Delaying Hajj Could Be Your Downfall. Don’t Delay Hajj Anymore.

Delaying Hajj Could Be Your Downfall. Don’t Delay Hajj Anymore. When Are You Going To Perform Hajj; Perform Hajj As Soon As Possible “Beware of Lame Excuses”.- GAWAH EXPREE28TH JULY2023 Have you delayed your “HAJJ”? Almighty says: “Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey” (Quran Al`Imran ) This is also based on the Hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: “Whoever possesses provision and conveyance for a journey to the House of Allah (in Makkah) and delay from the year of Capability is wrong and sinful;.the ruling on one who delays Hajjfor no valid reason when he has the means and is able to do it then he is a disbeliever of Allah.(Hadith-tirmidhi ) –dr fiaz fazili Hajj 2023 has begun.The first batch of Hajj 2023 pilgrims from Bangladesh arrived in Jeddahon Sunday,21st May,2023 through the dedicated Makkah Route initiative, at the seasonal Hajj terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport. The arrival of this year’s pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia marks the beginning of the first full capacity Hajj season after two limited years due to COVID-19.Congregational lines at the two holy mosques are beginning to be filled during every daily prayer, hotels as well as place of accommodation in the surrounding area are being occupied, luxury buses move constantly in and out of the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah Transporting pilgrims The dream Haramain high Speed railway project that links the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, with an announcement from operational manager that number of trips will increase during the Haj season a clear sign that the Hajj season for the year1436 Hijrah has begun.Since its launch, the Haramain Train has operated more than 25,000 trips,maintaining a 95 per cent accuracy in its service schedule. Back home some Hajj aspirants who fulfilled the conditions that make one capable but didn’t figure in the official list of pilgrims this year, some of them could manage to fulfil this Farz(obligatory duty ) through Private Hajj and Umrah TourOperators(PTOS) , and those who couldn’t meet their terms and conditions of the booking keep alive their slim hopes of securing a place at next year. The UnionMinistry of Minority Affairs, Govt of India, has confirmed the list of eight private Hajj operators from Jammu & Kashmir forHajj 2023 pilgrimage. HGo’scommitted to provide quality Hajj 2023 program to pilgrims visiting the holy land Makkah and Madinah have come out with the bestHajj packages for the best prices. Comfort and luxury are the signatures of every journey, and hajj aspirants intending to fulfil this obligatory duty through (PTOs)are looking for a package suitable to their budgetary capacity and individual needs.Hajj is a bounded duty unto humankind for anyone who has the means to find the way here unto, (Quran). Hajj has to be performed the year, in which one is capable of doing so once in a lifetime obligatory upon every Muslim adult, male and female.The capability is based on the conditions that person is physically and mentally fit (not insane not valid to travel),to be a free person, (not to be a slave);to have sufficient provision for one's dependents,. eg. children, for the duration of one's absence as well as to possess all requirements for two way travel and staying at holy places be financially sound. There should be no obstacles that prevent him/her from travelling for Hajj.i.e valid documents ,security of route;etc’. A woman must be accompanied by her husband or a Mahram--a male member of the family whom she is NOT allowed to marry according to Islamic law has been relaxed by Saudi authorities. Delay from the year of Capability is wrong. The Prophet (Saw) said: "The reward of Hajj Mabrur(i.e., one accepted) is nothing but paradise.'' [Bukhaari). Why would one delay the prospect of performing a Hajj mabroor, the accepted Hajj, the reward of which is nothing less than the Jannah(paradise)? Many religious scholars hold the opinion that the obligation of the Hajj is one of promptness, if a person is obliged to do Hajj and is able to do it, he must do it straight away.ProphetMuhammad(saw)said,'' Make haste in performing Hajj - meaning theobligatory Hajj- for verily one of you don't know that will happen to him.("Ahmad) ..”For verily the sick person may be ill, the riding animal may get lost, and needs will be over.? We might be healthy and wealthy today, but who is sure of physical, mental or financial status tomorrow. Also,for the one who delays the performance of obligatory Hajj, there is a stern warning, for his sin had left him/herself open to the punishment and displeasure of Allah in the Hereafter.Some hadith even mention that a person dies as a disbeliever.Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) once remarked: “I was about to send envoys to the towns(on the outskirts of the Muslim empire) to check on all those who have the means to make Hajj but do not perform it, in order to impose the Jizyah upon them.(al-Bayhaqi).On the basis of the foregoing evidence, Hajj should be performed without delay as long as one is capable of doing so by himself or herself. If not, he or she can send someone to perform iton his or her behalf(hajj badal-where conditions apply) Delaying Hajj to a More Convenient Time! While someone who fulfils the criteria of capability didn't perform Hajjtill now, I ask, Why didn't you perform Hajj this year or before? Lots of people have very strange beliefs when it comes toHajj and it's my personal opinion that these beliefs are due to lack of trueknowledge. I could be wrong.Hajj is an obligation on every Muslim capable of performing it as long as the requisite conditions are fulfilled, a view upheld by the majority of scholars.Delaying HAJJ as a post retirement/business plan is not correct. The number one reason that Muslims cannot go to Hajj is because they cannot afford it is an accepted excuse to delay or postpone.The irony is to perform Hajj has always been a formidable challenge even for many believers serving in Government Or Private sector who already have enough saving for theHolypilgrimage validate their reason of delaying Hajj to their superannuation or excuse themselves by saying they can’t find time to take off from work are too busy with profession or business commitments, Don’t they see the very fact that they didn’t take time out forHajj is the reason why Allaah(st)kept them so busy with work? The other common misconception that I have observed in those misguided who believe one should first get married, have children,raise your family, make yourcareer, indulge or enjoy in all sorts of lifestyle practices((moral,immoral or corrupt) then performHajj later at convenience There is a notion in some believers that you need more time to reform yourself in order to achieve a certain religious level before performing Hajj. Although it is encouraging to see some youngsters adhere strongly to religious practices, while you feel disappointed to hear similar discouraging statements from similar others, according to them young people should enjoy life full of entertainments, leaving Hajj for their old age,completed all of such worldly obligations or corrupt practices then perform the holy rites of Hajj(spiritual laundry ) will automatically wipe out previous sins. “ Whoeverperforms Hajj for the Pleasure of Allah and therein utters no word of evil, norcommits any evil deed, shall return from it(free from sin) as the day on which his mother gave birth to him.”(Bukhari). Beware of lame excuses-they may be Satanic tricks or traps.Incase you qualify for performing Hajj,the constraints arising out of earthly matters should not deter you from performing Hajj early. The ideathatHajj was for the older and mature and devout Muslims is incorrect andsuch misperception, might deprive your chances to perform Hajj Permanently till you are no longer capable to perform Hajj. The Conditions that makeHajj obligatory (farz)are well documented in shariah books,and on their fulfillment, it becomes obligatory upon such a person to performHajj during the first available Hajj period. Delaying the Hajj will be a sinful act.! Most of the time, the hindrance to Hajj is mental—it is all in the mind.So, if we missed Hajj this year, let us start planning now and, Insha Allah , if we put our minds to it, we will make it next year,not next next year,never then next year. Take care. May Allah save us all from the traps of Satanand enlighten our hearts with the light of Islam. I hope the above explanations help you and other Muslim brethren in preparing yourself,your friends and family for the Hajj pilgrimage. (Dr Fiaz Maqbool Fazili, is a Medico, contributes to socio -religious columns of local,National and international newspapers and magazines.) --