Hajj: The Pilgrimage to Mecca Introduction
The pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) is one of the
fundmental obligations in Islamic laws. The holy Qur’ãn has clearly mentioned
this obligation. Almighty Allãh says in His holy Book: “And it is for the sake
of Allãh [a duty] upon the people to do the pilgrimage of the House—whosoever
has the ability [to travel] to it. And whosoever is ungrateful, then surely
Allãh is free from need of the universe.” (2:196) The Almighty has compared the
negligence of hajj to ingratitude because of its importance.
Hajj is one of the five pillars on which Islam is
based. In a noble hadíth, Imam al-Bãqir (a.s.) said,
“Islam is based on five pillars: on prayer (salãt), alms (zakãt), pilgrimage (hajj), fasting (sawm), and devotion [to the Ahlul Bayt] (wilãya)."
Tafsilu Wasa'ili 'sh-Shi'a, vol. 1, p. 20.
Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Tãlib (a.s.) advised about hajj
by saying,
“Do not neglect the pilgrimage to the House of your Lord; otherwise you will perish."
Ibid, vol. 11, p. 23.
Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said,
“If the people neglect the pilgrimage to the House, the chastisement will overwhelm them and they would not be warned [about it].”
Ibid, p. 22.
This is so because neglecting hajj while the
person is in a position to fulfill all its conditions is a great sin. A hadíth
says,
“When a person is capable of doing the pilgrimage but does not do it, he has indeed flouted a law from the laws of Islam.”
Ibid, p. 28.
Another noble hadíth says,
“One who keeps postponing hajj until he dies, Allãh will resurrect him on the Day of Judgement as a Jew or a Christian.”
Shaykh as-Sadûq, Muhammad bin 'Ali Ibn Babwayh,
Man La Yahdhuruhu 'l-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 266.
Hajj- General Rules
When a Muslim becomes capable, hajj becomes obligatory upon him. By “capability” we mean the following:
(a) Availability of enough time to travel to the holy places and stay there for performing the obligatory rites.(b) Physical health and strength, observing to travel to the holy places, and staying there for the obligatory rituals.(c) The road through which one has to pass for performing the rituals be open and secure, in the sense that it does not place the life or property or honour of the pilgrim in undue danger.(d) Financial ability: One should be able to get whatever is necessary for the pilgrim in his journey; e.g., food, drink, clothes, including the means of transportation according to his status by which he can cover the distance for hajj.(e) The financial position of the person should be such that by travelling for hajj or by spending from his wealth for it, he would not be putting himself and his dependents in need and poverty.
Hajj Tamattu: This is a kind of pilgrimage
that is obligatory upon those who live in other countries i.e. far away from
Mecca. Hajj Tamattu‘ consists of two rituals: the first is known as ‘umrah, and
the second hajj.
In ‘Umrah, five things are obligatory:
(a) Putting on the pilgrim’s dress (ihrãm) from one of the miqãts. Mawãqít (plural of miqãt) are locations [around the holy territory of Mecca] that sharí‘a has specifically fixed for putting on the ihrãm.
(a) Putting on the pilgrim’s dress (ihrãm) from one of the miqãts. Mawãqít (plural of miqãt) are locations [around the holy territory of Mecca] that sharí‘a has specifically fixed for putting on the ihrãm.
a. Circumambulating (tawãf) around the Ka‘ba seven times.b. The salãt of tawãf.c. Sa‘i (i.e., brisk walking) between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times.d. Taqsír: cutting off a little bit of your hair or cutting the nail.
The obligatory acts of hajj tamattu‘ are thirteen
as follows:
Putting on the ihrãm from Mecca.
Putting on the ihrãm from Mecca.
(a) Staying in ‘Arafãt on the 9th of Dhu ’l-Hijja.(b) Staying a part of the night (eve of 10th Dhu ’l-Hijja) until sunrise in Muzdalifa.(c) Stoning the smaller pillar in Mina on the day of ‘Eid (i.e., 10th of Dhu ’l-Hijja).(d) Sacrificing an animal in Mina on the day of ‘Eid or during the days of tashríq [i.e., 11th to 13th of Dhu ’l-Hijja].(e) Shaving one’s head or doing taqsír in Mina. By doing this, the pilgrim is free from the restrictions of ihrãm, except the use of perfume and sexual contact with women. Based on obligatory precaution, the restriction of hunting continues even after shaving or taqsír.(f) Tawãf of Ziyãrat seven times after returning to Mecca.(g) Salãt of Tawãf.(h) Sa‘i between Safa and Marwa seven times. With this, the restriction of using perfume is also lifted.(i) Tawãf of Nisã’ seven times.(j) Salãt of Tawãt of Nisã’. With this, sexual contact with women becomes permissible.(k) Staying during over night in Mina on the eve of 11th and 12th Dhu ’l-hijja. And also, under some circumstance, the eve of 13th Dhu ’l-hijja.(l) Stoning the three pillars in Mina on the 11th and the 12th of Dhu ’l-hijja. And also, under some circumstance, on the day of 13th Dhu ’l-hijja.
