Performing Hajj and Umrah (I)

There are three ways of performing Hajj: 1). Hajj aI-Tamattu’i (interrupted) 2). Hajj al-Qirani (combined) and 3). Hajj al-Ifrad (single) HAJJ AL-TAMATTU’I:  This means entering into Ihram for the ‘Umrah during the months of. Hajj, i.e. the months of Shawwal, DuI-Qi’idah and the first 10 days of Dhul-Hajjah; to take off Ihram after performing the […]

There are three ways of performing Hajj: 1). Hajj aI-Tamattu’i (interrupted) 2). Hajj al-Qirani (combined) and 3). Hajj al-Ifrad (single)
HAJJ AL-TAMATTU’I:  This means entering into Ihram for the ‘Umrah during the months of. Hajj, i.e. the months of Shawwal, DuI-Qi’idah and the first 10 days of Dhul-Hajjah; to take off Ihram after performing the ‘umrah; and then to take Ihram 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: This denotes entering into Ihram for both the Umrah and the Hajj at the same time, and not taking off the Ihram untill the day of Sacrifice (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: This is wearing of  Ihram for the Hajj, either from the prescribed station of Ihram (al-Miqat), from Makkah if one resides there, or from a place in between al-Miqat and Makkah where one has brought a sacrificial animal with him, and to remain in Ihram until the day of sacrifice.
If one has not brought an animal for sacrifice, he is required to come out of ihram after performing Umrah – that is, he makes the (Sa’yi)’around the K’abah (Tawaf), performs the (Sa’ayi) the walk between Safa and Marwah; cuts some of his hair and then comes out of ihram, to resume his usual clothing and state. This is what the prophet (peace be on him) prescribed for those people who had entered into Ihram for the Hajj without bringing a sacrificial animal; people who had entered into ihram for the Hajj without bringing a sacrificial animal; they then re-entered into ihram on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah.

The same applies to a person who is performing Hajji al-Qiran in the event that he has not brought with him an animal to sacrifice; it is required that he comes out of ihram after the umrah as described above.

THE PERFORMANCE OF UMRAH
1. When you reach the prescribed station (al-Miqat), make ghusl (a shower or full washing of the whole body), use perfume if available, and then put on the two-piece garment of 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 ware any clothes she has available as long as they do not display her adornmemts she should be completely covered except for her face and hands. 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 say 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.
2. When you reach Makkah, make seven circuits (Tawaf) around the K’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 Ibraheem (Maqama Ibraheem) if possible,’ even though you may be a little far away from it, otherwise at any other place within the sacred Mosque.
3. 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) recite during the performance of those rites.
4. 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-Tamatt’u the sacrifice of a sheep or the seventh part of a camel or a cow becomes obligatory for you on the Day of Sacrifice (the 10th of Dhul-Hajjah). If you cannot afford this sacrifice, it is obligatory for you to fast ten days, three of them during the Hajj and seven after returning home.
If you are performing Hajj al-Tamatt’u or Hajj al-Qiran, it is preferable to fast these three days before the Day of Arafat (the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah).

THE PERFORMANCE OF HAJJ
If you ‘are performing Hajj al-Ifrad or Hajj-Qiran (i.e. hajj combined with ‘umrah). You enter into ihram at the station of Ihram, (almiqat) through which you pass on your way to Makkah.
If you do not pass through any station of lhram on your way to Makkah for hajj from your residence in Makkah on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah, perform ghusl (shower or washing of the entire body), perfume yourself if possible, and put on, the two garments of Ihram. This applies to men. Women likewise perform ghusl but you are not to use perfume. They may wear any suitable clothes they have as long as they do not show their adornments and cover part of their bodies except the hands and face. For woman, if she is in the presence of other men who are not her immediate relatives like her husband, father, brother or son then she should cover her face. After putting on ihram make your niyyah (intention) by saying:

 Labbayk Allahumma labbayk. Labbayka La shareeka lak. Innal-hamda wannamata laka wal-mulk La shareeka lak.
(Here I am at your service. O Lord, here I am here I am. You have no partner. Here I am, truly, the praise and the favor is yours, and the dominion. you have partner.

2. You then go to Mina, where you pray the Dhuhr, Asr, Magrib, Isha and Fajr prayers at their proper times, shortening prayers of four rak’as to two rak’as. Do not ‘combine these prayers.

3. When the sun has risen on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, proceed toward ‘Arafat in a dignified manner and without harming    your fellow pilgrims.
At Arafat, pray the Dhur and Asr prayers, shortened and combined during the time of Dhuhr with one adhan and two iqamahs. Make sure that you are within the boundaries of Arafa, stay within the boundaries of Arafat, except the valley of Oranah, reciting the praise of Allah the Most High, and offering supplications facing qiblah with upraised hands as was the practice of prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Remain at Arafat untill after sunset.

4. When the sun has set, proceed toward Muzdalifa in peaceful and dignified manner, reciting talbiyyah. Do not harm or cause any discomfort to your fellow Muslims.

5. When you arrive at Muzdalifa, pray the Magrib and Isha prayers combined, shortening Isha to two rak’ats. Stay at Muzdalifa untill you have prayed the Fajr prayer, Then wait unti1 the brightness of the morning is wide spread, supplicate facing qibla with upraised hands, following the practice of the prophet (peace be on him)
* For women or weak individuals, it is permissible to proceed to Mina at any time after midnight.
In Muzdalifah, pick up only seven pebbles to throw at the stone piller of ‘Aqbah. Other pebbles can be picked up at Mina. There is no harm even if the seven pebbles to be thrown at the stone pillar of ‘Aqbah are also picked up at Mina.

6. When you arrive at Mina, do the following:
(a) At the Stone Pillar of ‘Aqbah (this is the pillar nearest to Makka) throw the seven pebbles one after the other, saying “Allahu akbar” at each throw.
(b) Shave your head or cut some hair from it. Shaving is preferable for men, while for women the lenght of hair to be cut is that of a fingertip.
* The above-mentioned order of doing things is preferred, however, if they are done in some other order, there is no harm in it.
* After you have thrown the pebbles and shaved or cut some of your hair, the prohibitions of ihram are lifted, except the prohibition of sexual intercourse with your spouse. This is the first tahallul, i.e. returning to one’s normal state. You can now wear your usual clothes.

7. Then you go to Makkah and perform the tawafal-ifadah (the tawaf which is an essential part of the Hajj). If you are doing Hajj al-tamatt’u, you also perform Sa’ayi. If you are performing Hajj al-Ifrad or Hajj al-Qiran and you did not perform Sa’ayi with Tawafal-Qudum (the Tawaf of Arrival), you must do Sa’ayi now. After this, the prohibition of marital relations is also lifted and you    return to a completely normal life.
* It is permissible to delay the tawafal-Ifada until the days spent at Mina are over, going to Makkah for’this tawaf after all three Pillars have been stoned.

8. After performing your tawaf al-Ifadah on the day of Sacrifice, return to Mina and spend there the nights preceding the 11th, 12th, and 13th days of Dhul-Hijjah (the three days following the Day of Sacrifice which are known as ayyamu-tashreeq). It is however, permissible to spend only two nights in Mina instead of three.

9. At any time in the afternoon of each of the two or three     days of your stay in Mina, stone each of the three Pillars, starting with the first Pillar (i.e. the one which is farthest from Makkah), followed by the middle pillar and lastly, the Pillar of ‘Aqbah. Throw seven pebbles, one by one, at each of these Pillars, saying ‘Allahu akbar” at each throw.

* If you stay in Mina for only two days, you must leave Mina before the sunsets on the second day. If the sun should set before you are able to depart, remain in Mina for the third night and throw pebbles again the next day. In any, case, it is preferable to remain in Mina for three nights.
* It is permissible for the sick and the weak to appoint a proxy ‘to throw their pebbles. The proxy first throws his own pebbles, followed by the pebbles of the person he represents while at the same pillar.

10. If you decide to return to your country after completing the rites of hajj, you perform the Farewell Tawaf (tawaf al-wida) before leaving Makkah. No one is excused from this except women who are menstruating or in the period of discharge following childbirth.
VISITATION OF THE PROPHET’S MOSQUE
1. Going to Madina at any-time with the intention of visiting the Prophet’s Mosque is a Sunnah, as is performing salah in it.
According to a hadith of the Prophet’s (may peace and blessing of Allah be on him), a salah performed in the Prophet’s Mosque better than a thousand salats in any other place except the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) in Makkah.
2. There is no ihram nor talbiyah for the visit to the Prophet’s Mosque, and it should be emphasised that there is no connection whatsoever between this visit and the hajji.
3. When you enter the Prophet’s Mosque, enter with your right foot first, saying the name of Allah the most High, and evoking blessings on His Prophet (may His peace and blessings be on him) and ‘ask Allah to open the gates of His mercy for you The recommended words for entering any mosque, including the Prophet’s Mosque are: –

 “A’udhu billahil-adheem wa wajil-kareem wa sultanihil-qadeem mina-shaitani-rajeem. Allahumma, iftah li abwaba Rahmatik.

“I seek refuge in Allah the Almighty, and in His noble countenance and in His entrenal power, from Satan the Rejected. O Allah, open to me the doors of your mercy.”

4. Perform two rak’ats of tahiyyat al-masjid (the salat of “greeting of the Mosque) after entering the Mosque preferably in the Rawdah or otherwise anywhere else in the Mosque

5. Then go to the grave of the prophet (may the peace and blessing of Allah. be on him), and standing in front of it, say in a respectful and hushed voice:-

    
“Assalamu-alaika, ayyuhan-nabiyya wa rahmatul-lahi Wa barakatuhu.”
“Peace be on you, O prophet and the mercy and blessings of Allah. ” And call for the blessings of Allah on him.
There is no harm if you add:

 Allahumma, atihil-waseelata wal-fadeelata wab-athu-maqamun Mahmoudal-ladhee wa-adtahu. Allahuma, ajizhu an ummatihi afdala-jaza’a.

“O Lord, give him the right (of intercession) and the favour, and raise him to the praise worthy station which you promised to him.
“O Allah, reward him on behalf of his ummah people) with the best rewards”.

Then move a little to the right to stand before the grave of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Greet him and supplicate Allah to bestow his mercy and forgiveness on him.
Again move a little to the right to stand before the grave of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and greet him and make supplication for him.
6. It is Sunnah to have (Tahara), and visit the mosque of Quba and offer salat in it, as the prophet (peace be upon him)
Prayed there and encouraged others to do the same.
7. It is Sunnah to visit the grave of al-Baqe’e cemetry, and the grave of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and the martyrs of Uhud, and the ‘grave of Harnza (may Allah be pleased with them); to greet them and to pray for the mercy of Allah upon them. The prophet (peace be upon him) used to visit all these graves and pray for the souls of those who were burried there.
He taught his companions when visiting graves to say: Assalamu ‘alaikum, ahlal-diar minal-mu’mineen, wal-muslimeen, wa inna insha-Allahu bikum lahiqoon. Nas’alul-laha lana walakumul-afiyah.

“Peace’ be on you, O dwellers of this place from among the believers and the Muslims, and we will insha-Allah join you. We ask for security (from the fire of hell) for ourselves and for you.” (Reported by Muslim)

According to the Shari’ah, besides the Mosques and other places mentioned above, there are no other Mosques or places in Madinah, which are to be visited. Therefore, do not border yourself by visiting places for which there is no reward or for which, in fact, there might be some blame for doing so. And Allah is the source of guidance.