Ḥajj
Translated by Abu Zayd
They asked: What is that so strongly pulls your attention and pushes you towards the caravans of the guests of the Most Merciful in the Holy Sanctuary in the days of Ḥajj? What is it that draws you away from your own place and time and distances you from your own companions? I replied: There are two things that completely overtake me such that I am powerless to ward them off. They said: Tell us what they are!
I replied: The first thing is the complete autonomy of Ḥajj from any time. The institution of Ḥajj is not confined to any historical era nor does it represent any memory of a past civilization or any powerful ruler. Rather, it exists far beyond the limits of time, linked to and immersed in antiquity. It goes back farther than even the era of our Prophet Muḥammad, peace be upon him. Islam came and did not alter its rites nor set it straight. Islam merely purified it from certain local and temporal practices and restored its pure and untarnished originality which stands far above and beyond the adulteration of any era.
The second is the complete autonomy of Ḥajj from any place. It is not confined to a particular atmosphere or follow any people limited to narrow surroundings. Rather, it exists beyond the borders of geography and is liberated from the impurities of region and environment. It gathers all sorts of people and nations of varying colors, lands and languages, and of varying practices, customs and traditions. The pilgrim leaves his people, family and land—in fact, he even leaves all habitations, vegetation and normal clothes—and opt to enter deserts, mountains and plains, over which he has no connection or claim.
They asked: What does it mean to be linked to antiquity? I replied: These are links established by Ibrāhīm and his family, upon them be peace. They asked: Wasn’t Ibrāhīm born in a time and place? I replied: Know that Ḥajj is not a simple journey to a holy place, as in other faiths. The timing of Ḥajj is fixed while its rites are also fixed. They have nothing to do with Ibrāhīm’s people or land, nor any other people or land for that matter. Ḥajj is a reminder of the history of life and vigor which comes from submission to God. Submission to God is neither confined to space nor time. No chosen people or nation can lay claim to it. The most perfect representation of submission is Ibrāhīm and his family. This is the real secret behind the universality of Ibrāhīm, and the universality of Ḥajj and its rites. God said, “I am making you a leader of mankind” (Qurʾān 2:124); “We made the House a center and sanctuary for mankind” (Qurʾān 2:125); “Ḥajj to the House is a duty owed to God by all mankind.” (Qurʾān 3:97) In these verses, God referred to humanity without specifying the progeny of Ismāʿīl or Isrāʾīl, or the Arabs or any other race.
They asked: What is the importance of connecting Ḥajj with Ibrāhīm and his family? I replied: God’s religion is the same since He created the heavens and earth, and is the way He legislated for Adam, Nūḥ, and all the prophets and their followers until the end of time. This way was in need of a model or path to give it life, strength and energy, while protecting it from becoming habits and rituals which could rob it of its significance and strip it of its spirit. So God chose Ibrāhīm, peace be upon him, as the model for this way since he fulfilled all the commands and passed all the trials sent to him by God. So God commanded mankind to follow the way (millah) of Ibrāhīm. This command extended even to our own Prophet, peace be upon him: “Then we revealed to you, ‘Follow the way of Ibrāhīm in complete devotion.’” (Qurʾān 16:123) “Say, ‘Whatever God says is true,’ and follow the way of Ibrāhīm in complete devotion.” (Qurʾān 3:95)
They asked: How does the Ibrāhīmic way give life to God’s religion and protect it from deterioration and decline? I replied: Look at the components and elements of this way, and you will know the answer.
They asked: What are its components and elements?
I replied: They are three, while the fourth element includes its symbols. Every movement embodies its meanings in its rituals. Smilarly, the Ibrāhīmic way embodies its exalted meanings in its rituals. They asked: What are they?
I replied:
The first component of the Ibrāhīmic way is referred to as ḥanīfiyyah. It begins with examining creation with deep thinking and reflection, and to come to the realization that everything within it rests upon God who is the Eternal Refuge, Ever-Living and Sustainer of all, and that there is no existence or persistence for other than God except through Him. All other than God declines and sets. This ḥanīfiyyah pathway ultimately ends with cutting oneself off from all things that decline in favor of God who never declines. This is exhibited in two statements of Ibrāhīm:
“I love not the things that go down.” (Qurʾān 6:76)
“Behold, I have turned my face in exclusive devotion to the One Who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am certainly not one of those who associate others with Allah in His divinity.” (Qurʾān 6:79)
Ḥajj is a journey of ḥanīfiyyah, or indifference to the world with all of its resources, clothing and commodities, along with migration to God, the Lord of the worlds.
The second element of the Ibrāhīmic way is pure submission (islām). After Ibrāhīm’ sharp mind guided him to the path of ḥanīfiyyah, he submitted his entire self to the Lord of the worlds. The biggest proof of his submission was his willingness to sacrifice his son Ismāʿīl, peace be upon him.
(In response to this prayer) We gave him the good news of a prudent boy; and when he was old enough to go about and work with him, (one day) Ibrāhīm said to him: “My son, I see in my dream that I am slaughtering you. So consider (and tell me) what you think.” He said: “Do as you are bidden. You will find me, if God so wills, among the steadfast.” When both surrendered and Ibrāhīm flung the son down on his forehead, We cried out: “O Ibrāhīm, you have indeed fulfilled your dream. Thus do We reward the good-doers.” (Qurʾān 37:101-5)
The most important pillars of this submission is forebearance (ḥilm) and steadfastness (ṣabr). Ḥajj represents pure submission to God, along with forbearance from anger and desires, and steadfastness in the face of hardship and difficulty.
The third element of the Ibrāhīmic way is avoiding partnership with God (shirk). The Ibrāhīmic way rejects every trace or impurity of shirk, and Ibrāhīm was the head of monotheists.
And recount to them the story of Ibrāhīm: when he asked his father and his people: “What do you worship?” They answered: “There are some idols that we worship and are devoted to them with constancy.” He asked: “Do they hear you when you call them or do they cause you any benefit or harm?” They answered: “No; but we found our forefathers doing so.” Thereupon, Ibrāhīm said: “Have you seen (with your eyes) those whom you have been worshipping, you and your forefathers of yore? They are all enemies to me; all, except the Lord of the Universe Who created me and Who guides me; Who gives me food and drink, and Who, when I am ill, heals me; Who will cause me to die and then will again restore me to life; Who, I hope, will forgive me my sins on the Day of Judgement.” (And then Abraham prayed): “My Lord, endow me with knowledge and wisdom and join me with the righteous.” (Qurʾān 26:69-83)
The fourth component of the Ibrāhīmic way are its symbols, the greatest of which is the noble Kaʿbah and its surroundings such as Ṣafā, Marwah, ʿArafāt and the holy places. These symbols are the physical embodiments of the Ibrāhīmic way. Ḥajj is a journey to witness these symbols and leave all other human connections and links. The most important manifestation of these symbols is that Muslims are commanded to turn their faces in the direction of the Sacred Mosque in their prayers and in their mosques wherever they are.
They asked: What is the place of Ḥajj in Islam? I replied: It is the perfection of this religion and the completion of the favor of God.
(O Prophet), surely We have granted you a clear victory so that God may forgive you your shortcomings, whether earlier or later, and may complete His favors upon you and guide you to the Straight Way, and that Allah may bestow upon you a mighty help. (Qurʾān 48:1-3)
In other words, God made the opening of Makkah a means to perform Ḥajj in safety, and made the Ḥajj a means to forgive its pilgrims. In that way, the favor is complete upon them. The statement ‘and guide you to the Straight Way’ represents the perfection of this religion. For this reason, He revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage: “Today I have perfected for you your religion, and completed my favor upon you.” (Qurʾān 3:3)
They asked: How have you interpreted the statement ‘so that God may forgive you your shortcomings’ to mean the forgiveness of the pilgrims?
I replied: The statement ‘We have granted you a clear victory’ is an address to believers through the medium of the Prophet, peace be upon him. For instance, He said: “You shall prevail. God is with you and will not bring your works to nought.” (Qurʾān 47:35) ‘God is with you’ here means that God helps you, as He also states: “Surely God is with those who are patient;” which means that God helps those who are patient. His statement ‘so that God may forgive you’ means ‘so that you may seek His forgiveness in Ḥajj, glorify Him and be forgiven through that.’ The singular pronoun is used here because it is immediately addressed to the Prophet, for the Prophet carried the burden of the sin of his nation and intercedes for them. This meaning is exhibited in the ḥadīth related by Bukhārī and Muslim from Abū Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever performs Ḥajj, avoiding obscenity and sin, returns free of all sins as the day his mother bore him.”
