Lesson (4): Sunan (voluntary rituals) of Hajj
- Islamic Fiqh / Rituals
- /
- Hajj - Pilgrimage
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings to our Master Muhammad, the Faithful and the Honest. O Allah, we know nothing but what You teach us, You are the All- Knower, the Wise. O Allah our Lord, teach us what is useful for us, let us make use of what You have taught us and advance us in knowledge. O Allah, show us the righteous things as righteous and help us do them, and show us the bad things as bad and help us keep away from them. O Allah our Lord, make us amongst those who listen to the Word and follow the best meaning of It, and admit us, by Your Grace, to the ranks of Your righteous servants.
Dear brothers, we are still tackling sessions about Al-Hajj (pilgrimage). In previous sessions, I have tackled the Arkan (pillars) and Wajibat (duties) of Hajj. Today, we will talk about the Sunan (voluntary acts) of Al-Hajj.
Sunan of Al-Hajj are so many, among which is Gusl (the ritual cleansing of the entire body) before Ihram (sacred state into which a Muslim must enter in order to perform the hajj) even for the woman in a state of menstruation or postpartum period. Etiquettes of Gusl should be considered, among which are trimming nails and moustache, waxing arm pit, shaving the pubic hair and so forth.
If the person does not offer Gusl for Ihram, he has to offer Wudu instead. Man should wear Izar (refers to the Ihram garment which wraps around the waist and covers the lower portion of the body) and Rida' (Ihram garment which is draped over the shoulder, covering the upper portion of the body). It is recommended for Izar and Rida' to be white and new (or if they are old they should be well cleaned). It is also recommended to wear perfume before assuming the state of Ihram.
It is out of Sunnah that man and woman offer two Rak'ats and utter Talbiyah abundantly after Ihram (Talbyah goes as follows: Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik, Labbayka La Sharika Laka Labbayka, Innal Hamda Wa-n-ni'mata Laka Wa-l-Mulka La Sharika Lak: Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praises and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.).
Among Sunan of Al-Hajj is Tawaf Al-Qudoom (the act of circumambulating the Holy Ka'bah has to be performed by any Muslim visiting the Holy Ka'bah with the intention to perform Hajj). Tawaf Al-Qudoom is Sunnah, Tawaf Al-Ifadah (Tawaf of Poring Forth: when pilgrims come from Mina to Makkah) is Fard (obligatory act) and Tawaf Al-Wada' (The Farewell Tawaf) is a Wajib. Is it Wajib on all pilgrims, or only Al-Afaqieen (refers to a pilgrims who reside outside the Miqat)? It is a Wajib on Al-Afaqieen.
It is also recommended to send Salat and Salam on Muhammad (PBUH) abundantly.
Among Sunan of Hajj is to face the black stone either by kissing it, pointing towards it, or touching it and then kissing the hand. These are three ways of facing the black stone.
Among the Sunan of Hajj is Idtiba' (refers to the practice of uncovering the right shoulder during Tawaf) in all rounds in Tawaf for men only, then in Sa'i (the ritual of walking back and forth seven times between the two small hills of Safa and Marwa). Idtiba' is to uncover the right shoulder, to put the garment under the right arm pit, and then drape it over the left shoulder.
Ar-Ramal (the practice of walking quickly) is also Sunnah in the first three rounds of Tawaf (either the obligatory or the voluntary one), even though there is no Sa'i after the Tawaf.
It is also out of Sunnah for men to run between the two mileposts between Safa and Marwah in every round, and it is out of Sunnah for the pilgrim to walk during the rest.
It is out of Sunnah to offer Tawaf abundantly by the Afaqi (refers to a pilgrim who resides outside Miqat). The Sacred House of Allah is greeted by offering Tawaf, whereas the Masjid is greeted by offering two Rak'ats.
It is out of Sunnah to leave Makkah towards Mina after the sunrise of the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah. The reason is that staying in Mina from the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah to the ninth day is Sunnah. Thus, many pilgrims head from Makkah to Arafat directly, and it is fine to do so. However, it is out of Sunnah that Haaj (the pilgrim) stays in Mina, then he prays in it the five prayers (Zuhr, Asr, Mughrib and Ishaa') of the eighth day and prays Al-Fajr of the ninth day. After that he heads towards Arafat.
It is also out of Sunnah to stay in Mina during the days of Rajm ("Stoning" The term refers to the ritual casting of stones at the Devil during the hajj). According to Hanafi school of thought, staying in Mina is Sunnah, and whoever leaves doing it is fine. However, according to Shafi'i school of thought, staying in Mina is Wajib, and whoever leaves offering it, should sacrifice an animal.
It is out of Sunnah to leave Mina after the sunrise of the ninth day and head towards Arafat. Adhkar also are uttered wherein they should be. In other words, it is an act of Sunnah to utter the Adhkar in the places wherein the Prophet PBUH used to utter them.
It is out of Sunnah to enter Ka'bah, only this is not available nowadays. Scholars said, "Praying two Rak'ats in Hijr Isma'il (a low semi-circular wall opposite, but not connected to, the north-west wall of the Ka'ba and it is originally part of the Ka'ba) is like entering Ka'bah. Since the area between Hijr Isma'il and Ka'bah is part of Ka'bah, thus circumambulating through this area will invalidate Tawaf." Hence, he, who offers Salah in this place, is as though he offers Salah inside Ka'bah.
It is out of Sunnah also to keep one's purity state while performing all the rituals of Hajj. One should also watch his/her tongue from any permissible chats that have to do with the worldly life, like currency prices, goods or commodities. Having these kinds of chats is not part of Sunnah.
It is part of Sunnah to watch your tongue from uttering offensive words. Also, it is Wajib to watch the tongue from saying things that are close to be Haram (Makrooh Tahriman). For example, if someone talks about women, or he talks about foreplay, he should sacrifice an animal. Speaking about such things violates the prohibitions of Ihram.
Spending the night in Muzdalifah is Sunnah as well. Nevertheless, the Prophet PBUH permitted that women and weak people might go directly to Rami Al-Jamrah Al-Kubra (also known as Jamret Al-Aqaba: it is one of the three Jamarat at which pebbles are thrown by pilgrims) after midnight, and that they might head to the obligatory Tawaf before Fajr. Accordingly, if a man is accompanied with female relatives, it is recommended to leave Muzdalifah with them after midnight in order to avoid the crowds, lest he displeases Allah by causing women to get close to men during the rush hour.
It is part of Sunnah to stone on the first day between sunrise and meridian passage on the day of Nahr. However, if someone fears to be caught in the rush hour, he can offer stoning between meridian passage and sunset during the rest of the days three times.
Al-Jamrah Al-Kubra is offered, out of Sunnah, between the sunrise and the meridian passage of the first day of Al-Nahr days. The rest of Jimar are done, out of Sunnah, after meridian passage till sunset.
Again, whoever is traveling with female relatives has the liberty to offer stoning after midnight.
It is an act of Sunnah that Al-Haaj Al-Mufred (it involves making one Niyyah for the sole purpose of performing Hajj without Umrah) sacrifices an animal.
On the other hand, sacrificing an animal is Wajid on the Mutamatt'e (A pilgrim wears Ihram for Umrah only during the months of Hajj, which means when he reaches Maccah, he makes Tawaf and Sa'yi for Umrah. He then shaves or clips his hair. On the day of Tarwiya, which is the eighth of Dhul-Hijja, he puts on his Ihram for Hajj only and carries out all of its requirements) and the Qarin (A pilgrim wears Ihram for both Umrah and Hajj or he wears Ihram first for Umrah, then makes intentions for Hajj before his Tawaf for Hajj.). Scarifying an animal is a manifestation of offering gratitude to Allah. If the Mufred does not sacrifice an animal, it is fine.
It is also out of Sunnah that one may eat from the animal he sacrifices, and the same goes for Al-Qarin and Al-Mutamatt'e. However, Haaj should never eat from Al-Hadi (the sacrificed animal) if it is offered as Hadi Al-Jinayat (if the animal is scarified to atone for a mistake).
It is part of Sunnah to drink from Zamzam water and overdoing that which is called in Arabic "Tadallu'" (to quench the thirst and to fill the stomach from Zamzam water).
It is part of Sunnah to cling on to the Multazam (The Multazam, also known as the place of clinging, is a two-meter wide area between the door of the Holy Ka'bah and black stone). It was reported that the Prophet PBUH said:
It is part of Sunnah also to cling to the clothing of Ka'bah indicating by such an act that the Muslim is seeking help and protection from Allah the Almighty.
It is out of Sunnah for the Muslims to do Talbiyah with a loud voice in a way that does not cause harm to him or to anyone around him, and this is only for men. As for women, they should not raise their voice, because their voice is seductive. Unfortunately, most women are heedless regarding this fact, and they raise their voice in Talbiyah and Du'a (supplication), which is harmful to other pilgrims.
It is out of Sunnah to offer Gusl upon entering Makkah and Muzdalifah by those who are pilgrims.
It is part of Sunnah to combine Dhuhr and Asr prayers at the time of Dhuhr in Arafat (as reported by Abu Yusuf and Muhammad).
It is an act of Sunnah to pray in Arafat behind Amir al-Hajj (the commander of the pilgrim caravan) according to the Hanifi school of thought, instead of praying individually.
It is part of Sunnah to supplicate abundantly on the mountain of Rahma, at the rocks where the Prophet PBUH stood.
This day is great and the supplication on it is worthy of being responded due to the favor of Allah the Almighty.
It is part of Sunnah that Tawaf Al-Ifadah (Tawaf of Poring Forth: when pilgrims come from Mina to Maccah) is offered on the first day of Nahr days.
By this I finish tackling the Arkan, Wajibat and Sunnan of Hajj. Missing any of the pillars of Hajj, will nullify Muslim's Hajj, and he should repeat it the next year, as Allah the Almighty says:
Doing any mistake in some Wajibat is atoned by sacrificing an animal. Leaving any of the Sunan, is fine but not recommended unless there is an excuse behind leaving it in some specific cases, like in the case of the Haaj who is accompanied with female relatives, and thus he uses Rukhsah (an exception to a general law) in order to make things easier for them and for their Hajj.
There are rulings regarding women in Hajj. I was in Hajj, last year, and I saw some women running in Sa'i, and this is against Sunnah. Women have special rulings, but they can perform other Hajj rituals just like men. They are exempted from performing some rituals, because of the physical difference between men and women, as Allah says:
For example, Rida' and Izar are for men and not for women, because they expose the body, and this is not permissible for women. If we say to a man you run in Sa'i, this does not apply to women. Furthermore, women should not wear perfume before offering Ihram, because it is not permissible, lest men smell this nice smell.
There is no dress code for women in Hajj except the Islamic one. She should put on saggy double dresses, and this is more righteous, as it draws her closer to Allah, and it befits the Muslim woman who is performing Hajj. Well, the woman in Hajj should not be seductive or a source of harm to male pilgrims.
Scholars say that it is favored for the woman to cover her face without touching it. Some women use a cap on the head, and then they drape a veil down to cover their faces without touching the face, and by such an act, they are applying Sunnah. The proof is in what A'ishah and the Prophet's wives used to do, may Allah be pleased with them.
This Hadith is Sahih, and based on it, scholars say that the woman is recommended to haul down a veil to cover the face without touching it, and so the woman is prohibited from showing her face to strangers without a necessity. Someone might say, "How come a woman prays while showing her face?" This means that the woman should not pray where there are strangers. Showing the face during Salah does not mean that it is permitted for a woman to show her face in general.
As I have mentioned before, the woman should not raise her voice while doing Talbiyah, because a woman's voice is seductive. Much in the same line, the woman is not allowed to call for Salah (Athan) using her voice. Now if the woman is not allowed to call for Salah using her voice, what do you think of using her voice to sing? Since man should not listen to a woman's voice while she is uttering Tasbeeh and Takbeer, do you think he is permitted to listen to her singing?
Idtiba' is not allowed for women, neither is it allowed for her to run in Tawaf, even in cases when the Mataf (area of circumambulation) is empty. Sometimes even men are unable to run or to offer Tawaf Al-Ifadah because of the crowds, thus it is more befitting that the woman does not do so, either in Tawaf or in Sa'i.
I also notice that some men do Sa'i with their wives and when they are close to the two green mileposts, they run with their wives. Actually, you should not make her run. A woman should walk normally, and you can run, and then she will catch up with you, but letting your wife run with you is against Sunnah. So, keep in mind these words of the Prophet PBUH, "Understand your religion before performing Hajj".
A woman should not kiss the black stone if it is crowded. Some women border on to get to the black stone, which results in getting out without a scarf on her head. Where is the application of Islam in this? Hence, if it is crowded, a woman should not approach the black stone or try to kiss it.
A woman also should not pray behind Maqam Ibrahim (A small square stone associated with Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael) and their building of the Ka'bah) if it is crowded. Instead, she may offer Salah in another place where there is a wall or a pole behind her, but praying behind Al-Maqam amongst the crowds has nothing to do with Islam.
Generally speaking, mingling between men and women is not allowed in Islam especially in Hajj. Therefore, in order to avoid fitnah (temptation), the woman should find the suitable times for her Tawaf in order to avoid crowds.
Maybe she should go to Al-Haram at Fajr, two hours before Fajr, at two a.m., or at three p.m. The point is that she should choose the less crowded times in order to avoid harming others or being harmed. Let Lady A'ishah be our role model in this.
It is part of Sunnah that the woman offers Tawaf far from the great Ka'bah, because if she is close to it, most likely she will be caught in crowded mass. Again, she should not run between the two green mileposts in Sa'i between Safa and Marwah even if the place is not crowed.
A woman does not have to spend the night in Muzdalifah, because she is a woman, and in order to make it easy for her to offer Rami Al-Jimar during a less crowded times. She is allowed to leave Du'a at Al-Mash'ar Al-Haram (the Valley between Muzdalifah and Mina, where pilgrims should make a Du'a after they have slept in Muzdalifah).
The Prophet PBUH let women and weak people go to Mina without spending the night in Muzdalifah. This is how we should understand Islam, so if your wife is with you, do the same. It is better for her sake that you postpone Rami Al-Jimar on the day of Nahr, and instead, you can offer that with her after meridian passage or even at the end of the day in order to avoid the crowds, and so she will be safe and sound.
The capability of man is different from that of the woman while performing the rituals of Hajj. This capability is manifested in three things: First: she should be accompanied by her husband or by one of her Maharem (a family member with whom marriage would be considered permanently unlawful (haram)). Her sister's husband is not one of her Maharem, because if her sister died he could marry her.
The Mahram (singular of Maharem) should be trustful, reasonable adult and should not be dissolute. If she has a dissolute brother, she cannot go with him to Hajj. Some women are rich and they might take their brothers who are not religiously committed with them to perform Hajj. However, this might hurt other pilgrims. Besides, he may not be keen on her safety. Accordingly, it is better that the woman accompanies her husband or one of her Maharem who are trustful, reasonable adults and religious.
Having Mahram is deemed necessary even for old women. Thus, an old woman cannot say, "I am old and will not seduce anyone". This is not true. She might draw the attention of an old man. Therefore, no difference between young or old women, for the woman should perform Hajj with a man of her Maharem.
The woman, who has neither a husband nor a Mahram, is religiously incapable of performing Hajj. Man's capability is achieved by having the financial means, namely, the ride, the money and the health. On the other hand, woman's capability is achieved by having money, ride, provision, health and Mahram. Therefore, the woman who has no Mahram is excused from performing Hajj.
The woman about to perform Hajj should not be in Iddah (a specified period of time that must elapse before a Muslim widow [four months and ten days] or divorcee [three months] may legitimately remarry) either from divorce or husband's death; otherwise, she is excused from performing Hajj. Performing Hajj while the woman is in Iddah is a sin.
The woman about to perform Hajj should own the financial means to cover her expenses and her Mahram's. The Mahram is considered part of the provisions, so if a woman asks her brother to go with her, and he was poor, she should pay for his Hajj. If a woman asks her husband to go with her to Hajj (as Mahram), she should pay the expenses of his trip, but as for the expenses of food and drinks and housing, he should pay and this is fair enough for both of them.
Menstruation or postpartum bleeding does not prevent a woman from performing any of Hajj rituals, save Tawaf. If a woman was in her period, she can go to Arafat, she can offer Ihram and she can offer Talbiyah, except for Tawaf and entering the sacred Haram.
If she offers Tawaf while she is in her period, then the Tawaf is valid according to Hanafi school of thought, but she has to sacrifice an animal. The animal is not cheap, for one camel may cost 40-50 thousand (1000$). In case she postpones Tawaf until she is clean from her period, she does not have to sacrifice an animal. I am talking about the obligatory Tawaf. However, according to Shafi'i school of thought, the Tawaf of the woman in menstruation or in postpartum bleeding is invalid.
One of the rulings regarding women is that if her family, husband, or Mahram takes off back home while she is still in her period, she will be excused of Tawaf Al-Wada' (the farewell Tawaf), and she does not have to do anything about it. Nevertheless, scholars said, "It is recommended in this case that she stands by the door of Al-Haram and supplicate before leaving the country."
It is also part of Sunnah that the woman clip her hair.
Women mercifully are excused of shaving the head.
These are the rulings related to women in Hajj. By this, we finish tackling Arkan, Wajibat, Sunan and rulings related to Hajj regarding women.
Let us make our way towards the biography of the great Imam, Abu Hanifah An-Nu'man. He, may Allah have mercy on his soul, was a charming companion to others.
He was famous for his congeniality and sociability. People enjoyed his company, and the one who was absent would never be distressed because of him even if he was his enemy.
In a discussion between Abdullah bin Mubarak and Sufyan ath-Thawri, Abdullah Ibn Mubarak expressed his tremendous distaste with backbiting, as Imam Abu Hanifah would not do it. Sufyan ath-Thawri responded by saying that the Imam was wise, and so he would not to dare waste the rewards he had accumulated by backbiting.
Abu Hanifah was skillful in gaining people's affability. This is exactly what the Prophet PBUH ordered us to do. Indeed, being friendly to people is the wisest thing to do after believing (in Allah). He was keen on keeping his friendships. He would ask about even those who might pass by his assembly accidentally, and he would visit them if they were sick, and would help them if they were in need until they would come to his assembly willingly. These are the sublime characteristics.
If someone (you do not know) sits with you, ask about him, about his career or about his needs, for he might be sick, and you can help him find the remedy, he might be in need, and you can meet his need, or you can ease and relieve his hardship. When man meets people, they acquire right upon him.
This great Imam would ask about anyone who might sit with him accidentally. He would ask about his career and his residence, he would contact him if he lacked necessities, he would give him money if he was poor, he would visit him if he was ill and he would meet his needs if there were some, until this person would feel the obligation of contacting the Imam back, and later on he would become one of his companions.
Abu Hanifah used to fast the days and pray the nights. The Noble Quran was his friend, and he used to seek Allah's Forgiveness in Sahar (the period of time before Fajr). Actually, there is a story behind his deep commitment and embarkation upon worship.
Once he overheard a group of people praising him for his night prayers, so when their words reached his ears, he said, "How come I am to those people different from what I am to Allah. I then swear that I will never let people say anything about me unless I am doing it." Thus, he studiously kept praying night prayers for the rest of his life. He did not want to be praised for something he did not do.
Whenever night came, and people fell asleep, he would put on the best of his cloths, comb his beard, wear perfume and stand up in his private place for prayers. He would spend long parts of the night praying, bowing, supplicating and prostrating. He might recite long Suwar from the Noble Quran in two Raka'ts, or he might pray the whole night reciting only one Ayah and repeating it over and over again while weeping. It was reported that once he spent the whole night repeating the following Ayah:
Sometimes, he used to pray Al-Fajr with the same Wudu of Isha'. It was reported also that whenever he recited Surat Al-Zalzalah, his skin would shiver and his heart would sink and he would grab his beard and say, "O Allah, Who rewards for the good that is equal to the weight of an atom. O Allah, Who punishes for the evil that is equal to the weight of an atom, save your servant An-Nu'man from Hell-fire, and keep him away from that which brings him closer to it, and admit him to Your vast Mercy, O Allah, the Most Merciful of those who show mercy."
Abu Hanifah An-Nu'man went to Imam Malik while he was with a group of his companions. When he got out, Imam Malik asked his companions: "Do you know who this man is?" They answered, "No, we do not", then he said, "This is An-Nu'man bin Thabit. If this person says that this column is made of gold, he will be able to prove his claim, and it will be as he claims." This means that he was persuasive, thus, upon claiming that the column is made of gold, he would prove beyond doubt that his claim was right and it would be as he claimed.
In Kufa there was a man, who went astray, but he was respected in the eyes of some people, and they would listen to what he used to say. That man claimed that Othman bin Affan (The third Rightly Guided Khalifah), may Allah be pleased with him, was Jewish, and that he remained Jewish even after embracing Islam.
Abu Hanifah heard what he said, so he went to him and said, "I am here to ask you to marry your daughter to one of my companions".
"You are welcome", the man answered. "Men like you will not be rejected, but who is the groom?"
Abu Hanifah answered, "He is a man who is highly honored in his tribe, and he is rich, generous, and charitable. Moreover, he memorizes the Noble Quran, he prays night prayers, and he weeps out of fearing Allah…"
At that point, the man stopped him and said, "Some of these characteristics are enough to make this man adequate to be a husband of the daughter of the prince of believers."
Upon hearing that, Abu Hanifah said, "Despite all that, this man has one characteristic that you should consider."
"What is it?" The man asked.
Abu Hanifah said, "He is Jewish."
The man stood up and angrily said, "Do you want me to marry my daughter to a Jewish man? By Allah, I will not do that even if he owned all the good characteristics of mankind."
Abu Hanifah replied, "You refuse to marry your daughter to a Jewish man, and you severely denounced it, so how do you dare to claim that the Prophet PBUH had his two daughters married to a Jewish man (i.e. Othman bin Affan)?"
The man was taken aback, and he asked forgiveness from Allah for such false claims, and he turned to Allah with sincere repentance.
Notice how Abu hanifah handled that man's claims in a realistic way.
One of Khawarij (followers of whims and desires and innovation who have deviated from the path of Ahl as-Sunnah) whose name was Ad-Dahhak, came to Abi Hanifah one day and said, "Repent, O Abu Hanifah"
Abu Hanifah asked, "Repent from what exactly?"
He said, "From permitting arbitration in the dispute between Ali and Mu'awiyah, this is an invalid arbitration, and whoever accepts it is Kafir, and you should repent".
Abu Hanifah said to him, "Will you accept debating with me regarding this matter?"
The man accepted.
Then Abu Hanifah said, "What if we disagree on something in our debate, who will be the judge?"
The man answered, "Choose whoever you want."
Then, Abu Hanifah pointed at one of that man's friends and said to him, "You will be the judge if we disagree on something"
Then he addressed Al-Khariji (Ad-Dahhak) and said, "I accept your friend to be a judge, will you accept him?"
"Yes I do", the man answered, and he was pleased that the judge was one of his friends.
Only then, Abu Hanifah said, "Woe to you, you accept arbitration between you and me, and you reject it for two of the Prophet's companions?"
The debate was over. The minute this man accepted arbitration, Abu Hanifah rested his case.
Scholars also reported that two men of Khawarij, who were famous for accusing people of Kufr for insignificant matters, came to him brandishing their swords, and they said, "What do you say about someone who committed Zina (fornication) and did so and so, is he Muslim or Kafir?"
Now, if Abu Hanifah said he was Muslim, he would be beheaded, so he said, "Is this man Christian?'
They said, "No he is not." Then, he asked again, "Is he Jewish?" To which they replied, "No he is not."
"Then what he is?"
They said, "He is Muslim".
Abu Hanifah said to them, "You have got your answer."
Thus, he was Muslim and not Kafir, and they answered themselves due to his wit.
In another incident, Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on his soul, met a group of atheists who disbelieved in Allah's Existence, and he said to them, "A ship full of cargos, weights and loads, becomes suddenly surrounded with waves from all sides and battered by a stormy wind. Yet, it kept sailing calmly in its course, heading to its destination without any disturbance, imbalance or drifting, given there is no captain on its board or anyone to navigate its course, is this scenario reasonable to you?" They answered, "No it isn't; this scenario cannot be real and is beyond belief." "Glory be to Allah Almighty, you refuse to accept that this ship is sailing accurately without a captain, and you accept that this entire universe, with all its seas, orbits and floating matter, exists without Maker Who accurately created it and arranged its affairs? May you and your falsehood be damned."
It is reported that Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on his soul, spent his life defending Islam with all the skills Allah bestowed him with. He used to put forth profound proofs and argue with others to defend Allah's religion using his astonishing logic.
When the hour of death came, he left a will. He asked his family members in the will to bury him in a lawfully earned land, and to avoid burying him in a place with a possibility of being earned unlawfully. The unlawfully earned land should not be a place for burying people. He was so keen, in his will, on asking them not to bury him in an unlawfully earned land.
When Al-Khalifah Al-Mansoor heard about his will, he said, "Who will save me from Abu Hanifah, both when he was alive and now when he is dead?" He meant that Abu Hanifah died, yet he left those behind him restless.
Abu Hanifah also mentioned in his will that Al-Hasan bin Amarah should carry out his Gusl. When Al-Hasan did so, he said, "May Allah have mercy on your soul O Abu Hanifah, and may Allah forgive you due to what you give in your life. I testify that you fasted days and prayed nights and scholars are tired after you."
It is said that all scholars after Abu Hanifah are mere dependants on his Fiqh. He was called the great Imam, and the Hanafi school of thought is the most prevalent, flexible and accurate among other schools of thought.
Let us now tackle one of the most serious issues the majority of Muslims suffer from, which is An-Namimah (malicious gossip means telling one person what another said in order to cause trouble between them). An-Namimah is tackled in Imam Al-Ghazali's book Ihya' Uloom Ad-Deen. Allah says describing An-Nammam (the slanderer who commits Namimah):
Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak said, "An-Nammam (The slanderer) is like the illegitimate child, who was born from Zina". He seems to be bearing grudge against the society, just like the illegitimate child, so he never keeps a secret, and he sows dissension between people, lovers, brothers, partners, couples and neighbors. He tells one person what another said in order to cause trouble and create a wide gap between them.
This is why scholars consider him as Ibn al-Mubarak defined. Allah the Almighty says:
"Al-Hmmaz" is an Arabic word that means "the slanderer". Allah the Almighty also says:
The meaning indicated in the phrase "who carries wood" is that she used to convey words from one party to another causing enmity and grudge between them, thus as though she lighted up fire between the two parties.
Allah says about the wife of Lot and the wife of Noah:
It is said that the wife of Lot PBUH used to tell her people about the guests welcomed by her husband, so that they would come and commit the major sin with them.
As for the wife of Noah PBUH, she used to tell people that her husband is insane.
(It is reported from Hudhaifah that news reached him (the Noble Prophet PBUH) that a certain man carried tales. Upon this Hudhaifah remarked: I heard Allah's Messenger (PBUH) saying: The tale-bearer shall not enter Paradise.)
Here is another Hadith reported by Hudhaifah:
Namimah is a huge mischief, because it brings dissension to the society on all levels; the families, the neighborhoods or the tribes, so it leaves ruptured relations, conflicts and enmity.
The slanderer spreads a rumor about a Muslim falsely in order to destroy his position and smear his reputation. Regarding this point, the Prophet PBUH said:
The Prophet PBUH also said:
He forged a testimony. He was not sure, but he hastened and accused him of fraud and cheating.
It is said that one third of grave torment is because of Namimah.
It is impossible for a slanderer to be admitted to Paradise, because he tells stories about people in order to destroy relations.
It is said, "A man followed a wise person for 700 Farsakh (one Farsakh equals about 4 miles) to learn 7 words from him. When he met him he said, "I came to you to seek knowledge from what Allah has taught you. Tell me about the sky and that which is something heavier than it. Tell me about the earth and that which is wider than it. Tell me about the rock and that which is harder than it. Tell me about fire and that which is hotter than it. Tell me about Zamhareer (very cold wind) that which is something chiller than it. Tell me about the sea and that which is richer than it or not. Tell me about the orphan and the one who is more humiliated than him.
At that point, the wise man replied, "Slandering an innocent man has more burden than the heavens and the earth – if you forge a lie and accuse an innocent man of it, this will be heavier than the heavens and the earth. The Truth is wider than the earth. The satisfied heart is richer than the sea. Stinginess and envy are hotter than burning coal. Being in need of a relative is colder than Zamhareer if his need was not met. The heart of Kafer is harder than the rock. An-Namimah (slander) makes man more humiliated than the orphan being humiliated on the dining table of a mean person."
A man intended to buy a slave. He spotted a smart cheap slave, and his cheap price caught his attention. He asked the seller about the reason, and the seller answered him saying that the slave had one bad trait, which was Namimah. However, taken by the cheap price, the man decided to buy him.
The slave stayed for few days, and then he said to his owner's wife, "My master does not love you, and he longs to have another wife, so you take a razor and cut a lock of his hair while he is sleeping, so that I would use it to do witchcraft due to which he will love you." After a while, he went to his master and said, "Your wife has a boyfriend, and she wants to kill you. Pretend that you are asleep to make sure that what I said is right."
The husband pretended that he was asleep. A while later, his wife came to him with a razor, and he thought that she was trying to kill him, so he sat up and killed her. As a result, her family came to the husband and killed him. After that incident, there was a war between the two tribes. All those terrible things took place because of Namimah, which is a very serious matter as you can notice.
Next session, we will talk about Namimah in its most accurate definitions, and about the believer's duty upon listening to the Nammam (the who is slandered or who is slandering someone else) and what stance the believer should take.
It was reported that Umar bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, received a man who told him about someone something (namely, he slandered that person). Umar said to him, "If you wait, we will check your story. If you are lying, then you are described in the following Ayah:
If you are honest, then you are described in the following Ayah:
You have a third option, which is seeking our forgiveness." The man said, "I seek your forgiveness O prince of believers, and I shall never do that again."
This is how our Master Umar handled the situation.
Sunan of Hajj:
1- Gusl before Ihram:
Dear brothers, we are still tackling sessions about Al-Hajj (pilgrimage). In previous sessions, I have tackled the Arkan (pillars) and Wajibat (duties) of Hajj. Today, we will talk about the Sunan (voluntary acts) of Al-Hajj.
Sunan of Al-Hajj are so many, among which is Gusl (the ritual cleansing of the entire body) before Ihram (sacred state into which a Muslim must enter in order to perform the hajj) even for the woman in a state of menstruation or postpartum period. Etiquettes of Gusl should be considered, among which are trimming nails and moustache, waxing arm pit, shaving the pubic hair and so forth.
If the person does not offer Gusl for Ihram, he has to offer Wudu instead. Man should wear Izar (refers to the Ihram garment which wraps around the waist and covers the lower portion of the body) and Rida' (Ihram garment which is draped over the shoulder, covering the upper portion of the body). It is recommended for Izar and Rida' to be white and new (or if they are old they should be well cleaned). It is also recommended to wear perfume before assuming the state of Ihram.
It is out of Sunnah that man and woman offer two Rak'ats and utter Talbiyah abundantly after Ihram (Talbyah goes as follows: Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik, Labbayka La Sharika Laka Labbayka, Innal Hamda Wa-n-ni'mata Laka Wa-l-Mulka La Sharika Lak: Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praises and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.).
2- Tawaf Al-Qudoom:
Among Sunan of Al-Hajj is Tawaf Al-Qudoom (the act of circumambulating the Holy Ka'bah has to be performed by any Muslim visiting the Holy Ka'bah with the intention to perform Hajj). Tawaf Al-Qudoom is Sunnah, Tawaf Al-Ifadah (Tawaf of Poring Forth: when pilgrims come from Mina to Makkah) is Fard (obligatory act) and Tawaf Al-Wada' (The Farewell Tawaf) is a Wajib. Is it Wajib on all pilgrims, or only Al-Afaqieen (refers to a pilgrims who reside outside the Miqat)? It is a Wajib on Al-Afaqieen.
It is also recommended to send Salat and Salam on Muhammad (PBUH) abundantly.
3- Istilam Al-Hajar Al-Aswad (the act of kissing the black stone):
Among Sunan of Hajj is to face the black stone either by kissing it, pointing towards it, or touching it and then kissing the hand. These are three ways of facing the black stone.
4- Idtiba' for men only:
Among the Sunan of Hajj is Idtiba' (refers to the practice of uncovering the right shoulder during Tawaf) in all rounds in Tawaf for men only, then in Sa'i (the ritual of walking back and forth seven times between the two small hills of Safa and Marwa). Idtiba' is to uncover the right shoulder, to put the garment under the right arm pit, and then drape it over the left shoulder.
5- Ar-Ramal (the practice of walking quickly):
Ar-Ramal (the practice of walking quickly) is also Sunnah in the first three rounds of Tawaf (either the obligatory or the voluntary one), even though there is no Sa'i after the Tawaf.
6- Running between the two green mileposts for men between Safa and Marwa:
It is also out of Sunnah for men to run between the two mileposts between Safa and Marwah in every round, and it is out of Sunnah for the pilgrim to walk during the rest.
7- Performing Tawaf abundantly by pilgrims who reside outside Miqat:
It is out of Sunnah to offer Tawaf abundantly by the Afaqi (refers to a pilgrim who resides outside Miqat). The Sacred House of Allah is greeted by offering Tawaf, whereas the Masjid is greeted by offering two Rak'ats.
8- Leaving Makkah towards Mina after sunrise on the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah:
It is out of Sunnah to leave Makkah towards Mina after the sunrise of the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah. The reason is that staying in Mina from the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah to the ninth day is Sunnah. Thus, many pilgrims head from Makkah to Arafat directly, and it is fine to do so. However, it is out of Sunnah that Haaj (the pilgrim) stays in Mina, then he prays in it the five prayers (Zuhr, Asr, Mughrib and Ishaa') of the eighth day and prays Al-Fajr of the ninth day. After that he heads towards Arafat.
It is also out of Sunnah to stay in Mina during the days of Rajm ("Stoning" The term refers to the ritual casting of stones at the Devil during the hajj). According to Hanafi school of thought, staying in Mina is Sunnah, and whoever leaves doing it is fine. However, according to Shafi'i school of thought, staying in Mina is Wajib, and whoever leaves offering it, should sacrifice an animal.
9- Leaving Mina after sunrise on the ninth day towards Arafat:
It is out of Sunnah to leave Mina after the sunrise of the ninth day and head towards Arafat. Adhkar also are uttered wherein they should be. In other words, it is an act of Sunnah to utter the Adhkar in the places wherein the Prophet PBUH used to utter them.
10- Entering Ka'bah:
It is out of Sunnah to enter Ka'bah, only this is not available nowadays. Scholars said, "Praying two Rak'ats in Hijr Isma'il (a low semi-circular wall opposite, but not connected to, the north-west wall of the Ka'ba and it is originally part of the Ka'ba) is like entering Ka'bah. Since the area between Hijr Isma'il and Ka'bah is part of Ka'bah, thus circumambulating through this area will invalidate Tawaf." Hence, he, who offers Salah in this place, is as though he offers Salah inside Ka'bah.
11- Keeping one's purity state while performing all the rituals of Hajj:
It is out of Sunnah also to keep one's purity state while performing all the rituals of Hajj. One should also watch his/her tongue from any permissible chats that have to do with the worldly life, like currency prices, goods or commodities. Having these kinds of chats is not part of Sunnah.
12- Watching the tongue lest it utters offensive words:
It is part of Sunnah to watch your tongue from uttering offensive words. Also, it is Wajib to watch the tongue from saying things that are close to be Haram (Makrooh Tahriman). For example, if someone talks about women, or he talks about foreplay, he should sacrifice an animal. Speaking about such things violates the prohibitions of Ihram.
13- Spending the night before the day of Nahr at Muzdalifah:
Spending the night in Muzdalifah is Sunnah as well. Nevertheless, the Prophet PBUH permitted that women and weak people might go directly to Rami Al-Jamrah Al-Kubra (also known as Jamret Al-Aqaba: it is one of the three Jamarat at which pebbles are thrown by pilgrims) after midnight, and that they might head to the obligatory Tawaf before Fajr. Accordingly, if a man is accompanied with female relatives, it is recommended to leave Muzdalifah with them after midnight in order to avoid the crowds, lest he displeases Allah by causing women to get close to men during the rush hour.
14- Stoning Jamrat Al-Aqabah al-Kubra:
It is part of Sunnah to stone on the first day between sunrise and meridian passage on the day of Nahr. However, if someone fears to be caught in the rush hour, he can offer stoning between meridian passage and sunset during the rest of the days three times.
Al-Jamrah Al-Kubra is offered, out of Sunnah, between the sunrise and the meridian passage of the first day of Al-Nahr days. The rest of Jimar are done, out of Sunnah, after meridian passage till sunset.
Again, whoever is traveling with female relatives has the liberty to offer stoning after midnight.
15- Al-Haaj Al-Mufred offers Hadi:
It is an act of Sunnah that Al-Haaj Al-Mufred (it involves making one Niyyah for the sole purpose of performing Hajj without Umrah) sacrifices an animal.
On the other hand, sacrificing an animal is Wajid on the Mutamatt'e (A pilgrim wears Ihram for Umrah only during the months of Hajj, which means when he reaches Maccah, he makes Tawaf and Sa'yi for Umrah. He then shaves or clips his hair. On the day of Tarwiya, which is the eighth of Dhul-Hijja, he puts on his Ihram for Hajj only and carries out all of its requirements) and the Qarin (A pilgrim wears Ihram for both Umrah and Hajj or he wears Ihram first for Umrah, then makes intentions for Hajj before his Tawaf for Hajj.). Scarifying an animal is a manifestation of offering gratitude to Allah. If the Mufred does not sacrifice an animal, it is fine.
It is also out of Sunnah that one may eat from the animal he sacrifices, and the same goes for Al-Qarin and Al-Mutamatt'e. However, Haaj should never eat from Al-Hadi (the sacrificed animal) if it is offered as Hadi Al-Jinayat (if the animal is scarified to atone for a mistake).
16- Drinking Zamzam water:
It is part of Sunnah to drink from Zamzam water and overdoing that which is called in Arabic "Tadallu'" (to quench the thirst and to fill the stomach from Zamzam water).
17- Clinging on to Multazam:
It is part of Sunnah to cling on to the Multazam (The Multazam, also known as the place of clinging, is a two-meter wide area between the door of the Holy Ka'bah and black stone). It was reported that the Prophet PBUH said:
(( Whoever clings to this Multazam, and ask Allah for any of his needs in this life or in the hereafter, but shall be responded to by Allah.))
18- Clinging to the clothing of Ka'bah:
It is part of Sunnah also to cling to the clothing of Ka'bah indicating by such an act that the Muslim is seeking help and protection from Allah the Almighty.
19- Uttering Talbiyah loudly:
It is out of Sunnah for the Muslims to do Talbiyah with a loud voice in a way that does not cause harm to him or to anyone around him, and this is only for men. As for women, they should not raise their voice, because their voice is seductive. Unfortunately, most women are heedless regarding this fact, and they raise their voice in Talbiyah and Du'a (supplication), which is harmful to other pilgrims.
20- Offering Gusl upon entering Makkah and Muzdalifah:
It is out of Sunnah to offer Gusl upon entering Makkah and Muzdalifah by those who are pilgrims.
21- Combining Dhuhr and the Asr prayers at the time of Dhuhr in Arafat:
It is part of Sunnah to combine Dhuhr and Asr prayers at the time of Dhuhr in Arafat (as reported by Abu Yusuf and Muhammad).
22- Offering Salah behind Amir Al-Hajj in Arafat:
It is an act of Sunnah to pray in Arafat behind Amir al-Hajj (the commander of the pilgrim caravan) according to the Hanifi school of thought, instead of praying individually.
23- Supplicating abundantly on the mountain of Rahmah (Mercy):
It is part of Sunnah to supplicate abundantly on the mountain of Rahma, at the rocks where the Prophet PBUH stood.
This day is great and the supplication on it is worthy of being responded due to the favor of Allah the Almighty.
24- Offering Tawaf Al-Ifadah on the first day of Nahr days:
It is part of Sunnah that Tawaf Al-Ifadah (Tawaf of Poring Forth: when pilgrims come from Mina to Maccah) is offered on the first day of Nahr days.
By this I finish tackling the Arkan, Wajibat and Sunnan of Hajj. Missing any of the pillars of Hajj, will nullify Muslim's Hajj, and he should repeat it the next year, as Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And perform properly (i.e. all the ceremonies according to the ways of Prophet Muhammad PBUH), the Hajj and 'Umrah (i.e. the pilgrimage to Makkah) for Allah.﴿
Doing any mistake in some Wajibat is atoned by sacrificing an animal. Leaving any of the Sunan, is fine but not recommended unless there is an excuse behind leaving it in some specific cases, like in the case of the Haaj who is accompanied with female relatives, and thus he uses Rukhsah (an exception to a general law) in order to make things easier for them and for their Hajj.
Rulings regarding women in Hajj:
There are rulings regarding women in Hajj. I was in Hajj, last year, and I saw some women running in Sa'i, and this is against Sunnah. Women have special rulings, but they can perform other Hajj rituals just like men. They are exempted from performing some rituals, because of the physical difference between men and women, as Allah says:
﴾ (And the male is not like the female) ﴿
For example, Rida' and Izar are for men and not for women, because they expose the body, and this is not permissible for women. If we say to a man you run in Sa'i, this does not apply to women. Furthermore, women should not wear perfume before offering Ihram, because it is not permissible, lest men smell this nice smell.
There is no dress code for women in Hajj except the Islamic one. She should put on saggy double dresses, and this is more righteous, as it draws her closer to Allah, and it befits the Muslim woman who is performing Hajj. Well, the woman in Hajj should not be seductive or a source of harm to male pilgrims.
Scholars say that it is favored for the woman to cover her face without touching it. Some women use a cap on the head, and then they drape a veil down to cover their faces without touching the face, and by such an act, they are applying Sunnah. The proof is in what A'ishah and the Prophet's wives used to do, may Allah be pleased with them.
(( (A'ishah said: "Riders would pass us when we were performing the rites of pilgrimage along with Allah's Messenger, and when they came by us one of us would let down her outer garment from her head over her face, and when they had passed on we would uncover our faces.") ))
This Hadith is Sahih, and based on it, scholars say that the woman is recommended to haul down a veil to cover the face without touching it, and so the woman is prohibited from showing her face to strangers without a necessity. Someone might say, "How come a woman prays while showing her face?" This means that the woman should not pray where there are strangers. Showing the face during Salah does not mean that it is permitted for a woman to show her face in general.
As I have mentioned before, the woman should not raise her voice while doing Talbiyah, because a woman's voice is seductive. Much in the same line, the woman is not allowed to call for Salah (Athan) using her voice. Now if the woman is not allowed to call for Salah using her voice, what do you think of using her voice to sing? Since man should not listen to a woman's voice while she is uttering Tasbeeh and Takbeer, do you think he is permitted to listen to her singing?
Idtiba' is not allowed for women, neither is it allowed for her to run in Tawaf, even in cases when the Mataf (area of circumambulation) is empty. Sometimes even men are unable to run or to offer Tawaf Al-Ifadah because of the crowds, thus it is more befitting that the woman does not do so, either in Tawaf or in Sa'i.
I also notice that some men do Sa'i with their wives and when they are close to the two green mileposts, they run with their wives. Actually, you should not make her run. A woman should walk normally, and you can run, and then she will catch up with you, but letting your wife run with you is against Sunnah. So, keep in mind these words of the Prophet PBUH, "Understand your religion before performing Hajj".
A woman should not kiss the black stone if it is crowded. Some women border on to get to the black stone, which results in getting out without a scarf on her head. Where is the application of Islam in this? Hence, if it is crowded, a woman should not approach the black stone or try to kiss it.
A woman also should not pray behind Maqam Ibrahim (A small square stone associated with Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael) and their building of the Ka'bah) if it is crowded. Instead, she may offer Salah in another place where there is a wall or a pole behind her, but praying behind Al-Maqam amongst the crowds has nothing to do with Islam.
Generally speaking, mingling between men and women is not allowed in Islam especially in Hajj. Therefore, in order to avoid fitnah (temptation), the woman should find the suitable times for her Tawaf in order to avoid crowds.
Maybe she should go to Al-Haram at Fajr, two hours before Fajr, at two a.m., or at three p.m. The point is that she should choose the less crowded times in order to avoid harming others or being harmed. Let Lady A'ishah be our role model in this.
It is part of Sunnah that the woman offers Tawaf far from the great Ka'bah, because if she is close to it, most likely she will be caught in crowded mass. Again, she should not run between the two green mileposts in Sa'i between Safa and Marwah even if the place is not crowed.
A woman does not have to spend the night in Muzdalifah, because she is a woman, and in order to make it easy for her to offer Rami Al-Jimar during a less crowded times. She is allowed to leave Du'a at Al-Mash'ar Al-Haram (the Valley between Muzdalifah and Mina, where pilgrims should make a Du'a after they have slept in Muzdalifah).
The Prophet PBUH let women and weak people go to Mina without spending the night in Muzdalifah. This is how we should understand Islam, so if your wife is with you, do the same. It is better for her sake that you postpone Rami Al-Jimar on the day of Nahr, and instead, you can offer that with her after meridian passage or even at the end of the day in order to avoid the crowds, and so she will be safe and sound.
The capability of man is different from that of the woman while performing the rituals of Hajj. This capability is manifested in three things: First: she should be accompanied by her husband or by one of her Maharem (a family member with whom marriage would be considered permanently unlawful (haram)). Her sister's husband is not one of her Maharem, because if her sister died he could marry her.
The Mahram (singular of Maharem) should be trustful, reasonable adult and should not be dissolute. If she has a dissolute brother, she cannot go with him to Hajj. Some women are rich and they might take their brothers who are not religiously committed with them to perform Hajj. However, this might hurt other pilgrims. Besides, he may not be keen on her safety. Accordingly, it is better that the woman accompanies her husband or one of her Maharem who are trustful, reasonable adults and religious.
Having Mahram is deemed necessary even for old women. Thus, an old woman cannot say, "I am old and will not seduce anyone". This is not true. She might draw the attention of an old man. Therefore, no difference between young or old women, for the woman should perform Hajj with a man of her Maharem.
The woman, who has neither a husband nor a Mahram, is religiously incapable of performing Hajj. Man's capability is achieved by having the financial means, namely, the ride, the money and the health. On the other hand, woman's capability is achieved by having money, ride, provision, health and Mahram. Therefore, the woman who has no Mahram is excused from performing Hajj.
The woman about to perform Hajj should not be in Iddah (a specified period of time that must elapse before a Muslim widow [four months and ten days] or divorcee [three months] may legitimately remarry) either from divorce or husband's death; otherwise, she is excused from performing Hajj. Performing Hajj while the woman is in Iddah is a sin.
The woman about to perform Hajj should own the financial means to cover her expenses and her Mahram's. The Mahram is considered part of the provisions, so if a woman asks her brother to go with her, and he was poor, she should pay for his Hajj. If a woman asks her husband to go with her to Hajj (as Mahram), she should pay the expenses of his trip, but as for the expenses of food and drinks and housing, he should pay and this is fair enough for both of them.
Menstruation or postpartum bleeding does not prevent a woman from performing any of Hajj rituals, save Tawaf. If a woman was in her period, she can go to Arafat, she can offer Ihram and she can offer Talbiyah, except for Tawaf and entering the sacred Haram.
If she offers Tawaf while she is in her period, then the Tawaf is valid according to Hanafi school of thought, but she has to sacrifice an animal. The animal is not cheap, for one camel may cost 40-50 thousand (1000$). In case she postpones Tawaf until she is clean from her period, she does not have to sacrifice an animal. I am talking about the obligatory Tawaf. However, according to Shafi'i school of thought, the Tawaf of the woman in menstruation or in postpartum bleeding is invalid.
(( (Narrated A'ishah: We set out with the Prophet (PBUH) for Hajj and when we reached Sarif I got my menses. When the Prophet (PBUH) came to me, I was weeping. He asked, "Why are you weeping?" I said, "I wish if I had not performed Hajj this year." He asked, "May be that you got your menses?" I replied, "Yes." He then said, "This is the thing which Allah has ordained for all the daughters of Adam. So do what all the pilgrims do except that you do not perform the Tawaf round the Ka'bah till you are clean.") ))
One of the rulings regarding women is that if her family, husband, or Mahram takes off back home while she is still in her period, she will be excused of Tawaf Al-Wada' (the farewell Tawaf), and she does not have to do anything about it. Nevertheless, scholars said, "It is recommended in this case that she stands by the door of Al-Haram and supplicate before leaving the country."
It is also part of Sunnah that the woman clip her hair.
(( (Ibn 'Abbas reported that the prophet PBUH said: "Shaving is not a duty laid on women; only clipping the hair is incumbent on them.") ))
Women mercifully are excused of shaving the head.
These are the rulings related to women in Hajj. By this, we finish tackling Arkan, Wajibat, Sunan and rulings related to Hajj regarding women.
The characteristics of Abi Hanifah An-Nu'man:
Let us make our way towards the biography of the great Imam, Abu Hanifah An-Nu'man. He, may Allah have mercy on his soul, was a charming companion to others.
(( (Narrated Abu Hurairah that the Prophet PBUH said, "A believer makes friends (with people), and there is no good in the one who does not make friends and is not subject of friendship.") ))
He was famous for his congeniality and sociability. People enjoyed his company, and the one who was absent would never be distressed because of him even if he was his enemy.
In a discussion between Abdullah bin Mubarak and Sufyan ath-Thawri, Abdullah Ibn Mubarak expressed his tremendous distaste with backbiting, as Imam Abu Hanifah would not do it. Sufyan ath-Thawri responded by saying that the Imam was wise, and so he would not to dare waste the rewards he had accumulated by backbiting.
Abu Hanifah was skillful in gaining people's affability. This is exactly what the Prophet PBUH ordered us to do. Indeed, being friendly to people is the wisest thing to do after believing (in Allah). He was keen on keeping his friendships. He would ask about even those who might pass by his assembly accidentally, and he would visit them if they were sick, and would help them if they were in need until they would come to his assembly willingly. These are the sublime characteristics.
If someone (you do not know) sits with you, ask about him, about his career or about his needs, for he might be sick, and you can help him find the remedy, he might be in need, and you can meet his need, or you can ease and relieve his hardship. When man meets people, they acquire right upon him.
This great Imam would ask about anyone who might sit with him accidentally. He would ask about his career and his residence, he would contact him if he lacked necessities, he would give him money if he was poor, he would visit him if he was ill and he would meet his needs if there were some, until this person would feel the obligation of contacting the Imam back, and later on he would become one of his companions.
Abu Hanifah used to fast the days and pray the nights. The Noble Quran was his friend, and he used to seek Allah's Forgiveness in Sahar (the period of time before Fajr). Actually, there is a story behind his deep commitment and embarkation upon worship.
Once he overheard a group of people praising him for his night prayers, so when their words reached his ears, he said, "How come I am to those people different from what I am to Allah. I then swear that I will never let people say anything about me unless I am doing it." Thus, he studiously kept praying night prayers for the rest of his life. He did not want to be praised for something he did not do.
Whenever night came, and people fell asleep, he would put on the best of his cloths, comb his beard, wear perfume and stand up in his private place for prayers. He would spend long parts of the night praying, bowing, supplicating and prostrating. He might recite long Suwar from the Noble Quran in two Raka'ts, or he might pray the whole night reciting only one Ayah and repeating it over and over again while weeping. It was reported that once he spent the whole night repeating the following Ayah:
﴾ Nay, but the Hour is their appointed time (for their full recompense), and the Hour will be more grievous and more bitter. ﴿
Sometimes, he used to pray Al-Fajr with the same Wudu of Isha'. It was reported also that whenever he recited Surat Al-Zalzalah, his skin would shiver and his heart would sink and he would grab his beard and say, "O Allah, Who rewards for the good that is equal to the weight of an atom. O Allah, Who punishes for the evil that is equal to the weight of an atom, save your servant An-Nu'man from Hell-fire, and keep him away from that which brings him closer to it, and admit him to Your vast Mercy, O Allah, the Most Merciful of those who show mercy."
Abu Hanifah owned an amazing skill of persuasion:
Abu Hanifah An-Nu'man went to Imam Malik while he was with a group of his companions. When he got out, Imam Malik asked his companions: "Do you know who this man is?" They answered, "No, we do not", then he said, "This is An-Nu'man bin Thabit. If this person says that this column is made of gold, he will be able to prove his claim, and it will be as he claims." This means that he was persuasive, thus, upon claiming that the column is made of gold, he would prove beyond doubt that his claim was right and it would be as he claimed.
In Kufa there was a man, who went astray, but he was respected in the eyes of some people, and they would listen to what he used to say. That man claimed that Othman bin Affan (The third Rightly Guided Khalifah), may Allah be pleased with him, was Jewish, and that he remained Jewish even after embracing Islam.
Abu Hanifah heard what he said, so he went to him and said, "I am here to ask you to marry your daughter to one of my companions".
"You are welcome", the man answered. "Men like you will not be rejected, but who is the groom?"
Abu Hanifah answered, "He is a man who is highly honored in his tribe, and he is rich, generous, and charitable. Moreover, he memorizes the Noble Quran, he prays night prayers, and he weeps out of fearing Allah…"
At that point, the man stopped him and said, "Some of these characteristics are enough to make this man adequate to be a husband of the daughter of the prince of believers."
Upon hearing that, Abu Hanifah said, "Despite all that, this man has one characteristic that you should consider."
"What is it?" The man asked.
Abu Hanifah said, "He is Jewish."
The man stood up and angrily said, "Do you want me to marry my daughter to a Jewish man? By Allah, I will not do that even if he owned all the good characteristics of mankind."
Abu Hanifah replied, "You refuse to marry your daughter to a Jewish man, and you severely denounced it, so how do you dare to claim that the Prophet PBUH had his two daughters married to a Jewish man (i.e. Othman bin Affan)?"
The man was taken aback, and he asked forgiveness from Allah for such false claims, and he turned to Allah with sincere repentance.
Notice how Abu hanifah handled that man's claims in a realistic way.
One of Khawarij (followers of whims and desires and innovation who have deviated from the path of Ahl as-Sunnah) whose name was Ad-Dahhak, came to Abi Hanifah one day and said, "Repent, O Abu Hanifah"
Abu Hanifah asked, "Repent from what exactly?"
He said, "From permitting arbitration in the dispute between Ali and Mu'awiyah, this is an invalid arbitration, and whoever accepts it is Kafir, and you should repent".
Abu Hanifah said to him, "Will you accept debating with me regarding this matter?"
The man accepted.
Then Abu Hanifah said, "What if we disagree on something in our debate, who will be the judge?"
The man answered, "Choose whoever you want."
Then, Abu Hanifah pointed at one of that man's friends and said to him, "You will be the judge if we disagree on something"
Then he addressed Al-Khariji (Ad-Dahhak) and said, "I accept your friend to be a judge, will you accept him?"
"Yes I do", the man answered, and he was pleased that the judge was one of his friends.
Only then, Abu Hanifah said, "Woe to you, you accept arbitration between you and me, and you reject it for two of the Prophet's companions?"
The debate was over. The minute this man accepted arbitration, Abu Hanifah rested his case.
Scholars also reported that two men of Khawarij, who were famous for accusing people of Kufr for insignificant matters, came to him brandishing their swords, and they said, "What do you say about someone who committed Zina (fornication) and did so and so, is he Muslim or Kafir?"
Now, if Abu Hanifah said he was Muslim, he would be beheaded, so he said, "Is this man Christian?'
They said, "No he is not." Then, he asked again, "Is he Jewish?" To which they replied, "No he is not."
"Then what he is?"
They said, "He is Muslim".
Abu Hanifah said to them, "You have got your answer."
Thus, he was Muslim and not Kafir, and they answered themselves due to his wit.
In another incident, Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on his soul, met a group of atheists who disbelieved in Allah's Existence, and he said to them, "A ship full of cargos, weights and loads, becomes suddenly surrounded with waves from all sides and battered by a stormy wind. Yet, it kept sailing calmly in its course, heading to its destination without any disturbance, imbalance or drifting, given there is no captain on its board or anyone to navigate its course, is this scenario reasonable to you?" They answered, "No it isn't; this scenario cannot be real and is beyond belief." "Glory be to Allah Almighty, you refuse to accept that this ship is sailing accurately without a captain, and you accept that this entire universe, with all its seas, orbits and floating matter, exists without Maker Who accurately created it and arranged its affairs? May you and your falsehood be damned."
Abu Hanifah's keenness on establishing Islam:
It is reported that Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on his soul, spent his life defending Islam with all the skills Allah bestowed him with. He used to put forth profound proofs and argue with others to defend Allah's religion using his astonishing logic.
When the hour of death came, he left a will. He asked his family members in the will to bury him in a lawfully earned land, and to avoid burying him in a place with a possibility of being earned unlawfully. The unlawfully earned land should not be a place for burying people. He was so keen, in his will, on asking them not to bury him in an unlawfully earned land.
When Al-Khalifah Al-Mansoor heard about his will, he said, "Who will save me from Abu Hanifah, both when he was alive and now when he is dead?" He meant that Abu Hanifah died, yet he left those behind him restless.
Abu Hanifah also mentioned in his will that Al-Hasan bin Amarah should carry out his Gusl. When Al-Hasan did so, he said, "May Allah have mercy on your soul O Abu Hanifah, and may Allah forgive you due to what you give in your life. I testify that you fasted days and prayed nights and scholars are tired after you."
It is said that all scholars after Abu Hanifah are mere dependants on his Fiqh. He was called the great Imam, and the Hanafi school of thought is the most prevalent, flexible and accurate among other schools of thought.
Al-Namimah (malicious gossip):
Let us now tackle one of the most serious issues the majority of Muslims suffer from, which is An-Namimah (malicious gossip means telling one person what another said in order to cause trouble between them). An-Namimah is tackled in Imam Al-Ghazali's book Ihya' Uloom Ad-Deen. Allah says describing An-Nammam (the slanderer who commits Namimah):
﴾ A slanderer, going about with calumnies* Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful* Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth), ﴿
Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak said, "An-Nammam (The slanderer) is like the illegitimate child, who was born from Zina". He seems to be bearing grudge against the society, just like the illegitimate child, so he never keeps a secret, and he sows dissension between people, lovers, brothers, partners, couples and neighbors. He tells one person what another said in order to cause trouble and create a wide gap between them.
This is why scholars consider him as Ibn al-Mubarak defined. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Woe to every slanderer and backbiter. ﴿
"Al-Hmmaz" is an Arabic word that means "the slanderer". Allah the Almighty also says:
﴾ And his wife too, who carries wood (thorns of Sadan which she used to put on the way of the Prophet or use to slander him﴿
The meaning indicated in the phrase "who carries wood" is that she used to convey words from one party to another causing enmity and grudge between them, thus as though she lighted up fire between the two parties.
The slanderer is a major load:
Allah says about the wife of Lot and the wife of Noah:
﴾ Allah sets forth an example for those who disbelieve, the wife of Nuh (Noah) and the wife of Lout (Lot). They were under two of our righteous slaves, but they both betrayed their (husbands by rejecting their doctrine) so they [Nuh (Noah) and Lout (Lot)] benefited them (their respective wives) not, against Allah, and it was said: “Enter the Fire along with those who enter!" ﴿
It is said that the wife of Lot PBUH used to tell her people about the guests welcomed by her husband, so that they would come and commit the major sin with them.
As for the wife of Noah PBUH, she used to tell people that her husband is insane.
(It is reported from Hudhaifah that news reached him (the Noble Prophet PBUH) that a certain man carried tales. Upon this Hudhaifah remarked: I heard Allah's Messenger (PBUH) saying: The tale-bearer shall not enter Paradise.)
Here is another Hadith reported by Hudhaifah:
(( The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said, "A mischief-maker will not enter paradise." ))
"Kattat" is the Arabic word for Nammam (slanderer):
(( Narrated Masruq: We were sitting with Abdullah bin 'Amr who was narrating to us (Hadith): He said, "Allah's Messenger (PBUH) was neither a Fahish nor a Mutafahhish, and he used to say, 'The best among you are the best in character (having good manners)."'))
Namimah is a huge mischief, because it brings dissension to the society on all levels; the families, the neighborhoods or the tribes, so it leaves ruptured relations, conflicts and enmity.
(( The prophet PBUH said: "Shall I tell you about the most evil persons among you? They said: Yes. He said: Those who commit Namimah, cause trouble between the loved ones, and accuse people of vices they are innocent of." ))
(( (The prophet PBUH also said: "He, who spreads a word about a Muslim in order to disgrace him falsely, shall be disgraced by Allah in the hellfire on the Day of Resurrection.") ))
The slanderer spreads a rumor about a Muslim falsely in order to destroy his position and smear his reputation. Regarding this point, the Prophet PBUH said:
(( (He, who spreads a rumor about a Muslim in order to disgrace him in worldly life, shall be melted in the hellfire on the Day of Resurrection.) ))
The Prophet PBUH also said:
(( 'Whoever tells lies about me', I (the narrator) think that he also said 'deliberately', let him take his place in Hell.'" ))
He forged a testimony. He was not sure, but he hastened and accused him of fraud and cheating.
The slanderer shatters relationships:
It is said that one third of grave torment is because of Namimah.
(( (Ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet PBUH said that when Allah created Paradise, He said to it, "Speak out", so it said, "Very happy is the one who enters me." Allah then said, "By My Glory and Dignity, the slanderer shall never dwell in you, nor shall a kin ties destroyer be admitted to you.") ))
It is impossible for a slanderer to be admitted to Paradise, because he tells stories about people in order to destroy relations.
It is said, "A man followed a wise person for 700 Farsakh (one Farsakh equals about 4 miles) to learn 7 words from him. When he met him he said, "I came to you to seek knowledge from what Allah has taught you. Tell me about the sky and that which is something heavier than it. Tell me about the earth and that which is wider than it. Tell me about the rock and that which is harder than it. Tell me about fire and that which is hotter than it. Tell me about Zamhareer (very cold wind) that which is something chiller than it. Tell me about the sea and that which is richer than it or not. Tell me about the orphan and the one who is more humiliated than him.
At that point, the wise man replied, "Slandering an innocent man has more burden than the heavens and the earth – if you forge a lie and accuse an innocent man of it, this will be heavier than the heavens and the earth. The Truth is wider than the earth. The satisfied heart is richer than the sea. Stinginess and envy are hotter than burning coal. Being in need of a relative is colder than Zamhareer if his need was not met. The heart of Kafer is harder than the rock. An-Namimah (slander) makes man more humiliated than the orphan being humiliated on the dining table of a mean person."
A man intended to buy a slave. He spotted a smart cheap slave, and his cheap price caught his attention. He asked the seller about the reason, and the seller answered him saying that the slave had one bad trait, which was Namimah. However, taken by the cheap price, the man decided to buy him.
The slave stayed for few days, and then he said to his owner's wife, "My master does not love you, and he longs to have another wife, so you take a razor and cut a lock of his hair while he is sleeping, so that I would use it to do witchcraft due to which he will love you." After a while, he went to his master and said, "Your wife has a boyfriend, and she wants to kill you. Pretend that you are asleep to make sure that what I said is right."
The husband pretended that he was asleep. A while later, his wife came to him with a razor, and he thought that she was trying to kill him, so he sat up and killed her. As a result, her family came to the husband and killed him. After that incident, there was a war between the two tribes. All those terrible things took place because of Namimah, which is a very serious matter as you can notice.
Next session, we will talk about Namimah in its most accurate definitions, and about the believer's duty upon listening to the Nammam (the who is slandered or who is slandering someone else) and what stance the believer should take.
It was reported that Umar bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah be pleased with him, received a man who told him about someone something (namely, he slandered that person). Umar said to him, "If you wait, we will check your story. If you are lying, then you are described in the following Ayah:
﴾ (O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done.) ﴿
If you are honest, then you are described in the following Ayah:
﴾ A slanderer, going about with calumnies* Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful* Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth), ﴿
You have a third option, which is seeking our forgiveness." The man said, "I seek your forgiveness O prince of believers, and I shall never do that again."
This is how our Master Umar handled the situation.
