لطفا منتظر باشید ...
Introduction
What follows in this short book is a glance at the
secrets of the Hajj, as expounded by
the great scholar and teacher of Akhlaq (Islamic Etiquette) and Irf‑an
(Mysticism) Ayatullah al‑Hajj ash‑Shaikh Husain Mazaheri, presently
living in Isfahan, Iran.
Hajj is one of the obligatory acts in Islam, which
must be performed by each and every Muslim who is able to at least once in his
or her lifetime if certain conditions are fulfilled. The books of ahadith are
replete with wisdom from the Prophet of Islam and his twelve Successors (peace
be upon all of them) concerning Hajj and the philosophical and mystical aspects
behind the various acts performed. In the writing attributed to the sixth Imam,
Ja'far ibn Muhammad al‑Sadiq (peace be upon him) contained in Lantern of the Path [1], this noble personality explains
Hajj in the following words:
"If you
intend to go on pilgrimage, before resolving on it devote your heart to Allah ,
stripping it of every preoccupation and every barrier between you and Allah .
Entrust all your affairs to your Creator and rely on Him in all your actions
and moments of stillness. Surrender to His decree, decision and judgement.
Abandon this world, repose, and all creation. Perform those duties which you
are bound to fulfil for other people.
Do not rely on
your provisions, the animal you will ride, your companions, your food, your
youth nor your wealth, for fear that they will become your enemies and be
harmful to you; in this way you will realize that there is no power, no
strength, no might except by the guardianship of Allah and His granting of
success.
Prepare for
the pilgrimage as someone who does not hope to return. Keep good company, and
be diligent in observing all your obligations to Allah and the Holy Prophet.
Take care to show courtesy, endurance, patience, thankfulness, compassion, and
generosity ‑ always putting others before yourself ‑ even those who
reject you. Then perform an ablution with the water of sincere repentance for
wrong actions; and put on the robe of truthfulness, purity, humility and fear.
By donning the garments of pilgrimage, withhold yourself from everything which
hinders you from remembering Allah , or that may impede you from showing
obedience to Him.
Fulfill His
call with an answer whose meaning is clear, pure and sincere when you call on
Him, holding on firmly to your belief in Him. Circumambulate with your heart
along with the angels who circumambulate the Throne, just as you circumambulate
with the Muslims who go around the Ka'bah. Hasten as you run in flight from
your passion, freeing yourself of all your personal assumptions of strength and
power. Leave your heedlessness and errors behind when you go out to Mina; do
not desire what is unlawful for you and what you do not deserve.
Confess your
errors at Arafat ‑ set out your contract with Allah by His Oneness, draw
near to Him and fear Him at Muzdalifah. Climb with your soul to the highest
assembly when you climb the mountain of Arafat. Slit the throat of passion and
greed in the sacrifice. Stone your appetites, baseness, vileness, and
blameworthy actions when you stone the Pillar of Aqabah. Shave off your outward
and inward faults when you shave your hair. Enter into the security of Allah ,
His protection, His veil,
His shelter and
His watchfulness and abandon the pursuit of your desires by entering the Sacred
Precinct. Visit the House, and walk around it to glorify the Master, His
wisdom, His majesty and His power.
Embrace the
Stone, being content with His decree and humble before His might. Leave
everything that is other‑than‑Him in the valedictory
circumambulating. Purify your soul and your innermost being for the meeting
with Allah , on the day when you will meet Him when standing on al Safa'. Take
on valour and courtesy from Allah by annihilating your attributes at al‑Marwah.
Be consistent in the conditions of
your pilgrimage and fulfil the contract you have made with your Lord,
by which you will have obliged yourself to Him on the Day of Judgement.
Know that
Allah made the pilgrimage obligatory, and singled it out from all the acts of
worship in respect of Himself when He said:
"Pilgrimage
to the House is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, and [upon] everyone
who is able to undertake the journey to it... " (3:97)
The Holy
Prophet (s) established the organization of the rituals of pilgrimage, as
preparation for and an indication of death, the grave, the resurrection and the
Day of Judgement. In this lesson for mankind he discriminates between those who
will enter the Garden and those who will enter the Fire, through his
demonstrating the pilgrimage rites from beginning to end, to those with
intelligence and prudence.
It is hoped that this short booklet which elucidates
on some of the subtle points of the Hajj will be of benefit to the brothers and
sisters who are making this once in a lifetime journey to the holy cities of
Makkah and Madinah. We pray that this small work is accepted by Allah , our
Prophet Muhammad (s), his close friend, brother, and immediate successor Amir
al‑Mo'minin 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, and the 11 Imams from his family (as).
May this trip not only be a physical journey, but
rather a journey of the inner soul towards self‑purification and finally
to the final abode ‑ nearness to Allah (SWT) in every way.
May Allah hasten the return of our Mawla and Master,
Sahib al‑Asr wa al Zaman (may our souls be sacrificed for the dirt
under his feet).
Saleem
Bhimji
Translator
Notes:
[1] This book has been translated into English by
Fadlullah Haeri, and was originally published by Zahra Publications. The
original title of the book in Arabic is
Misbah al‑Shariyah wa Miftah al‑Haqiqah.
