Posts By: Ali Hussain

Shaykh Bin Baz’s advice to Hajj pilgrims

Posted by & filed under Hajj.

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From ‘Abdul ‘Aziz ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Baz to whomever reads it among pilgrims and Muslims everywhere.
Dear pilgrims,
As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh
Welcome to the Sacred City of Allah and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that is honoured by Allah with serving performers of Hajj and ‘Umrah and visitors of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, who come from different places all over the world. Allah also grants the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the blessing of serving the sacred places and securing them for those who are circumambulating the Ka’bah or staying (for worship in the Masjid), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in Prayer).
I ask Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) to enable you to perform your Hajj and visit the Prophet’s Masjid safely, faithfully, quietly, tranquilly, and easily. May Allah accept your Hajj, give you the best reward for it, forgive you your sins, grant you out of His bounties, and make your return to your homes safe. Verily, Allah is the Most Generous, the Most Bountiful.
Dear pilgrims, Muslims remain in a good condition as long as they advise each other, recommend one another to the truth and patience, and help one another in righteousness and piety. Thus, I remind you of the fact that you are now witnessing virtuous days and blessed places. You have come from far places and encountered a lot of difficulties in responding to Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) and intending to perform a great obligation and a lofty righteous deed that Allah (Exalted be He) orders you to do by saying:
 And Hajj is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses; and whoever disbelieves, then Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

The foregoing facts necessitate that pilgrims have to keep and look after certain things to have their Hajj accepted, have their Sa’y (going between Safa and Marwah) rewarded, and have their sins forgiven through the guidance and help of Allah. Verily, there is no reward for the accepted Hajj other than Jannah (Paradise).
The following are some of these things:

First
Pilgrims have to make their intention sincere to Allah (Exalted be He). This is very important for obtaining the reward of Hajj. Allah (Exalted be He) says:
And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone, and perform salah and give zakah, and that is the right religion.
Allah (Exalted be He) also says:
So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Rabb, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Rabb.

Second
Pilgrims and Muslims generally should make sure that they draw closer to Allah (Exalted be He) through acts that Allah (Exalted be He) ordains for His servants. While performing different rituals of Hajj, pilgrims have to follow the example of their Prophet (peace be upon him) who said: “Take your (Hajj) rituals from me.” (Related by Muslim). The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.” (Related by Al-Bukhari).
On the other hand, Allah (Exalted be He) says:
Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.
Accordingly, whatever a person does sincerely for the sake of Allah but not in conformity with the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is rejected and not accepted by Allah (Exalted be He). Proof of this is the sahih (authentic) Hadith in which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever does any act not in compliance with our deen (religion) will have it rejected.” (Related by Muslim). Moreover, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says to His Messenger (peace be upon him):
Say (O Muhammad): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Third
Pilgrims and Muslims generally should be knowledgeable of the rulings of their religion. This enables them to perform the obligations of their religion correctly in the same way that they were ordained. Allah (Exalted be He) says to His Prophet (peace be upon …

Loving Madinah over Makkah?

Posted by & filed under Hajj, Umrah.

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I don’t know why but my heart always inclined towards Madinah more so than Makkah. Perhaps it’s because of the serenity and calmness of Madinah as opposed to the congestion of Makkah. It bothered me, “Am I doing something wrong? Isn’t Makkah more virtuous than Madinah?”
Shaykh Salih al-Suhaymi put my heart at rest:

5 things to look for in every Hajj operator

Posted by & filed under Featured, Hunafaa Exclusive.

Hunafaa Blog Thumbnails (Hunafaa)

As the days of Hajj draw closer, prospective pilgrims are contemplating about which Hajj company to travel with. Hajj stories are very diverse; some are terribly tragic whilst others are outright hilarious. Understand that your Hajj experience is very much dependent on the Hajj company you choose.
For a more informed and educated choice, we have put together five key things that a prospective pilgrim should look for in every Hajj company.
1. Recommendations. Endorsement and recommendations reflect whether or not the company did an excellent job, and if their customers were satisfied with the service they were provided. It also mirrors the company’s honesty and reliability in delivering what was promised.
Ask around to find out what is the best Hajj company for you. If friends or family had a good experience then most likely you can expect a similar experience.
2. Package details. Make sure you are aware of the package you are buying. Some things to look out for:

Direct flights. Shorter journeys mean less hassle.
Transport. Government provided transport is only mandatory when leaving the airport in Saudi Arabia. Beyond that, private transport is allowed.Government transport incurs greater delays than private transport and is usually very chaotic and unorganised. Don’t expect too much from government transport.Preferably, you want a package that offers private transport. This means that the coaches are for your group only. These coaches maintain a decent standard of comfort and punctuality, and are often air-conditioned.

Important: More often than not, delays due to traffic or road blockages are very common and unavoidable for both government and private transport during the Hajj season.
Hotels. Most people want a hotel in close proximity to both the mosques in Makkah and Madinah. Find out the rating of the hotel as well as its facilities—inside and outside—like a/c, shops and restaurants. Ask to see if any meals are included as part of the package.
Aziziyyah accommodation. Prior to the actual Hajj days, some packages include a short stay in apartments in a suburb of Makkah called Aziziyyah. It is a 10-15 minute drive to Al-Masjid Al-Haram.Most Hajj companies use this time to prepare their pilgrims for the imminent Hajj days. Ask the Hajj company how your time in Aziziyyah is going to be utilised.
Arrangements for the Hajj days. Most of the pilgrim’s time during these days is spent in Mina. For most UK packages, the Mina accommodation is situated in the European section, which is an hour long walk away from the Jamarat (stoning site). VIP packages are situated much closer to the Jamarat. Be sure to know exactly which camp you are in.Find out if meals are provided during these days. What kind of food is it? Are hot and cold drinks available 24 hours a day? You don’t want to stress about food for yourself and your family during these days. The food outlets in Mina are not many and the service is poor. Sometimes, a lot of pushing and shouting is necessary just to be heard. Getting food from these outlets is no easy task.

3. Experience. Ensure that the Hajj company has many years of experience. An experienced group will be better informed of the logistical difficulties in Hajj and how to remedy them based on previous years of experience.
4. Team. Well-trained tour guides are essential for any successful Hajj company. Ideally, the larger and more experienced the team is, the better your trip is going to be. Unfortunately, since 2013 the Saudi Government has limited the number of tour guides. The ratio of tour guides to pilgrims is 1:50.
Find out if the team members are fluent in English, Arabic or your native tongue. Are there qualified team members that can provide religious guidance? Do they have Saudi partners to ensure a good service? What service do they provide for the disabled? Formulate questions based on your needs as a pilgrim.
5. Development programme. Ensure that your Hajj company has a strong educational and development programme. This journey is a turning point in peoples’ lives. The reward for an accepted Hajj is nothing short of Paradise, and forgiveness for all sin. Thus, Ḥajj provides a ‘clean slate’ with which a Muslim can start over.
It is, therefore, imperative that anyone contemplating performing this Journey of a Lifetime makes the necessary effort to prepare for such an excursion.
Ask if the Hajj company will prep you before you fly out? If so, how? Do they have a development programme in place? Do they …

Al-Multazam – Why do people cling onto the Kabah?

Posted by & filed under Hajj, Hunafaa Exclusive, Umrah.

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The multazam (place of clinging) is the area wherein a supplicant rests his chest, forearms including the palms and his face against it, making du’a to Allah. Therein he would praise and glorify Allah, taking refuge with Him, seeking His forgiveness and asking for his needs.
The multazam is the part of the Ka’bah that is between the Black Stone and the door of the Ka’bah according to the most popular opinion.
Some reports indicate that it is the back wall of the Ka’bah whilst other reports indicate that it is under the mizab (drain pipe located at the top of one of the walls of the Ka’bah).
Some scholars viewed that the multazam is every part of the Ka’bah. This view, though not adopted by many, appears to be very probable. This is because if all the narrations supporting the different views are authentic then it indicates that the actions of the sahabah (companions), may Allah be pleased with them, was not to specify a particular place, but it was according to what was easy for them or what was known among them. And Allah knows best.

It should be noted that the authenticity of those narrations tracing back to the Prophet salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, connecting the multzam to him, are debated over. However, we have authentic narrations attributing the multazam to the companions and the generations that followed them.
There is no specific du’a that should be said at the multazam. The scholars have stated that the Muslim may cling on to the multazam when he enters the Ka’bah, or when performing the Farewell Tawaf, or at any time he wishes.
If one observes the multazam then he should not cause difficulty for other people by offering a lengthy du’a. He is not to annoy or harm the Believers in an attempt to reach the wall.

Some questions you never thought to ask about the Ka’bah

Posted by & filed under Hajj, Umrah.

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1. Was it always black?
Did you know the Ka’bah was covered in green and white coverings? Throughout our history it was covered in an array of colours. It’s only from the Abbasid period that a black covering in it entirety was adopted.

2. Did it have any windows?
The Ka’bah used to have two doors; one for entering and the other for exiting. It also had a window on one of its sides.
The current Ka’bah only has a single door, and no windows.

3. When is the door to the Ka’bah open?
The Ka’bah used to be open twice a week. People would enter and pray therein. However, it is now opened only two times of the year for dignitaries and guests, and perhaps for the occasional cleaning.
Watch the doors of the Ka’bah being opened:

 
4. What’s inside the Ka’bah?
Okay, this is a common question. It is an empty chamber with a few pillars. The entrance door is called Bab al-Tawbah (Door of Tawbah) because fixed onto it are plaques with verses from Surah Tawbah.
Videos depicting the insides of the Ka’bah:

Note: The hatim is part of the Ka’bah. The hatim is a semi-circular wall opposite, but not physically connected to, the north-west wall of the Ka’bah. It is composed of white marble. At one point in time the space lying between the hatim and the Ka’bah belonged to the Ka’bah itself, and for this reason it is not entered during the tawaf. At least many of us can say we’ve been in the Ka’bah… smile

5. The Black Stone is broken?
The Black Stone is surrounded by a manufactured silver casing because it is broken.
Historians differed as to its cause. However, many agree that it was most damaged in the middle ages by an extreme heretical Ismaili group from Bahrain called the Qarmatians who had declared that the Hajj was an act of superstition. They decided to make their point by killing tens of thousands of hujjaj and dumping their bodies in the well of Zamzam.
As if this act of treachery was not enough, these devils took the Black Stone to the East of Arabia and then Kufa in Iraq where they held it ransom until they were forced to return it by the Abbasid Caliph. When they returned it, it was in pieces and the only way to keep them together was by encasing them in a silver casing. Some historians narrate that there are still some missing pieces of the stone floating around.
Source