ESSENCE OF HAJJ

IMAM and Khateeb of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Dr. Saud
Ibrahim Al-Shuraim, in his Friday sermon,advised Muslims to
be God-conscious and God-fearing in good and bad times and
in happiness and sorrow.
In his Friday sermon at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Sheikh
Al-Sheraim stressed the importance of giving Monotheism
(Tawheed) the pride of place in the Haj rites. He said
Muslims are looking forward to the advent of the month of
Dhul Hijja. The batches of pilgrims have started arriving
at the Grand Mosque to perform Haj, the fifth pillar of
Islam. They do this in obedience to God s order to Prophet
Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The pilgrims visit the holy
sites in ord er to remember Allah and glorify Him. At the
same time their hearts are filled with curiosity about the
purport of Haj and the lessons to be learnt from it by
performing the rites and moving between the holy sites. He
said that the greatest lesson to be learnt from Haj is that
it stresses Monotheism (Tawheed) for which the Holy Ka abah
was built. People come from all corners of the world to
perform the Haj rites and worship Allah alone without
associating anyone with Him, he said.

Sheikh Al-Shuraim said Monotheism is the basis of man being
the vicegerent of Allah on earth. Man s strong vicegerency
on the earth is based on Tawheed and its collapse is due to
negligence of Tawheed. The Islamic state lived with pride
by virtue of strictly clinging to Monotheism and it became
weak when it neglected this concept.

He said that the Black Stone is the position where the
circumambulation (Tawaf) around the Ka abah begins. It is
not for getting blessings. By kissing the Black Stone we
are following what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) did. While kissing the Black Stone and doing the
Tawaf, a Muslim must remember that nothing or nobody can
harm or benefit him except by Allah s will. The Ka abah was
founded in order to erase and eradicate Shirk (polytheism)
or the curse of associating others in worship with Allah.
In the year 9H, Prophet Mohammed (Sallallaahu alaihi wa
sallam) sent Abu Bakr to announce to the people on the day
of sacrifice that no idolater or anyone should
circumambulate the Ka abah naked after that year.

In Abraham's footsteps
Meanwhile, in Madina, Sheikh Abdul Bari Awadh Al-Thubaiti,
Imam and Khateeb of the Prophet s Mosque, also urged
Muslims to be God-conscious. He said that the Holy Qur an
speaks about the supplication of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be
upon him). O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to
dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House;
in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular
Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love
towards them, and feed them with Fruits: so that they may
give thanks. (Surah Ibrahim, verse 37)

God accepted Prophet Ibrahim s prayer. Crowds of
worshippers circumambulate the Ka abah day and night
throughout the year. The Tawaf does not stop however hot
the weather may be. The Grand Mosque remains open day and
night for those who come for worship here.

During Haj, the pilgrim sees the cradle of revelation and
follows in the footsteps of the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi
wa sallam) and remembers the past. He tries to understand
the significance of Haj and the lessons he can learn from
it. He sees history before him. Every grain of sand at the
holy sites tells a glorious history. It speaks of a
civilization that has contributed a lot to humanity.



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