Connect with us

Inspiration and Spirituality

Hajj Reflections: The Mortality of Man

Published

Hajj Reflections: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

On the 12th of Dhul Hijjah, I awoke in Mina to find an text message from my wife stating that one of my best friends back home had passed away. This friend was Feroz Ganie, my neighbour and the Ameer of Al-Kauthar Durban. A brother whom just a few weeks before Hajj told me he wanted to join me on Hajj this year. A friend whom a few weeks ago was discussing with me our plans for the future and I remember telling him these words, “You are still young,”. One car accident later, everything changed.

This year, my first Hajj, was truely a reminder to me about the mortality of mankind. Besides losing one of my best friends, everyday in Makkah or Madinah there would be several janazahs after each salah, a constant reminder of how many people were dying daily in the Holy Land, could we be next?

Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah

Alhamdulillah, we're at over 850 supporters. Help us get to 900 supporters this month. All it takes is a small gift from a reader like you to keep us going, for just $2 / month.

The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.

I remember while making my Tawaaf Al-Ifaadah, I saw a woman and her child crying as if they had just lost someone close to them, soon after that there was a call for “Salah alaa Tifli” (prayer upon a child), and I could not help but wonder if the two were linked. Even if not, a child had just passed away during the Hajj.

The Jamaraat are a place were many people have lost their lives in the past, although the new building makes it easier to navigate.

During the Hajj, I saw and experienced many things which led to me to constantly think of death and live each moment as if it were my last. Especially during the stoning of the Jamarat and the final Tawaf, it felt like it could be my last, and I was one stone throw away from the afterlife. Alhamdulillah, the conditions surrounding the Jamarat have greatly improved and as a result drastically reduced the chances of stampedes and death.

I found myself constantly reminded of the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), “Stay in this world as if you are stranger or a traveller”.

Being a traveller in Saudi, I found myself deriving the following lessons from this hadith:

1) While travelling I enjoyed everything I could, from the good food to the good company, but I never let my heart get attached to it knowing that it was temporary and soon I would be returning home. Likewise, we should enjoy the halal in this world, be it our families or halal forms of fun, but never let our hearts get attached to it so much that we can’t be separated from it, because soon we will be leaving it and returning home to jannah.

2) During the Hajj, we all were constantly worried about doing as much ibadah as possible because our journey would soon be over and we would be returning to our homes. Likewise, we should be concerned with doing as much ibadah as possible while in this world before we return home to paradise.

3) When travelling, we are careful not to spend our money on anything besides necessities and gifts to take home to remind us and our loved ones of our journey. Similarly, in this world besides necessities, it is important to invest our money to things we can take home to paradise (charity, dawah efforts, etc) so that we do not regret wasting our money after we leave this world.

4) While on Hajj, we experience many hardships yet bear them with patience knowing that it is all part of travelling (Safar = Suffer) and soon we will return to the comfort of our homes and talk fondly about those difficult moments as good memories. Well in this world, we face many hardships and trials, if we bear them with patience and are rewarded for that in the afterlife, then we can relax in our homes in paradise and talk fondly about those hardships and how they were all worth it.

So my first Hajj trip taught me an important lesson regarding the mortality of man and our lives as travellers in this world. May Allah help us reach home to paradise safely.

Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah

Alhamdulillah, we're at over 850 supporters. Help us get to 900 supporters this month. All it takes is a small gift from a reader like you to keep us going, for just $2 / month.

The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.

Shaykh Ismail Kamdar is the Books PO at Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research. He is also the founder of Islamic Self Help and Izzah Academy. He completed the Alimiyyah Program in 2006, and a BA in Islamic Studies in 2014, specializing in Fiqh, Tafsir, and History. He is the author of over a dozen books in the fields of Islamic Studies and personal development.

10 Comments

10 Comments

  1. Pingback: Hajj Reflections: Sacrificing for Knowledge | MuslimMatters.org

  2. Pingback: Hajj Reflections: Hardship and Ease | MuslimMatters.org

  3. Pingback: Hajj Reflections – Whoever Allah Calls | MuslimMatters.org

  4. Dreamlife

    January 4, 2011 at 5:44 AM

    JazakAllah for sharing those simple yet tremendously important lessons. These are all things we know in theory – from Quran or Sunnah – yet when you live through an experience that actually brings those lessons to life for you, it just makes it so much more real; and truly helps you to live those lessons.

    May your Hajj be accepted, and may the lessons you learned be a continuing source of benefit for you, your loved ones, and everyone who has and will read your stories on this website.

  5. Blessed

    January 4, 2011 at 6:46 AM

    SubhanAllah, it’s amazing how Br. Feroz Ganie’s last status on facebook was “We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and fruits. But give good news to the steadfast. Those who, when disaster strikes them, say, “We belong to Allah and to Him we will return.” Those are the people who will have blessings and mercy from their Lord; they are the ones who are guided. (Quran, 2: 154 -156)

    May Allah (SWT) grant him the highest level of Jannah. Jazak Allah Khair for this post and reminder.

    • Yahya Ibrahim

      January 4, 2011 at 8:05 AM

      Oh Allah grant him forgivness and strengthen his family and young child.

      I pray that his family find comfort and those who will assist them in all their needs.
      Departure from this worldly life is assured, either to comfort from Allah or to relieve others from our oppression.

      Allah grant him and us al Firdous

      Yahya Ibrahim
      http://www.facebook.com/yahya.adel.ibrahim

  6. Sister

    January 4, 2011 at 9:13 AM

    Jazakallahu khairaan kaseera brother for sharing wonderful reminders..May Allah accept all the good deeds from you and from your friend.May Allah include us among the people who love Allah the most.

  7. Slave of AllahSWT

    January 4, 2011 at 10:18 AM

    Assalamualikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh!

    SubhanAllah!! JazakAllah Khair Alf for this reminder! may AllahSWT bless our brother Feroz with Jannatul Firdous and help us to enter Jannah with His Mercy…truly we are sinful and Truly He is Oft Pardoning…

  8. Sadaf Farooqi

    January 8, 2011 at 3:51 AM

    Excellent analogies. Jazak Allahu khair!
    May Allah grant Al-Firdaus to your friend who passed away, and compensate his widow and children with good.

  9. Nabi

    January 11, 2011 at 5:13 PM

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending