remembers her hard journey from catholic nun to a devout Muslim seven years back. Now she is returning home with clean slate with a mission and message for others. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.Allah the Exalted one,Says:"The first house of worship appointed for men was that at Bakka(Bakka is one of the names of Makkah);full of blessings & guidance for all kinds of beings : in it are signs manifest (for example)the station of Abraham-whoever enters it attains security ,pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah-those who can afford the journey: but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of his creatures"(Qur,an3;96-97).Hajj is Islam's fifth principle. In other words, it is fard to go and visit the Kaba al- muazzama once in a lifetime.The lexical meaning of hajj is 'to mean, to do, to wish.'. How fortunate are these souls who are blessed with the following words from Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam: "Whoever performs Hajj for the Pleasure of Allah and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it (free from sin) as the day on which his mother gave birth to him." —Bukhaari, Muslim --"Verily there shall be no reward for a Mabroor Hajj except Jannah." —Bukhaari, Muslim. Hajj is a preparation for our mission of Islam because the pilgrim starts his or her Hajj with repeating the slogan of “labayk,” which means “I am here to listen and obey.” So the Hajj training is supposed to train us to carry this mission of Islam when we are back.Uunfortunately many of us have witnessed actions and celebrations after Hajj which are in total contradistinction to the philosophy of HAJJ.Religious scholars throughout the world have cautioned these Hajji Sahiban against these practices.Those whom Allah has favored to perform Hajj and `Umrah should be thankful to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) Who has chosen them from among His servants to perform these acts of worship, and they should implore Almighty Allah to accept their good deeds.It is hoped that all the pilgrims were sincere in their intentions and had traveled great distances only to secure the Pleasure of Allah by fulfilling the obligation laid down upon them. Nevertheless, it is worth drawing the attention of the pilgrims towards certain points that are necessary and of utmost importance to observe and for which many pilgrims are seen neglectful of their significance.Firstly the sincerity of intention should remain even after the performance of Hajj. There should be no pomp or show. One should not wish to be called or recognized as a Hajji, which with the time unfortunately is reduced to status symbol.Many people adopt the habit of talking frequently about their journey in order that people may come to know of their Hajj. They talk about the expenses incurred in the way of Allah, their charity amongst the poor and needy, their devotion and worship, their assisting the weak and old, etc.; This is a deceit from Shaytaan who ruins the ibaadat without the person even knowing. It is therefore of great importance that the pilgrim does not talk about his Hajj without necessity as it may lead to 'Riyaa' (exhibitionism, show, insincerity). However, if necessity arises and one must talk about his Hajj then he is at liberty to do so. But, he must not indulge in this type of conversation unnecessarily. The hadith that explains that the sign of a 'Mabroor Hajj, or an accepted Hajj, is that upon one's return, his life changes from worst to good. the sign of an accepted Hajj —a Hajj mabroor—that a person after Hajj becomes more caring about the Hereafter and less interested in the pleasures of this life. He becomes totally punctual in fulfilling the commands of Allah Ta'aala. Therefore, it is essential that the pilgrim is watchful over his actions and should try his utmost to instill in himself good characters and refrain from all types of evil. He should try his best to fulfill the obligations laid down by Allah and avoid all the things forbidden by Him.We also urge the pilgrims, after they return from the Sacred Land, to keep their minds and souls attached to Allah, remembering Him constantly because Almighty Allah says, “And when ye have completed your devotions, then remember Allah as ye remember your fathers or with a more lively remembrance…” (Al-Baqarah: 200)
“Hajj , as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the hadith, purifies sins and makes a person like a newborn and thus closer to Allah. It is therefore important for Hajjis to try their best to preserve this pure state as best they can. Eminent religious scholars have suggested for enhancing our iman(faith) after Hajj few tips to help them achieve this: 1. Try to be consistent in dhikr(remembrance of Allah), for dhikr helps us to come closer to the Lord and repels Satan. 2. Remain steadfast in performing salah (ritual Prayers) and other religious duties. 3. Read and ponder the Qur'an on a daily basis.4. Keep company with righteous Muslims.5. Occupy time in good deeds as much as possible.6. Keep away from the haram (forbidden) because after Hajj a person should start a new life that is supposed to be clean. 7. Carry the message of Islam by inviting people to it and showing a good example. 8. Pray to Allah to make your heart steadfast in obeying Him in the manner of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Sheikh Ahmad Kutty recommends the following du`aa’ (supplication):Allaahumma yaa muqalliba al-quloobi thabbit qalbee `alaa ta'atika. (O Allah! You are the twister of hearts! Make my heart firm on obedience to You!).”
The new Hajji should be very keen to avoid evil and shameful deeds especially after Allah has obliterated them and forgave all his sins, as a reward of performing Hajj. This is based on the hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing but Paradise.” He also said, "(The performance of) `Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous one.”There are many acts of Hajj whose significance man cannot conceive by his limited intellectual powers. However, a Muslim accepts these acts and fulfills them out of his obedience and surrender to Almighty Allah.All these endless questions may intrigue one’s mind, but the clear fact is that their answers are beyond man’s limited faculty, and only what he is required to say is: I hear and obey Your Command, O Allah! Yours is to order and mine is to obey.Therefore, it behooves every Hajji to forward due gratitude to Allah for being chosen to perform those acts of worship and, at the same time, to beseech Him for acceptance. The advice for such a person, upon returning home, to be conscious of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) when performing all what Allah has obligated him to do of the other worships such as Salah (Prayers), Zakah, Fasting, dutifulness to his parents, visiting kith and kin, being charitable and benevolent to Allah’s creatures, experiencing the etiquettes of Islam, taking the morals of the Qur’an as a model and the like of what the Muslim should do.
Hajj is considered an honor and a blessing, the more it entails responsibility on which man will be asked concerning on the Day of Judgment in case he misbehaves after returning from Hajj. Almighty Allah says, (Lo! Allah enjoineth justice and kindness, and giving to kinsfolk, and forbiddeth lewdness and abomination and wickedness. He exhorteth you in order that ye may take heed. Fulfill the covenant of Allah when ye have covenanted, and break not your oaths after the asseveration of them, and after ye have made Allah surety over you. Lo! Allah knoweth what ye do.) (An-Nahl: 90-91).The epitome of this is that this worship (Hajj) is obligated once in lifetime. No doubt, Hajj is a golden opportunity to have one’s sins forgiven, one’s soul refined, and one’s heart filled with iman and tranquility .So, the pilgrim will make use of this for the rest of his life, reminiscing about the sacred places and all rituals (of Hajj), for that will strengthen his faith and help him to obey Allah.. I hope those who have gone to Hajj learnt good lessons from this journey, and apply all these in daily life and fulfill the responsibility towards the other muslim brethern and society . The one who performs Hajj is supposed to be a role model for others after returning.Quotes from Scholars ;Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi(USA), Dr. Sabri `Abder-Ra’oof, (Al-Azhar Univ);Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi(Islamic Scholar).;Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, (Toronto)Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi,(Canada). http://www.isna.net (http://www.isna.net/);:ahb: is ir right to write Hajjee before anyones name- many scholars have asked people against it- please comment
DR Fiaz Maqbool Fazili (Medinah Munawarah)- Kashmir Religious & Research Council ;further information ,join and email us at ; koshurmuslman@yahoogroups.com (http://us.f541.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=koshurmuslman@yahoogroups.com)
Adriana Decker,young lady Doctor from Canada was amongst three million Muslims who stood in Arafat seeking forgiveness;.She remembers her hard journey from catholic nun to a devout Muslim seven years back. Now she is returning home with clean slate with a mission and message for others. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.Allah the Exalted one,Says:"The first house of worship appointed for men was that at Bakka(Bakka is one of the names of Makkah);full of blessings & guidance for all kinds of beings : in it are signs manifest (for example)the station of Abraham-whoever enters it attains security ,pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah-those who can afford the journey: but if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of his creatures"(Qur,an3;96-97).Hajj is Islam's fifth principle. In other words, it is fard to go and visit the Kaba al- muazzama once in a lifetime.The lexical meaning of hajj is 'to mean, to do, to wish.'. How fortunate are these souls who are blessed with the following words from Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam: "Whoever performs Hajj for the Pleasure of Allah and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it (free from sin) as the day on which his mother gave birth to him." —Bukhaari, Muslim --"Verily there shall be no reward for a Mabroor Hajj except Jannah." —Bukhaari, Muslim. Hajj is a preparation for our mission of Islam because the pilgrim starts his or her Hajj with repeating the slogan of “labayk,” which means “I am here to listen and obey.” So the Hajj training is supposed to train us to carry this mission of Islam when we are back.Uunfortunately many of us have witnessed actions and celebrations after Hajj which are in total contradistinction to the philosophy of HAJJ.Religious scholars throughout the world have cautioned these Hajji Sahiban against these practices.Those whom Allah has favored to perform Hajj and `Umrah should be thankful to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) Who has chosen them from among His servants to perform these acts of worship, and they should implore Almighty Allah to accept their good deeds.It is hoped that all the pilgrims were sincere in their intentions and had traveled great distances only to secure the Pleasure of Allah by fulfilling the obligation laid down upon them. Nevertheless, it is worth drawing the attention of the pilgrims towards certain points that are necessary and of utmost importance to observe and for which many pilgrims are seen neglectful of their significance.Firstly the sincerity of intention should remain even after the performance of Hajj. There should be no pomp or show. One should not wish to be called or recognized as a Hajji, which with the time unfortunately is reduced to status symbol.Many people adopt the habit of talking frequently about their journey in order that people may come to know of their Hajj. They talk about the expenses incurred in the way of Allah, their charity amongst the poor and needy, their devotion and worship, their assisting the weak and old, etc.; This is a deceit from Shaytaan who ruins the ibaadat without the person even knowing. It is therefore of great importance that the pilgrim does not talk about his Hajj without necessity as it may lead to 'Riyaa' (exhibitionism, show, insincerity). However, if necessity arises and one must talk about his Hajj then he is at liberty to do so. But, he must not indulge in this type of conversation unnecessarily. The hadith that explains that the sign of a 'Mabroor Hajj, or an accepted Hajj, is that upon one's return, his life changes from worst to good. the sign of an accepted Hajj —a Hajj mabroor—that a person after Hajj becomes more caring about the Hereafter and less interested in the pleasures of this life. He becomes totally punctual in fulfilling the commands of Allah Ta'aala. Therefore, it is essential that the pilgrim is watchful over his actions and should try his utmost to instill in himself good characters and refrain from all types of evil. He should try his best to fulfill the obligations laid down by Allah and avoid all the things forbidden by Him.We also urge the pilgrims, after they return from the Sacred Land, to keep their minds and souls attached to Allah, remembering Him constantly because Almighty Allah says, “And when ye have completed your devotions, then remember Allah as ye remember your fathers or with a more lively remembrance…” (Al-Baqarah: 200)
“Hajj , as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the hadith, purifies sins and makes a person like a newborn and thus closer to Allah. It is therefore important for Hajjis to try their best to preserve this pure state as best they can. Eminent religious scholars have suggested for enhancing our iman(faith) after Hajj few tips to help them achieve this: 1. Try to be consistent in dhikr(remembrance of Allah), for dhikr helps us to come closer to the Lord and repels Satan. 2. Remain steadfast in performing salah (ritual Prayers) and other religious duties. 3. Read and ponder the Qur'an on a daily basis.4. Keep company with righteous Muslims.5. Occupy time in good deeds as much as possible.6. Keep away from the haram (forbidden) because after Hajj a person should start a new life that is supposed to be clean. 7. Carry the message of Islam by inviting people to it and showing a good example. 8. Pray to Allah to make your heart steadfast in obeying Him in the manner of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Sheikh Ahmad Kutty recommends the following du`aa’ (supplication):Allaahumma yaa muqalliba al-quloobi thabbit qalbee `alaa ta'atika. (O Allah! You are the twister of hearts! Make my heart firm on obedience to You!).”
The new Hajji should be very keen to avoid evil and shameful deeds especially after Allah has obliterated them and forgave all his sins, as a reward of performing Hajj. This is based on the hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing but Paradise.” He also said, "(The performance of) `Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous one.”There are many acts of Hajj whose significance man cannot conceive by his limited intellectual powers. However, a Muslim accepts these acts and fulfills them out of his obedience and surrender to Almighty Allah.All these endless questions may intrigue one’s mind, but the clear fact is that their answers are beyond man’s limited faculty, and only what he is required to say is: I hear and obey Your Command, O Allah! Yours is to order and mine is to obey.Therefore, it behooves every Hajji to forward due gratitude to Allah for being chosen to perform those acts of worship and, at the same time, to beseech Him for acceptance. The advice for such a person, upon returning home, to be conscious of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) when performing all what Allah has obligated him to do of the other worships such as Salah (Prayers), Zakah, Fasting, dutifulness to his parents, visiting kith and kin, being charitable and benevolent to Allah’s creatures, experiencing the etiquettes of Islam, taking the morals of the Qur’an as a model and the like of what the Muslim should do.
Hajj is considered an honor and a blessing, the more it entails responsibility on which man will be asked concerning on the Day of Judgment in case he misbehaves after returning from Hajj. Almighty Allah says, (Lo! Allah enjoineth justice and kindness, and giving to kinsfolk, and forbiddeth lewdness and abomination and wickedness. He exhorteth you in order that ye may take heed. Fulfill the covenant of Allah when ye have covenanted, and break not your oaths after the asseveration of them, and after ye have made Allah surety over you. Lo! Allah knoweth what ye do.) (An-Nahl: 90-91).The epitome of this is that this worship (Hajj) is obligated once in lifetime. No doubt, Hajj is a golden opportunity to have one’s sins forgiven, one’s soul refined, and one’s heart filled with iman and tranquility .So, the pilgrim will make use of this for the rest of his life, reminiscing about the sacred places and all rituals (of Hajj), for that will strengthen his faith and help him to obey Allah.. I hope those who have gone to Hajj learnt good lessons from this journey, and apply all these in daily life and fulfill the responsibility towards the other muslim brethern and society . The one who performs Hajj is supposed to be a role model for others after returning.Quotes from Scholars ;Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi(USA), Dr. Sabri `Abder-Ra’oof, (Al-Azhar Univ);Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi(Islamic Scholar).;Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, (Toronto)Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi,(Canada). http://www.isna.net (http://www.isna.net/);:ahb: is ir right to write Hajjee before anyones name- many scholars have asked people against it- please comment
DR Fiaz Maqbool Fazili (Medinah Munawarah)- Kashmir Religious & Research Council ;further information ,join and email us at ; koshurmuslman@yahoogroups.com (http://us.f541.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=koshurmuslman@yahoogroups.com)
