It’s the season of Hajj yet again, the month of DhulHijja. The most awaited period for the one’s longing to visit the House of Allah. The precious 10 days when the entire ummah awaits to get their sins forgiven through fasting and extensive zikr, both during the day and night.
WHAT TO SAY WHEN SOMEONE RETURNS FROM HAJJ?
Because Hajj is such an intense pilgrimage, the Hajji is celebrated amongst his people upon his return.
While there are several weak hadiths (sayings of Prophet S.A.W.) that are spread far and wide, the most popular opinion among scholars is that a person must make the following dua when he greets a person returning from Hajj:
“May Allah accept your Hajj, forgive your sins and compensate your expenditure.”
The fact that a person undergoes trials and tests during Hajj with the good intention of getting his sins forgiven and spends almost all of his life savings on this pilgrimage is what makes them needy for this special dua.
Umrah, the smaller pilgrimage, also calls for celebration and victory by the people who undergo it. While it does not contain all the rituals performed during Hajj, it forgives one’s sins.
Umrah is performed throughout the year and as many times as a person wishes to.
The dua for Umrah pilgrims is similar to the above, replacing the word, Hajj
UMRAH WISHES IN ENGLISH
WHAT IS HAJJ?
Hajj is the fifth and life-altering pillar of Islam. While the first four pillars, i.e., Shahadah (Profession of Faith), Salah (Prayer), Zakat (Charity), and Sawm (Fasting), are obligatory (Fardh) upon every Muslim, rich or poor, black or white, Eastern or Western, et al. l, the fifth pillar, Hajj, is only obligatory upon those who can afford it and can do so.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HAJJ
The last month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar is significant for the intention of the sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) alone. The taqwa presented by Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) to agree to sacrifice his son Ismail (A.S.) is why Hajj is celebrated worldwide, and the sacrifice of a permissible animal, Qurbani, is done by the entire ummah.
The celebrated sacrifice is commemorated during the 8th to 13th days of the last month by performing various rituals under the umbrella term, Hajj. The one who performs the pilgrimage of Hajj is known as a Hajji. The dates vary each year as per the Georgian Calendar.
Another important historical event recreated during the performance of Hajj is the Saii`, which celebrates and honors the pure love of a mother towards her child and her complete faith in Allah (S.W.T.) during the times of tribulations and tests filled with intensity.
It is an account of Hajera (AS), the second wife of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and dear mother of Prophet Ismail (AS). She was a servant to the Prophet and his first wife. Not able to bear children, a decision was made to marry Hajera (AS) by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his first wife.
During one such memorable journey, the command of Allah (S.W.T.) forced Prophet Ibrahim (AS) to leave his wife, Hajera (AS), and his infant Ismail (AS) in the barren deserts of Mecca (earlier known as Bakkah), which could neither boast of people nor water. Hajera (AS) trusted both her husband and, most importantly, Allah (S.W.T.) that the mother-son duo would not be neglected but taken care of is why we consider her a pioneer in bravery and taqwa of truest nature.
Her possession of only a couple of dates and a little water to her running while panting seven times from Mount Safa to Marwa in search of water and Angel Jibraiel (AS) opening the spring of ZamZam Water is what accounts for her as one of the most heroic women.
THE STATE OF IHRAM
What separates a Hajji from any other believer is the state of purity he maintains during the Hajj. An unstitched cloth donned by men and simple and completely covered clothes by women is not the only indication of a Hajji. He must endure several worldly troubles to gain the ultimate pleasure of pleasing the Almighty. He must refrain from several sins which could otherwise take him out of the fold of Hajj, such as backbiting, cursing, hunting, quarrelling, and many more.
A Hajji goes through a lot of physical pain and trouble to please the Almighty and complete the fifth pillar of Islam. He is considered free from all sins and as innocent as a newborn baby. Thus, his reputation increases several folds in the eyes of a common Muslim. He must live his entire life in pleasing Allah (S.W.T.) by following the Quran and Sunnah.
