On performance of Hajj, Umrah (I)

Hajj is one of the five pillars of the religion of Allah – Islam. To perform Hajj is a fard upon every sane and mature Muslim who has the means. Allah (swt) says in the Glorious Qur’an: “…As a right of Allah, it is obligatory on the people to perform hajj of the House – […]

Hajj is one of the five pillars of the religion of Allah – Islam. To perform Hajj is a fard upon every sane and mature Muslim who has the means.
Allah (swt) says in the Glorious Qur’an: “…As a right of Allah, it is obligatory on the people to perform hajj of the House – on everyone who has the ability to manage (his) way to it.” (Qur’an 3:97)
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has said: “Islam is founded on five (pillars): bearing witness that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; establishing Salah; paying Sakkah; Performing Hajj and fasting in the month of Ramadan.” (Al-Bukhârî)
When Prophet Ibrahim (AS) completed building the Ka’abah, Allah (SWT) commanded him to call the people to Hajj. Ibrahim (AS) pleaded, “O Allah! How shall my voice reach all of those people?” Allah (SWT) told him that his duty was only to give the call and it was up to Allah to make it reach the people. Ibrahim (AS) then climbed Mount Arafat and called out in his loudest voice, “O People! Verily Allah has prescribed upon you Hajj, so perform Hajj.”
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has informed the ummah of the numerous virtues of the Hajj and encourages them to fulfil the obligation: “Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of pleasing Allah, and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it free from sin as the day on which his mother gave birth to him.” (Al-Bukhârî, Muslim)
Hajj is obligatory (fard) upon every sane, adult and healthy Muslim, when he has sufficient wealth to enable him to travel to and from the Ka‘abah. This will apply when the wealth required to take him is in excess of his needs (such as house, transport, clothing, etc.). He also needs to have sufficient wealth to leave behind for the needs of those who are dependent on him.
Furthermore, the journey needs to be a safe one and a woman needs to be travelling with a mahram. Also, a person upon whom Hajj is obligatory should endeavour to perform it at the earliest possible opportunity. The Prophet (SAW) said: “The one who intends to go for Hajj should hurry; for sometimes he can get ill, his conveyance can go missing or some other obstacle may arise (which will hinder him from travelling).” (Ahmad)
There are three ways of performing the Hajj:
Hajj Al-Tamattu’i: Which entails entering into Ihram for the Umrah during the months of Hajj – Shawwal, Dul-Qi’idah and the first 10 days of Dhul-Hajjah and then taking it again for the Hajj from Mecca on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah during the same year in which the umrah was performed.
Hajj Al-Qirani: In which you entering the Ihram for both Umrah and Hajj at the same time and not taking off the Ihram until the day of Sacrifice. (the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah). Alternatively, one may first enter into ihram for the umrah, and before beginning one’s tawaf he may make the intention of ihram for the hajj as well.
Hajj al-ifrad: Here the ihram is worn for the Hajj either from the prescribed  miqat, from Makkah if one resides there, or from a place in between al-miqat and Makkah in the event that one has brought a sacrificial animal with him, and to remain in Ihram until the day of sacrifice.
The performance of umrah:
When the pilgrim gets to the miqat, he makes ghusl (use perfume if available) and then put on the  ihram (izar and rida), which preferably should be of white cloth. This applies to men only.  A woman also makes ghusl but she does not use makeup, and she may wear any clothes she has as long as they do not display her adornmemts. She should be completely covered except for her face and hands.
You then make your intention to perform Umrah by saying; Labbayka Umrah, or: Labbayk Allahumma ‘Umrah, as follows: “Labbayka, Allahumma Labbayka. Labbayka La shareeka laka Labbayk. Innalhamda wan-n’imata laka wal-mulk. La shareeka lak. (“Here I am at your service. O Lord, here I am, Here I am. No partner do You have. Here I am, Truly, the praise and the favor is Yours, and the domination. No partner do You have.”)
Men should utter this aloud while women should say it silently. Repeat this talbiyyah frequently, and engage in the praise of Allah, in supplications for forgiveness, and in the enjoining of what is good and forbidding of what is evil.
 When you reach Makkah, make seven circuits (Tawaf) around the Ka’abah, beginning’ at the Black Stone with the takbir (utterance of “Allahu Akbar”) and ending each at the same place. While making your Tawaf, you may praise Allah and make suplications to Him in any words you please. It is preferable to end each with the words: “Rabbana, atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil akhirati hasanatan wa qina adhaban-nar.” (Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter. And save us from the punishment of the fire.)
After completing the seventh circuit, pray two rak’ats behind the Station of Ibrahim (Maqama Ibrahim) if possible, otherwise pray at any other place within the sacred Mosque.
You then go to as-Safa and climb on it. Facing the Ka’abah, praise Allah, raising your hands, say Takbir (Allahu Akbar) three times. Then make supplication to Allah, repeating your supplication three times as this is the Sunnah. Then Say “La ilaha illal-Lah, wahadahu Ia sharika Lah.” Lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shai’in qadeer”. “La ilaha illal-lah, wahadahu, Anjaza wahdahu wanasara abdahu – wa hazamal ahzab wahadahu.” (There is no deity except Allah, the One with out a partner. His is the dominion and Hi is the praise, and he is the powerful over everything. There is no deity except Allah, completed His promise, supported His Slave and defeated the parties Alone.)
 It is preferable to utter this supplication three times but there is no harm in saying it less than three times.
You then descend from as-Safa and do the Sa’ayi of the Umrah seven times, increase your pace between the green posts, but walk at a normal pace before and after them. When you climb on the Marwah, praise Allah and do as you did at as-Safa, repeating your supplications. If you can conveniently do so, three times.
There are no required formulas or supplications for tawaf and sa’ayi. It is up to the worshipper to praise Allah or supplicate Him in his due regard to the supplications which the prophet (peace be on him) recited during the performance of those rites.
After Sa’ayi, end your Umrah by shaving or shortening your hair. After this, the prohibitions pertaining to the state of Ihram are lifted and you may resume your normal life.
If you are doing Hajj al-Tamattu’i the sacrifice of a sheep or the 7th part of a camel or a cow becomes obligatory onyou on the Day of Sacrifice (10th of Dhul-Hajjah). If you cannot afford this sacrifice, it is obligatory for you to fast 10 days, three of them during the Hajj and seven after returning home.
If you are performing Hajj al-Tamattu’i or Hajj al-Kiran, it is preferable to fast these three days before the Day of Arafat (10th of Dhul-Hijjah).

Kutubi (ASP) is the Zonal Imam, Police Zone 7, Wuse Division, Abuja