The Major sins 3-Sorcery

3) Sorcery

Sorcery is a major sin because the sorcerer must necessarily disbelieve and the accursed Devil has no other motive for teaching person witchcraft than that he might thereby ascribe associates to Allah.

Allah, the Almighty, says, {Solomon did not disbelieve but Satan disbelieved, teaching men magic, and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (such things) without saying, 'We are only for trial,' so do not blaspheme.'

They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife. But they could not harm anyone except by Allah's permission. And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them. And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter.} (AI- Baqarah: 102)

Thus, you might find some people who are astray delving in learning sorcery and thinking that it is just unlawful. Actually, they do not consider what they do as disbelief, but it is! They embark on learning all kinds of sorcery: Pure sorcery, increasing or decreasing the love between a man and a woman, making a man important and the like.

All of these practices are done by means of some unknown words, most of which lead to unbelief. The penalty for a sorcerer is to be killed. This is because he is an unbeliever. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Avoid the seven heinous sins.” And he mentioned sorcery.

"The penalty for a sorcerer is the sword.” Reported by Imam Tirmithi. Bijalah Ibn Abah related, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us one year before his death and said, "Kill every sorcerer (male or female).” Reported by Abu Dawud.

Wahb Ibn Munabbih said, "I read in a book: 'Allah the Almighty says, 'There is no god but Me. He is not of Me who practices sorcery, or asks someone to practice with him. The one who foretells or the foretold, the one who seeks an omen or for whom an omen is sought.”

`Ali Ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, A fortune teller is a sorcerer, a sorcerer is a disbeliever."

Abu Musa AI-Ashari, may Allah be pleased with him, related that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "The drunkard, the one who severs the ties of kinship, and whoever believes in sorcery will not enter Paradise.”

Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Incantations, amulets and spells are Shirk (polytheism).”  These are treated as Shirk because the ignorant believes that these things can affect what has been predetermined by Allah. However, AIKhattabi said, "Incantations or healing words are permitted if they consist of the Qur'an or the Most Beautiful Names of Allah." The Prophet (pbuh) used to recite (incantation) AI-Hasan and AlHusain by saying, "I seek refuge for you in Allah's Perfect Words from every Devil, beast or envious.”

Hadith of the day

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment.”  582, Medicine‘ of Sahih Bukhari.

To Follow the Sunnah

To Follow the Sunnah

By Ibn Daqiq Al-`Id

On the authority of Abu Najih Al-`Irbad ibn Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. So we said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! It is as though this is a farewell sermon, so counsel us’. He said,

‘I counsel you to have taqwa (fear) of Allah, and to listen and obey [your leader], even if a slave were to become your Amir (leader). Verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the Khulafa' Ar-Rashiden (the Rightly Guided Caliphs), those who guide to the right way. Cling to it stubbornly [literally: with your molar teeth]. Beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for verily every bid`ah (innovation) is misguidance.’” (Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi)

Explanation of Hadith

In some versions of this hadith, it says: "Verily this is a farewell sermon, so what do you charge/entrust us with?" to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, "Verily I have left you upon a White Plain [i.e., Clear Guidance], its Night is like its Day, and none deviates from it except that he is destroyed".

The Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "listen and obey [your leader]" refers the ruler, even if he may be a slave. Some of the scholars have said that a slave cannot be the ruler, and that this has been mentioned by way of an example or supposition. This is similar to his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "whosoever builds for Allah a masjid like a bird's nest, Allah builds for him a house in Paradise". And a bird's nest cannot be a masjid, but this is given simply by way of an example.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered us with clinging to the Sunnah of the Khulafa' Ar-Rashiden.

And his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy" is from amongst his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)) miracles, as he informed his Companions of that which was to occur after him of differences and the spreading of evil. And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was aware of this in complete detail, but he did not reveal all these details to every individual. Rather he used to warn about it in a general fashion, but also explained it in detail to some individuals such as Hudhayfah and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with both of them), and this is evidence to show their great position and status.

As for his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "so you must keep to my Sunnah" then the word 'sunnah' means the straight, correct and sound way which proceeds upon his normal/customary way, and that is the Clear Path. And "the Sunnah of the Khulafa' Ar-Rashiden (the Rightly Guided Caliphs), those who guide to the right way" are those in whom the Guidance was contained, and they are the Four by consensus of the Muslims - Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, and `Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all).

Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered us with clinging to the Sunnah of the Khulafa' Ar-Rashiden for two reasons: The First is in the form of taqlid (following without evidence) for the one who is incapable of making his own discernment/judgment and the Second is in the form of deciding that which is more correct when faced with a difference of opinion amongst the Sahabah (Companions) themselves.

In all cases of difference, it is obligatory to stick to the Sunnah, the way of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

As for his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement "beware of newly invented matters [in the religion]", it should be know that such newly invented matters are of two types: 1) a matter which has no basis in the Shari`ah, and this is batil [rejected] and blameworthy, and 2) a matter which has a parallel or similarity in the Shari`ah, then this is not blameworthy. This is because the words 'newly invented matter' and bid`ah are not deemed blameworthy purely on the basis of the words themselves, but due to their indicating opposition to the Sunnah and calling towards misguidance, and so they are not considered to be unrestrictedly wrong. For example, `Umar reinstated the Tarawih Prayer and said, "What an excellent bid`ah is this." It is to be noted here that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had led the Tarawih Prayer in congregation for a few days, but then discontinued it due to his fear that the people would think it obligatory. This condition remained throughout the reign of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), until `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) restarted what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had already laid a precedent for. Thus, he used the word bid`ah in a purely linguistic sense, and not in the Shari`ah sense that is used for blameworthy things.

Summary:

• One should speak in a way, when it is needed, that reaches the very hearts of the people.
• The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) cried when listening to the sermon, and hence it is not wrong to cry during sermons.
• The advice given in this hadith is parting advice from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
• The first thing advised is to fear Allah (i.e., to have taqwa).
• One should obey the Amir ul-Mu'minin as long he fulfills its conditions.
• In all cases of difference, it is obligatory to stick to the Sunnah, the way of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and to the way of the First Four Rightly Guided Caliphs.
• One must be extremely careful about new things in the Deen (religion).
• One must ensure that everything that one does as part of his religion indeed has proof for it in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

حقيقة الفرار إلى الله ج1

Hajj and the Invitation to Islam

Hajj is a great pillar of Islam that does not need any clarification of its virtues, merits and rank in Islam. It is adequate to mention that Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. Allaah The Exalted placed it in a high status in the hearts of all Muslims.

Allaah The Exalted honored Makkah with the presence of the Sacred House, and therefore the hearts of all Muslims are inclined to it. People from the east and the west, in fact, from every corner of the globe come to Makkah with a longing heart. Some may have been waiting years for this moment. Unfortunately, some of the dwellers of Makkah do not realize the great virtues and merits of Hajj as other Muslims, who yearn to perform Hajj. 

Some people have a lifetime wish to perform Hajj. They spend their lives saving money just to perform Hajj; just to perform the obligatory Hajj once in their lifetime. These Muslims may turn 50, 60, or 70 without being financially able to perform Hajj and may die before fulfilling this wish. 

If you find yourself amazed at such people, allow me to relate a story about a man who was imprisoned in the USA. This prisoner was asked, “What caught your attention the most while serving your sentence in prison?” The prisoner replied, “There was a Muslim man from Nigeria who was imprisoned with me. I noticed that he was always sad, depressed, and distressed. I thought that he was suffering from a financial crisis or that his family was struggling with an ordeal or that he was sentenced to death. I had many thoughts about the reasons behind his distress and sadness, but they were very far away from the real reason. I had the chance to sit with him once; so, I asked him, “I see you always sad and depressed; what is saddening you?” He replied, “I am only concerned with one issue.” I inquired, “What is it?” He responded, “I am a Muslim and I have been sentenced to 50 years in prison, and I am now over 30 [or perhaps he said 40]. This means that if I serve my sentence, I will die in prison. This means that I will miss the chance of performing Hajj in my life.”

This was the biggest worry and greatest problem of a man who was imprisoned and exempted from Hajj, according to the Islamic Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation).

This story highlights the great significance of Hajj in the hearts of Muslims. 

Even sinners and dissolute persons, despite their sins and dissoluteness, yearn to perform Hajj. They long to go to the Ka‘bah. Some people are said to have admonished a poet who was known for his dissoluteness and drinking wine. When the poet got fed up with their admonishment, he composed a poem that means, “If I performed the five daily prayers, Allaah The Exalted Would Forgive my dissoluteness. I have not associated partners with Allaah and I hold on to the true religion of Islam. I [wish to] participate in Jihaad and earn some money in order to perform Hajj. This religion is plain and clear; so, spare me treading the hidden paths.”

Dear readers, despite this man’s dissoluteness, he yearned to perform Hajj and was willing to exert great efforts to fulfill that dream!

People from all over the world, from different countries, nationalities, languages, schools of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), sets of beliefs, and ideologies, come to Makkah. Some of them are pious, devout, knowledgeable and active worshippers and others are the exact opposite. We should ask ourselves, what do we offer these pilgrims? What do we, the people of Makkah, do for pilgrims who come from every corner of the globe? What do we do? What do the callers to Allaah do for them? What do the seekers of knowledge do for these pilgrims? What do the scholars offer their fellow Muslims?

Dear reader, you should ask yourself these questions and ponder on the answer in real life. Then, you should compare it to the following narration that is cited in the Sunnah books. A year after the first Pledge of Al-‘Aqabah, during the season of Hajj, the second Pledge of Al-‘Aqabah took place. Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah said,

“The Prophet spent ten years following the pilgrims while they were performing the rites of Hajj (in Majannah, ‘Ukaath, and Mina), saying to them: “Who would support me so that I can deliver the Message of my Lord to the people and he would be rewarded with Paradise?” However, he received no answer. A man would leave his home in Mudhar or Yemen and his people and relatives would warn him about the man of Quraysh, i.e. the Prophet . They would say to him, “Beware of this man of Quraysh so that he would not tempt you [to forsake the religion of your fathers and grandfathers].”

The Prophet used to walk by the tents of the pilgrims, inviting them to Islam and people would point at him and whisper among themselves. Then, Allaah The Exalted chose us from Yathrib [Madeenah] to believe in him. A man from Yathrib would come and meet with the Prophet listen to the Quran and embrace Islam. He would go back to his people and communicate the message of Islam to his townsfolk until there was not a single house in Madeenah except that some of its dwellers had proclaimed their Islam. Then, we identified leaders from among ourselves and seventy of us assembled. We asked ourselves, “How long will we stand still while the Prophet is roaming in the mountains of Makkah and Muslims are afraid of the people of Quraysh?”

We went to Makkah in the season of Hajj and arranged a meeting with the Prophet in Al-‘Aqabah territory. We went to the place of meeting individually or in pairs until we all reached the place. We asked the Messenger of Allaah about the principles over which he would take a pledge. The Prophet answered:

·        To listen and obey in all sets of circumstances.

·        To spend in plenty as well as in scarcity.

·        To enjoin good and forbid evil.

·        In the service of Allaah, you will fear the censure of none.

·        To defend me in case I seek your help, and debar me from anything which you debar yourself, your spouses and children. And if you observe those precepts, Paradise is in store for you. 

When we started paying allegiance to the Prophet As‘ad ibn Zuraarah who was the youngest of the seventy apart from me, stood up and gave the following short address: "Take it easy people of Yathrib! We have covered that long distance because we have deep belief that he (Muhammad) is the Messenger of Allaah. We are already convinced that following him entails departure from the pagan Arabs even if it were at the risk of our lives. Should you persevere in this course, hold fast to it, and your great reward is placed in the Hand of Allaah, but if you are caught in fear, I admonish you to give it up right now, and then you would be more excusable by Allaah.” We said, “Move your hand away from us, As‘ad. By Allaah we would never forsake or annul this pledge.” We started giving the pledge to the Prophet one by one. He repeated the terms of the pledge for us and guaranteed we would enter Paradise.” [Ahmad, Al-Bayhaqi, and Al-Haakim]

This is only part of the narration, but this part sheds light on the topic under discussion. Dear pilgrim who is determined to come from your faraway country to perform Hajj, let us ponder on the Sunnah of your Prophet, , to find out how he seized this great blessed spiritual season. Then, let us ponder on its great fruits.

Is not humanity today in dire need for this guidance?

Do people not come to the Ka‘bah with longing humble submissive hearts?

Did Allaah The Almighty not make a covenant with the people of knowledge? Did Allaah The Exalted not command us to call to Islam? What did you do? What have you prepared for your Hajj?

Dear Muslims who are heading towards Makkah to perform Hajj, you should follow the example of the Prophet, .

You should call to the religion of truth even if it is through a book or a tape. You should consult with the people of knowledge and wisdom about this. Do not deprive yourself by wasting such a great gathering that may not be given to some, or rather many, people except once in a lifetime. Make full use of this chance to benefit from those people whose knowledge and piety is worthy of benefiting from and help those who came with longing and humble hearts. Clarify doubtful matters for the ignorant people, advise the sinners and do righteous deeds so that you may prosper.

I would like to remind you to be courteous and hold on to wisdom in calling people to Allaah The Exalted who Says (what means): {Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.} [Quran 16:125]

If you are unable to practice Da‘wah (inviting to Islam), then spare people your evil, help the pilgrims, receive them with a cheerful face, and deal with them kindly with the refined Islamic morals. This would in itself be one of the best forms of Da‘wah.

 

 

Rulings for Women on Hajj and ‘Umrah

It is a communal obligation upon the whole Ummah to perform Hajj annually to the Sacred House of Allaah The Almighty. Hajj is obligatory once in the lifetime of every Muslim who meets the conditions of Hajj. The extra times will be considered voluntary Hajj. Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam and the share of woman in Jihaad. ‘Aa’ishah narrated that she once asked the Prophet, , "Should Muslim women participate in Jihaad?" The Prophet, answered her:"Yes, but their Jihaad is free of fighting; it is performing Hajj and ‘Umrah.” [Ahmad and Ibn Maajah]

The general conditions of Hajj that apply to the man and woman are: Islam, sanity, freedom, puberty and financial ability.

1-    Mahram (non-marriageable male): it is a condition for the woman who wants to perform Hajj to have a Mahram accompanying her who may be her husband or whoever is not allowed to marry her forever either by blood relation such as her father, son, brother or by a permissible reason such as brother from a suckling relation, her stepfather or stepson.
Ibn ‘Abbaas said that he heard the Prophet, , delivering a Khutbah saying: “No man should be in seclusion with a woman except in the presence of a Mahram and no woman should travel except with a Mahram."A man stood up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, my wife has set out for Hajj, and I have signed up for such-and-such military campaign.’ The Prophet, , said: ‘Go and perform Hajj with your wife.’” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet, , said: “A woman is not allowed to travel for three days without the company of a Mahram.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

There are many Hadeeths that forbid the woman from travelling for Hajj or any other purpose without a Mahram. The woman is weak and prone to face a lot of hardships and troubles that only men can overcome. Moreover, wicked and immoral men look at women as prey, so there must be a Mahram accompanying the woman to protect and guard her. The Mahram who accompanies the woman has to be sane, adult and Muslim. If she cannot find a Mahram, she has to send someone to perform Hajj on her behalf.

2-    If the woman is going to perform voluntary Hajj, she needs to have the permission of her husband because her travel for Hajj deprives him of enjoying his right. So, he has the right not to allow her to go for voluntary Hajj.

3-    It is permissible for the woman to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah on behalf of a man as well as another woman according to the consensus of scholars.

4-    If the woman on her way to Hajj has her monthly period or postpartum bleeding, she should continue her way and fulfill her Hajj like the ritually pure women. However, she should not circumambulate the Ka‘bah. If she has menses or postpartum bleeding when entering the state of Ihraam, she is allowed to enter Ihraam because it does not require purification.

5-    Upon entering Ihraam, women are permitted like men to make Ghusl (ritual bath) and clean themselves by cutting hair that needs shaving and clipping nails. There is no harm if the woman applies non-fragrant perfumes, for ‘Aa’ishah said, “We pasted our foreheads with Musk at the time of assuming Ihraam. When one of us perspired, it (the perfume) came down on her face. The Prophet saw this, and did not forbid it.” [Abu Daawood]

6-    When making the intention of entering the state of Ihraam, the woman should take off her Niqaab (face veil) or Burqu’ if she was wearing any before Ihraam. The Prophet, , said: “The woman in the state of Ihraam is not allowed to wear Niqaab.” [Al-Bukhaari] The woman should cover her face with anything other than Niqaab by putting her Khimaar or garment over her face when non-Mahram (marriageable) men look at her. She should also cover her hands with anything other than gloves by putting a garment or cloth above them. The woman’s face and hands are ‘Awrah that must be covered before non-Mahram men either in case of Ihraam or other cases.

7-    During Ihraam, it is permissible for the woman to be dressed in any kind of clothing that has no adornments, and does not look like men's clothes. Such clothes should not be tight to outline the shape of her body, or transparent that reveal whatever is beneath them, or short that unveil the feet or hands. The clothes should be loose and thick. Scholars unanimously agree that the woman in the state of Ihraam is allowed to wear Qamees, Dir‘, Sirwaal, Khimaar, and leather socks and she does not have to wear a certain color. She is allowed to wear any color she likes.

8-    It is recommended for the woman to raise her voice with Talbiyah after Ihraam only to the extent that she can hear herself. It is disliked for her to raise her voice to a higher level in order to avoid Fitnah. By the same token, it is not recommended for her to pronounce the Athaan or Iqaamah. In addition, whenever she wants to draws the attention of the Imaam to something in prayer, it is recommended for her to clap, not to say Subhaan Allaah loudly like men.

9-    The woman has to be completely covered, lower her voice, lower her gaze, and not to crowd with men especially at the Black Stone, and the Yemenite Corner. It is unlawful to crowd together with men because this is Fitnah. Moreover, it is Sunnah to be closer to the Ka‘bah and to kiss the Black Stone in case that is possible. She should not commit an unlawful act in order to fulfill a Sunnah (Prophetic tradition). The Sunnah for the woman is to point to the Black Stone from afar when she is facing it.

10-                       All the Tawaaf (circumambulation) and Sa‘y of the woman is done while walking. Scholars unanimously agree that women should not walk quickly in Tawaaf or between As-Safa and Al-Marwah and they do not have to make Idhtibaa‘ (uncovering the right shoulder).

11-                       The menstruating woman is permitted to do all the rituals of Hajj including Ihraam, staying at ‘Arafah, spending the night in Muzdalifah, throwing the pebbles, and so on, with the exception of making Tawaaf until she becomes purified. The Prophet, , said to ‘Aa’ishah : “Do what the pilgrim has to do but do not make Tawaaf until you become purified.”The menstruating woman should not make Sa‘y between As-Safa and Al-Marwah because Sa‘y is not valid without performing the Tawaaf of the Hajj or ‘Umrah because the Prophet, , did not make Sa‘y except after Tawaaf. The majority of scholars said that Sa‘y is not valid if the pilgrim made Sa‘y before Tawaaf.

If the woman has her menses after finishing Tawaaf, then, it is permissible to perform Sa‘y because purification is not a condition for Sa‘y.

12-                       It is permissible for women to proceed from Muzdalifah to Mina with the weak people after the setting of the moon and to throw Jamrat Al-‘Aqabah upon arriving at Mina out of fear of overcrowding.

13-                       The woman should trim her hair the length of a fingertip from the end of the hair after Hajj and ‘Umrah. It is impermissible for the woman to shave her hair.

14-                       If the menstruating woman throws Jamrat Al-‘Aqabah and trims her hair, then, her Ihraam is ended and she is allowed to do whatever she was not permitted to do during Ihraam except having intimate relations with her husband. She is permitted to have such relations after Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah. If she has sexual relations with her husband before performing Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah, then, she has to pay expiation: slaughtering a sheep in Makkah and distributing its meat among the poor of the Sacred City.

15-                       If the woman menstruates after Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah, then, it is permissible for her to leave for her home whenever she likes and she does not have to perform the Farewell Tawaaf. ‘Aa’ishah narrated that Safiyyah bint Huyayy started menstruating after Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah and I mentioned this to the Prophet, . He said: “‘Will she keep us from leaving?’I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, she performed Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah and then she had her menses.’ He said: ‘Then, let her leave.’” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Ibn ‘Abbaas said, “The Prophet commanded the pilgrims that the last thing they should do in Makkah is to circumambulate Al-Bayt (the Ka‘bah), but he exempted the menstruating woman and the one who has postpartum bleeding.”

Gledaj u onog što mu je manje dato bit ceš zadovoljan.flv

The Water of Zamzam

The Water of Zamzam

It is the best water on earth. It is also the most ancient water on earth because it was discovered about five thousand years ago. According to laboratory analysis, it is the most pure water on earth. Moreover, it functions as food and as a cure for diseases as mentioned by the Prophet, . In addition, it is found in the most sacred place on earth. Is there any other source of water on earth that can rival its virtues?

The existence of water in this barren valley was an honor that Allaah The Almighty bestowed upon Ismaa‘eel (Ishmael) and his mother Haajar (Hagar), may Allaah exalt their mention, and for everyone who inhabits or visits this blessed City of Makkah. This water is a reason for the prosperity and life of Makkah and one of the manifest signs in the Holy Sanctuary.

The well of Zamzam was once near the Ka'bah and visible over the ground for it is only about 21 meters away from the Ka'bah. When the numbers of people making Tawaaf (circumambulation) increased, there was a necessity to expand the path of Tawaaf. Hence, the well became underground, accessible through a basement under the path of Tawaaf and people used to go into and out of it. Recently this basement was closed and faucets where people can drink Zamzam water were set up out of the Tawaaf path. Some virtues of Zamzam water are mentioned in the following Hadeeths (narrations):

·        The Prophet, , said about the water of Zamzam: "It is blessed, and it serves as food." [Muslim]

·        “The Best water on earth is the water of Zamzam. It serves as food and heals from illness.” [Ibn Hibbaan; As-Suyooti: Hasan]

·        Jaabir said that the Prophet, , said: “The water of Zamzam is for whatever purpose it is drunk for.” [Ahmad, Ibn Maajah and Al-Bayhaqi; Ibn Al-Qayyim in Zaad Al-Ma‘aad: Hasan]

According to the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), one should say “Bismillaah (in the Name of Allaah)” before drinking, “Al-Hamdulillaah (Praise be to Allaah)” after drinking, taking breath three times outside the utensil while drinking, drinking to one’s fill and supplicating Allaah The Almighty for the good of the worldly life and the Hereafter.

These are some Hadeeths about the virtue of Zamzam clarifying its goodness and blessings. So, dear pilgrim, be keen on drinking to your fill from Zamzam water and to supplicate Allaah The Almighty with whatever goodness that you wish for in the worldly life and the Hereafter

The Rulings of Hajj

The Rulings of Hajj

The first thing to do on embarking for Hajj is to purify the intention for Allah The Almighty and to emulate the Prophet, , in all the rites of Hajj, for he said: “Take your Hajj rites from me.” [Muslim] The Prophet, , also said: “Whoever performs Hajj and does not engage in sexual relations nor acts sinfully, he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) like (he was) the day his mother gave birth to him.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] 

He also said: “Performing ‘Umrah after ‘Umrah will erase the sins committed between them and the well-performed Hajj has no reward but Paradise.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] A good Hajj is one that is done with sincerity, according to the Prophet’s guidance and in which one abstains from sins and harming other Muslims.

The pilgrim should be aware of the rituals of Hajj and its pillars. The pillars of Hajj are:

 ·        Assuming Ihraam (sacral state) from the Meeqaat.

·        Staying at ‘Arafah.

·        Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah (circumambulation of the Ka’bah on the tenth day of Thul-Hijjah).

·        Sa’y (pacing) between As-Safa and Al-Marwah.

Obligatory actions in Hajj:

 ·        Standing at ‘Arafah till sunset.

·         Passing the night at Muzdalifah.

·         Pelting the stones, shaving or cutting of the hair.

·        Spending the nights at Mina.

·        Sacrificing an animal if necessary (according to the type of Hajj one is performing).

·        Doing the farewell Tawaaf (circumambulation).

On the day of slaughtering, the 10^th of Thul-Hijjah, the pilgrim pelts the Jamrat Al-‘Aqabah with stones, slaughters, performs Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah and runs between As-Safa and Al-Marwah. Once he throws the pebbles at Jamrat Al-‘Aqabah and slaughters or shaves, all the prohibitions stipulated by Ihraam are removed for him except for sexual intercourse. However, if he has performed Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah in addition to the above three acts, everything becomes permissible for him again, including sexual relations.

It is recommended for the pilgrim to increase acts of worship and call out the Talbiyah (a prayer recited by pilgrims) till he starts throwing the stones at ‘Aqabah. He should endeavor to read the Quran and supplicate more, especially on the Day of ‘Arafah, for the Prophet, , said: “The best supplication is that of (the day of) ‘Arafah, and the best word that I and all Prophets have said on the day of ‘Arafah is, ‘La ilaaha illallaah wahdahu la shareeka lahu lahul-mulk walahul hamd, wahuwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer’ (None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things).” [At-Tirmithi] The pilgrim should also guard his tongue and avoid backbiting, fights and arguments.

The pilgrim should also recite the prescribed Takbeer from right after the Fajr prayer on the Day of ‘Arafah till the afternoon of the 13^th of Thul-Hijjah. The Takbeer is as follows, “Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, La ilaaha illallaah, wallaahu akbar, Allaahu Akbar walillaahil hamd.” It is also recommended for pilgrims and others to perform many good deeds in the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah. The Prophet, , said: “There are no days in which good deeds are dearer to Allaah than in these days (i.e. the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah).” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allaah! Not even Jihaad in the way of Allaah?” He replied: “Not even Jihaad in the way of Allaah, except for a man who goes out for Jihaad with his life and wealth and comes back with none of the two.” [Al-Bukhaari, Muslim]

The first ten days of Thul-Hijjah are the best days in the sight of Allaah The Almighty; He termed them “the well-known days” in His Book, according to Ibn ‘Abbaas . It is recommended, therefore, to remember Allaah The Almighty more in the mosques, streets, marketplaces and everywhere.

Those who are not on Hajj should fast on the day of ‘Arafah, which falls in these ten days. The Prophet, , was asked of the fasting of that day, so he said: “It erases the sins of the previous year and the present one.” [Muslim]

Allaah 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 Ihraam), there is (to be for him) no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do – Allaah knows it. And take provision, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allaah. And fear Me, O you of understanding.} [Quran 2: 197]