پے در پے حج کیا کرو

It is narrated from ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Perform Hajj and ‘Umrah one after another, for Hajj and ‘Umrah both drive away poverty and neediness and sins just as the furnace of the blacksmith and the goldsmith drives away the dross of iron and of gold and silver. And the recompense and reward of hajj mabrur (that is, the Hajj accepted with Allah Almighty) is nothing but Paradise.” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Hajj, hadith no. 809; Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Manasik, hadith no. 2887)

The fifth and last pillar of Islam is Hajj. The literal meaning of hajj is to intend a visit. In the language of the Shari‘ah the act of worship of Hajj has been called hajj because in it a person intends to visit the Ka‘bah. Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime upon every adult Muslim who has the ability to travel to Makkah. If a person does not perform Hajj despite having the ability, he belies his own being a Muslim. Allah, the Exalted, says:

“It is a right of Allah upon the people that whoever has the means to reach His House should perform the Hajj of that House; and whoever disbelieves (refuses to obey His command), then indeed Allah is free of need of him — rather, of all the peoples of the world.” (Al ‘Imran: 97)

Here, the act of those who, while having the ability for Hajj, refuse to go for it, has been called disbelief; and at the same time it has also been made clear that just as all the commands taught by Islam are of benefit to human beings themselves, so too this command of Hajj is not for any benefit of Allah Almighty. His Being is free of all need: He requires no act of worship, nor does He fear anyone’s disobedience. Rather, in these acts of worship lies the good of those who perform them.

As it also comes in a noble hadith in this way: “Whoever has the necessary provision for the journey of Hajj, and has a mount available to him that can convey him to the House of Allah, and then does not perform Hajj — it makes no difference whether he dies a Jew or a Christian.” And that is because Allah Almighty has said: “Hajj to the House of Allah is obligatory for Allah upon those people who have the means of travelling to it.” (On the authority of Tirmidhi)

Just as there is so severe a warning for not performing Hajj despite ability, so too in the noble hadith an endless reward has been described for those who perform Hajj and ‘Umrah: that is, just as the heat of the furnace removes the rust of iron and its dross, in the same way Hajj and ‘Umrah wipe away a person’s sins and remove their evil effects from his mind and heart, and establish his bond with Allah Almighty, who is the fountainhead of all goodness and purity. From this hadith it is also learnt that the effects which sins leave upon a person’s heart and mind have, for the human soul, the status of rust and dross, without removing which no brightness can come into a person’s character and life. And besides this, in the world too this favour of Allah Almighty comes upon him: that he is delivered from poverty, neediness and distress, and the wealth of prosperity and peace of heart is granted to him; and above all, if his Hajj is accepted, then the granting of Paradise as the recompense of hajj mabrur is Allah’s definitive decree.

By hajj mabrur is meant that Hajj in which no sin is committed. Some scholars say that what is meant by it is such a Hajj as is accepted. Some say that what is meant by it is such a Hajj in the performance of which there is no show, no craving for fame, no lustful act, no immorality and no quarrelling. Some say that the sign of hajj mabrur is that the person returns from it better than he was before, and does not strive after sin.