Book Of Hajj
KITAB UL HAJJ
Respectfully visiting Allah;s greatest reminder on earth namely the house of Allah in
1. You can go anytime to
2. You can also go during the month of Dhu al Hijjah taking care that on the ninth of Dhul al Hijjah you are at Arafat and this is called Hajj. In Islam it is this which is obligatory for those who can afford and actually do it i.e. physically able.
In Umrah, visiting Arafat is not obligatory, only Tawaf (going seven times around the Ka’ba) and additionally making sa’y. That is to say walking hurridly between the two hillocks on the two sides of the Ka’ba which are called Safa and Marwa seven times both ways.
According to Hanifiye Umrah is Sunnah.
THE KINDS OF HAJJ
In one respect Hajj can be divided into Farz, Wajib and Naafile.
FARZ- is what we cannot avoid doing once in a lifetime provided we have the means.
WAJIB- is when our Hajj ritual is damaged in a way which annuls it like inability to be at Arafat at the right time. Such a frustrated Hajj must be repeated and its repetition is Wajib.
NAFL HAJJ- is the Hajj by somebody who is under no obligation doing it like a young person or a poor person who somehow finds himself there at the time. In another respect Hajj can be divided into three kinds.
1. HAJJ AL IFRAT – it is when somebody happens to visit
2. HAJJ TAMETTU – is arriving at
3. HAJJ KIRAN – This is like a continuous Hajj. You are in
UNITS OF HAJJ
Every distinguishable set of movements is called a Nusuq of Hajj. Tawaf is one Nusuq, Sa’y is another. Standing at Arafat is another etc. The plural of Nusuq is Menasiq.
THE RUKNS OF HAJJ
There are two and without them done Hajj is not done. First is standing at Arafat sometime during the day before Eid. The second is Tawaf. (Therefore the Rukn of Sa’y is not Farz but Sunnetul Muakedde).
HOW WAQFA (Stopping and starting) IS DONE
One must be at the plain of Arafat in the 9th day of Dhu al Hijjah and the actual time to begin the Waqfa which is Farz is after the sun moves a bit west at noon that is to say when you can pray Zuhr prayer. Then however long or short you stay there it is enough.
If by some mistake people do Waqfa on the 8th of Dhu al Hijjah instead of the 9th they have to repeat it the next day. In this case the repeated waqfa is called tarweeh.
At Arafat there is a small hill called Jabal Errahmat. It is desirable to face the hill looking towards Ka’ba and pray.
WHAT IS TAWAF
We must first know the holy ground at
Making Tawaf during Hajj takes the form of making it after Waqfa at Arafat and seven times. Four of which is Farz and the remaining three Sunnatul Muekedde. The time for this Farz Tawaf is after Fajr. That is to say when one can pray morning prayer.
Once this time comes any time after it the Tawaf is valid.
At one corner of the Ka’ba called Al Rukun al Yemini or Al Ruku al Hajjar is a black meteoric stone which is another reminder of Allah and is the spot from where Tawaf should begin and should be counted. Every time the worshipper passes Hajr Aswad he gives Salam to it by turning towards it and if possible rubbing it by hand and kissing it. If because of the crowd such contact is impossible and imitating movement can be done from afar. This is called Ihstihan.
Each going round Ka’ba is called Al Shawt.
THERE ARE FIVE KINDS OF TAWAF
1. Tawaf al Kudum (arrival). This is the first Tawaf marking your arrival at
2. Tawaf Azziyarat. This is the Farz Tawaf on the day of Eid when one has come down from Arafat.
3. Tawaf As Sadr. This is done when one comes down from Mina to
4. Tawaf Al Tatawwu (voluntary). This is Tawaf done any time just because one lives in
5. Tawaf Al Umrah. This consists of 4 sharts and is obligatory part of Umrah.
IHRAM
Ihram means making Haram to oneself certain things so long as the rituals of Hajj continue. This is done by making Intention and then chanting the Telbiyah which is:
“Labbayk Allahumme Labbayk, Labbayka La Shareekalaka Labbayk, Innal
Once this intention and chanting is done you are called a Muhrim. One in Ihram who is not a Muhrim is called a Helal. Abadoning Ihram is called Ihlal.
As for dress for a man he must remove all sown garments outside or undergarments and instead wrap himself into two pieces of unsown cloth. One around his belly reaching under his knee caps and another thrown over his shoulder and his head remains bare. During Ihram he repeats Telbiye and avoids physical contact with his wife. He cannot shave, he cannot pluck up any plants or hunt or kill any animals except vermin like a rat. He won’t use perfumes.
As for women they keep their own clothes and cover their heads normally. Against cold or strong sun it is allowed to put on something thicker or an umbrella etc.
MIKAT
Those who must arrive at
DHUL KHULAIFA
ZATI IRK
JUHFE
KARN (UL-MENAZIL)
YELENE
Additionally those coming from Ejypt by land can begin their Ihram at Rabig. Ihram dress is usually put on at these stations although it could be put earlier.
If someone fails to wear Ihram and begin his abstention he must do so as soon as possible preferably by Mikat. In any case he will have to sacrifice a sheep.
As for going for the Ihram one has to reach the distance from
THE WAJIBS OF HAJJ
1. To begin Ihram from the said Mikats (pl.Mawakid).
2. To abandon everything banned for the Muhrim, perfume, approaching wife, and hunting is banned.
3. To stand at Arafat from Zawwal (just after sun leans to the west at noon) until sun set. Any time between these two limits is enough.
4. To stand a little while at Muzdelife ( a location midway between
5. To make Tawaf of at least 4 shafts but much better altogether 7 shafts.
6. To make this Tawaf on the Eid days, preferably the 1st but it can be done on all the days.
7. For those who will be going away being not residents of
8. During all Tawafs to be clean and properly covered like in Salah.
9. To begin Tawaf from the side of Hajj Aswad and walk around the Ka’ba with Ka’ba always on your left.
10. To do Tawaf from behind the Hatim. This is a semi-circular wall embracing the Ka’ba from a few yards away. The space inbetween is regarded as part of the Ka’ba. You must not walk in the space between the Ka’ba and this wall but from the outside.
11. Walk between the sacred hillocks, Safa and Marwa which walk is called Sa’y. The walk begins from Safa arrives at Marwa and returns to Safa. The total number of one way walkings amount to 7.
12. To throw stones at three stone landmarks at the location called Mina. These stones are thrown at three heaps respectively called Jemret al Ula, Jemret al wusta, Jemret al Aqabah. The stones are thrown together or one by one and not at one go. The stones are collected on the way to these Jemrets (Pillars).
13. After this ritual the Kurbans are offered in the Haram and then the hair is cut by an amount which will do. If one combines Hajj with an Umrah he should offer his Kurban at the end. This is Wajib. If only Hajj is done it is not Wajib but Nafl.
SOME SUNNAHS OF HAJJ
1. To make Ghusl or Wudu before Ihram.
2. To pray 2 Rak’ats of Shukr reciting
3. To recite Salawat on Rasulullah after Telbiyah.
4. To put your requests to Allah.
5. To pronounce Tekbir and Telbiyah once the Ka’ba is seen.
6. To make a welcome Tawaf of the Ka’ba.
7. When walking between Safa and Marwa to slow down your walking when you are passing the two green columns between the two hillocks. This is called Harwala. The fast walk before and after this slowing down is called Hammala.
8. To begin your Arafat visit by setting out on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah going to Mina stay there overnight and on the sun rise on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah go to Arafat. There the Imam leads his Jema’at combining Zuhr and Asr and doing both at Zuhr time. After zuhr at roughly asr time begin the journey to Mina to stay there overnight praying the magrib and isha togethor.
9. To move from Arafat after sunset to Muzdalifa where one should settle down near the hill of Khuza which place is called Masher al Haram. Passing the night at Muzdalifa the next morning which is Eid going to Mina and stay there throughout the first three days of Eid when Kurbans are offered.
10. After Tawaf al Wada (good-bye Tawaf) drinking ZamZam from the well facing the Ka’ba and pouring some on the head and shoulders etc.
11. Without troubling anyone touching the Ka’ba and praying for your wishes.
12. Last going on to Madina and visiting Rasulullah’s (saaws) shrine.
There are also many more several details which guides responsible for groups of Hijjah will tell you about and tell you how to do them.
WHAT IS HEDY
Hedy is the Kurban offered at Haram al Shareef. The Kurban can be sent itself or the price can be sent for it to be bought locally for it to be offered. For sheep and goat it should be at least 6 months old but if 6 months old must look so and if younger must then look bigger or otherwise at least 1 year old. As for camels it should be at least five years old and for cattle at least two years old male or female do not matter.
Once marked as Hedy the animal can no longer be ridden or used to carry burdens. The owner cannot drink the milk from Hedy but can be given on Sadaqa to the poor.
If the animal is stolen or dies on the way replacement is not necessary unless it was intended as a Wajib. If after killing the animal it’s meat is stolen no replacement is necessary. All Kurbans killed during Hajj at Haram ul Shareef are also Hedy and the owner may eat from them. Essentially the animal should be killed within Haram ul Shareef but if it is wounded on the way and will suffer if taken further it can be killed on the spot without reaching Haram ul Shareef.
WHAT IS BANNED DURING HAJJ AND UMRAH
Doing one of the banned acts is a crime and is called Jinayat ul Hajj. According to Hanafe’s all such Jinayat even when by mistake or forgetfulness must be compensated. According to Shafi’i mistakes and forgetting are forgiven. These crimes are punished at 5 levels.
1. Applying perfume to oneself or donning a sown garment or to cut hair prematurely or to clip nails or to make Tawaf while impure etc. One must offer a sheep or a goat.
2. Greater then the first is doing a sexual act or doing Tawaf Ka’ba while menstruating or polluted with sex. In such cases only a camel sacrifice will do. But if the Tawaf is repeated after purifying oneself the punishment are dropped.
3. Wearing sown clothes for less than a day or covering the head, shaving the hair, clipping the nails needs to be expiated by giving Sadaqa with 500 drams (3 or 4 drams of silver (Greek weight).
4. Killing any harmless animals in this case one may pay a bit less than 500 drams of silver or silver coins as Sadaqa.
5. Killing or hunting of bigger animals in this case Kurban of an equal size must be offered.
THE BOOK OF KURBANS AND SLAUGHTERING AND HUNTING ANIMALS
KURBAN
This is to kill a legitimate animal fit to be offered to Allah, and it can be Farz or Nafl. Farz is to kill an animal from the 1st day of Eid ul Adha until latest the Asr time of the 4th day.
To be Farz on somebody that person should be moderately prosperous which means he will be under obligation to pay Sadaqa ul Fitr in Ramadan, his wealth need not be as big as making Zakat Farz on him.
Unlike Sadaqa ul Fitr even children with wealth in their own right must offer Kurban but this is according to Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf. Imam Muhammad differs from them saying that to offer this Kurban one must be an adult. Imam Shafi’I says that Kurban is only Sunnatul Muakedde and not Farz.
WHAT CAN BE OFFERED AS KURBAN
The following categories can be offered. Sheep, goat and cattle like oxen, cow or buffoloes as well as camels. As for the smaller animals the sheep and goat the animal should be at least one year old or if less should look as big. Each such animal can be offered only for one person. As for bigger animals the number of offering people can be from one to seven. It means up to seven people can jointly offer a camel. The animal to be offered should be in good health and edible quality. Sickly, too weak, too defective animals are not accepted.
The overall principle is to offer to the eater’s good quality healthy meat and not to dispose of unwanted animals. If an animal earmarked for Kurban gives birth both animals should be offered together. If the young has been somehow sold the price obtained must be given in Sadaqa.
Too old, frail, disfigured animals being disgusting are not acceptable.
HOW TO KILL A KURBAN
The animal is laid to face the Qibla lying on their right side and the cutting is done saying “bismillah Allahu Akbar”. Either the owner or some other appointed by him can do the killing. Additionally the following Ayat can also be said.
Inna Salatee wa Nusukee wa Mahyaaya wa Mamaatee Lillahi Rabbil Alameena la Shareekelehu”
If an appointed Kurban cannot be killed within the appointed period for some reason it can be given as Sadaqa to poor people. If somebody is not rich enough to offer the Kurban but becomes rich late on the 3rd day he still has to offer the Kurban. The usual time of killing the Kurban is after Salat ul Eid.
Everybody can eat from a Kurban including the owner but the owner is good practise is to retain 1/3 for his family, another 1/3 for relation and neighbours and the last 1/3 for the poor.
Killing of the Kurban can only be as follows:
The food tube of the animal and the two big artery’s on each side should be cut. This gives the least pain and causes fastest most painless death. Other forms of killing like stabbing the animal are not helal, and the animal becomes a carcass and cannot be eaten. One can offer Kurbans anytime as a Nafl Ibadet in which case only the poor and not the owner can eat.
EDIBLE AND INEDIBLE ANIMALS
All animals who feed exclusively plant food as Halal to eat although some are excepted on some good grounds in which case their eating becomes Mekruh. These include donkey’s and horses. As for birds all hunting birds which live exclusively on meat are Haram to eat. These are eagles, hawks, vultures, etc. All animals which are meat eating predators as well as animals which eat anything whether plant or animal origin and in general animals who are disgusting generally like rats, mice are Haram or neally Haram to eat, except in emergency.
Lastly all sea animals are Halal to eat, whatever themselves eat, but eating any disgusting types like octopuses or crabs are regarded Mekruh.
Animals who die naturally like in an accident or by being killed by another animal or of illness can’t be eaten. But an animal which is Halal to eat becomes wounded and killed before dying the proper way can still be eaten.
Dead fish floating on water cannot be eaten.
Halal animals killed by Idolators, atheists etc cannot be eaten. But those killed by Christians or Jewish believers unless there is something contrary to Islamic standards can be eaten.
GAMING AND GAME ANIMALS
Wild animals whether edible or not may not be hunted just for play or wanton destruction but must have legitimate reason as far as the muslim is concered. Among these are hunting an edible animal for food which is needed not for waste or fur.
Inedible animals maybe hunted for other needs like their furs, hides or other parts which are useful to people.
Dangerous animals maybe hunted and killed to avaoid harm from them. But they cannot be hunted or killed for sport or for wanton pleasure because they are Allah’s servants and have many functions Allah made them for e.g. if you kill all wolves or tigers then the animals they kill multiply too much, eat all the grass and themselves die of starvation. In other words just because an animal is dangerous does not mean that it is useless. Even poisonous snakes have their useful functions Allah gave them. Such animals may be killed only when they become direct danger to people and their animals.
Hunting can be done by chasing, ambushing, trapping, shooting, hitting the game but without inflicting unnecessary pain like giving them a prolonged painful death. The animal should be finished off if possible with a single strike. Dogs, cheetahs, hawks, etc can be used as hunting assistants. Fish can be hunted by angling or using nets, but again giving unnecessary pain is Haram.
It is Haram to hunt as well as to cut, uproot or destroy plants during Hajj, both in
A hunted animal must bleed enough to die. Otherwise it will cut Kurban before eating. In any case “besmele” must be said while firing at the animals as well as when cutting their throats. But if some serial hunting is being done one besmele can be enough for the whole process. If the hunted animal dies of it’s wounds before it can be cut it can still be eaten, provided the wounded animal also bleed a little bit. If the wounded animal is got hold of while alive and dies without being cut first it can’t be eaten.
If a domestic animal is able to resist being cut it can be shot dead or wounded and then cut and then can be eaten.