International Sufi Order

786/92  

786/92

HAJJ

In the 8^th Sura, al-Anfāl الْأَنْفَال (Spoils of war) in verse 34, Allah Y addresses the previous, present and any future ignorant custodians of the Holy Mosque in Makkah, the Noble:

وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُواْ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

And what might be any other reason that Allah Y should not punish these while they hinder people from the Sacred Mosque and they do not deserve to be its guardians (or custodians) as well? Its protectors and guardians are but the righteous people, but most of them do not know (this truth).

In the 9^th Sura, at-Tawbah (Repentance) التَّوْبَة in verse 19 Allah Y says:

. أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ لاَ يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Do you consider (mere) serving of drinking water to the pilgrims and the management of populating and maintaining the Sacred Mosque (an act) equal to (the works of) a person who believes in Allah and the Last Day and fights in the cause of Allah? They cannot be equal in the sight of Allah and Allah does not guide those who do injustice

Millions of Muslims from each and every continent of the world, speaking various languages, with different cultures, of diverse nationalities, all clothed in the same pilgrims robe for men, two unstitched pieces of white pilgrims cloth, right from heads of state, presidents, ministers, down to the poorest of the poor, from the fairest white to the darkest brown and black in color are gathering in Arabia to perform Hajj. All are bonded in one universal brotherhood of equality, love and peace - al- Islam. The call of Ibrahim u as mentioned in the 22^nd Sura, al-Hajj (the Pilgrimage) الْحَجّ, in Verse 27 of the Holy Qur'aan:

وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ

And proclaim Hajj (Pilgrimage) aloud among the people. They will approach you on foot and (mounted) on all lean camels, coming by distant tracks

These millions respond to the call with the answer:

Labbaik ... la sharieka laka.

" I am present O' Allah Y! I am present. I am present! O' One Who has no partner I am present! Indeed all praises, good deeds and all kingdoms are Yours. O' One Who has no equal!"

This is a pledge of Tauhid “oneness" that man makes to Allah Y. One's imagination is motivated to take care of one's spiritual future. To maintain one's dignity in society through adherence to moral integrity, it is this religious perspective that Allah Y is giving us in the institution of the Hajj.

 Life is a constant movement and a movement with no goal is meaningless, therefore the Pilgrimage symbolizes a movement towards Allah Y. When one leaves for Hajj one leaves one's routine environment and therefore this physical movement should move the spirit to rebel against a life guided by evil forces. The accepted Hajj charges one spiritually, cleanses the heart and infuses in us a duty to move towards Allah Y who is The Source of beauty, goodness, justice, love and truth. These attributes should be assimilated in the personality of the Khalifatullah fil ard[1], and armed with these beautiful qualities one should strive to enforce the law of Allah Y on earth.

It is unfortunate to note that today we have turned to money, sex, greed, aggression and dishonesty, as Allah Y says in the 103^rd Sura of the Holy Qur’aan, al-‘Asr (the Time) الْعَصْر in verse 1-3 of the Holy Qur'aan:

وَالْعَصْرِO إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍOإِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِO

By (the Token of) Time (through the Ages)! Surely Man is in a state of loss, except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy.

With the passage of time, man is in a state of loss! The cry of the oppressed Muslims of Gaza, Iraq, Palestine and other places can be heard clearly and these issues are not even addressed at the largest gathering of Muslims annually. Our Hajj should not only be dry rituals but it should promote Internationalism full of benefit for the material and spiritual life. The Hajj provides the Muslim community with an opportunity for social intercourse, which can also promote trade, scholarship, knowledge, understanding and political harmony. It should also serve to realize the spiritual yearning and for revival of the values of Islam which the present afflicted and anguished Muslim world needs.

 For centuries when the Muslim world (i.e. Dar al-Islam) remained a close knit community under The Caliphate (symbolizing a period of political organization), the period of Hajj provided them with an institution for political and administrative uniformity which resulted in the spread of Islam to the four corners of the world, since problems discussed at the centre were acted upon uniformly. The problems of Muslims of various far-flung areas were discussed, became known and a spirit of sympathy and brotherhood inculcated. The benefit of Hajj made the Ulama and scholars internationally oriented thinkers. The destruction of the Caliphate of Islam on March, 3, 1924 (27 Rajab 1342), the result of a diabolical conspiracy hatched by the British and the Zionist Jews, with the Saudis and the so-called salafi Wahabbis acting as willing accomplices rendered the Muslim World powerless.   Today we are fifty plus Muslim countries and we are worth nothing. The corrupt Saudi regime and its Zionist and American allies have turned the Sacred Haramain into a trade centre for the Muslim world where non Muslim countries stock their goods. One will find fruit from Israel and kurtas from China and Singapore. The Saudi regime, which has destroyed various Islamic monuments and tombs (Mazaars) of great Muslim personalities in the name of Wahabism, their own spiritless brand of Islam that they have exported worldwide, taking the love of The Holy Prophet Muhammad e out of the hearts of Muslims, must be stopped.

We who claim to be lovers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e with what face do we go to Madinah?  Mullah Ali Qari t علي بن سلطان محمد القواري‎ (d.1014 A.H./1605 C.E.)[2] in his book Sharah Maslak, the most detailed book of the Hanafis on Hajj says:

انه صلى الله عليه وسلم عالم بحضورك و قيامك وسلامك اى بل بجميع افعالك واحوالك وارتحالك و مقامك

Wa annahu e aalimun bi huzoorika, wa qiyaamika wa salaamika ay bi jami i af aalika wa ahwaalika wa imthaalika wa maqaamika

" In truth the Holy Prophet Muhammad e  knows your attendance, your standing, your salutations, nay all your actions and condition, departure and station"

Imam Imam Abu Abdullah Ibn al-Haaj al-Maliki[3] (d.737AH) al-Madkhal and Imam Al- Qastallānī [4] (851H/ 1448|923H/1517) in Al-Muwahib al-ladunniyya bi al-minah al-Muhammadiyya[5] المواهب اللدنيه and other Imams say that:

لا فرق بين موته وحياته صلى الله تعالى عليه وسلم فى مشاﮪدته لامته و معرفته باحوالهم ونياتهم وعزاﺌمهم وخواطرﮪم وذالك عنده جلى لاخفاﺀ به

“There is no difference in the life and demise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e   in that he is seeing his Ummah, he knows their state, their intentions, their plans, the thoughts of their hearts. These things are so apparent to the Messenger of Allah e   that there is no veil in between”.

All religious heads from the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e , except the pygmies influenced by Wahabism, have believed that their is no difference between the life and death of the Holy Prophet e in this that he sees his Ummah and their condition, he knows their intentions, their wishes, the inner thoughts inside their hearts. All these assume such light that nothing is concealed^[6]

Hajioh aawoh Shahenshah ha ka roza dekoh,

Kaabah toh dekh chukeh heh Kaabeh ka Kaaba dekoh

Come O! Pilgrim and see the Resting Place of the Master of Masters

You have seen the Kaaba[7]. Come and see the Kaaba of the Kaaba

چمک    تجھ سے پا تے ہں سب پانے والے

مرا دل بھی چمکا دے چمکا نے والے

All the illuminated attain illumination from You

Enlighten my heart too! O The One Who Enlightens 

Sunah heh nur ki baarish barasti heh Madineh meh,

Ilahi ek chitah aah lageh mereh bi seeneh meh

I have heard that it rains Nur[8] in Madinah

O Allah Y ! May one droplet also fall onto my chest (heart)

 Ibn Asakir[9] ابن عساكر (499-571A.H / 1175-1106) Qadi Iyad bin Musa[10] t القاضي عياض بن موسى (d. 544 AH), and others have written that that portion of earth upon which the Holy Prophet Muhammad e lies buried is even higher in rank than the Kaaba and the Throne of Allah Y. (Quoted by Maulana Zakarriya in his book: Virtues of Hajj)

For Magfirah or Forgiveness, Allah Y has made the Holy Prophet Muhammad e the medium.  In the Holy Qur’aan Allah Y says in the 4^th Sura, an-Nisaa (Women) النِّسَآء in Verse 64:

 وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا

If these people who transgress the Divine Laws and fall into sin, come to thee, O! Prophet t and they seek the forgiveness of Allah Y and if the Holy Prophet e also seeks forgiveness of Allah Y for them then they will find Allah Y the Acceptor of repentance and Bestower of mercy

The verse is clear; Allah Y has made it a condition for the acceptance of Forgiveness.  Here He makes the Holy Prophet Muhammad e the medium.  This verse of the Holy Qur’aan is for all times.  The question arises; how do I approach the Holy Prophet Muhammad e today?  Some people say, go to Madinah.  Then forgiveness is only for the rich, who can afford to go.  If we say that this verse was only for the companions then we are denying that the Holy Qur’aan is for all times.  The Holy Prophet Muhammad e is a living Prophet who can be approached everywhere.  Thus, our elders have taught that we should stand with respect, greet him (send Salaam) and then supplicate to Allah Y (dua)

There is a Hadith in Sahih Muslim of the blind man that came to the Holy Prophet Muhammad e that says,

In addition to the Qur’ānic verses, the sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e    provide a clear proof that the believers relied on him as a source of intermediation in his earthly life. Besides, he himself commanded people to depend on him as a source of intermediation as has been narrated by ‘Uthmān bin Hunayf t:[11]

سنن إبن ماجه / ‏ ‏كِتَاب ‏ ‏إِقَامَةِ الصَّلَاةِ وَالسُّنَّةِ فِيهَا ‏‏ ‏بَاب ‏ ‏مَا جَاءَ فِي صَلَاةِ الْحَاجَةِ ‏

‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ سَيَّارٍ ‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ ‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏شُعْبَةُ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الْمَدَنِيِّ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏عُمَارَةَ بْنِ خُزَيْمَةَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏عُثْمَانَ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ ‏

‏أَنَّ رَجُلًا ضَرِيرَ الْبَصَرِ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏فَقَالَ ادْعُ اللَّهَ لِي أَنْ يُعَافِيَنِي فَقَالَ إِنْ شِئْتَ أَخَّرْتُ لَكَ وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ دَعَوْتُ فَقَالَ ‏ ‏ادْعُهْ ‏ ‏فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَتَوَضَّأَ فَيُحْسِنَ وُضُوءَهُ وَيُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَيَدْعُوَ بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ‏ ‏بِمُحَمَّدٍ ‏ ‏نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ يَا ‏ ‏مُحَمَّدُ ‏ ‏إِنِّي قَدْ تَوَجَّهْتُ بِكَ إِلَى رَبِّي فِي حَاجَتِي هَذِهِ ‏ ‏لِتُقْضَى اللَّهُمَّ شَفِّعْهُ فِيَّ ‏

‏قَالَ ‏ ‏أَبُو إِسْحَقَ ‏ ‏هَذَا ‏ ‏حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ

It was narrated from 'Uthman bin Hunaif t that a blind man came to the Holy Prophet e  and said: "Pray to Allah Y to heal me." He said: "If you wish to store your reward for the Hereafter, that is better, or if you wish, I will supplicate for you." He said: "Supplicate." So he told him to perform ablution and do it well, to pray two Rak'ah, and to say this supplication: "Allahumma lnni as'aluka wa atawajjahu ilaika bimuhammadin nabiyyir-rahma. Ya Muhammadu inni qad tawajjahtu bika ila rabbi fi hajati hadhihi lituqda. Allahumma fashaffi’hu fiya

 (O Allah Y  , I ask of You and I turn my face towards You by virtue of the intercession of Muhammad the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad e, I have turned to my Lord by virtue of your intercession concerning this need of mine so that it may be met. O Allah, accept his intercession concerning me)".

[Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol 2, The Chapter of  Establishing Salah and the Sunnah Chapter 189, Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, Edition 2007, King Fahd National Library Page 329, Hadith Number 1385]

The above invocation was also used after the Holy Prophet Muhammad e’s life­time, as is proven by the sound (Sahih) Hadith authenticated by Bayhaqi, Abu Nuaym,^[12]  Mundhiri,^[13] Haythami, and Taba­rani.^[14]  They relate, on the authority of Uthman ibn Hunayf's nephew Abu Imama ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf:

A man would come to Uthman ibn Affan t for a cer­tain need, but the latter would not pay him any atten­tion nor look into his need, upon which he complained of his condition to Uthman ibn Hunayf t who told him, "Go and make ablution, then go to the mosque and pray two cycles (rakat), then say this supplication (dua)," and he mentioned the invocation of the blind man, "then go (to Caliph Uthman t again)." The man went, did as he was told, then came to Uthman t 's door, to which the door attendant came, took him by the hand, and brought him to Uthman Ibn Affan t who sat with him on top of the carpet, and said, "Tell me what your need is." After this, the man went out, met Uthman ibn Hunayf t again, and said to him, "May Allah Y reward you! Previously he would not look into my need nor pay any attention to me, until you spoke to him." He replied, "I did not speak to him, but I saw the Holy Prophet Muhammad e when a blind man came to him complaining of his failing eyesight," and he mentioned to him the sub­stance of the previous narration.

Why did the Holy Prophet Muhammad e teach him this? Because, he has that status!  The world is based on law and Allah Y made this law, that the proper channel to approach Him is the Holy Prophet Muhammad e. If anyone wants to approach Allah Y, he must come through the proper channels.

Allah Y keep our children and our families on the path of Ahle Sunnah wa Jamaat let not economic, social or psychological reasons and enticement make us swerve from the truth! Save us fro the influence of the corrupt beliefs of Wahabbis / Deobandis / Tabligh Jamaat and Najdis, for the sake of Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti t and Soofie Saheb t!  May it be so!

Allah Y says in Holy Qur’aan   in the 4^th Sura, an-Nisaa (Women) النِّسَآء in Verse 135:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا فَاللّهُ أَوْلَى بِهِمَا فَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ الْهَوَى أَن تَعْدِلُواْ وَإِن تَلْوُواْ أَوْ تُعْرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا

O Believers! Become persistently firm on justice, bearing witness for the sake of Allah even against your own selves or parents or relatives. Whether the person is rich or poor, Allah Y   is a greater Well-Wisher of them both. So do not follow your own desires lest you swerve from justice. But if you engineer your statement or evade, then Allah Y   is indeed Well Aware of that you are doing.

Irshad Soofi.

Revised:   DATE: Thursday, October 07, 2010