While some have failed to abide by true love to him (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) this lunar month, by celebrating that which he did not command to be celebrated, they have forgotten that this great Prophet was one who, “Whenever he saw clouds or wind, his color would change.”This came to mind the other day, when the sky darkened and rain poured for a few short minutes in this dry land, much to our pleasure. But Rasulullah, sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam, was questioned by his own wife; “Messenger of Allah! When people see clouds they look delighted hoping that they would bring them rain, but when you see clouds, your face shows worry.’ He said to me: ‘Aishah! How can I be sure that it does not carry punishment? Some people were punished with wind. Others saw the punishment approaching, yet they said that it was rain-bearing clouds.’” (Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad and Abu Dawud.)

For us, in recent days,  we have seen the signs in their various creations. Earthquakes, floods, storms, tsunamis, and an eclipse.

Say, “He is the [one] Able to send upon you affliction from above you or from beneath your feet or to confuse you [so you become] sects and make you taste the violence of one another.” Look how We diversify the signs that they might understand. (al-An’aam 6:65)

In a few seconds, hundreds of thousands are killed. Homes are destroyed. Families are separated. Surely, this does not happen by chance.

“And We send not the signs except as a warning.” (al-Israa 17:59)

In these signs, there is a reminder, there is mercy; mercy from Allah, who is asking us to seek His forgiveness, for what our deeds have earned us.

Such should be the first response, for it is the best form of aid; serving as aid for our own souls and protecting our societies as a whole.

Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness. (al-Rum 30:41)

"And Allah would not have wronged them, but it was they who were wronging themselves." (al-Ankabut 29:40)

So in the midst of our busy lives, when we often forget to reflect as we survey the headlines bearing words describing the signs of Allah, this a call to myself before all to turn to the Creator admitting our wrong;

"There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers." (al-Anbiyaa 21:87)

Through seeking forgiveness, Allah withholds his punishments and through it, the doors of sustenance are opened. It is for both; those who fear the harm of rain and those who desire it for their rain-thirsty lands.
For this repentance to be complete, we must cease from the wrong, regret it, be sincerely determined not to repeat the wrong and if we have transgressed the rights of others, then returning such rights is due or in some cases to seek their forgiveness.

When repentance is sincere, then Allah has promised;

"Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (al-Zumar 39:53)

So as fear of Allah’s wrath filled the heart of our beloved (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) so much that his face changed in color, although His Creator told him; “But Allah would not punish them while you, [O Muhammad], are among them.” Then, our hearts are more in need of fear, whilst not abandoning hope as we recite the remainder of the same verse; “and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness.” (al-Anfal 8:33)

Also see: The Effects of Sins: Evil upon Land and Sea

This khutbah was originally delivered on Eid-ul-Adha and discusses how part of the legacy of Ibrahim (alayhi salam) is achieving success in one’s personal endeavors and more importantly securing the religious identity and spirituality of our children and coming generations by dedicating ourselves to the obedience of Allah above all.

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People who come back from Hajj often talk about a bunch of places, rituals, and events that you’ve probably never heard of. In trying to understand Hajj, this doesn’t really help. It’s one thing that you haven’t attended, but it’s another to have a bunch of unfamiliar terminology and places that confuse you.

While there’s a lot to learn about Hajj, and you won’t really know most of it until you actually go, learning about the major places of Hajj and what happens there can go a long way. Here’s a look at them and what they mean for a pilgrim.

The post is pretty long, but instead of splitting this section into parts, it can serve as a basic one-stop shop for reference on what the major parts of Hajj are. I wrote this post with help from my wife. I covered Mina and Jamarat while she did ‘Arafah and Muzdalifah.

Mina

On the 8th of Dhul Hijjah, the first official day of Hajj begins upon your arrival to Mina. It’s here that you stay for almost every night of your days during Hajj.

White tents as far as the eye can see.

The first thing you notice upon arriving is the massive size of the place. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, stayed in this area during his Hajj, and since then, staying arrangements have been made throughout the ages that have nearly filled up the entire area with tents to fit 2 to 3 million people. Your Hajj group makes arrangements for your stay in one of them.

Ginormous!

Signs designating the boundaries.

There’re so many tents, Mina is better known as Tent City. Meaning you literally enter a city of tents probably the size of the Loop in downtown Chicago, all filled with tents and walkways in between. This makes it really easy to get lost if you’re not careful. The tents all look the same and are set up in patterns throughout the different sections.

Imagine getting lost here. Some people do.

A map of the entire area. Which isn’t very easy to read, btw.

Each area is split up by continent, and then by country, for the most part. You’ll see flags along walkways and bridges that overlook the tents that will give you an idea of where people are coming from.

Each flag is a sign of how far Islam has spread.

Meals for our group were given in our tents. They were small hot trays of food, each meal being lightly cooked rice and some kind of meat.

Here’s what one of the tents looks like inside. This is a standard and very typical arrangement for a pilgrim.

Air conditioning up top. Screens can be dropped down to separate for women.

Hajj groups give out sleeping bags and sometimes tents will have mattresses and pillows.

Like a massive four night spiritual sleepover.

While staying here, you begin your process of change. You’re sleeping with people who are all on the same boat as you, there to perform Hajj and be forgiven for your sins. You start to share your food with them, pray in the same tents together, watch each others’ bags while going to the restrooms, talk about stories and experience, and more. The experience of brotherhood is unmatched and builds your character (granted that you choose to let it do so).

A pic from inside my tent. Good times...

Also, specifically for us Muslims coming from Western lands, we get to exorcise a lot of our comfortable demons while staying in Mina during Hajj. The bathrooms at Mina are horrendous for most people. The food, unless you pay over $10,000 for your package per person, is nothing special and gets repetitive. You learn the value of water without being close to easily accessible taps or bottled water. You recall how much of a luxury cars and public transportation are when you walk for miles all day from Mina to other places.

Not everyone gets to stay in tents. Some sleep outside, even if it rains.

Others stay on top of the mountains!

The dreaded Mina bathrooms!

All in all, the experience in Mina builds you up perfectly while you perform the upcoming rituals of Hajj, acting as a home away from home during that time with sweet memories you carry with your forever.

‘Arafah

On the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, the Hujjaj pack up from Mina, and head out to the plain of ‘Arafah. The Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasalaam has said, “Hajj is ‘Arafah.” It is the most important day of the five days of Hajj. In fact, unlike the other manāsik (rituals) that are part of Hajj, if a Hajji misses going to ‘Arafah, there is no penalty or fee that can be paid; instead the entire Hajj is nullified!

On the way to ‘Arafah, the heart of Hajj!

What you may have seen in the past is pictures of people standing on a mountain making du‘ā’. This mountain is called Jabl Rahmah.

The famous Mt. Rahmah with the white pillar on top.

While many pilgrims find the strength to climb the mountain and make du‘ā’, the vast majority do not. There is no requirement to be on the mountain, so many people sit under tents, or find secluded places to make du‘ā’ quietly without any distraction. The only requirement for ‘Arafah is that you are within its limits.

Tents are also filled with people making du‘ā’.

The time to be at ‘Arafah starts around midday. There is a khutba delivered in Masjid Namira. Not every pilgrim can attend because of the trip from Mina to ‘Arafah, so instead they listen via radio or have a khutba in their own group. After it finishes, pilgrims pray both Dhuhr and Asr combined. This is a rukhsa, or gift, given from Allah so that each Hajji is free of any obligatory prayer for the rest of the daylight hours.

Masjid Namirah, where the khutba for the Day of ‘Arafah.

From then on, the entire afternoon is spent making du‘ā’ to Allah. All the Hujjaj are gathered on a plain in front of Allah dusty and dirty, begging for His Mercy. It’s a parable for the Day of Judgment, except this time, the pilgrims have come voluntarily. And this time they have the opportunity to change their ways, and fix themselves before they are all called before Allah once more.

Millions of people asking Allah for forgivness. Everywhere.

It is an amazing sight to see millions of Muslims gathered together all making du‘ā’ to Allah. It is truly something that will boost your īmān and make you realize the Glory and Might of Allah. It is Allah who is Al-Mujīb and Al-Qarīb. He answers and He is close. There is no discrimination because is the Just; all those who make du‘ā’ to Allah are treated equal. The people gathered there come from all walks of life, with different problems, different requests, different dilemmas, hopes and dreams. It doesn’t matter if they are American, European, African, or Asian; Allah answers all their du‘ā’ and is close to all of them.

The most emotionally spiritual day of your life.

The afternoon is filled with strong emotions. Hearts are on a roller coaster, coming up out of fearful lows and soaring to hopeful highs. There is assurance from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that the du‘ā’ made on the day of ‘Arafah are the best du‘ā’, and that no du‘ā’ made on this day goes unanswered. So make sure, for your future Hajj trip, that you make an extensive du‘ā’ list and are prepared to ask for any and everything your heart desires.

The saddest part of Hajj: the end of the Day of ‘Arafah.

As the daylight dims, it is time for Maghrib prayer, but there is no sunset prayer in ‘Arafah. Everyone wipes their eyes, grins from ear to ear, and leaves ‘Arafah knowing anything they asked for is theirs, inshaAllah.

Muzdalifah

From ‘Arafah the Hujjaj once again pack into buses and move forward to Muzdalifah. Once they arrive they pray both Maghrib and Isha together.

Combining Maghrib and Isha at Muzdlifah before finding a place to sleep.

The rest of the night is meant for sleeping. On the morning of the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, everyone prays Fajr at Muzdalifah and moves back to Mina.

The night in Muzdalifah is probably the best night’s sleep during all of Hajj. The pilgrims arrive emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally exhausted. They are met with absolutely no accommodations; no tent, no mattress, no water, no food.

But despite all of that, there is comfort and contentment as they lay down on the ground. Above them are dazzling stars in the deep night sky. Around them are tall, protective, strong mountains. Their companions are relaxed and spirits are high. As they all fall asleep, laughter, smiles, and relief fill the air knowing that the time in Arafah has passed and was, insha’Allah, accepted.

This picture doesn’t do justice. There are millions of people on a flat plain all sleeping on the floor out in the middle of a plain. Simply amazing.

In the middle of the night, if you were to wake up and look around you, all you will see is death—the Hujjaj sleeping. Millions of bodies wrapped in white cloth, laying lifeless on the ground, only to wake up in the morning for Fajr. It is a time for rebirth and second chances. And so it is on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah that the Hujjaj shave their heads and make a sacrifice, just as they did as a baby when they are born into this world.

A new life, inshaAllah.

Jamarat

After you finish up going to ‘Arafah on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah and staying the night of the 10th in Muzdalifah, you still have three to four days of Hajj left. It’s during these days that you head out to the Jamarat to perform ramī, the stoning of the devil.

Located within Mina itself, this is the place where you’ve seen the pictures of thousands of pilgrims crowding around a huge stone and throwing small rocks at it. Each day remaining of Hajj, you have to go to this area to throw rocks at the large stones there while spending the nights in Mina in your tents.

The routes there get mega packed as millions of pilgrims leave their tents to go perform the stoning. The sight of throngs of people all going to one place isn’t all that at first, since you travel all at the same time. But when you get to the area and look back at how many people there are, it’s unreal! Besides the fact that the system the Saudi government created superb, you will never find yourself not amazed as to how many people come for Hajj, accepting the ancient call of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him.

After Dhuhr it's the most packed.

Millions and millions of people. All going to obey Allah.

And it’s Prophet Ibrahim that comes to mind with this ritual of Hajj. As he went by order of his Lord to slaughter his son Isma‘īl, peace be upon him, Shaitan came and whispered to him in three different spots to stop him from obeying the command of Allah.

Rocks to throw at the Jamarat. Usually collected at Muzdalifah.

He threw stones at Shaitan at each of these three instances, and Shaitan was expelled away. It’s that same stoning that we perform today in Hajj at the Jamarat, with three different stones: ṣaghīr, waṣaṭ, and ‘aqabah, or small, medium and large.

Signs leading to the three stones are placed overhead.

Pilgrims stoning the Jamarat.

The Saudi government has built up a massive 5 level stoning facility to facilitate the flow of the millions of pilgrims. It’s huge. A giant… thing. Looks like a massive parking lot the size of a football field. In it, there are three huge stones that go up throughout each level of the facility to allow people to stone from whichever one they’re on.

Sick aerial view provided by AlJazeera.

Naturally, the first floor is more packed, because it’s the ground level and people want to throw from the level by which not only Prophet Ibrahim threw, but also Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him. The top floors are much easier to throw on, with escalators leading to them to facilitate elders and families.

Escalators leading all the way up.

Many thoughts come to mind with this ritual. First, is that of death. Every once in a while you hear about people dying at Hajj or stampedes that occur. This could probably be at Jamarat, because millions of people leave throughout the day to perform their stoning, with some times being more crowded than others.

“The Jamarat are upgraded, but the roads to them aren’t,” my group leader Shaykh Muhammad Alshareef said. “That’s where you find most deaths and stampedes.”

So whether you hear about deaths that occur then, or even in your planning to go perform stoning at a less intense time such as after ‘Aṣr, you are reminded of death.

Secondly, you are performing an ancient act of incredible obedience to Allah that goes back all the way to Prophet Ibrahim. Not only are you performing a pillar of Hajj, but you’re also symbolically stoning Shaitan the same way Prophet Ibrahim did. Your whole life he has whispered evil inspirations to you, influencing a life of sin and disobedience to Allah.

Now, after a day of asking for forgiveness in ‘Arafah and being reborn in Muzdalifah, you throw seven pebbles at each symbolic stone representing him in a way of riding his past influences on you even further.

An emotional ritual of spiritual cleansing.

Even if you don’t feel a connection in the symbolic connection to Prophet Ibrahim’s act because you’re throwing rocks at a huge stone made by the Saudi government in an air conditioned facility, as Imām Al-Ghazālī said in Iḥyā’ ‘Ulūm Al-Dīn, you’re still “throwing them in the face of the Shaiṭān and you are breaking his back with them, because nothing annoys him except your obeying the command of Allah out of veneration for Him, simply because of His command, and the soul and mind have nothing to do with it.”

Conclusion

Now that you have a brief glimpse of the major bits of Hajj, you can understand them a bit better when you hear people talking about them and as you prepare to make your own Hajj inshaAllah. For those of you who’ve gone, which of these events and places did you love the most, and what was your experience like there and then?

One of the greatest longings for those who’ve never gone for Hajj or ‘Umrah is to pray at the Ka‘bah. For years you’ve seen footage and pictures of prayer being held there and may have heard stories of people raving about the experience after coming back from making a trip to visit it. But you’ve never actually experienced it yourself.

To give you a taste of what it’s like, here’s a recap of one of my instances of praying Fajr at the Ka‘bah. Using photos and videos I took from multiple prayers I was able to pray there, I’ll try to recreate the experience of praying at Masjid Al-Harām and the reflections I had while doing so.

Our journey began at our hotel in Aziziyah, a small suburbs just outside Mecca, at 4:30am.

Every morning we would take a bus that left to and returned back from the Haram once every hour or so. Since Fajr was at 5:30am, we’d take an early bus so as to get there in time to not only find a nice spot, but also throw down some prayers before Fajr time hit.

The bus would get nearly packed with Hajjis from our hotel, some from our group, others from around the world staying in our hotel. The route to the Haram at the beginning of our trip, one week before Hajj, would take 15 to 20 minutes. As the days of Hajj approached, the travel time took longer because of the increased crowds.

Our bus arrives at a certain turnabout about 10 minutes walking distance from the Haram.

The place gets packed as dozens of buses, taxis, and people arrive to make way towards the holiest place of worship on Earth, and the same is for a number of other drop-off points around the vicinity.

The thing that stands out first while praying during Hajj season is the incredible amount of people there.

Even at 4:30am, there were easily over a million people coming in over an hour before Fajr time. Why? To get some extra worship in, of course! People came from all over the ends of the Earth. So before Hajj time kicks in, they figure, let’s go pray at the Haram as much as we can.

One of the greatest sites you’ll see on Hajj but also ever in your life is that of the Ka‘bah. Although we live in an age where you can take a picture of this sacred house of worship that people save up their lives for with just the click of a button, nothing can compare to the sight of it in person. It stirs your soul and grabs it with its presence, yet at the same time somehow makes it feel completely at ease at the same time. You must experience it one day if you haven’t. Most of the time before Fajr, we prayed up on the third floor where I took this picture.

There’s also ṭawāf going on, the act of circumambulating the Ka‘bah. Before Fajr, particularly after midnight until 3am, there aren’t that many people. These pictures are taken right around 2:30am or so, which explains how I was able to get so close.

Now back to Fajr, or rather pre-Fajr. Before the adhān for prayer goes off, people gather in the millions to grab and spot and perform worship. This moment, by far, is the one of the most serene and peaceful experiences of your life.

There are thousands of people all around you sitting and worship Allah in their own way before Fajr time. Some pray qiyām al-lail, the night prayer, focusing on their prayer counting 100,000 times more than normal and having the Ka‘bah so close in front of them.

Others are making du‘ā’, especially since they made it a point to come during the last third of the night when Allah descends from His throne and answers what His servants ask.

Or reading Qur‘ān and reciting just a bit out loud while birds fly overhead and chirp away while performing their own worship and remembrance of Allah.

The entire Haram is packed. Not a single place in the whole building structure exists that’s empty. Everywhere you look, there are people, and all of them are there for the same purpose.

So many people show up that every level of the Haram starts to get filled up. Massive amounts of worshipers accumulate outside the masjid because of the number of people anticipating prayer. And they are people of every single variety; old, young, South Asian, Arab, African, European, Asian, American, healthy, sick, wealthy, poor, disables, strong, you name it. Throngs of people all staying in Mecca before or after the days of Hajj just to pray their prayers at Masjid Al-Harām.

With all that in mind, you take a moment for a mental time out to just think. Think about life, think about everything that happens, the history behind where you are and why you’re there, and thinking about Allah (SWT) Himself. And the whole time, the only thing you hear is the quiet murmur of ṭawāf and the sounds of birds above you.

Then, while you’re soaking all this in, the adhān for Fajr goes off.

This experience simply shakes you to the bone. Here you were sitting in the most peaceful moment of the night praying, reading Qur’ān, or reflecting, and the call to prayer begins echoing throughout the entire surrounding area. The sound system set up at the Haram is simply unmatched, and the feeling of hearing the adhān through it prepares you for prayer unlike any other.

With Fajr about fifteen to twenty minutes away, the ṭawāf starts to lessen as people sit down and situate themselves for prayer from the Ka‘bah area and back. Those performing ṭawāf at that point are absolutely packed up tight, but hope to find a place to pray super close to the Ka‘bah or maybe in the ḥaṭīm, the semi-circular part of the Ka‘bah inside which is considered to be part of the original Ka‘bah built by Prophet Ibrahim.

Even here, in the area between Safa and Marwa where pilgrims go back and forth from in sa‘i, there are worshipers taking a seat to get ready for prayer. For a lot of them, they were performing sa‘i and sat down once the adhān was called.

All over the Haram’s roofed areas are shelves full of copies of the Qur’ān that worshipers take and read from. Since Fajr is approaching quickly, people start to give the muṣḥaf to someone who volunteers to take them back.

Here a young brother jumps up to perform the task.

Are you always able to see the Ka‘bah from where you stand at the Haram? Not at all. In fact, it’s only really visible to you if you’re praying in the main courtyard where it gets super packed, or in the front most parts of the second and third floors. Also, the Haram guards have the women move backward out of the courtyard so as to not have men praying behind women during the congregational prayers (though, women are allowed to pray there all other times).

But if you can manage to pray there, it’s incredible. Your whole life as a Muslim you’ve been praying towards it in one direction. But that’s all it’s been, a direction. Imagine you’re praying in front of the very thing that you’ve been facing towards your whole life. It’s an entirely different experience, especially when it’s right in front of you.

I know it’s hard since you’ve never gone, but just envision the day that you get to pray this close to the Ka‘bah. It’s no longer a place across the ocean, or just a direction that you face. It’s the first site ever built for the worship of Allah. Ever. In the history of mankind. And you’re there, so much closer, worshiping so much that your heart becomes closer to Allah and wants to continue doing so forever.

After prayer ends, there is almost always a quick reminder of death: the funeral prayer, ṣalāh al-janāzah. There are millions of people in the city from all over, and deaths can occur anywhere. The bodies are brought in some time before prayer, and immediately after it finishes, the Imam leads the congregation for the funeral prayer after all five prayers of the day.

With Fajr over, over half the people leave. That’s not a light statement. We’re talking about a mass exodus of probably over a million people. The sight of that is amazing each and every time you see it. You’re just amazed not only at how many people came for Hajj, but also how many worshipers came to pray Fajr at the masjid.

The others would simply stay at the Haram and continue to worship, make i‘tikāf, or catch up on sleep. People stay there all day, getting food from places nearby and getting the most out of their time in the sacred city of Makkah.

To get back to our hotel, we would walk back to our drop off point to meet our driver and wait for him to make his way through the congestion of Haram traffic. As the smell of fried chicken mixed with exhaust fumes undoubtedly hits you, a realization comes to mind that my wife pointed out.

When we come for prayers at the Ka‘bah during Hajj, millions of people gather for it. They come hours in advance, compete for the best spot, and in the most literal sense of things, we wait for ṣalāh.

Back home, where ever it is that we come from, the case is the opposite. We delay praying to the end of the set times, miss them due to negligence, and in every meaning of the phrase, ṣalāh waits for us.

Praying at the Haram can serve as a reminder of this, and those who have done so will testify the same. Especially those who just recently came back from Hajj this year. If you haven’t gone, then inshaAllah this post can remind you in the same way.

Bismillah

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has chosen and given preference to certain days and times that are special and sacred in our religion. As many of you may know by now, the sacred month of Muharram (which begins the new Islamic year) has started today.

The Prophet of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “The division of time has turned to its original form which was current the day Allah created the heavens and earth. The year consists of twelve months of which four are sacred: three consecutive months, Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab which comes between Jumada and Sha’ban.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Virtues of Muharram

• It is one of the four sacred months. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said, “Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein” (9:36)

• It is the best month to fast in after Ramadan. The Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “The best fasting after Ramadan is the month of Allah Muharram, and the best prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer at night.” [Muslim]

• The Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “The best fasting after Ramadan is the month of Allah Muharram.” [Muslim] The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam called this month “the Month of Allah”. When Allah azza wa jal connects His Name to something, it shows the great status and virtue of the subject.

• This month contains the day of ‘Aashoora (the tenth of Muharram). Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Aashoora and he said, “I do not know of any day on the Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam fasted that was better than this day.” [Bukhari and Muslim] This day is known as the day Allah ta’ala saved Musa alayhi salaam and the Children of Isra’eel from Fir’awn.

• Fasting the Day of ‘Aashoora is an expiation of a year of sins. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Fasting the day of Arafah I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year before it and the year after it, and fasting the day of ‘Aashoora I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year that came before it.” [Muslim]

Mourning the Death of Husayn ibn Ali?

Al-Hafidh ibn Katheer rahimahullah, known for his work of tafseer, states regarding this act of mourning the death of Husayn ibn Ali radi Allahu anhu,

Every Muslim should mourn the killing of al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him), for he is one of the leaders of the Muslims, one of the scholars of the Sahaabah, and the son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who was the best of his daughters. He was a devoted worshipper, and a courageous and generous man. But there is nothing good in what the Shi’ah do of expressing distress and grief, most of which may be done in order to show off. His father was better than him and he was killed, but they do not take his death as an anniversary as they do with the death of al-Husayn. His father was killed on a Friday as he was leaving the mosque after Fajr prayer, on the seventeenth of Ramadan in 40 AH. ‘Uthmaan was better than ‘Ali according to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, and he was killed when he was besieged in his house during the days of al-Tashreeq in Dhu’l-Hijjah of 36 AH, with his throat cut from one jugular vein to the other, but the people did not take his death as an anniversary. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab was better than ‘Ali and ‘Uthmaan, and he was killed as he was standing in the mihraab, praying Fajr and reciting Qur’an, but the people did not take his death as an anniversary. Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq was better than him but the people did not take his death as an anniversary. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the leader of the sons of Adam in this world and the Hereafter, and Allah took him to Him as the Prophets died before him, but no one took the dates of their deaths as anniversaries on which they do what these ignorant Raafidis do on the day that al-Husayn was killed. … The best that can be said when remembering these and similar calamities is that which ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated from his grandfather the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: “There is no Muslim who is afflicted by a calamity and when he remembers it, even if it was in the dim and distant past, he says Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon (verily to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return), but Allah will give him a reward like that of the day when it befell him.”

Narrated by Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majaah, end quote from al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah (8/221).

Good Deeds for This Month

• Fasting. Muharram lands in winter this year, making it even more easier to fast. The Companions and the righteous predecessors rejoiced in the coming of this season. It is reported that Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu said, Shall I not point you to comfortable proceeds? The people responded, “And what is that O Abu Hurayrah?” He replied, “Fasting in winter.” The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam did not fast in succession for one month other than Ramadan, so it is not recommended to fast the whole month.

• The best days to fast in Muharram is the day of ‘Aashoora and one day before it or one day after it. Imam Shafi’i and Imam Ahmad both stated, “It is mustahabb [recommended] to fast both the ninth and the tenth, because the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam fasted the tenth and intended to fast the ninth.” Shaykh Al Munajjid gives a tip on his website for us to be sure that we fasted on the correct day:

If a Muslim wants to be sure that he has fasted on the right day, he should fast two consecutive days at ‘Aashooraa’. So he should calculate when ‘Aa’shooraa’ will be if Dhu’l-Hijjah is twenty-nine days and if it is thirty days, and fast these two days. Thus he will be definite that he has fasted ‘Aashooraa’, and in this case he will have fasted either the ninth and tenth, or the tenth and eleventh, both of which are good. If he wants to be sure of fasting Taasoo’ah (the ninth of Muharram) as well, then he should fast the two days we have spoken of above and the day immediately before them as well. Then he will have fasted the ninth, tenth and eleventh, or the eighth, ninth and tenth. In either case he will have fasted the ninth and tenth for sure.

So in following this principle, you can fast December 25th, 26th and the 27th inshaAllah to be sure you fasted on ‘Aashoora with one day before it or after it.

• Fasting the “White Days”.  The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Fasting three days of each month is fasting for a lifetime, and ‘the white days’ are the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.” [an-Nasa'i, Saheeh] Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhu said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not fail to fast the white days either when at home or on a journey.” [an-Nasa'i] These days are the 13th, 14th and 15th of the hijri month which you can calculate according to whichever calendar for Muharram you follow inshaAllah.

• Increasing in duaa when you are fasting. “The prayer (duaa) of the fasting person will not be refused.” [Al-Bayhaqi, Saheeh]

• Qiyaamul Layl. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said in the hadeeth, “and the best prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer at night.” [Muslim] In this month we can complete two deeds that the Salaf encouraged in winter. Al Hasan Al Basri rahimahullah said, “The best season to a believer is the winter, its nights are long for those who wish to pray, and its days are short for those who wish to fast.”

• Protecting yourself from sins. Allah azza wa jal said about the sacred months, “so wrong not yourselves therein” (9:36) Imam Sa’di rahimahullah said in his tafseer regarding this ayah,

Allah states that He has made them a measure of time for His slaves, which they may use for worshipping Him, and thank Allah for His blessings, and they serve the interests of His slaves, so beware of wronging yourselves therein. The pronoun may also be understood as referring to the four sacred months, and this forbids them to wrong themselves in those months in particular, as well as it being forbidden to do wrong at all times, because it is more forbidden at this time, but it is worse at this time than at others.

• Increasing in good deeds in general. Read some chapters from Riyaad as-Saaliheen for ideas.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala accept our deeds and allow us to reap the benefits of those days and times He has selected over others.

When people you know come back from Hajj, you notice them talking about how much they “miss” Hajj and how they can’t wait to go back. There are many possibilities for what exactly each person misses from their journey, but what’s common between them is the reason why they would say that and feel that way.

At Hajj, you go through certain experiences that you cannot and will not find anywhere else. It’s simple the nature of Hajj. It has experiences that are unique to it, and those experiences make Hajj itself a unique wonder. That’s why you hear people saying, “I miss Hajj.” It’s like they’re going through withdrawal, knowing that they won’t get what they felt except for at that same place and time.

Here are three things that are exclusively unique to Hajj, and perhaps another piece of the puzzle for those who’ve never gone for Hajj in understanding why it is the journey of a lifetime.

1. Fulfillment of an ancient Prophetic legacy
The rites of Hajj are more than just completing the fifth pillar of Islam. It’s about fulfilling an entire ancient legacy of worshiping Allah (SWT). From the earliest generation of mankind, we know that the Ka‘bah existed as the first house built for the worship of Allah. So the land has been sacred since the beginning of humankind during the time of Adam, peace be upon him.

But all of this was intensified during the time of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him. Allah told him to raise the foundations and rebuild what was once already a sacred and holy site, and then urged him to call the people to Hajj. While Ibrahim was worried that no one would come to such a place in the middle of the desert, Allah told him to do his part and leave the rest up to His Lord.

Since then, hundreds of generations have passed with people answering the call, from the followers of Ibrahim, to the pure worshipers living amongst the polytheists of Quraysh, until the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, performing Hajj near the end of his life. 1400 some years later, we have 3 to 4 million people going for Hajj and answering Ibrahim’s once desolate call, each and every year.

The Ka‘bah in 1880

A 1953 Photo

The Ka‘bah, November 2009

At Hajj, you get to be one of the people that answer the call of Ibrahim. And when you get there, see the Ka‘bah, perform ṭawāf around and pray in front it, run between Mount Safa and Marwa and drink from zam zam water like Ibrahim’s wife Hājar, and perform the rites the Prophet (SAW) performed on his Hajj, it’s an incredible historical, Fiqhi, and spiritual all in one.

2. A time and place to perform any worship possible
My wife was explaining to another sister something so unique about the city of Mecca particularly during the time of Hajj. She told her that it’s the one place in the world where every single act of worship can be performed. It’s true, and it helps if we can break up worship into three tiers.

Tier one, acts that we do at home throughout the year like prayer, fasting, i‘tikaf, and giving charity. These can be done anywhere in the world at any time.

A scene of prayer, reading Qur'an, and making i'tikaf before Fajr at Masjid Al-Haram

Tier two, acts that can only be done in Mecca, such as ‘umrah, ṭawāf and sa‘ī.  These acts are limited to the city and at the Ka‘bah, but are not bound by time.

Tawaf at 3am

Tier three, however, is where the uniqueness kicks in. Acts that are only performed during Hajj, such as  staying in Mina, going to the area of ‘Arafah to make du‘ā’ on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah and staying the night of the 10th, and performing ramī, the stoning of Shayṭān at Jamarat.

Pilgrims making du‘ā’ on Mt. Rahmah on the Day of ‘Arafah

Only during Hajj do you have the ability to perform all three tiers of worship, and focusing on that during your trip makes it one of amazing worship and performing good deeds.

3. The feelings of being in the most unique event in the world
Take a look throughout human history and try to find anything that compares to Hajj. You can’t. It’s the most monumental event that ever existed in mankind, and the feelings you get from it are incredible.

You feel like your ego is crushed when you are in the same city as millions of people all there for the same reason as you. But it’s okay, because it empowers your belief in Islam. I mean, where else will you find up to four million people gathering for the same purpose, to pray to the same God, and ask Him for forgiveness and renewal? And under which religion? Only in Hajj and only in the religion of Islam.

So many people!

And because of those millions of people, you feel brotherhood and sisterhood in ways you’ve never felt before. The diversity totally stands out too. Arab, Desi, Turkish, Chinese, Guyanese, American, Chechen, African, Japanese, Russian, you name it and you’ll find it. Getting to know people of other backgrounds and cultures increases your love of Islam showing just how far the religion spread.

Muslims at Hajj come in all shapes, colors, and sizes

And lastly, after making humbling you and teaching you to appreciate your fellow Muslims, you feel absolutely unique yourself that Allah chose you to perform the amazing journey during the year that you go. It’s only by His will that anything happens, and when you see old men and women from all over the ends of the Earth there to turn back to Allah, you realize what a blessing it is that you were chosen to be there, too.

Thank you, Allah!

There aren’t the only unique aspects of Hajj. They’re just some that stood out to me. If you’ve gone, what made your journey unique to you, and if you haven’t gone, what unique part are you looking forward to the most?

Whenever someone goes through a major life changing experience, people tend to ask common follow up questions. If someone gets married, they’re always asked, “How’s married life?” It’s the standard things to ask someone, almost like some sort of customary greeting. The person responds that things are going well, the honeymoon details are such, and life is good.

When you come back from hajj, the same thing happens. Everyone asks, “How was it?” Only, you can’t really answer the question.

The hajj journey is really the strangest thing in the world. It’s an intensely exhausting and difficult journey that you want to go back and perform over and over again. It’s a test that pushes you past your physical, mental, and spiritual capacities yet you leave devastated you have to go home. It’s something that has no parallel in anyone else’s life.

So what are you possibly going to answer the question with? It was amazing? It was a life changing experience? It was the best thing that ever happened to me in my life? You can say a lot, but it’ll never really hit home. That’s hajj, an unexplainable wonder, and everyone reading this that has gone will definitely agree.

Yet, here I am trying to recap hajj in blog post form. Why am I going to even try?

Simple.

Firstly, this whole abstract explanation is basically a disclaimer. Me saying you can’t explain hajj as a whole to someone who hasn’t gone is my way of making it clear that I’m not trying to and even if I did I’d fail. It’s too large of a territory to conquer.

Secondly, with that said, what you can do, I feel, is give people a hint of the feelings and experiences you went through from it. Explain the scenario and how one personally gets through it and comes out from it, all while focusing on telling someone who is unfamiliar with the places, terms, and rituals, so as to not lose them in the details.

Think of watching a really good cooking show. My blog posts will be like that episode of your favorite chef showing how to make the perfect steak with the camera zooming in on every juicy detail. But to you, that’s as far as it’ll go. To really reach culmination, you gotta go the market, buy the steak, cook it, and eat it yourself.

That’s what I inshaAllah plan to do. Only instead of steak, I plan to give you a slight sense of hajj and the experiences I carried during the journey.

Thirdly, many Hajj recap articles don’t really do much for people who’ve never gone for Hajj. The terms and places are all unfamiliar, and the experiences seem too vague for non-Hajjis to connect with. These recaps won’t be like that. They’ll be written with someone who’s unfamiliar in mind, so inshaAllah anyone can benefit.

We ask Allah (SWT) to accept everyone’s hajj that went this year, before, and forever, and I ask Him to give me what it takes to give you all a taste of hajj and inshaAllah inspire you to one day go yourself.

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How many times have you woken up on a Friday morning, taken a shower, dressed in your best clothing, went to work, read surat al Kahf, headed to the masjid, waited for the khateeb (the speaker) but as he starts his khutbah, only to feel disappointed? And as he is delivering his speech you start to look at your watch making dua that the khutbah ends? Or maybe you picked up your cell phone and sent a text to some of your friends saying how horrible the khutbah is? Well, you are not alone.

Our respected elders are the ones who have carried on their shoulders the responsibility of setting the foundations of our communities, but I think it is time for them to pass on the torch to the next Muslim generation. This issue is bigger than just a khutbah that is hard to understand or a khutbah you cannot relate to, rather its an issue of disconnection from the community.

Not too long ago, a brother gave a khutbah about the Muslim youth in our community and shed some light on how we should deal with the youth, how we can understand them and cater to their needs. Although the topic is perfect and super beneficial, the way it was delivered would have made you wish you overslept and never showed up for Jummah. The presentation wasn’t prepared properly, the information wasn’t correct, the examples given in the khutbah weren’t any where close to the reality in our high schools and colleges, and above all, the English was not clear or understandable.

Don’t get me wrong, I too have an accent and make a lot of sentence structure and grammar mistakes, so by no means am I making fun of those who have accents, rather I would like to discuss the need to change the “usual Jummah syndrome” that most people suffer from in our communities.

I have always wondered why Allah mandated the Muslims to sit down and listen without any sort of a distraction to the khutbah every week. Is it for us to be educated about our deen? Is it for us to be inspired and motivated? Is it for us to be spiritually reconnected with Allah. Perhaps it is for us Muslims of the same community to gather and interact socially. However, I feel that none of these wisdoms are displayed when I show up for the khutbah only to find out that those who are delivering it are some of the worst public speakers ever. My focus is shifted on how awful the khutbah is rather than focusing on the actual information being delivered.

Many communities suffer from this and so it becomes the duty of the next generation to take the lead. You must take action and be an element of change within your community. There are only a few Yasir Qadhis and Hamza Yusufs around us. They cannot give the khutbahs, lectures, and halaqat all over the Western hemisphere at the same time. Therefore I believe it is time for you and I, the average Abduallahs and average Aishas, to voice our opinions and respectfully disagree with those who appoint khateebs who aren’t very good at giving the khutbahs.

It is time for you and I to cause the change that needs to take place in order for our community to move forward. We, the second generation Muslims, should respectfully be able to have a dialogue with our elders and convince them that it’s time for them to pass the torch… and the khutbah rotation should be the first on our list.

So here are 10 things you can do to start this chain reaction of change inshaAllah:

Bismillah:

** One very important note that you must keep in mind is that if you think that this attempt of change will cause a bigger and more severe fitna within your community, then don’t start it.

1. Make dua and make sure that your intention of causing this change is for the sake of Allah and not for a personal gain. Also remember that if you are not involved in your community, your opinion may not weigh heavily so if you want to make a change in your community, then get involved now. Be an active member of the masjid and try to be on board with the committee that is in charge of the khutbahs.
2. Remember that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, ‘He is not of us, he who does not honor our elders.” (Tirmidhi).
3. While observing the proper manners of giving a naseehah, address this issue with the brothers who are in charge of the khutbah rotation and voice your opinion respectfully and suggest a few names whom you think should give the khutbahs and state your reasons why.
4. If all else fails then start a petition that is not online since most of our elders aren’t computer friendly and have it signed by as many people as possible then present it.
5. Print a 5-questions survey and stand outside the masjid’s door and ask people to fill the surveys. In those surveys ask simple and broad question such as, on a scale of 1 to 5 answer the following questions:

   How did you like khutbah today?
   Were you able to understand the Khateeb?
   Was the topic relevant?
   Would you recommend this khateeb to give another khutbah?

6. Use this survey to prove to whoever is in charge of the Khutbah rotation that their selection of such and such person is not the right decision.
7. Utilize those students who give Khutbahs at the universities and develop them in order for them to be able to give Khutbahs at the main masajids in the near future. In fact, talk to the Imams at the masajid and have them train such youngsters.
8. Come together with a few brothers and sisters to host a speaker who can teach a weekend course on how to prepare and give a khutbah. Then select 5 or 6 brothers whom you and your congregation think are suitable to give the khutbah to learn such information. If you cannot do this, then search online for organizations who have such services and work with others to sponsor those brothers to take this course.
9. Ask your congregation in the masjid to suggest few topics that they want to be educated about or topics that they find spiritually fit for a khutbah and collect them and pass them to the khateebs in place and ask them to address them.
10. Encourage, support, and invest in the high school students in your community to host a khutbah at their highschool. This will serve as a good training for an upcoming Khateeb inshaAllah.

If you have any more ideas, please post it in the comment section.

I hope this will be the spark of change that takes over our masajid for there are plenty of things that must change and I hope Allah gives me the tawfeeq to address them as we go.

Great news! The best ten days of the year are nearly here. It is expected that the month of Dhul-Hijjah may start tomorrow (18th November, 2009), insha’Allah. Here are some resources we have posted in the past that should help you to make the most of this blessed time.

First, a video from Huda TV, in which Yasir Qadhi gives more on these 10 days and what we should be doing on them:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here for the transcript of the video.

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Second, a post titled: “On The First Day of Dhul-Hijjah, My True Love Gave To Me…”

Indeed, our true Love has given us the most precious of gifts… these first ten days of the month of Hajj. Will we not show gratitude and appreciation? Will we not pay heed to the words of our Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), when he advised us to increase in our worship of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala?

Let us seize the moment, let us recall the beautiful blessed days of Ramadhaan which passed us by only a few months ago, let us revive that spirit of emaan and ‘ebaadah!

Click here to read the full post.

Bismillah

Witnessing some of my kith and kin prepare for, and embark on Hajj this year, has brought back some very fond memories from the first and only Hajj I performed almost four years ago.

Photo Courtesy: bbc.co.uk

Hajj is indeed an incredible experience. It is as unpredictable as it is tasking, taking its toll on one’s physical and emotional faculties, yet teaching valuable lessons. There were times I was really shocked, especially in situations that I could not have imagined becoming a part of, before starting my sacred Hajj journey to please Allah.

No number of Hajj preparatory lectures and literature-reading (albeit a necessary part of preparation for the journey, no one’s doubting that) can prepare one for these tense or tasking situations. Ironically, they end up forming the very core of this journey, leaving you with memories that stay on over the years. That is why, it is extremely important to mind one’s personal habits, behavior, character, social etiquette and actions during Hajj, while interacting with fellow Muslims.

1. Hand-washing the clothes of a couple of roommates in Madinah or Aziziah, if you’re going to wash some of your own.
2. Rubbing the legs and feet of a roommate in Azizia who is severaly exhausted after his or her night-long worship and tawaaf in the Grand Mosque.
3. Not making a big deal about consistently losing  your shoes or having a painful cough throughout the Hajj journey.
4. Being shoved aside quite roughly with a piece of luggage on arriving in ones tent at Mina, as a sister runs for the best position in the tent – the one receving the best blast of air from the air conditioner louvres – and continuing to meet and greet her as if nothing happened.
5. Having a sister or brother (especially one older in age) ask you to fetch a second cup of tea for them, just as you are about to take your own first sip - even though they have seen you serve the whole tent-load of pilgrims their tea for the last half hour.
6. Doing nothing to change your place in the Mina tent, during the three-day stay, despite having two people, who snore loudly throughout the night, flanking you on either side.
7. Refusing to partake in the gossip that takes place in the shared accommodation in Makkah, Mina and Madinah, at the risk of being labeled rude.
8. Performing ablution with 5 other people at the same time, under the same tap, in Mina.
9. Being kind to the poor, bent, elderly woman in the overcrowded bathroom in Mina, who cannot wait in line like the rest due to genuine age issues, and decides to “go” right there on the open drain in the bathroom floor; who, as a result, is shouted at by sisters young enough to be her daughters (or even younger), who seem sure that their behavior towards her is justified by her actions.
10. Letting your sisters/brothers go first in the bathroom in Arafah, even though you know that’ll leave you with a filthy toilet.
11. Getting off the bus as it leaves Arafah for Muzdalifah, to stay back to wait/look for those elderly people or lone women in your group who have not yet returned to the meeting point.
12. Helping form a circle of “satr” around a Muslim of the same gender, who is witnessing a severe allergic reaction, and needs to “go” amid the boulders on the road side (no time at all to look for a bathroom).
13. Helping an elderly person change into a clean new set of ihram sheets after an accident similar to the one in the previous point.
14. Delaying your Tawaaf Al-Ifaadah by a day because you happened to run into an elderly person with bloodshot eyes, who begs you to help them find their tent in Mina, from which they are lost for more than a day. Imagine – roaming around in the tented city of Mina for over a day alone, hopelessly lost because you can not read! Delaying your tawaaf to help a brother/sister out of their crisis - perhaps it might just earn a double reward!
15. Willingly volunteering to become the “Ameer” of a handful of elderly people in your group to take them for Tawaaf Al-Ifaadah and Sa’ee, event though you know it will take twice as long (or more) to get done with it this way.
16. Saving some water from your only remaining bottle for a fellow Muslim to be able to perform ablution before Fajr prayers in Muzdalifah.
17. Sharing your sleeping bag with your spouse so that a sister or brother who lost theirs can rest on yours during the night in Muzdalifah.
18. Placing your prayer rug sideways on the floor at Jeddah Airport Hajj Terminal so that someone can pray next to you on it, even if it means muddying your knees.

All of the above incidents really happened, either with me or with someone I knew, during my memorable Hajj trip back in January 2006. I ask Allah to grant those who are going for Hajj the fortitude, selflessness and patience to take care of fellow pilgrims on this sacred journey.