Obligatory acts of Hajj in the light of Sunnah

Posted by Ady Grewal on July 24th, 2019

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam which is performed in the area of Al-Haram to recall the memory of the Abrahamic family who succeeded in all Divine’s tests. Thus pilgrims who go to perform the major pilgrimage (Hajj) they must perform the obligatory acts. If they ignore them, so their Hajj is invalidated. Let’s see the obligatory acts in the light of Sunnah.

1- Ihram should be started to be started at the Sharee‘ah-approved Miqats both for Hajj or Umrah. These Miqats were set by the Messenger of God. As the Prophet of God said, “These Miqats (the wearing places of Ihram) are for the pilgrims at those very places and those who come to those places with the purpose of performing Hajj and ‘Umrah.” Thus the people who go with affordable December umrah packages 2020, so they should recognize the required Miqat.

2- Standing at ‘Arafah until sunset for those who stood during the day. As the Messenger of God did so and said, “Follow your rituals from me.”

3- Spending the night at Al-Muzdalifah on the night of An-Nahr or the night of the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah is mandatory to act. Thus, the Prophet of God said, “Muslims must follow its rituals because I do not know whether I will meet you after this year or not.”

Furthermore, the Messenger of God allowed weak people to leave Al-Muzdalifah after midnight, which proves that spending the night is compulsory. As God commands the pilgrims to remember Him at Al-Mash‘ar Al-Haraam.

It is allowable for the weak people, children, and women who cannot bear the overcrowdedness, to head to Mina at the end of the night to cast the pebbles before the arrival of all people. As Aisha (RA) said, “The Messenger of God sent Umm Salamah on the night before the Day of Nahr and she threw pebbles before dawn and then performed Tawaaf Al-Ifaadhah.”

4- Spending the nights of the Days of Tashreeq at Mina as the Messenger of God did so and said, “Learn how to perform your rituals from me.”

5- Stoning the Jamaraat Al-‘Aqabah must be stoned on the Day of ‘Eid and then stone the three Jamaraat (stone pillars) during the Days of Tashreeq because the Messenger of God did so.

Stoning the Jamarat is considered remembrance of God. As the Messenger of God said, “Making Tawaf around Al-Bayt (the Ka‘bah), between the Safa and Marwah and stoning the Jamaraat have been prescribed to establish the Remembrance of Allah.”

6- Cutting hair or shaving head: The Messenger of God commanded pilgrims to do by saying, “Cut short the hair and end (the state of) his Ihram”.

7- Farewell Tawaf: The Messenger of God said, “The final ritual one of you should do before leaving is to circumambulate Al-Bayt (the Ka‘bah).”

Ibn ‘Abbas (RA) narrated, “The Messenger of God commanded pilgrims that the last thing they should do in Makkah is to circumambulate Al-Bayt (the Ka‘bah), but he excused menstruating women.”

Therefore, leaving any of these mandatory acts does not invalidate one’s Hajj, but pilgrims must offer a sacrifice (a sheep, one-seventh of a she-camel or a cow) to make up for it. The sacrifice must be slaughtered in Makkah and distributed among the poor people of Al-Masjid Al-Haraam. Ibn ‘Abbas (RA) reported, “Pilgrims who forgot any of the rituals (mandatory acts) or left, so they offered a sacrifice.”