Who Must Perform Pilgrimage (Hajj)
Performing Hajj and ^Umrah once in a lifetime is obligatory upon the Muslim who
is free, accountable, and can afford to reach Makkah and return to his
homeplace. This includes that one has in excess of his debts, appropriate
lodging and clothing, and what he is obligated to spend on those whom he must
support from his departure until his return.
Integrals of Pilgrimage (Rukns of Hajj)
The integrals of Hajj are:
1. To have the intention to be in a state of pilgrimage (Ihram), i.e., to say
in one's heart: "I now enter into the actions of Hajj" or the like;
2. To be at ^Arafah sometime between the start of Dhuhr on the 9th of
Dhul-Hijjah and the dawn (fajr) of the following day.
3. To circumambulate the Ka^bah (tawaf);
4. To walk between the mounts of as-Safa and al-Marwah seven times from one
border line to the other;
5. Cutting the hair by shaving or trimming (halq or taqsir);
6. The order in most of the integrals.
All of these are integrals of ^Umrah except to be at ^Arafah. These integrals
have requisites (wajibs) and conditions that must be observed.
Among the conditions of tawaf is to circumambulate the Ka^bah seven times
starting at the Black Stone and back to it while keeping one's left shoulder
towards the Ka^bah without facing or turning one's back to it; to cover the
unlawful nakedness (^awrah); and to be pure.
What is Unlawful During Hajj
It is unlawful for the one who has intended to enter into the actions of
pilgrimage (Hajj or ^Umrah):
1. To wear perfumes;
2. To anoint the head or beard with oil, melted grease, or melted honey wax;
3. To remove fingernails, toenails, and hair;
4. To perform sexual intercourse or its inviting actions;
5. To conduct marriage and if done, the marriage is invalid;
6. To hunt any Islamically edible wild animal;
7. In the case of a man: to cover the head or wear clothes that are sewn,
felted, or the like, to surround the body ;
8. In the case of a woman: to cover the face and to wear gloves.
The one who does any of these unlawful matters has sinned. An expiation
(fidyah) is obligatory for committing these matters with the exception of
conducting marriage and looking lustfully. In the case of sexual intercourse;
one's Hajj is invalidated, but one is obligated to complete this invalidated
Hajj and re-perform it immediately, i.e., the one who invalidates one's Hajj by
performing sexual intercourse continues with the Hajj, does not interrupt it,
then makes it up in the coming year if he is able.
Requisites of Pilgrimage (Wajibs of Hajj)
It is a requisite for the one who has intended to enter into the actions of
pilgrimage (Hajj or ^Umrah):
1. To have the intention of ihram before crossing the site prescribed for it
(miqat). The miqat is the place the Messenger of Allah specified as the
starting site of the intention of ihram such as the land called Dhul-Hulayfah
for the people of al-Madinah and those who take the same route to Makkah;
2. To stay at night in Muzdalifah and Mina during Hajj. This is according to a
saying of ash-Shafi^iyy. However, it is not a requisite according to another
saying of ash-Shafi^iyy;
3. To throw pebbles at the station of Jamrat-ul-^Aqabah on the day of the Feast
of Adha (^Id-ul-'Adha);
4. To throw pebbles at the three stations of jamrahs during the days of
Tashriq;
5. To perform the farewell circumambulation before leaving Makkah
(tawaf-ul-wada^) according to a saying in the school (madhhab) of
ash-Shafi^iyy.
The one who does not fulfill these six matters does not invalidate one's Hajj,
although one is sinful and must perform an expiation (fidyah). This is
different from the one who does not perform an integral, because if one leaves
out an integral of Hajj then one's Hajj is not valid and slaughtering an animal
will not compensate for it.
It is unlawful for one whether or not he is in a state of ihram to hunt the
animals of Makkah and al-Madinah, or to cut or pick their plants. If this was
done in Makkah, then the obligation of performing the expiation (fidyah) is
added. There is no expiation (fidyah) due for hunting the animals or cutting
the plants in al-Madinah, i.e., the area between Mount ^Ayr and Mount Thawr.
Islam means submission to One God. Muslims
worship God alone, the creator of all creations. Hajj is a pilgrimage
to the city of Makkah (The birth place of Prophet Muhammad). The black
structure is part of that Mosque in Makkah. It's hollow from inside. Muslims
after they travel to the City of Madinah which is the burial place of Prophet
Muhammad, they visit the grave of Prophet Muhammad which is inside the mosque
with a beautiful green dome.
They seek the blessings from Allah for this great worship, if it was done
correctly and sincerely to Allah. Many of the acts of worship done by the
Muslims in Makkah, are commemorating the doings of Prophet Abrahm who is the
father of Prophet Ismail and Isaac. Isaac is the father of Prophet Jacob who is
the father of Joseph. Prophet Muhammad's lineage goes back to Prophet Ismail
the son of Ibrahim (Abraham) may peace and blessings be upon them all. They all
were Prophets and Messengers of (God) Allah sent to teach the people the true
religion, Islam. They all worshipped Allah alone. Islam is based on the belief
that "There's no God but Allah and Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad are
Prophets of Allah" and by saying this with belief one becomes a Muslim, a
true believer.
The foundation of Islam is based upon five matters:
1. Professing and believing no one is God except Allah and Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah; (that includes the belief in all the previous Prophets
like Jesus, Moses, and Abraham..)
2. Prayer; Praying to Allah 5 times a day. Prayers include words of
praise and thankfulness to God the creator, giver, forgiver and merciful.
3. Zakah; Paying (for the able) once a year a small portion of charity
to the poor and the needy people.
4. Fasting; Fasting the month of Ramadan, Obeying Allah in this deed and
feeling with the poor and needy by abstaining from food or drink from dawn to
dusk.
5. Hajj; Going to Mecca (for the able) to perform the Hajj (pilgrimage)
praying to Allah, commemorating Prophet Abraham's deeds, praising and thanking
Allah for the countless endowments he sent.
Allah knows best. More info