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Hadith
Section
> A
Manual of
Hadith
> Chapter 18: Pilgrimage (Summary of the
Chapter) Chapter
18: The word hajj means literally qasd (betaking oneself to a person or a place), and technically it means betaking oneself at a particular time to Makkah to perform certain devotional acts required by Islam. `Umrah, from `amara meaning he paid a visit to a place, means a visit to Makkah at any time of the year, and consists of some of the devotional acts of hajj. The Sacred House, called the Ka`bah a rectangular building 40 ft. by 35 ft., and the Haram, including Makkah and some adjacent territory, form the centre of the devotional acts of hajj and `umrah. The Ka`bah is called the first House of Divine worship on earth, and a pilgrimage to it is made incumbent upon every Muslim who has the means to undertake the journey to it (v. 1). Pilgrimage is spoken of as one of the basic institutions of Islam (H. ii : 6), and its performance once in a lifetime is obligatory (h. 1). If a person is unable to perform it personally, he can do it through a substitute (h. 2). One must provide oneself beforehand with what is required for the journey (h. 3). Hajj can be performed only at a fixed time (h. 4) : `umrah may be performed at any time. Ihram is the condition in which the pilgrim puts himself; what is to be done or not done in this state is described in hh. 5-8. There are particular places on the different routes to Makkah, where the pilgrim must enter into the state of ihram (h. 9). The particular dhikr of hajj is the utterance of labbaika in a loud voice (h. 10). Making circumambulations of the Ka`bah, or tawaf, is the first devotional act of hajj or `umrah (h. 11); it is performed by men and women together (h. 12), and may be made while riding (h. 13). The tawaf is commenced at the corner where the Black Stone is fixed, which is kissed at the start by making a sign with something (h. 13). In kissing it there is no idea of paying Divine honour to it; the other corners were also kissed (hh. 14, 15). The tawaf, as a devotional act, is likened to prayer, and therefore a menstruating woman should postpone it (hh. 16-17). In the tawaf the first three circuits are made running and the last four walking (h. 18). Running between the Safa and the Marwah, known as sa`y, is the next devotional act of hajj and `umrah, and with this the `umrah ends (h. 18). The hajj proper begins on the 8th Dhu-l-Hijjah, which is called the yaum al-tarawiyah when the pilgrims proceed to Mina, and here they say their Zuhr and `Asr prayers (hh. 19, 20). On the 9th Dhu-l-Hijjah, called yaum al-`arafah, the pilgrims proceed from Mina to`Arafat where they say the Zuhr and `Asr prayers, and the imam delivers the Khutbah (h. 21).`Arafat is left after sunset, and the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers on that day and the Fajr prayer on the following day, are said at Muzdalifah (hh. 22, 23), which is left before sunrise for Mina where the animals are sacrificed at about breakfast time. Then the tawaf al-ifadzah is performed and after this the pilgrim gets out of the state of ihram (h. 24). The flesh of the animals sacrificed may be eaten, stored or distributed, and their skins must be given in charity (hh, 25, 26). The head is shaven or the hair is clipped as a sign of getting out of the state of ihram (h. 27). The 10th Dhu-l-Hijjah and the following two or three days, called the ayyam al-tashriq, are spent in Mina. During these days the pilgrims may occasionally visit the Ka`bah (h. 28). Stones are thrown at three places known as the Jamrah and the pilgrim prays to God to keep the Evil one away from him (h. 29). The final act of hajj is the tawaf al-wada`, the circumambulation of the Ka`bah when leaving Makkah (h. 30). The pilgrim is allowed to do any business before or after the hajj (h. 31).
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