H IK M AH

The contemporary Muslim magazine~Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

The Journey of Hajj

Memoirs

Prophet Ibrahim (as)

This month, we focus upon the pilgrimage Hajj. As part of this theme, we provide a day-to-day itinerary of the journey pilgrims make on their stay in Arabia. ore locally, we interview three Hajjis who previously made the beautiful journey.

This is our first bimonthly edition, covering the months of !eptember and "ctober #$%&. This conversion from monthly will hopefully providing 'od willing better time for editorial decision-making and better preparation to further enhance the readership(s e)perience.

HIK

MAH
All comments can be directed to hikmahpeterborough*gmail.com.

W
isdom

+ou may also contact us via ,acebook -Hikmah aga.ine/ or Twitter -*Hikmah aga.ine/. May Allah bless us all!

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page

Every year, more than two million Muslims visit Arabia in the month of DhulHijjah on the annual pilgrimage called Hajj.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page

They will hail from all parts of the world, spea an innumerable set of languages, abide by different cultural norms and yet, their faith in !ne "od and their worship of Him will overcome these differences.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Ibra
Father

Undoubtedly Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings of God be upon him) known to English readers as Abraham occupies an important station among uslims! as well as with "hristians and #ews$ entioned some %& times in 'he (oble )ur*an! in +, -urahs (chapters)! he is considered among the four foremost Prophets after the Prophet uhammad (pbuh)$

Page #

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page $

him
.is story is one of considerable perse/erance! struggle and steadfastness$ As the .a00 season is 0ust passed! it is poignant to recount the early life of this great Prophet (alayhi salaam)! in whose footsteps many of the iconic actions are undertaken most notably! the sacrifice and the stoning ceremony$

of nations

HIKMAH

Issue iii

One of the highest Messengers after the Prophet Muhamma !p"uh# $as sent not only to his people "ut e%en to his o$n father& 'e $as a young "oy( "orn in Ira) * a place calle +a"il !+a"ylon#& So raise $as he that all the Messengers $ho came after him $ere from his family& 'e is so honoure "ecause ,llah teste him again an again * an he passe e%ery single test& ,n mostly at the "eginning( he $as single in his call * no-one else ha hee e his call "esi es one young "oy !Prophet .ut as# an a $oman calle Sarah&

replied, these are idols and Ibrahim as! asked, but this one has a particular large ear. #is father replied that it allows it to hear e"erything and for those who buy it, it will listen to them. So, what happened, was the poor could afford small idols whilst the rich had large ones. Those with big issues would therefore go and borrow the bigger At that time, the people were idols from others due to its size. The young boy started worshipping idols and wealth. The Qur'an says his asking his father &uestions. father was called Azar. Allah Allah makes mention of mentions in The Qur'an that Ibrahim as! in The Qur'an Azar used to make idols and in '( different places in )* Surahs chapters!, one of sell them. So the young which was named after Ibrahim as! saw his father him. car"ing idols out of wood Allah mentions in and stone and would see his Surah Al+Anbiya ),!, father selling them. #e would notice people would prostate to these things. #e And We had certainly would notice these people given Abraham his asking these inanimate sound judgement ob$ects for health, wealth before, and We were of and long li"es and him well-Knowing(5 !, sustenance and to guide When he said to his them, etc. #e was rightfully father and his "eo"le, shocked. %ne day, he sees a #What are these statues big idol and asked his father to which you are what is this. #is father devoted$ (5%!#.

()

Sept/Oct 2013

Page %

In Surah As+Shura, Allah mentions their reply- .They said, #We worshi" idols and remain to them devoted&# )/-',!. And so, Ibrahim as! asked them &uestions'e said, #(o they hear you when you su""licate$ )r do they benefit you, or do they harm$# )/-')+(!. They neither said yes or no0 they kept &uiet and then answered him in a different way. In Surah Al+Anbiya, we are told of their reply- *hey said, #We found our fathers worshi""ers of them&# ),-*(!. %ne must understand that they didn't directly answer Ibrahim as!'s &uestion of whether the idols could hear them or benefit or harm them, rather they asserted they found their forefathers doing this as their reasoning. Ibrahim as! continues#e said,

HIKMAH #*hen do you see what

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

#) my father, why you have been do you worshi" that worshi""ing, which does not you and your ancient hear and does not forefathers$ +ndeed, see and will not they are enemies to me, benefit you at all$ e,ce"t the -ord of the ) my father, indeed worlds (%./05-00!& there has come to #e declares that all the me of 2nowledge idols they ha"e been worshipping, in the that which has not tradition of their come to you, so forefathers, including follow me6 + will themsel"es are enemies guide you to an to him and that he only right "ath# ( 7/8 worships The %ne, the 9!& 1ord of all the worlds0 the
2reator, 3ho made e"erything here. So from a young age, he understood, I cannot worship a stone or a piece of wood. I must solely worship my 1ord, my 2reator. This is why Allah says, "We had certainly given Abraham his sound judgement before", telling us his insight and wisdom from a tender age. 3hen he started &uestioning in such a way, some narrations say he was only se"en. In a beautiful "erse, Allah says, #And mention in the 1oo2 3the story of4 +brahim (as!& +ndeed, he was a man of truth and a "ro"het 35ention4 when he said to his father, Ibrahim as! wished to engage his father's mind to contemplate his situation, to think deeply, to engage, to debate, to use common sense. #owe"er, the greatest difficulty for his father was that he was earning money out of the idol business. This is synonmous with today's dilemma where those profiteering out of haram or prohibited things wish to blind and deafen themsel"es to such reminders 4 the problem of cash answers. If the son &ueries his father, he simply retorts, 'who is going to put food on your plate in front of you5' To ha"e your children to remind you gently is indeed a gift of Allah but it is also a test-

Page &

Ibrahim as!'s father failed that test. Ibrahim as! adds,

0) my father, do not worshi" :atan& +ndeed :atan has ever been, to the 5ost 5erciful, disobedient# ,6-77!.
The young 8rophet as! understood the main forces in the life of humans- the 8ower of Allah, the 2reator, and the e"il force of Shaytan the de"il! which seeks to corrupt. Ibrahim as! seeks to counsel his father further-

#) my father, indeed + fear that there will touch you a "unishment from the 5ost 5erciful so you would be to :atan a com"anion 3in 'ellfire40 ,6-7*!.
The elo&uence of Ibrahim as! signals to us the gra"ity of the sin of shirk because it is only a gra"e sin which will lead to the 9punishment from the :ost :erciful9. 3hen someone associates a partner with Allah, that makes them eligible for the punishment of Allah. As Allah tells us in the 7;th ayah of Surah Al+<isa',

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page '

#+ndeed, Allah does not forgive association with 'im (shir2!, but 'e forgives what is less than that for whom 'e wills& And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin#.

;)!. #e continues, #5y -ord, grant me Ibrahim as! mentions authority and join &ualities which need to me with the be found in a deity, righteous# -#123&/. declaring the Ibrahim as! said to e>clusi"ity of his It should be mentioned, worship to Allah alone. himself, #And 3+ the punishment is #e informs them of his swear4 by Allah , + meant for those who %ne =od, #-ord of the will surely "lan ha"e not repented from Worlds, Who created against your idols the shirk before their me, and 'e 3it is after you have death 4 if one has who4 guides me& And turned and gone committed the sin of it is 'e who feeds me away# ),-*'!. And shirk in their lifetime and gives me drin2& but repents to Allah And when + am ill, it some people had heard before their death, then is 'e Who cures me& him making mention of =od willing, there is these idols and the fact And Who will cause

good news for them. All the 8rophets warned their people against shirk to worship Allah alone and to do it solely for #is Sake.

me to die and then bring me to life& And Who + as"ire that 'e will forgive me my sin on the (ay of ;ecom"ense# )/-''+

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page ()

he was planning something. And the people had a day when they went out and took the gods along and worshipped them. The father had a warehouse. 3hen they told Ibrahim as! that they were going out to pray, he told them- #+ndeed, + am 3about to be4 ill# ('-;6!. And Ibrahim as! showed great wisdom here 4 he told them that he was 'sick' 4 as to say, of their idol+ worship, but of course, he didn't finish the sentence and used his words wisely yet truthfully. 3hen they all went, he went into the warehouse and he addressed the things his people worshipped#What is 3wrong4 with you that you do not s"ea2$# ('-6)!. And he began hitting the idols, asking them &uestions in the meantime whether they could a"ail themsel"es. %ne, two, three...the whole lot of them gone0 here, we find e"idence that the idols 4 ob"iously 4 couldn't help themsel"es and by default, could not help

a4am 5brahim -6!tation of 5brahim7/ in asjid Al-Har8m

those who prostrated before them in anything. ?ut he was "ery intelligent 4 he left the statue with the big ears and hung the a>e on its ear. 3hen they returned and saw the broken idols, they said#Who has done this to our gods$ +ndeed, he is of the wrongdoers# ),-*6!. And wondering who could'"e done it, they said, #We heard a young man mention them who is called Abraham# ),-/@! 4 the word fata is used here, meaning a young person. And as they deli"er this news, they seek to dissociate themsel"es from Ibrahim as! because they don't want to appear closely connected with him so

instead of declaring, we heard Ibrahim say this, they commented, we heard someone called Ibrahim saying this. They asked him, as mentioned in Surah Al+ Anbiya, ayah /), #'ave you done this to our gods, ) Abraham$# And $ust imagine the scene- a young man, Ibrahim as! brought forth in front of the whole community, his father, his family, the elders, the leaders, etc. #e showed courage and told them- #;ather, this - the largest of them - did it, so as2 them, if they should 3be able to4 s"ea2# ),-/(!. 3hen Ibrahim as! directed them to ask the remaining large statue what had happened, immediately the people realised they were wrong.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Aor a moment, they understood their error, as one finds in the ayah immediately after no. /7!, where we are told, #:o they returned to 3blaming4 themselves# howe"er, all their peripheral thoughts and sinful instincts o"ertook them and in the following ayah ga"e Ibrahim as! the e>cuse that #<ou have already 2nown that these do not s"ea2=# They decided to punish him, #1urn him and su""ort your gods - if you are to act# ),-/;!. Although Ibrahim as! was one, his belief in his :aker was solid. 8re"iously, his own father had told him as we are told in Surah :aryam, ,6-7/!, #'ave you no desire for my gods, ) Abraham$ +f you do not desist, + will surely stone you, so avoid me a "rolonged time&# #is own father would rather stone him than listen to his &uestions about his idol+worship. They prepared a huge,

huge fire to throw him into. %ne narration says it took a long time to prepare it, gathering fuel from all o"er and from a distance, they had to throw the fuel in by a catapult for fear of their own safety. It is also reported that the birds that flew o"er it fell into it due to the sheer heat. Then, they brought Ibrahim as!, tied up in ropes and chains, and put him into the catapult. They released the catapult and from the point the catapult released Ibrahim as!, Allah created steps for him going down. As he was being thrown, he made a dua. The :essenger of Allah, the 8rophet :uhammad pbuh! tells us in a narration in Sahih ?ukhari, of itHasbunAllahu wa ni'mal Wakeel BAllah is enough for me and #e is The ?est Cisposer of affairsD.

Page ((

Allah, the people were looking at him, amazed. Allah =lorified and E>alted ?e #e! addressed the fire, #) fire, be coolness and safety u"on Abraham# (% /.7!&

If someone is tied up with chains and ropes, for the fire to be a means of peace, it had to burn the ropes and chains and now he was realised. Ibrahim as! later in his life narrated that the best moment in his life was the time he spent in the fireF And so, he is in the fire, calmly, and serenely walks out. The people were in e>treme horror. %ne young man stands up and declares he wishes to follow Ibrahim as!'s way. This Ibrahim as! placed his young man was his utmost trust in Allah, his nephew, 1ut B1otD as!, 2reator, his 8rotector, who at this stage wasn't his 8ro"ider. And as he e"en calling his people to literally descended into Islam in his 8rophetic the fire in a composed capacity. manner, as decreed by

*brahim +as, placed his utmost trust in Allah his .reator, his /rotector, his /rovider.

HIKMAH

"O my father, do not worship Satan. Indeed Satan has ever been, to the Most Merciful, disobedient" (19 !!" "My #ord, $rant me authority and %oin me with the ri$hteous" (&' ()".
"And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, show me how You gi e li!e to the dead"" [Allah] said, "Ha e you not belie ed#" He said, "Yes, but [$ ask] only that my heart may be satis!ied"" [Allah] said, "%ake !our birds and &ut them into 'ie&es" %hen [a!ter slaughtering them] 'ut on ea&h hill a 'ortion o! them( then &all them ) they will &ome [!lying] to you in haste" And know that Allah is All) *ower!ul and All) Wise"""

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page (0

Allah tells us Surah Al+ Ankabut, ayah )6: #And -ot believed him& 3Abraham4 said, #+ndeed, + will emigrate to 3the service of4 my -ord& +ndeed, 'e is the >,alted in 5ight, the Wise&# The struggle they faced to simply worship Allah amongst their people 4 who continued to disbelie"e e"en after the signs had come 4 was enough to encourage them to migrate to a better place.

"And mention in the Book [the story of] Ibrahim (as). Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet" (19 !1)

life, one after the other. And Allah ga"e him a lot more and they went further up, from where they were in Ira&, on their way to the blessed land which Allah mentions in The Qur'an. %n their way, they stopped in a place Ibrahim as! asks Allah called #arran. E"ery to show him how Allah person Ibrahim as! came will resurrect after across he was willing to death. It was not that ha"e a discussion with Ibrahim as! did not them 4 about who they belie"e but rather he worship and he would call sought to become firmer them to the sole worship in his faith, after seeing Ibrahim as! is still a of The %ne 3ho created the Signs of Allah. Allah young boy and his them. #e discussed with Iman faith! in Allah tells us in ayah )/@ of has been strengthened his father, his people, the Surah Al-Baqarah: in e"ery incident in his people of #arran, the king <imrod.

HIKMAH

Q&A
What did you feel was the most spiritually powerful e"perience you had?

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page (1

with

What impact did you feel from the journey? %ne interesting impact was seeing the brotherhood of mankind, where the language of shared purpose o"ercame any linguistic barrier- thus millions of white, black, American, Gzbeck, etc., could stand side+by+side in the worship of their 2reator. A feeling that cannot be reproduced elsewhere.

the 8rophet :uhammad SA3!. It brings a feeling of connecti"ity to the past, present and future.

a Hajji
The day of Arafat in which e"eryone who raises hisHher hand and stands in humble obedience to hisHher 2reator, asking for forgi"eness when Allah promises that e"eryone on that 8lain is forgi"en0 it is one of the only occasions in which all the #a$$is are together in one place and one time, ser"ing as a reminder of the Cay of Iudgement.

How did you feel following the footsteps of the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and after him Prophet !uhammad (SAW)? It is an amazing feeling to be connected by touch to stories that we hear in our childhood0 to step on the "ery places that the 8rophet Ibrahim as! and perhaps Adam as! tra"ersed and to see the "ery places that are described in the Seerah of

Read, Share, C !!e"t, #rite, C "tact$

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page

I found the whole [Hajj] experience spiritually the most uplifting of my life

HIKMAH

Ansar Ali speaks with an energetic voice. He recounts his Hajj journey to me, in ,ai.an-e- adina asjid where we met after aghrib prayer. As we sit in the now 4uiet prayer hall, he provides a consuming rendition of his e)perience when he had the opportunity to undertake the pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of 5slam.

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page

Ansar Ali standing outside Jamia Ghousia Masjid on Gladstone Street, Peterborough, days after the interview

HIKMAH %ne of the most powerful

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page (%

declares. .I went with my aspects, he e>plains, was wife, after both of us returning back home with a decided to goJ. 3ithout a .different perspecti"eJ, doubt, he points out that adding, .$ust being there 4 it was in fact .the best the most humbling decision of our li"esJ. Ali e>perience anyone could e"er then mentioned the wish forJ. As he details his ad"ice he gi"es to his $ourney, occasionally, he slips contemporaries- .as off his black+rimmed glasses, people age, health unco"ering eyes of deteriorates and e>citement. The di"ersity of becoming aged and frail all the pilgrims cannot be makes the whole $ourney o"erstated- we all famously more difficultJ. hear :alcolm K's words later known as, El+#a$$ #e ad"ises people to .try :alik El+Shabbaz! of the and make their intention "ariety of races, languages as soon as possible 4 and backgrounds witnessed seeking the #elp of throughout the physical and AllahJ. 3ith heartfelt spiritual $ourney 4 from the honesty, he ad"ises 8lain of Arafat to inside Al+ husbands to ensure they :as$id Al+#arLm or e"en at go with their wi"es. the airport. .8lease don't go aloneJ, .It brings it home to you how he pleas, .take your wife di"erse the Gmmah is- all the with you 4 one might languages, all the cultures,J regret not taking their he remarks. .Too often, you wife with them. li"e in a community 4 not 8ersonally I felt it was my getting much interaction with duty as a husband, if she other racial groups but being wished I should go, to goF there, you see, Islam is Think about it- the fore"er and for all places husband is possibly the where you areJ. #e best Mahram a wife can poignantly cites the theme of ha"e especially in older e&uality as taught to us by ageJ, especially when her our 8rophet :uhammad own father has passed pbuh! in his 1ast Sermon, away and her brothers inculcating the absence of may not be able to go any .Arab+non Arab themsel"es. superiorityJ. %ne begins to understand The #a$$i pinpoints a key intending and planning dilemma many people face, to go on a!! begins in especially as they begin to the heart. :r Ali talks of age. .I felt blessed and cannot the .in"itationJ he thank Allah enough for gi"ing recei"ed which is me the opportunityJ, he definitely echoed in the

the "albiyah the pilgrims make on the $ourney- # ere I am $ Allah% &in res'onse to (our call)% here I am* ere I am% (ou ha+e no 'artner% here I am* ,erily all 'raise% grace and so+ereignty belong to (ou* (ou ha+e no 'artner*Simply being in :akkah and :adinah was a truly inspiring e>perience for :r Ali. .Those wonderful citiesJ, he recounts, .the place where our wonderful religion began and belo"ed 8rophet pbuh! laid the foundations for us. Iust remembering the struggles and difficulties in the earlier days helps you appreciate how freely we can practice our IslamJ. :r Ali adds that he had the opportunity to go again in the last two weeks of the month of Mamadan, in the year that coincided with )@@6. .It was an amazing e>perience0 during #a$$, it is so busy with so many people but going in Mamadan ga"e you more easeJ. #e then talks of his first .mrah in ,66/ with his young son 4 then in his early teens 4 but regrets the long wait between this Gmrah and his a!! of )@@6. Gpon this note, we begin to conclude our inter"iew, greeting and thanking each other and set off our different ways into the autumnal &uiet e"ening.

I felt blessed for the opportunity


HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page

The journey one of great

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page

for me was discovery

In a heartening narrative, Hafiz Shaffiq Mohammed speaks about his Hajj journey with love, longing and liveliness

HIKMAH .The $ourney for me was

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 0(

front of AllahJ. This is a one of great disco"ery heartening narrati"e- that and self+fulfillment,J so many strands of the declares #afiz Shaffi& same community 4 :ohammed. .It is a ummah forsake $ourney more than difference and bind anything else about together in seeking the forgi"eness and helping the 8leasure of their %ne mother, father and two sisters. you to focus on your own 1ord. 3e also had a tour guide who spiritual wellbeing.J was instrumental in making our Through his "i"id words, 2ontemporary #a$$ a more spiritually powerful one feels #afiz Shaffi&'s commentators mention e>perienceJ. #a$$ $ourney was the #a$$ e>perience, especially Seeing the Na'bah before his own among a multitude of transformati"e- .I felt as personal impacts, should eyes, the #afiz recounts, was if I went to the #oly 1and allow one to return "oid of .truly o"erwhelmingJ. #e with an empty spiritual any discriminati"e or mentions being .awestruck by its wallet and returned with pre$udicial emotions. magnificenceJ0 its simple beauty an unbelie"able amount #afiz Shaffi&'s words .indescribable e>pect by pure of richness spirituallyJ. e>perience of its presenceJ. To definitely reflect this 8ractically all sentiment and one we can see the direction to which all recollections of #a$$ :uslims direct themsel"es in acti"ely adopt. direct the speaker and prayer as their 0ibla is an listener alike to the e>perience many :uslims no As with many pilgrims, uni"ersality and di"ersity #afiz Shaffi& saw the doubt will find amazing. .In of the pilgrims but the e>perience at Arafat to be :adinah, "isiting the 8rophet Gltimate %neness of :uhammad pbuh!'s :as$id is .spiritually the most Allah, for 3hose Sake the powerful e>perienceJ. The an e>perience I will cherish for pilgrims gather from all description of .the open the rest of my life. :adinah, for parts of the world, me, felt like home and the ground, full of an speaking different incredible hum of peopleJ, hospitality and humbleness one tongues and li"ing under supplicating, calling, recei"es from the people there is different cultural e>traordinaryJ. asking of Allah. .It was practices. the day where tears fell I ask the #a$$i if he would impart and hearts o"erflowed .:eeting so many people with thankfulness to some words to fellow and future of different professions, AllahJ, he mentions, .with pilgrims. .In this $ourney race, colour all united numerous difficulties and a strong belief in #is with the white ihram and :ercy that all our sins hardships will come your way. the pure intentions with will be forgi"enJ. 3ith There are many trying moments. con"iction in our hearts, true con"iction, the #a$$i Sometimes, for e>ample, heading towards one immigration checks are an affirms that .the day of destination- /abbayk Arafat is the day I'll ne"er obstacleJ. Gpon arri"al in Arabia Allahumma /abbayk we forgetJ. itself, .there are difficulties all recited, forgetting our finding lodging and getting to differences, standing side .I went to #a$$ in )@,,, the Al+:as$id Al+#arLm. There by side, we are united in tra"elling with my are hardships encountered in

I felt I returned with an unbelievable amount of spiritual richness

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 00

Tawaf and Sa'yJ. #afiz Shaffi& then imparts some wise words that can indeed be applied through life- .To achie"e any big goal, you must undertake hardshipsJ. .Those who are mentally prepared for this,J he optimistically ad"ises, .are the successful ones. Therefore undertake this $ourney as an ardent de"oteeJ. Ainally, he concludes that .whoe"er is ardent in the lo"e of someone finds en$oyment in the difficulties he encounters on the way and contentment in these affairsJ. Thus, one remembers the $ourney of #a$$ is done solely for the Sake of Allah, who 4 E>alted and =lorified ?e #e 4 is most deser"ing of our lo"e. #e 4 Subhana 3a Ta 'Ala + created us, guided us, blessed us, pro"ided for us and allowed us to undertake the $ourney. 3e lo"e also the ?lessed 8rophet :uhammad SallAllahu alayhi wa salaam! who struggled to con"ey this lofty and amazing message.

One...two... ...and counting!

The rites of Hajj were laid down by Allah -'lorified and 9)alted :e He/. They mark historic events in the life of ;rophet 5brahim -as/, which show his absolute and total submission to the <ill of Allah.

Labbayk, Allahumma "n the journey of Hajj, Labbayk. Labbayk, La the pilgrim is answering Shareeka laka labbayk. Inna the =all of Allah to visit the Holy !anctuary and l-hamda wa n-nimata laka complete the rituals. As wal-mulk. La shareeka lak. such, the pilgrim enters Here I am O Allah, (in response to Your asjid Al-Har8m, call), here I am. Here I am, You have no through :ab-as-!alam partner, here I am. Verily all praise, grace gate reciting the an sovereignty !elong to You. You have no Talbiyah2

partner."

HIKMAH The #a$$ has a number of

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 02

Al+Iuhfah in the <orth 3est and Qarn+al+ :anazil in the East. Aor those tra"elling from abroad, the miqat can be their own country, the airport, the seaport, as they board their "ehicle or )@+(@ minutes before their plane lands. <o matter the definition of the miqat for the person, one must not pass the rele"ant miqat without Ihram essentially means to assuming their state of Ihram otherwise% a make something harLm sacrifice of an animal prohibited! upon oneself. must be made. If one ?y entering the state of Ihram defined as wearing returns to the miqat to the two sheets, making the assume ihram &before 'erforming the rites)% the niyah intention! and reciting the talbiya things sacrifice does not become which were pre"iously halal obligatory. in normal, e"eryday life Prelude become harLm for that 8rior to the eighth of person because they ha"e Chul+#i$$ah, for the one entered a sanctified state wanting to perform an wherein they are $ourneying .mrah before the a!!% for the sake of their 1ord on they make an intention as a!! or .mrah. The two they approach the Miqat* sheets one wears 4 At a later date, a second nowadays, almost always intention will be made for white 4 are also referred to the actual a!!* as Ihram because they Gmrah and #a$$ both symbolise the state. ha"e rites. They include, The designated miqat not are not limited tothe place from where the #$ AssumingHentering the intention is declared 4 "aries state of Ihram %$ performing in accordance with the circumstance of the person. supererogatory Sunnah! prayers In Arabia iself, they are &$ making Tawaf Thul+#alaifa in the <orth, Oalamlam in the South East, '$ reciting Talbiyah That 'Ir& in the <orth East, ($ doing Sa1y walking! between the two hills of

re&uired practices as well as a number of recommended but not necessary! ones. A re&uirement, which is willingly and needlessly omitted, does not in"alidate the a!! but instead re&uires a slaughtering in e>piation. Thus, for e"ery one missed re&uirement, a slaughter becomes necessary in e>piation.

Safa and Marwa )$ trimming andHor cutting hair *$ praying and staying in :ina +$ praying and standing in Arafah ,$ praying and staying in :uzdalifah #-$ throwing pebbles in the three 2amrahs pillars! ##$ sacrifice of an animal #%$ praying behind Maqam Ibrahim as! literally, 'station of Abraham', where he stood as he was building the Na'bah with his son Ismail BpbuhD!, and0 #&$ drinking the water of 3am-3am the well, whose water sprang up from beneath Ismail as! when he was an infant!. Aor those undertaking a!! at-"amattu defined as .mrah followed up by the greater pilgrimage of a!! later in the same year 4 after completing the .mrah% the pilgrim trims hisHher hair, bathes and assumes normal clothing instead of their Ihram!. These steps signal the completion of the preceding .mrah* The state of Ihram has now been lifted along with its restrictions until the pilgrim will once again enter the state of Ihram for the greater pilgrimage of #a$$.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 0#

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 0$

;hotos2 www.tt>.com
In the ages before modern airbound tra"el, whizzing around the skies, people utilised more traditional forms of tra"el such as riding animals and enduring the "arious terrain to reach their destination.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 0&

Day 1
;hoto2 Abdelrhman %??$

pproaching
a!! 4for those who a!!5* It is no longer necessary to

3hen the eighth of Chul+#i$$ah arri"es, the pilgrim makes a renewed intention 4 this time for the made .mrah !ust 'rior to their

go to the :i&at6 this intention can be made at the place. The pilgrim returns into the state of Ihram in the re&uired manner and goes unto Mina soon after the performance of the 7a!r prayers.

HIKMAH

Day 1 8-9 Dhul-Hijjah

Issue iii Sept/Oct 2013

Page 0'

th

:ina is located three miles from :akkah, to the east. The pilgrim goes to :ina on the ;th of Chul+#i$$ah, staying there for one day from after Aa$r prayer of the ;th Chul+#i$$ah until the Aa$r of the 6th of Chul+#i$$ah.

n :ina, the pilgrims collect some of the pebbles needed for the stoning ceremony that takes place later, called ramy*

HIKMAH

Day 2 9 Dhul-Hijjah
Issue iii Sept/Oct 2013

Page 1)

th

The Day of 'Arafat

.pon lea/ing !ina the pilgrims head for Arafah$ Arafah is some nine miles from !a00ah and li0e !ina is a desert location$ After 1ajr prayer at !ina the pilgrim departs for Arafat$

There, the pilgrims will spend their time de"oted to prayers, repenting for their sins and seeking the Aorgi"eness of Allah. Arom noon afterwards 4 signalled by the performance of the 3uhr prayer 4 3u&uf literally, staying! is undertaken at Arafat. At this point, the pilgrim stands alone with Allah, humbly asking to be forgi"en and making du'a supplication!. Aacing the direction of the 0ibla, hands are raised and prayers recited with all one's heart.

HIKMAH After the sunset of 6

Chul+#i$$ah 4 signalled by the Maghrib prayer 4 the pilgrims depart from Arafat towards :uzdalifah.

th

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page

Issuefrom iii after :aghrib Sept/Octof 2013 8ilgrims stay in :uzdalifah the 6 HIKMAH

Page Chul+#i$$ah until after the Aa$r prayer on the following day, the ,@ th Chul+#i$$ah. Curing their stay at :uzdalifah, the pilgrims collect the pebbles needed for the 'stoning ceremony' ramy). 8rior to this, pebbles may ha"e been collected at :ina but one should ensure ha"ing enough and thus, the foot of the hills at :uzdalifah are attended. After reading their Aa$r prayer but before the sun has risen, the pilgrims set off for :ina.
th

HIKMAH

Day 3 10 Dhul-Hijjah
Issue iii Sept/Oct 2013

Page 11

th

The Stoning Ceremony ramy!

Gpon lea"ing Al+:ash'ar Al+#arLm, the pilgrims head for :ina to stone Iamarat Al+'A&aba Al+Nubra. The recommended time for the stoning begins from sunrise until midday of yawm an-nahr ,@th Chul+#i$$ah!. The pebbles must be small 4 the size of beans 4 being neither too small nor too big.

It is re&uired to throw se"en pebbles at each stoning site and the throwing of the pebbles must be one+by+one. It is best for the pebbles being used to ha"e been picked up from :uzdalifah although this is not a necessity 4 they may be picked up from anywhere and not :uzdalifah alone. The making of takbir e"ery time a pebble is throw is preferred. The throwing of the se"en stones should be consecuti"e, without any interruption. The stoning ceremony is called ramy* The throwing of the stones bears traditional importance. It is done 4 like many, many practices of #a$$ 4 in the footsteps of 8rophet Ibrahim as!, who in the process of following the 2ommand of Allah to sacrifice his son Ismail as!, was tempted by the de"il thrice. Each time, the Angel Iibrael as! told 8rophet Ibrahim as! to pelt the de"il.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 12

%nce the stoning is complete, the sacrifice of animals takes place as well as the alq and "aqseer trimming or sha"ing of hair, respecti"ely!. At this point, after sha"ingHtrimming hisHher hair, the pilgrims lea"e the state of Ihram. All the restrictions that had been in place due to Ihram are now remo"ed, e>cept for se>ual relations. <ow the pilgrims depart unto Al+:as$id Al+#arLm in :akkah to perform the abo"ementioned act- that of Tawaf al+Ifadha.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 1#

Abo"e, the pilgrims begin to make their way from the Iamarat to the Sacred #ouse, Al+:as$id Al+#arLm in :akkah.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 1$

The pilgrim circumambulates the Na'bah se"en times and then reads their prayers behind :a&am Ibrahim0 undertake the Sa'y between Safa and :arwah and drink water from the Pam+Pam well. 3ith the #a$$ Tawaf Tawaf al+Ifadha! completed, the state of Ihram is completely ended and all restrictions are now lifted, including that of se>ual relations with one's spouse.

awaf al+Ifadha is essential to #a$$.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page 1%

The pilgrims perform the sa1y 4 the shuttling 4 between Safar and :arwa, as Ismail pbuh!'s mother #a$ar had done so long ago

The pilgrims then go to the 3am-3am well and drink of the Pam+Pam water

$ther 'hotogra'hs showing the e8'erience a!!is would ha+e had in the 'ast com'ared to modern times

Hajj c i r o t s Hi

HIKMAH

Day 4-6
Issue iii Sept/Oct 2013

Page

11-13

th

Dhul-Hijjah

Issue iii stay in :ina Sept/Oct 2013 Then, the pilgrims for up to three HIKMAH days for the stoning of the three pillars that

Page

represent Satan. The three pillars are stoned in order- firstly, ramy al-uula% ramy al-wusta and ramy alkubra* The pilgrim then may return to Al+:as$id Al+#arLm to perform the Aarewell Tawaf after ramy on ,)th Chul+#i$$ah or may decide to stay until ,(th Chul+#i$$ah, performing ramy for the third time before returning to The Sacred #ouse for the Aarewell Tawaf.

The three stone pillars stand firm, as symbols of 8rophet Ibrahim as!'s strong obedience to his 1ord when he stoned the Iamarat to attack Satan's whisperings, as he enacted Allah's 2ommand to slaughter his son as a test of his faith.

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page

HIKMAH

Issue iii

Sept/Oct 2013

Page

2onclusi/ely the 1arewell 3awaf mar0s the completion of one4s Hajj$ It is recommended for pilgrims to lea/e !a00ah as soon after the completion of the pilgrimage$ At this point pilgrims as0 5od to accept the performed rituals and ma0e the intention to li/e by the 6i/ine 2ommands thereafter$