Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
The Mubaarak Month of Ramadhaan is barely two and a half months away. Many huffaaz have already commenced their Qur’aan dhor program in anticipation for the Taraaweeh Salaah. Some people are planning to go for umrah to the Holy Lands during this holiday period, while others have received accreditation for hajj and are in the spirit of preparing for the momentous journey of hajj.
Undoubtedly, every moment of a believer’s life is to be valued as life is the main capital of a believer through which he will be able to earn Jannah in the Hereafter – the ultimate abode of eternal happiness and everlasting success.
Allah Ta‘ala, out of His infinite grace and mercy, has afforded man with certain golden opportunities whereby he may be able to earn immense rewards from Allah Ta‘ala. Among these golden opportunities is the month of Ramadhaan, and travelling to the Holy Lands for hajj or umrah.
The Great Blessings and Virtues of Ramadhaan and the Holy Lands
During the blessed month of Ramadhaan, a servant is blessed with the honour of gaining proximity to Allah Ta‘ala by fasting during the days and performing Taraaweeh Salaah during the nights. His soul is spiritually nourished through reciting the Qur’aan Majeed, feeding the poor and spending wealth for the cause of deen (i.e. through discharging zakaah or giving lillah to the poor and needy during the blessed month of Ramadhaan).
Similarly, when one is chosen by Allah Ta‘ala to visit the Holy Lands to perform hajj or umrah, one is able to acquire phenomenal rewards in just a few moments. All good deeds are multiplied a hundred thousand times in reward. Hence, for a single salaah, or fast, or any other good deed which one carries out in the precincts of the Haram of Makkah Mukarramah, one receives the reward of that good deed multiplied 100 000 times.
Apart from this virtue, during the blessed journey, one is also granted the honour of presenting himself before our Beloved Messenger, Hazrat Muhammed Mustafaa Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in the Holy City of Madinah Munawwarah.
While all these ibaadaat (fasting in Ramadhaan and performing umrah and hajj) are golden opportunities for a believer to benefit and earn great rewards, it is vitally important to understand that one will only be able to acquire the great benefits, virtues and rewards from all these ibaadaat on condition that one refrains from committing sins and carrying out actions that are displeasing to Allah Ta‘ala.
Especially during the present period we are passing through, in which the kuffaar are in their holiday mood, merrymaking and celebrating, at this time a believer should exercise extra caution to protect himself and safeguard his deen and the deen of his family.
Safeguarding One’s Deen During the Holiday Season
A believer should be cognizant of the fact that this season is not a Muslim’s celebration period. A Muslim’s days of celebration are the two annual eids and the day of Jumu’ah which is regarded as the weekly eid. A believer remembers Allah Ta‘ala more during his days of celebration and he makes more ibaadat.
On the contrary, when we view the celebration of the kuffaar, we find that it is centred around committing all types of sins and vices. Committing shirk and kufr, consuming wine and swine, engaging in photography and videoing, listening to music and dancing, getting involved in immorality and indecency – all these and other similar evils and sins are the highlights of all kuffaar celebrations and festivities.
Not Emulating the Kuffaar
At this crucial time, it is of utmost importance for a believer to safeguard his deen and protect his Islamic identity by not emulating the kuffaar in their culture and ways. He should refrain from booking into kuffaar holiday resorts. Similarly, a believer should not go to the beaches at this time or the entertainment centres of the kuffaar as he will be sinful for emulating them.
Hazrat Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) reports that Allah Ta‘ala sent revelation to a certain Nabi saying, “Say to your people that they should not enter the places of My enemies, they should not wear the clothing of My enemies, they should not ride the conveyances that are ridden by My enemies, and they should not eat the food of My enemies (i.e. the Muslims should not emulate the kuffaar in the manner they ride their conveyances and consume their food). Then if they do not do so (i.e. they do not refrain from emulating the kuffaar), they will become My enemies, like how the kuffaar are My enemies.” (Zawaajir 1/23)
In this kuffaar festive season, if a Muslim protects himself and safeguards his deen and imaani values, then when the month of Ramadhaan dawns upon us or one goes for hajj or umrah, one will benefit tremendously from the goodness of Ramadhaan and one will be able to reap the great blessings of the Holy Lands. This, in turn, will be a stepping stone for one’s entire life gaining acceptance in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala.
On the contrary, if one emulates the disbelievers and conducts himself like them, celebrating and merrymaking like them, then one will earn the wrath of Allah Ta‘ala, and the desired benefit and reward of Ramadhaan, umrah and hajj, will not be acquired.
Rather, on account of one’s heart and soul being polluted and corrupted, one will find himself committing sins in this mubaarak time and place. One will not show appreciation and gratitude to Allah Ta‘ala for these great bounties, and instead of Ramadhaan, hajj and umrah becoming the means of one’s acceptance, it will become a means of gaining the curse Allah Ta‘ala.
Adopting Taqwa – the Essence of all Ibaadaat
In various places in the Qur’aan Majeed and Mubaarak Ahaadith, Allah Ta‘ala and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) have strongly emphasized the importance of a believer adopting the quality of taqwa in his life. The quality of taqwa is the rooh (soul) and essence of every ibaadat. In proportion to one’s taqwa will one gain acceptance in the court of Allah Ta‘ala and receive reward in the Hereafter.
The meaning of taqwa is for one to fear Allah Ta‘ala at every moment and fulfil every command and refrain from every prohibition in the manner pleasing to Allah Ta‘ala.
Hence, just as it is imperative and essential for a believer to learn the relevant masaa’il of fasting, and performing hajj and umrah, as this is the external form of the ibaaadat, it is equally necessary for a believer to keep his heart, mind and limbs pure at all times so that the ibaadat he carries out gains acceptance by Allah Ta‘ala.
When one takes a cursory glance at the Qur’aan Majeed, one will find that when Allah Ta‘ala discusses fasting or the obligation of hajj, then in many verses, Allah Ta‘ala emphasizes the importance of carrying out these ibaadaat with the quality of taqwa.
In regard to fasting, Allah Ta‘ala says:
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا کُتِبَ عَلَیۡکُمُ الصِّیَامُ کَمَا کُتِبَ عَلَی الَّذِیۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکُمۡ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَتَّقُوۡنَ ﴿۱۸۳﴾ۙ
O you who believe! Fasting has been made fardh upon you, as it was made fardh upon those before you, so that you may attain taqwa (the fear of Allah Ta‘ala). (Surah Baqarah v. 183)
In regard to hajj, Allah Ta‘ala says:
وَ تَزَوَّدُوۡا فَاِنَّ خَیۡرَ الزَّادِ التَّقۡوٰی ۫ وَ اتَّقُوۡنِ یٰۤاُولِی الۡاَلۡبَابِ ﴿۱۹۷﴾
And take provisions with you (for the journey), and the best provision is taqwa (which will assist you throughout your journey and enable you to fulfil the ibaadat in the way pleasing to Allah Ta‘ala), and fear Me, O people of understanding! (Surah Baqarah v. 197)
In other words, the foundation of all ibaadaat should be adopting taqwa and fulfilling the ibaadaat according to the sunnah with the spirit of love
Securing the Blessings of Ramadhaan, Hajj and Umrah:
- Seeking Forgiveness for Sins and Fulfilling Rights – Before the month of Ramadhaan enters and before going for hajj and umrah, one should sincerely repent for all sins that one is involved in and make a firm resolve that one will not return to those sins in the future.
- Returning Usurped Wealth and Property – If one has usurped the wealth or property of any servant then he should ask the person for forgiveness and return his wealth or property to him. Similarly, if one had caused any pain to any person, whether physically, mentally, or verbally, then one should seek his forgiveness so that this does not become an impediment for one’s duas and ibaadaat being accepted during the month of Ramadhaan or during the hajj or umrah.
- Performing Salaah on the Plane – When going for umrah, people generally look for airlines that sell the cheapest tickets. However, many a time, on these airlines, a person is not permitted to perform salaah standing. Rather, one is told to sit on one’s seat and perform the salaah – whereas fardh salaah performed in this manner (i.e. sitting on one’s seat despite having the ability to stand and make the sajdah on the floor) is not valid.
Hence, the sad and unfortunate outcome is that such a person is going for nafl umrah, but in order to save some money, he leaves out performing his fardh salaah. This can be likened to a person who wishes to save R50 000, but loses R1 million in the process.
- Spending One’s Time Correctly – The second aspect is regarding how one should spend his time correctly in the Holy Lands. If a person’s intention is to derive spiritual benefit and acquire maximum rewards, then his behaviour and conduct in the Holy Lands will reflect accordingly.
Thus, it should not be that a person travels all the way to Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah, yet he does not perform his Fardh Salaah or Taraaweeh Salaah in the Haram Shareef due to being too engaged in shopping. Instead, the major portion of one’s time should be spent in ibaadat and in acquiring spiritual benefit.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “A time will soon dawn upon the people (before Qiyaamah) where the wealthy class from my ummah will come for hajj (and umrah) with the intention of having a holiday. The middle-class will come for hajj (and umrah) with the intention of business. The Ulama will come for hajj (and umrah) with the intention of gaining fame and showing off. The poor-class will come for hajj (and umrah) with the intention of begging.” (Taareekh-e-Baghdaad #3450, Ithaafus Saadah 4/465)
Note: Though this Hadith is reported with a weak chain, however, there are other chains which corroborate it. It is for this reason that Hazrat Shaikh-ul-Hadith, Moulana Muhammed Zakariyya (rahimahullah), has mentioned this Hadith in his kitaab, Fazaail-e-Hajj, and many of the great Muhadditheen of the past – the likes of Khateeb Baghdaadi, Mulla Ali Qaari, Murtadha Zabeedi, Allaamah Iraqi (rahimahumullah) – have quoted this Hadith in their kitaabs.
- Consuming Halaal Food – While in the Holy Lands, one should be careful about eating halaal meat as there are many food outlets that serve meat which is imported from non-Muslim countries. One should remember that one’s ibaadat and duas will only gain acceptance by Allah Ta‘ala if one’s food intake is halaal.
- Women Performing Salaah in the Room – Another important aspect to highlight is that apart from performing tawaaf in Makkah Mukarramah and making Salaam at the Mubaarak Rawdah of Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in Madinah Munawwarah, women should perform their salaah in their hotel rooms. This command of Shariah – of women performing their salaah in the confines of their homes being more pleasing and rewarding to Allah Ta‘ala – was revealed upon Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in the Holy Lands. Thus, a woman will receive the same reward which a man will receive if she performs her salaah in her hotel room in Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah.
- Observing Purdah with Non-Mahrams – During the journey to the Holy Lands and while performing the rituals of Hajj and Umrah, it is incumbent upon non-mahram males and females to ensure that they observe strict purdah among themselves. They should not violate the laws of hijaab and purdah by intermingling and casually speaking to each other.
While a woman is in the state of ihraam, she is not permitted to cover her face. However, she is also not allowed to reveal her face before non-mahram males, especially in this belated era where fitnah is rampant everywhere. Hence, in the state of ihraam, a woman should keep her face veiled from strange men by donning the cap purdah.
- Men and Women Not Touching in Tawaaf – During tawaaf, it is also necessary that men and women exercise caution. They should ensure that they do not come so close to each other where their bodies or clothing touch. This is not permissible in Shariah.
Hence, during the time of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), men and women would perform tawaaf together but there would be a type of segregation between them where women and men would not intermingle. (Saheeh Bukhaari #1618)
Unfortunately, in today’s times, the Muslim rulers have not upheld these laws and teachings of Shariah among the Muslims due to which there is colossal fitnah witnessed in the Holy Lands.
Therefore, each person, in his individual capacity, should try to uphold these teachings of Shariah to the best of his ability. If one finds the mataaf area to be extremely crowded, where women and men are “bumper to bumper”, then one should rather make tawaaf on the first floor or wait for the time when the mataaf is not so crowded.
It should be borne in mind that to the extent one upholds the laws of Shariah in one’s life and in one’s rituals and ibaadat, one will receive reward from Allah Ta‘ala.
