Even though there wont be many Muslims performing Hajj this year, the virtues below should encourage us to make a firm intention to go for Hajj, apply for Hajj if we haven’t, and to make an abundance of Dua that Allah Ta’ala take us for Hajj over and over again. We should also start saving for Hajj even if it is small amounts.
Allaah, the Most High, said: “ And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant [mountain] pass.” (al-Hajj: 27)
Ibn Umar (radiyallaahu ‘anhumaa) said that Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) said: “Islaam is built upon five: To testify that none has the right of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah; to establish the Salaah; to pay the Zakaah; to perform Hajj and to fast the month of Ramadaan.” (Bukhaaree, no. 8. Muslim, no. 16)
The Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon Him) said ” He who came to this House (the Ka’bah) (with the intention in performing Hajj) without speaking or committing indecencies, would return (free from sin) as on the day his mother bore him. ” (Muslim, 2/3129)
The Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon Him) said that: “ An accepted Hajj has no reward except Paradise.” – [Sahih-al-Bukhari & Sahih-al-Muslim]
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) was asked: “Which deed is the best?” He (ﷺ) replied, “Faith in Allah and His Messenger.” Then he was asked: “What is next?” He replied, “Jihad (holy fighting) in the Cause of Allah.” Then he was asked, “What is after that?” He (ﷺ) replied, ” Hajj Mabrur (an accepted pilgrimage) .”
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon Him) said, “( The performance of) ‘Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous ‘Umrah; and the reward of Hajj Mabrur (i.e., one accepted) is nothing but Jannah.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said, ‘ Follow up the Hajj and Umrah, because they certainly remove poverty and sins as fire separates the impurities from iron, gold and silver.’ (Tirmidhi, Ibne Khuzaimah, Ibne Hibbaan).
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said, ‘ Follow up between the Hajj and Umrah, because certainly succession between the two of them increases the life span and dispels poverty and sins as fire removes impurities. ’ (Baihaqi)
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said“O Amr! Do you not know that embracing Islam washes away all sins committed before it (during disbelief). And that migration (Hijrah) washes away all sins committed before it. And that Haj wipes out all sins committed before it” .[Muslim]
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said “ When you meet anyone who has performed Hajj, greet him, shake hands with him, and beseech him to pray for the forgiveness of your sins before he reaches his home, because he is in the state that decision of forgiveness has been taken for him. ” (Musnad Ahmed)
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said: ” The pilgrims of the Hajj and ‘Umrah are the guests of Allah; and when they supplicate to Him, He answers their supplication; and when they ask for His forgiveness, He forgives them.” [Ibn Maajah]
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “ O Allah, forgive the pilgrims and those for whom the pilgrims seek forgiveness .”
Source: al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ 8818, Hasan (fair) according to Ibn Hajar
“Spending in Haj is like spending in the path of Allah. It is multiplied 700 times”.
[Ahmed, Tabaraani, Bayhaqi]
Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: ” Indeed, for a pilgrim who is mounted, for every stride he takes with his mount, he receives seventy rewards. And the pilgrim who walks, for every step which he takes, he receives seven hundred rewards from the rewards of the haram.” He was asked: “O Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) what are the rewards of the haram?” Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) replied: “ Each reward is multiplied a hundred thousand times.” (Sahih Muslim, lbn Hibban)
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “ A pilgrim never raises his voice answering the call of Allah (talbiyah) but that he is given glad tidings, and a pilgrim never raises his voice in exalting Allah (takbir) but that he is given glad tidings. ” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, of Paradise?” The Prophet said, “ Yes .”
Source: al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 7987
The Day of Arafaat
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
“ There is no day on which Allah frees servants of His from the Fire more than [those freed on] the Day of `Arafat. And, verily, He draws near and then proudly speaks about them [i.e. the pilgrims] before the angels, saying, ‘What do these seek?’ ”(Muslim)
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “ Verily, Allah Almighty boasts to his angels of the pilgrims on the afternoon of the day of Arafat, saying: Look at my servants, coming to me disheveled and dusty.” Musnad Aḥmad 7049 Grade: Sahih
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘ There is no day on which Allah frees people from the Fire more so than on the day of Arafah. He comes close to those (people standing on ’Arafah), and then He revels before His Angels saying, ‘What are these people seeking. ” (Tirmidhee).
As for you staying till the evening in Arafah, then Allah descends to the sky of the Duniya and He boasts about you to the Angels, and says: ‘ My slaves have come to Me, looking rough, from every deep valley hoping for My mercy, so if your sins were equivalent to the amount of sand or the drops of rain or like the foam on the sea I will forgive them. So go forth My slaves! Having forgiveness and for what or who you have interceded for.’
(Reported by at-Tabarani in his book “al-Kabeer” and by al-Bazaar. (Hassan)
Warning for those who do not perform Haj when they have the means to.
Ibn Abbas Radiyallahu Anhu says: “ Whosoever has sufficient means to perform Haj and does not do so, or has enough wealth making Zakah obligatory on him, and he does not give it, he shall surely, at the time of death, beg to be sent back to the world” [Tirmizi]
Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon Him) said: “ He who is not prevented from performing the pilgrimage by an obvious necessity, a tyrannical ruler, or a disease which confines him at home, and dies without having performed the pilgrimage, may die if he wishes as a Jew, or if he wishes as a Christian. ” (Tirmidhi, Hadith 2535 and Darimi)
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said: ” Whoever intends to perform the Hajj should hasten to it; for one could get sick, his mount could be lost, or he could face poverty and need.” [Saheeh Al-Jaami’]
Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree (radiyallaahu `anhu said) that Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) said: “ Allaah, the Most High, said: Indeed I have given a servant good health in his body and I have given him [provision and] an expansive sustenance, yet five years have passed and he has not visited me as one performing Hajj.” As-Saheehah 4/22, Ibn Hibbaan, no. 3703
Hajj of Women
‘Aa’ishah narrated that she said: “‘O Messenger of Allah! We see that Jihaad is the best deed. Should we (women) not actively participate in it?’ The Prophet replied, ‘ No, the best Jihaad for you is a valid and accepted Hajj. ‘” [Al-Bukhari]
According to the wording of another narration, she said: “Should we (women) not actively participate in fighting and Jihaad along with you?” The Prophet replied: ” For you, the best and most beautiful Jihaad is a valid and accepted Hajj.” Thereupon, ‘Aa’ishah commented: “I will never abandon Hajj after hearing these words from the Prophet .” [Al-Bukhari]
Tawaaf
Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: “ The Ka’bah is surrounded by seventy thousand angels. They seek forgiveness and blessings for those who make tawaf.” (Ibn Majah)
Abdullah ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “ Whoever circles the Ka’bah seven times and prays 2 Rakaat will be rewarded as if he has freed a slave. A man does not raise his foot and bring it back down but that ten good deeds will be written for him, ten bad deeds will be erased, and he will be raised by ten degrees .”
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 27862 (Hasan)
Reward for those who die during pilgrimage
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “ Whoever goes out for the Hajj pilgrimage and dies, the reward of Hajj will be written for him until the Day of Resurrection. Whoever goes out for the Umrah pilgrimage and dies, the reward of Umrah will be written for him until the Day of Resurrection. Whoever goes out for military service and dies, the reward of military service will be written for him until the Day of Resurrection.”
Source: al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ 5467
Grade: Sahih li ghayri (authentic due to external evidence) according to Al-Albani
Ibn Abbas reported: A man performing the pilgrimage was thrown from his camel and died while we were with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The Prophet said, “ Wash him with water mixed with the leaves of a lote tree and shroud him in his two garments. Do not cover his head, for Allah will raise him on the Day of Resurrection performing the call of the pilgrimage (al-talbiya). ”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1208, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1206
“ On the day of Qiyamah, Allah will resurrect one who died in the sacred Haram of Allah or in the Haram of Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) or died between Makkah and Madinah, on hajj or on umrah, amongst those who have attained salvation. Indeed love for the water of Zamzam is safety from hypocrisy .” (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)
Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said, ‘Whoever leaves his home only for the purpose of Hajj or Umrah and he dies, nothing will be presented to him nor will he have any accountability on the day of Reckoning and it will be said to him, enter into Jannah .’ (Tabraani Baihaqi)
“ Anyone who died in the Haram is like one who died in the fourth heaven. ” (Sahih Bukhari, Ibn Hibban)
Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) stated: “ If it is possible for anyone to die in any one of the two Harams, then let him die there. For I will be the first to intercede on their behalf. They will be safe from the punishment of Allah on the day of Qiyamah. No reckoning will be taken from them nor will they be punished. ” (Sunan Tirmizi, Ibn Majah, Musnad Imam Ahmad)