Hajj: The Magnificent Journey

[نسيم الفجر]

 

HAJJ JOURNEY

The Messenger of Allah (sallalahu aleyhi wa salaam) was asked: 'What is the best deed?' He stated: ‘Belief in Allah and His Messenger (sallalahu aleyhi wa salaam).’ He was then asked: 'What next?' He said: ‘Jihad in the way of Allah.' He was again asked: 'What next?' He replied: “The Hajj which is preformed correctly and accepted by Allah.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

Linguistically, Hajj means, 'He prepared, or betook himself, to or towards a person… or towards an ****** of reverence, veneration, respect, or honour.” In the Shari'ah, Hajj means a specific journey to Makkah during the designated month of Dhul-Hijjah, for the performance of Hajj as an act of worship to Allah: “The Hajj is (in) the well-known month (i.e. 10th month, 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein by assuming Ihram, then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sins, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj. And whatever you do, (be sure) Allah knows it.” [Surah al-Baqarah 2: 197]