IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL
BEING THE THIRD KHUTBAH FOR THE MONTH OF D. QA’DAH, DATED 20TH D.QA’DAH 1444AH (9TH JUNE, 2023CE)
TITLED: THE RITES OF HAJJ AND UMRAH
THE RITES OF HAJJ AND UMRAH
All Praises belong to Allah, Lord of the worlds, lots of beautiful, pure and blessed praise, as our Lord Almighty loves and is pleased to be praised. He is the One Who made the Hajj to His Sacred House one of the pillars of Islam and one of its great solemn rites. He made it a virtue, a honour, and made its reward a big reward. He is the One Who said in His Noble Book: (إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِلْعَالَمِينَ (96) فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَنْ دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ) “Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-‘Alamin (the mankind and jinns). In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqam (place) of Ibrahim (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security. And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka’bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns).” (Aal-Imraan: 96-97). I testify that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah alone. He has no partner. He forgives those who perform Hajj to the House and do not commit obscenity or immorality. And I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger and the elite of His honorable Messengers, who says in his noble hadith: “The accepted Hajj has no reward other than Paradise.” (Agreed upon). May Allah’s blessings be upon him and his family and companions until the Day of Gathering.
Servants of Allah, I enjoin you and myself to fear Allah Ta’alaa, as this is the desired goal of all the rites of Hajj and other recommended acts of worship in Islaam, in accordance with Words of Allah Ta’alaa: (وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ) “And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness, etc.). So fear Me, O men of understanding!” (Al-Barqarah: 197). And He, Glorified He is, says: (لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنكُمْ) “It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him. (Al-Hajj: 37).
Brothers in Faith! This is the third sermon in the month of Dhul-Qa’adah, the second of the known months for the performance of Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islaam. And today, insha-Allah, we will direct our discussion to: The Rites of Hajj and Umrah.
Servants of Allah, Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and Allah has commanded his able muslim servants to perform the obligation of Hajj in His saying, Exalted He is: (وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إليه سبيلًا) “And it is a right due to Allah upon people as an obligation to perform Hajj to the House for those who are able to find a way to it.” And the Sunnah of the Prophet came to explain how to perform the rites of Hajj and the virtue of Hajj and Umrah. He said (May Allah bless him and grant him peace): “One Umrah to another Umrah is an expiation for what is between them (of sins), and an accepted Hajj has no reward other than Al-Jannah. In order to spread the benefit, we look closely in this discussion a summary of how to perform Hajj and Umrah in a way that makes it easy and simple.
The Messenger of Allah (May the Blessings and Peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever performs Hajj and does not speak obscenely or commit adultery, he will return as the day his mother gave birth to him.” The Prophet (May the Blessings and Peace of Allah be upon him) was asked: “Which deeds are the best?” He said: Belief in Allah and His Messenger. It was said: ‘Then what?’ He said: “Jihad for the sake of Allah”. It was said: ‘Then what?’ He said: “An accepted Hajj.”
The following is a summary of how to do Hajj and Umrah:
How to perform Umrah
First – When you reach the meeqaat (the designated place for changing into the ihram cloth), it is desirable for you to perform ghusl and apply perfume on your body but not the ihraam cloths. You then wear the cloths; one as loin wrapper and the other as a hanging robe. It is also desirable for you to enter ihraam after a supererogatory or obligatory prayer, but the ihraam does not have a special prayer for it.
Secondly – You are forbidden after putting on the ihram, saying, “Labayk Umrah.” Meaning: “At your service for Umrah”
Ihraam process for a woman is like the one for a man, except in clothing. It is not forbidden for her ihraam cloth to be sewn or to cover the head, but she should avoid the niqab, burqa and gloves.
Third – Then you recite the Talbiyah of the Prophet (May the Blessings and Peace of Allah be upon him) until you reach Makkah: “At your service, O Allah, at your service, at your service, you have no partner.
And his saying (May the Blessings and Peace of Allah be upon him): “The best Hajj is raising one’s voice and slaughtering the sacrificial animal.” (Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah).
Fourth – When you enter the Sacred Mosque, start with seven rounds of Umrah circumambulation, starting with the Black Stone and ending with it, and touching it in each round saying: “Bismi-LLahi wa-LLahu Akbar” according to the hadith of Ibn Umar – in Bukhari, and the Tasmiyah (i.e saying Bismillah) is from the act of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him.
If you cannot kiss it, touch it with your hand and then kiss your hand. If you cannot, then point to it with your hand, saying, “Allahu Akbar.” A do not circumambulate within the Hijr Ismaeel. Hijr Ismaeel is part of the House
As for the Yemeni Corner, touch it and do not kiss it, and do not kiss your hand. If you cannot, do not point to it, and consider it like the other two corners in the direction of Shaam.
It is desirable to do Raml (i.e light jogging) in the first three rounds, and that is to walk quickly, walking with close steps (for the hadeeth of Muslim on the authority of Ibn Umar), and it is desirable for you to put the middle of the upper garment under your right armpit, and its two ends over your left shoulder (according to the hadeeth of Abi Daawud).
It is recommended that you remember Allah in your Tawaaf (circumambulation), and this remembrance of Allah include saying: Subhaana-LLah, Al-hamdu-LLah, La-ilaa-ila-LLah, Allahu Akbar, reciting the Qur’aan, supplicating to Allah, the Most-Exalted.
And say between the two pillars (Yamaani and hajar al-aswad pillars): “ربنا آتنا في الدنيا حسنة، وفي الآخرة حسنة وقنا عذاب النار”, according to the hadith of Abdullah ibn Al-Saeb in Abu Dawud.
Then go to the station of Ibrahim and recite: (وَاتَّخِذُوا مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مُصَلَّى) (meaning: “And take a place of prayer from the station of Ibrahim”) and place the station between you and the Kaaba, even if it is far away, if it is easier, otherwise do naafilah in any place in the Sacred Mosque. And read Suratul-Kaafiruun and Suratul-Ikhlaas in the two rakats.
Then go to Zamzam, drink from its water and get full with it. He (May the Blessings and Peace of Allah be upon him) said about it:
“It is food and a cure for sickness.” (Muslim).
Then go back to the Black Stone and touch it or point to it, saying: “Allahu Akbar”. Then you should leave from the door of Safaa to go and perfrom Sa’y between Safaa and Marwah for seven rounds, starting from Safaa and completing it at Marwah, in accordance with the Words of Allah: (إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْـمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْراً فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ) “Verily! As-Safa and Al-Marwah (two mountains in Makkah) are of the Symbols of Allah. So it is not a sin on him who perform Hajj or ‘Umrah (pilgrimage) of the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah) to perform the going (Tawaf) between them (As-Safa and Al-Marwah). And whoever does good voluntarily, then verily, Allah is All-Recogniser, All-Knower.” (Al-Baqarah: 158). And for his saying (may the Blessings and Peace of Allah be upon him): “Do Sa’yy, for Allah has ordained Sa’yy for you.” (Ahmad).
When you get close to Safaa, recite the verse above, then pray over it if you can, or stand by it facing the Kaaba, saying: (لا إله إلا الله، الله أكبر، لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير، لا إله إلا الله وحده ، أَنجزَ وعده ، ونَصرَ عبده ، وهزَمَ الأحزاب وحده)
(“There is no god but Allah, Allah is great, there is no god but Allah alone. He has no partner…”) (Muslim). Then supplicate after that with any supplication that Allah permits you.
Say that remembrance three times, and supplicate twice, then descend from Safaa to Al-Marwah, walking between them, asking for whatever you wish of the well-known supplication, and you may recite the Qur’an.
And you walk quickly (for men only) in the valley (between the two green lights), then you walk until you reach Al-Marwah, and you do the same thing you did on Safaa.
Then, when you finish at al-Marwah, you go to the barbers and cut your hair, because, inshaa-Allah, you will shave after stoning Jamrat al-‘Aqaba. As for women, the prophet (May the Blessings and Peace of Allah be upon him) has said: “It is not mandatory for women to shave their hair, she need only to shorten it.” She should cut of her hair even if as little as the size of a fingertip (the tip of a finger).
Thus, the work of the Umrah ends, and everything that was forbidden to you (while in the ihraam) becomes lawful for you, and you stay in Makkah lawfully until the Day of Tarwiyah (8th of Dhul-Hijjah).
THE SECOND SERMON:
All Praises are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, the first and the last, who says in his dear book: “With hardship there is ease (7) Indeed, with hardship there is ease [Qur’an 94: 7-8] And prayers and peace be upon the best of people, the master of the first and the last, Muhammad , his family, companions, and those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Judgment. but after,
Brothers of Islam and faith, it is desirable at the present time to talk about the issue of removing fuel subsidies, which is causing controversy in Nigerian at this time between supporters and opponents of it. Are there benefits to citizens after removing fuel subsidies in the near future, or not? Why did the new president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insist on removing subsidies? Interestingly, all the candidates for the presidential election in this year 2023 have declared in their campaigns that they will remove fuel subsidies if they become president of Nigeria. We must, have patience and supplicate to Allah, let Allah Almighty guide the new president and his men to goodness and guide them to the truth and to what He loves and is pleased with. Presidents must strive to alleviate pain, provide utilities, facilitate livelihoods, and everything that reduces this high cost that we are experiecing, and they must also reduce their luxuries that are not negligible from the state’s treasury, to set an example in the patience and endurance that they desire from us. We believe that this government is keen on reform and change, and that the price of fuel will be very, very cheap soon, God willing, and by His power, and God is the helper.