'HAJJ'

Brethren-in-Islam!

It has been elaborately explained to you in the previous lectures how Salah, fasting and Zakat cast a man's life into the Islamic mould and prepare him for Allah's servitude. Now the last item which remains on the list of the obligatory duties imposed by Islam is Hajj the benefits of which now I am going to describe before you.

Meaning of 'Hajj'

The meaning of Hajj (pilgrimage) in the Arabic language is to make a resolve to visit the holy place. Since people from all quarters resolve to pay a visit to Ka'ba, it has been designed as Hajj.

Origin of 'Hajj'

The story of its origin is highly instructive. Listen to it carefully so as to fully grasp the significance of Hajj. Then it will be easy for you to understand its benefits.

CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF IBRAHIM

Which Muslim, Christian or Jew is there who is not aware of the name of Abraham (peace be on him)! Two-third of the population of the world has faith in him as a leader. The three prophets, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be on them) are his descendants. The lamp lighted by him has illuminated the whole world with the light of guidance. He was born in Iraq over four thousand years ago. At that time the whole world had forgotten God. Not a single individual was left on the surface of the earth who was aware of his real Master. None bowed his head in servitude and obedience exclusively to Him. The nation in which Abraham was born was the most advanced nation of the world at that time but it was also ahead of others in heresy. In the spite of progress in Arts and Science, Industry and Agriculture, the people could not understand this simple point that a thing which has itself been created cannot be fit to be worshipped. They used to worship stars and idols. Astrology, idol-worship, divination, witchcraft and use of talisman and amulets etc, were popular among them. Just as there are Pandits and Brahmins among the Hindus, in the same way there was in those days a class of Pujaris (priests) who guarded the temples, supervised the worshipping and the rituals performed by devotees, conducted marriage and funeral ceremonies etc., and played the farce of purveying to the people news from the unseen. The masses, in general, were so much enmeshed in these Pujaris' snare that they considered the latter as controller of their good or bad luck, and they obeyed their behests and slavishly fulfilled their desires, because they supposed that the Pujaris had access to their deities who, due to the Pujaris intercession would be kind to them as otherwise they will be ruined. The kings were in league with this coterie of Pujaris. For the purpose of holding the masses in their servitude, the kings helped the Pujaris and the Pujaris helped the kings. On one side, the government gave full backing to the Pujaris, and, on the other side, the Pujaris injected the conception in the minds of the people that the king of the day being the owner of his country as well as his subjects is also a god among other gods, that his word is law and he wields all kinds of power on the life and property of his people. Not only this. In fact, all the rites of servitude were performed before the king so that the idea of his godhood may dominate the minds of his subjects.

Family of Ibrahim

Prophet Ibrahim was born at a time like this in a community of the above-mentioned characteristics, and above all he took birth in the very family which was itself a family of Pujaris. His forefathers were Pandits and Brahmins of their community. In this home he got the same education and training as a Pandit's sons receive, and heard from childhood talks of this type. He saw the manners of Pirs and Pirzadahs among his family members and kinsmen. The gaddi of the temple was ready for him to occupy and thus become a leader of his community. The same gifts, presents and offerings were awaiting him as had enriched his family. There were lots of devotees waiting to bow their heads before him with folded hands. Further, he could likewise trap in his snare people ranging from a poor farmer to a king by claiming contact with deities and by playing the farce of divination. In this dismal darkness, where not a single soul existed who knew and believed in Truth, he could neither get the light of Truth nor was it possible ordinarily for a man to dare discard personal and family benefits of a stupendous nature and thus invite a host of troubles simply for the pursuit of Truth.

Ibrahim's exonerative declaration

But Prophet Ibrahim was not an ordinary man. He was of a different stuff. On attaining discretion he began to ponder: "How can these sun, moon and stars, which are themselves rotating like slaves, and these idols of stones, which are made by man himself, and these kings, who are human beings like ourselves, be considered as gods? What is there in these powerless objects, which cannot move of their own volition, which have no power to help themselves and have no control over their own life and death, that man should bow his head before them in Ibadat, seek fulfillment of his wants from them, be afraid of their strength and be servile and obedient to them? Among all the objects visible to us in the earth and heaven, or among those which we know somehow, there is not a single one which itself is not dependent, which itself is not subject to some power and which does not fade some time or other. When this is the condition of all these subjects, how can anyone of them become God. When none of them is my creator, nor are my life and death, or benefit and loss, in the hands of anyone of them, nor does any of them possess the key to my means of sustenance and fulfillment of my needs, then why should I accept them as Lord and bow my head before them in servitude and obedience? Only that being can be my Lord Who created all things, on Whom depends everything and in Whose hands are the life and death, benefit and loss of all." Arguing like this Prophet Abraham reached a definite decision that he would never worship the deities which his community worshipped, and he openly declared before his people:

"I am free from all that you associate with Him." (Al-Qur'an 6: 79)

"I have turned my face toward Him Who created the heavens and the earth, as one by nature upright, and I am not one of the idolaters." (Al-Qur'an 6: 80)

Mountain of Calamities

After this declaration, a mountain of calamities fell on Prophet Abraham. His father threatened him with expulsion from the family and home. His community warned him that none of its members would afford him refuge. The government also became hostile to him and the case was brought up before the King. But that lonely and forsaken person braved all opposition and stood firm like a rock for the sake of truth. He told his father respectfully:

"The knowledge I have, has not been vouchsafed to you. As such, instead of my following you, you should follow me".

As a reprisal to the threats of his community he broke their idols with his own hands to prove how helpless were the objects they used to worship. He boldly declared in the full court of the King:

"You are not my Lord. My Lord is He in Whose Hand are your life and death as well as mine and within the bounds of Whose law even the movements of this Sun are circumscribed."

At last it was decided in the royal court that this man should be burnt alive. But that man who was as firm and resolute as a rock and who had unshakeable faith in one God, got prepared to suffer this horrible punishment. And then, when Allah with His supreme power saved him from being burnt in the fire, he abandoned his home, his relations, his community and country. He set out with his wife and a nephew as an immigrant to wander from one land to another. That person to whom the gaddi of Mahant was available after occupying which he could reign as the undisputed religious leader of his community, and that man who could easily acquire both wealth and honour and who could pass on to his children the privilege of enjoying the benefits of this gaddi of Mahant, preferred for himself and his children the life of a homeless and destitute person. The reason was that he did not like to lead a luxurious life by entangling the people in the snare of false gods. Instead, he preferred to invite the people towards the true God and, as a punishment for this crime, lead an unsettled and restless life.

Migration

After leaving his home Prophet Abraham wandered in Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Arab countries. God alone knows, what sufferings he went through in this life of a wayfarer. While quitting his home he had not taken any money and goods with him nor was he wandering in search of livelihood. In fact, his only anxiety day and night was to take the people out of the servitude of others and make them servants of only one God. When a man of such ideas could not be tolerated by his own father and his community, how could anyone else put up with him? Where could he be welcomed? Everywhere was the sway of the same Mahants of temples and of kings claiming godhood and everywhere existed those ignorant masses who were caught up in the snare of false gods. Naturally, in the midst of such folks, how could that person live peacefully who was not only himself not ready to accept the godhood of anybody except that of God but was also in the habit of going about preaching to the people that none except Allah is their Master and Lord, and that, therefore, they should subvert the authority of all spurious masters and demi-gods and become a servant of only that One Being? This was the reason why Prophet Abraham did not stay peacefully at one place. For years he wandered as a nomad, sometimes in the inhabited parts of Kana'an, sometimes in Egypt and at other times in the sandy tracts of Arabia. His whole adulthood passed of in this manner and his black hair turned gray.

Children and their training

During the last period of his life when he was short of four years in completing ninety years and had despaired of an off-spring, Allah gave him children. But this servant of Allah now did not consider that having himself wrecked his home he should at least make his children fit to earn their living and should arrange for them some source of livelihood. No. The only anxiety with this aged Muslim was that the missionary work, for which he had spent his whole life, must be carried on by someone after his death. It was for this purpose that he had prayed to Allah to grant him children. And when Allah acceded to his request, he yearned to train his children to carry out his mission. The life of this perfect man was the life of a true and genuine Muslim. When in early adulthood, soon after attaining discretion, he recognized God and found Him out. Allah told him : "Aslam" (i.e. become a Muslim, entrust yourself to Me, be solely Mine), and he, in reply, gave a pledge :

"Aslamto li-Rabbil Aalameen" "I have accepted Islam. I belong to the Lord of the worlds. I have wholly entrusted myself to Him." (Al-Qur'an 2: 131)

This truthful person fully abided by this pledge throughout his life. He gave up, for the sake of the Lord of the worlds, his antique ancestral religion together with its beliefs and rituals and renounced all the benefits accruing there from. He braved the danger of fire, bore the brunt of migration, wandered from country to country, spent every moment of his life in obedience to the Lord of the worlds and in propagating His Deen and when blessed with a child in old age he liked him also to follow this very Deen and this very type of work.

The greatest of trials

But after all these tribulations, there was one trial left without which it could not be determined that the love of this gentlemen for the Lord of the worlds surpasses love of all the things around him. It was to be tested whether or not the only child begot in the old age after being completely despaired of it, could be sacrificed by him for the sake of the Lord of the worlds. So this trial also was gone through. And when on seeing a sign he got prepared to slaughter his son with his own hands, the divine decision was given:

"Yes, now you have fully vindicated your claim of being a completely true Muslim. Now you are competent to be made Imam of the whole world."

This incident has been described in the Qur'an thus:

Elevation to the Imamat of the world

"And when his Lord tried Abraham with (His) commands, and he fulfilled them. He said: Lo! I have appointed thee a leader for mankind. (Ibrahim) said: And of my offspring (will they also be leaders)? He said: My covenant includes not wrongdoers." (Al-Qur'an 2: 124)

In this manner leadership entrusted to Abraham, and he became a pioneer of the universal Islamic movement. Now in order to give an impetus to this movement he felt the need of such men who would settle down in different areas and operate from there as his deputies or representatives. In this mission three persons proved pillars of strength to him. One was his nephew Lot, the second, his eldest son Isma’il (who, on learning that the Lord of the worlds wants the sacrifice of his life, himself cheerfully placed his neck under the knife), and the third, his younger son, Isaac.

Lot sent to Transjordan

Abraham settled his nephew in Sodom which is now called Transjordan. In this region used to live the most morally depraved community. Abraham's objective was to reform these profane people and also to influence the far-flung area around, because the commercial teams travelling between Iran, Iraq and Egypt used to pass through this region, and from this place religious preaching could be conducted in both directions.

Isaac settled in Palestine

The younger son, Isaac, was settled in Kana'an which is now called Palestine. This region is situated between Syria and Egypt and, being on the coast of the sea, other countries could also be influenced from there. From this very region the Islamic movement reached Egypt through Isaac's son, Jacob (whose name was also Israel) and through his grandson, Joseph.

Isma’il kept in Hejaz

The elder son, Isma'il was kept in the Hejaz at Mecca, and Abraham himself stayed with him for a long time to spread the teaching of Islam in all parts of Arabia.