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The Prophets Conduct During Hajj – Book Sample

THE PROPHETS CONDUCT DURING HAJJ

His patience

Patience is the provision of the pious, the key to victory and a treasure of goodness. It helps control one’s anger, guide one at moments of recklessness, nurtures love and affection and strengthens one’s will. This is the reason why it is the best quality Allah bestows upon His slaves. (155)

During his Hajj, the Prophet demonstrated all three types of patience simultaneously. Of all his companions, he was the most enduring in obeying Allah’s commands and performing the acts of worship, which he did in complete tranquillity and submissiveness to Allah the Almighty.

(156) He was also the most pious, the most knowledgeable and the most observant of Allah’s limits of them all. (157)

The patience and endurance which the Prophet exhibited when he led the pilgrims without any signs of complaint or resentment is indeed astounding. Suffice it to imagine his enormous responsibilities and duties towards the pilgrims during his Hajj.

The Prophet was keen on perfecting submission and surrender to Allah the Almighty and on performing the Hajj rituals perfectly.

He was over sixty years old when he undertook the task of performing Hajj and was accompanied by his nine wives and the weak members of his household. He took care of them and served them all. He also cared about the masses of pilgrims around him.

He was their leader and in charge of their general unity and welfare. He responded to their needs and guided them to all the acts of goodness. He was also keen to convey his message to them and to explain the Islamic rulings to them in the perfect possible manner.

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F. His leniency

Leniency is a very commendable act in Islam. The prophet said,

“Allah loves that one should be kind and lenient in all matters.”

(158) He also said, “Whenever leniency is added to something, it adorns it; and whenever it is withdrawn from something, it leaves it defective.” (159)

 The Prophet ;I demonstrated this quality, and the Qur ‘an describes him as such. Allah says, “And it is by the [great) mercy of Allah that you are kind towards them, and if you had been rough and hardhearted, they would surely have been dispersed from around you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them, and consult them.” (3:159)

While leading the pilgrims during the Hajj, the Prophet demonstrated this noble quality on countless occasions. Here are a few examples:

1. He did not compel people to repeat his Talbiyyah and approved whatever forms of glorifying Allah they observed. While proceeding from Mina to ‘Arafah, he observed Talbiyyah all the way. Some people would recite Talbiyyah and he did not object to that; and others would recite Takbeer and he did not object to that either. (160)
2. He took shelter in the shade and moved between the scared sites on camelback. Had he done otherwise, it would have been extremely difficult for Muslims to follow his example. (161)
3. He performed certain HaJj rituals, such as tawaf and sa ‘iy, while riding a camel, lest the pilgrims might push each other and get hurt in his presence (162).
4. He also made public appearances during the whole season of the Hajj so pilgrims had no difficulty in following in his footsteps and asking his opinion about any problems they faced.
5. He made things easier for pilgrims and never asked them to do anything beyond their capacity, whether in performing the Hajj rituals or in leading them and shouldering the responsibility for them. (163)
6. He made the khutbah, or sermon, on the Day of ‘Arafah brief. (164)

• He did not come near the Ka ‘bah after the Tawaf of Qudoom (arrival) until he had returned from ‘Arafah (165) and settled in Mina on the Days of Tashreeq. His leniency is obvious in the fact that he did not go to the Haram until he was ready to leave Makkah and perform the Tawaf of Wada’. (166)
• He would always choose the easiest course in all matters. As mentioned earlier, he ordered those of his companions who had not brought their sacrificial animals along with them to end their state of ihram; he also combined prayers in ‘Arafah and Muzdalifah and shortened his prayers in Mina. (167)
• He ordered his companions to take care of themselves. Upon seeing a man walking and leading his badana (sacrificial camel), the Prophet said to him, “Ride on it.” The man replied, “But it is a badana.” The Prophet again said to him, “Ride on it.” When the man gave him the same answer, the Prophet :I said on the second or third time, “Ride on it; woe to you.” (168)
• He showed a great sense of consolation and was always willing to please other people. Once a man offered him an onager but he refused to take it. When he noticed signs of disappointment on the man’s face, he said to him, “I have only returned it because I am in a state of ihram.” (169)

THE PROPHET’S CONDUCT TOWARDS HIS FAMILY

The Prophet was the most kind to his family and relatives. He was described once as “the most righteous and the most observant of the bonds of his blood-relations.” (170) The best thing he ever did to maintain this bond was his calling them to Islam and his hope for their salvation in the hereafter.

 This was evident when he stood on the hill of Safa and called his people as well as his own relatives to save themselves from the Fire by rejecting all pagan practices and submitting to the Will of Allah. (171) Also, when his grandfather Abdul-Muttalib was on his deathbed, he addressed him thus, “O Uncle! Say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, a statement with which I will defend your case before Allah.” (172)

This attitude was even more evident during the Hajj. He was benign, caring and affectionate to all his relatives. The following are only a few examples:

Teaching them how to perform the Hajj rituals

The Prophet did his best to teach members of his family and his relatives the importance of the Hajj rituals to make certain they would offer their worship in the most correct and acceptable manner.

Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that she heard the Prophet saying, “O Muhammad’s household, recite talbiyah with the intention to perfonn ‘Umra together with Hajj.” (173)

The Prophet also told ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, when she menstruated before perfonning tawaf, “Do everything that a pilgrim does, except tawaf around the Ka ‘bah.” (174) He also told Ughailimah Banu ‘Abdul-Muttalib on the night of Muzdalifah, “Do not throw the jamra (stone) until sunrise.” (175)

 The Prophet also talked to them and answered their questions. Whet;1 he ordered his wives during the Farewell Pilgrimage to end their state of Jhram, his wife Hafsah, may Allah be pleased with her, asked him, “What stops you from ending your state of Jhram?”

To this he replied, “I matted my hair and garlanded my sacrificial animal, so I will not end my state of Ihram until I have slaughtered my sacrificial animal.” (176)

1. Keeping them busy with matters relating to Hajj before embarking on it

The Prophet used to teach his family members the right manner of observing this act of worship and to keep them busy with pilgrimage matters before leaving for it. ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “I twisted [the garlands] for the Prophet’s sacrificial animal before he assumed Jhram.” (177)

The Prophets Conduct During Hajj

Encouraging them to do good deeds

He also urged them to perform acts of obedience. Once he passed by some of his cousins who were drawing water from the well of Zamzam for the people to drink. “Carry on!”

He said, “You  are doing a good deed.” Then he added, “Were I not afraid that other people would compete with you in drawing water from the Zamzam well, I would certainly take the rope and put it over this (i.e. his shoulder) to draw water.” (178)

Besides, he gave permission to his uncle Al-‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, to spend the nights of Tashreeq at Makkah instead of staying in Mina in order to provide the pilgrims with drinking water. (179)

• Seeking their assistance

The Prophet sought the assistance of his family members during the Hajj. Here are a few examples:

1. He let his wife ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, twist the garlands for his sacrificial camel before he assumed ihram. (180)
   1. He asked Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, to collect pebbles for him while he was on his camel in Muzdalifah. (181)
   1. He offered a hundred camels as sacrificial animals and ordered ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, to distribute their meat, coverings and skins in charity. (182)
   1. He asked his cousin Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him-while this latter was drawing water from Zamzam well and serving the pilgrims-for a drink and he gave it to him. (183)
   1. He allowed ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, to perfume him before ending his state of ihram while yet he had not performed Tawaf of lfadhah. (184)

It was the Prophet’s intention to include his family’s members in doing good deeds and not to deprive them of the opportunity to gain rewards.

This was the guidance of the Prophet as was the guidance of prophets before him, as the Qur’an mentions, in the words of Moses ;i when he invoked Allah thus, “And grant me a helper from my family-Aaron my brother; increase my