In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Hajj is the symbol of Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah) of the religion of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), which is the spirit and aim of Hajj, indeed the spirit and aim of all the acts of worship.
It was Prophet Ibrahim’s unconditional commitment to Allah that led him to leave his wife Hajar and his infant son Ismael in this desolated desert. Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was rewarded for his unwavering submission to Allah, by a promise from Allah to make this uninviting land into a place of promise and plenty.
Muslims who visit Makkah for Hajj become part of Allah’s promise to Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The gathering of millions of faithful Muslims in Makkah during the days of annual pilgrimage, Hajj is a fulfillment of Prophet Ibrahim’s prayer.
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا ٱلْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ مُصَلًّى ۖ وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْعَـٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ﴿١٢٥﴾ وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْ هَـٰذَا بَلَدًا ءَامِنًا وَٱرْزُقْ أَهْلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُم بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۖ قَالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُۥ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ أَضْطَرُّهُۥٓ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿١٢٦[Qur'an, al-Baqarah 2:125-126]
And [mention] when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Ibrahim a place of prayer. And We charge Ibrahim and Ismael, [saying], "Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer]." (125) And [mention] when Ibrahim said, "My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits - whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day." [Allah] said. "And whoever disbelieves - I will grant him enjoyment for a little; then I will force him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination." (126)
The pilgrimage to Makkah is one of the five pillars of Islam. Like the other pillars of Islam and other acts of worship, the pilgrimage can become meaningless if it is regarded as an end in itself rather than a means to attain closeness to Allah and a meaningful life.
It is related that a noted Muslim scholar Abdullah bin Mubarak, had a dream while he was sleeping near the Ka'abah. He saw two angels descend from the sky, and start talking to each other.
One of the angels asked the other: “Do you know how many people have come for Hajj this year?”
The other angel replied: “Six hundred thousand have come for Hajj.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak had also gone for Hajj that year.
The first angel asked: “How many people’s Hajj has been accepted?”
The second replied: “I wonder if anyone’s Hajj has been accepted at all.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak was grieved to hear that. He thought, “So many people have come from all over the world, crossing so many obstacles like rivers, jungles, mountains, suffered so many hardships, and meeting so many expenses. Would their effort be wasted? Allah does not let anyone’s effort go to waste”.
He had thought only so far when he heard the other angel speak: “There is a cobbler in Damascus. His name is Ali bin al-Mufiq. He could not come for Hajj, but Allah has accepted his intention of Hajj. Not only will he get the reward for Hajj, but because of him, all the Hajjis will be rewarded.
When Abdullah bin Mubarak woke up, he decided he would go to Damascus and meet that cobbler whose Hajj intentions carried such a lot of weight.
On reaching Damascus, Abdullah bin Mubarak inquired if anyone knew a cobbler named Ali bin al-Mufiq. The town people directed him to a house. When a man appeared from the house Abdullah bin Mubarak greeted him and asked his name. The man replied “Ali bin al-Mufiq”.
Abdullah bin Mubarak asked: “What do you do for a living?”
Ali replied: “I am a cobbler”. Then Ali asked the stranger’s name that had come looking for him.
Abdullah bin Mubarak was a very well-known scholar of Islam, when Abdullah bin Mubarak introduced him self, the cobbler was anxious to find out why such a well known scholar was seeking him out.
When Abdullah bin Mubarak asked Ali to tell him if he had made any plans to go for Hajj. Ali replied “For thirty years I have lived in the hope of performing the Hajj. This year I had saved enough to go for Hajj, but Allah did not will it, so I couldn’t make my intention translate into action.
Abdullah bin Mubarak was eager to find out how could this man’s Hajj be accepted and blessed for all the people who went for Hajj that year when he didn’t go for Hajj in the first place. While talking to the cobbler he could feel a certain purity in his heart. Islam regards greatness not in wealth or in power, but in civility, in good manners and the goodness of heart.
Abdullah bin Mubarak further asked: “why could you not go on Hajj?”. In order not to disclose the reason, Ali again replied “it was Allah’s will”.
When Abdullah bin Mubarak persisted, Ali revealed: “Once I went to see my neighbor’s house. His family was just sitting down for dinner. Although I was not hungry I thought my neighbor would invite me to sit down for dinner out of courtesy but I could see that my neighbor was grieved about something and wanted to avoid inviting me for dinner.
After some hesitation the neighbor told me: “I am sorry I cannot invite you for food. We were without food for three days and I could not bear to see the pain of hunger of my children. I went out looking for food today and found a dead donkey. In my desperation I cut out some meat from the dead animal, and brought it home so that my wife could cook this meat. It is halal (lawful or permitted) for us because of our extreme condition of hunger, but I cannot offer it to you.”
Ali continued: “On hearing this, my heart bled with tears. I got up and went home, collected the three thousand dinars I had saved for Hajj, and gave my neighbor the money. I too had to go hungry but that was to save money for Hajj, but I thought helping my neighbor during his difficult times was more important. Although I still desire to go for Hajj if Allah wills.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak was greatly inspired by the cobbler’s story and told the cobbler of his dream.
Allah is merciful and shows mercy to those who do likewise to his creatures. This act of compassion on the part of the cobbler was so pleasing to Allah that it not only earned him the reward of Hajj but was extended to all the people who came for Hajj.
Hajj is a journey that can ignite the soul to be reminded of the time it was created and takes it beyond the dimensions of this life to the time it will meet the Creator.
The sincere performance of Hajj can transcend a person’s day to day life into a spiritual awakening of the highest magnitude. A successful Hajj experience connects us to our Lord with absolute sincerity until nothing remains in us which is directed to other than Allah, and the greater compassion for humanity.
May Allah grant us purity of the heart and swiftness of actions to respond to His call. Ameen.
Labbayka Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk
Inna al-hamd wa’l-ni’mata laka wa’l-mulk, laa shareeka lak
Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am.
Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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