Greater Hajj

"Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-'Alamin (the mankind and jinns). * In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqâm (place) of Ibrâhîm (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka`bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allâh, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allâh], then Allâh stands not in need of any of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists)." [Surat Al `Imran: 96 - 97].

"And (remember) when We made the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) a place of resort for mankind and a place of safety. And take you (people) the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham) [or the stone on which Ibrahim (Abraham) stood while he was building the Ka'bah] as a place of prayer (for some of your prayers, e.g. two Rak'at after the Tawaf of the Ka'bah at Makkah), and We commanded Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma'il (Ishmael) that they should purify My House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 125].

"And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj). * That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.), and mention the Name of Allah on appointed days (i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah), over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice) (at the time of their slaughtering by saying: Bismillah, WAllahu-Akbar, Allahumma Minka wa Ilaik). Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor who have a very hard time." [Surat Al Hajj: 27 - 28].

"The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e. the 10th month, the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islâmic calendar, i.e. two months and ten days). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming Ihrâm), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj. And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allâh knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding!" [Surat Al Baqarah: 197].

Praise be to Allah who made the Sacred House a place of return and security for people and made its visit and circumambulation an escape from torment and a shelter for people. He also made Hajj one of the pillars of Islam to be performed once in lifetime, completed the religion and accomplished the blessing therewith. Then Allah (may He be Exalted) sent down upon His Prophet the following Ayah: "This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion, so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 3]. This Ayah was revealed on Friday, on the Day of `Arafah (9<sup>th</sup> of Dhul-Hijjah) afternoon; during the Farewell Hajj, the 10<sup>th</sup> year after Hijrah while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was in `Arafah riding his she-camel.

Al Bukhari reported in his Sahih on the authority of Tariq ibn Shihab who said: "A Jewish man came to `Umar and said: 'O Commander of the believers, there is an Ayah in your Book which you recite; if it had been revealed to us Jews, we would have taken that day as a (day of) festival.' He said: 'Which Ayah?' He said: "...This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion..." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 3]. `Umar said: 'I know the day on which it was revealed, and the place in which it was revealed. It was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in `Arafat, on a Friday."

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Ayah was revealed in regard to two `Eids (festivals) which came in one day, Friday and the Day of `Arafah (9^th of Dhul-Hijjah).

The virtues of Hajj:

Allah made the Ka`bah a Qiblah for Muslims, chose the city of security as a place to Ka`bah, and honored it by using it in His Oath. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "By this city of security (Makkah)." [Surat At-Tin: 3]. He also said: "I swear by this city (Makkah)." [Surat Al Balad: 1]. He made it an inviolable sanctity where no blood should be shed there, no Muslim should be terrified there, its game should not be hunted, and its lost things should not be picked up except with the intention of looking for their owners. Allah made Hajj an expiation for sins and faults and a reason for entering Paradise peacefully. It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever performs Hajj to this House (Ka'ba) and does not approach his wife for sexual relations nor commits sins (while performing Hajj), he will come out as sinless as a newly-born child. (Just delivered by his mother)."

It was authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him): "A man's Salah in the Sacred Mosque is equal to one hundred thousand Salahs elsewhere." Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "(The performance of) `Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the Hajj which is accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise." [Reported by the Group except Abu Dawud].

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Hasten to Hajj (which is obligatory) because you do not know what may emerge to you (obstacle)." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

 "Whoever intends to do Hajj let him hurry, for a person may get sick, or he may not be able to take the journey, or other needs may interfere." [Reported by Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah].

`A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): Is Jihad obligatory upon women? He replied: Yes, they have to go to Jihad but their Jihad does not have fighting. Their Jihad is going to Hajj and `Umrah." [Reported by Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah, and its chain of transmission is authentic].

Al Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said: `Umar ibn Al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I intended to send men to countries to see the people who can afford the expenses of Hajj without performing it to impose a tax on them. Indeed, such people are not Muslims, Indeed, such people are not Muslims. [Reported by Sa`id in his Sunan].

It was reported on the authority of Sa`id ibn Jubayr, Ibrahim An-Nakh`y, Mujahid, and Tawus: "If I had known a rich person upon whom Hajj becomes obligatory then died before performing Hajj, I would have not performed Funeral Salah at him. Some of them had rich neighbors who died without performing Hajj, and they did not offer the funeral Salah at them."

When the Day of `Arafah comes on Friday and its ten virtues:

It was reported that Friday is the best day of the week just as the Day of `Arafah and the Day of Sacrifice are the best days of the year. If Friday comes on the Day of `Arafah, then we shall have two `Eids: Friday and `Arafah as was reported from Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). Here, we sum up the virtues which Ibn Al Qayyim mentioned in regard to the virtues of standing at `Arafah on Friday.

He (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) mentioned the Prophetic guidance:

Standing at `Arafah on Friday has a virtue from different aspects:

1- The combination of the two best days of the year.

2- It is the day which contains an hour where invocations are answered. The most correct opinion is that the hour of answering invocations exist in the last hour after `Asr where all the people who stand at `Arafah are invoking and beseeching Allah.

3- It corresponds the day which the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood at `Arafah.

4- People from all over the world gather there to listen to Friday sermon and Friday Salah along with standing at `Arafah so, it combines both the gathering for Friday Salah and sermon and standing at `Arafah which does not exist in any other day.

5- Friday is a day of `Eid and the day of `Arafah is also a day of `Eid for the people of `Arafah, so if `Arafah and Friday gather, Muslim shall enjoy both `Eids.

6- It corresponds the day in which Allah (may He be Exalted) completed the religion to His Servants and perfected His Favor upon them.

7- It corresponds the day of the great gathering on the Day of Recompense, therefore Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) legislated for His Servants on that day to gather and remember the beginning of creation, the return, Paradise and Hell-Fire. Indeed, Allah chose for this nation Friday in which their creation had begun and in which their return shall begin.

8- Acts of obedience, which Muslims do on Friday, are more than acts of worship performed any other day, and no doubt standing at `Arafah on that day has a virtue over other days.

9- It corresponds the day of giving people more favors in Paradise, and if it comes on the Day of `Arafah (9^th of Dhul-Hijjah), it has more virtues than others.

10- The Lord (Blessed and Exalted be He) comes down to worldly sky on the eve of `Arafah then boasts of His Servants before His Angels saying: What do these want? I call you as my witness that I grant them My Pardon. By His closeness to worldly sky, the hour of answering invocations takes place in which no one asks Allah anything from goodness but he shall be answered, and people draw near to Him by invocation and beseeching in that hour.

By these ten points and others, the day of `Arafah was given priority to others if it comes on Friday.

Comprehensive security in the time of just imams:

Allah is the greatest! How good Hajj this year and paying visits to Al Masjid Al Haram (the Sacred Mosque in Makkah) in the Sacred Country, the abode of the Messenger, the land of revelation, the beginning of light, the capital of Islam, the direction of hearts, and the gathering place of Muslims worldwide no matter their races, their languages, and their countries! They assemble there under the word of monotheism, the banner of Islam, and the words of the Qur'an which link them together. They assemble there to witness spiritual, bodily, religious, and worldly benefits, and to spread the bonds of intimacy and mercy among them: "(This is) a Grace from Allâh and His Favour. And Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise." [Surat Al Hujurat: 8].

Allah is the greatest! How beautiful is the sight of pilgrims wearing their Ihram and pronouncing Talbiyah! How beautiful when you see them bowing down, prostrating, and going between Safa and Marwah, getting to know one another in the House of Allah. "Seeking Bounty from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their Faith) is on their faces (foreheads) from the traces of (their) prostration (during prayers)." [Surat Al Fath: 29].

Allah is the greatest! Pilgrims intended to visit the Masjid of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Medina, performing Salah there, and visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

O Muslims, hasten to Hajj this year to correspond the Hajj of the Prophet (peace be upon him) if the day of `Arafah comes on Friday. It is the day of greater Hajj as scholars said or the Day of Sacrifice.

Allah has made the House full of security and a place for visiting. This security reminds you of the security found during the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and just rulers. It is enough for you that the visitors of the Prophet's Masjid go to it individually and collectively, and if a woman goes there alone, she will feel safe in regard to herself, her money, and honor.

These cars, which carry pilgrims from the coast of Jeddah to Makkah every day in the morning and in the evening, cut short the distance and ease the hardship for the weak and the disabled. The one who rides a car can reach Makkah in two hours from Jeddah after he had been spending several and ten hours in roads.