to have, placing ourselves among the restLabbaik from Allah?" I replied, "No, I received no reply."...

1

“And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass”

Surah al Hajj (22:27)

Narrated by Hadrat Abu Hurairah that Sayyidinah Rasulullah )ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص( said,

“From one ‘Umrah to another is an expiation for the sins that came in between them, and Hajj Mabrur (an accepted Hajj) brings no less a reward than Paradise.”

Sahih Ibn Majah (1:25 #2888)

“Love is the flute of life from which melodies pour forth and enrapture the world. Light and heat, activity and movement, ardor and enthusiasm are all from it.”

Eid ul Adha Mubarak!

Wishing You and Your Family A Blessed Eid

Many Muslims around the world eagerly

await the coming of the Hajj every year. It

is a pilgrimage where Muslims leave

everything behind them to set out on a

journey to the House of God (Kabah

Shareef). In this, they put their lives on

hold and make God their priority for two or

more weeks.

During Hajj, pilgrims wear two shrouds of

white cloth symbolizing the same dress one

will be draped in when buried after passing

away. Millions of Muslims will be wearing

the same thing– the poor, the rich, the

scholars, the bakers, the doctors, the

janitors, the lawyers. Everyone will be the

same. It’s a beautiful metaphor for the

selflessness and humility we are supposed

to have, placing ourselves among the rest

of the ummah.

All of the rites and rituals of Hajj are a

process of purifying one’s heart and

intentions of worldly desires. Each stage in

Hajj is a metaphor for cleaning ourselves of

our nafs (ego), and understanding that our

lives should be defined by service to others,

not service to self. True happiness lies in

the happiness of others. When we see

everyone walking and praying with each

other, all dressed in the same or similar

clothing, it strikes a deep cord in the heart

of the believer– a cord of love.

The Hajj has many secrets, but one such

secret is preparing our hearts for love of

Allah, love of our Prophet ( ), and love

for each other as brothers and sisters.

Love is that which makes one forget

oneself. The lover can only think of the

beloved. The lover’s wants become

replaced with the beloved’s wants. The

lover disappears, his own desires no longer

matter, and his heart becomes filled with

the light of the one whom he loves.

In Hajj, the rituals and rites are preformed

with the intention of leaving the world of

its desires, cleaning ourselves of sins, and

becoming selfless all so our heart can open

and receive the love of Allah. Our hearts

can only receive such divine love when

they are clean of our own selfish desires,

and the desires of Allah and His beloved

Prophet ( ) take their place.

The number of secrets contained within

Hajj are incomprehensible, and Hajjis come

back with a special barakah in all their

dealings. May we all benefit from such

blessings- Ameen!

Visit MonthlyNoor.com for more pictures, articles, and updates inshaAllah!

2

Once, one of the students of Shaykh Shibli; the

great saint, came to visit him after having

performed Hajj. The Shaykh asked him some

questions. The student continues the story:

“The Shaykh asked me, “Did you make a

determined niyah for Hajj?”

I replied, “Yes, I made a firm intention for

performing Hajj.”

Shaykh: “Together with having made a firm

intention for Hajj, did you also have a firm niyah

of forever giving up doing all those things you did

since you were born that are opposed to the spirit

of Hajj?"

I replied, "No, I did not."

Shaykh: "In that case, you had no niyah for Hajj."

Then he said, "At the time of entering into the

Ihraam; did you remove your clothing?"

I replied, "Yes, I did."

Shaykh: "At that time, did you pledge to remove

from you everything except Allah?"


Shaykh: "In that case, you did not remove your

clothing. Did you cleanse yourself by means of

ghusl and wudu?"

I replied, "Yes, I did clean myself in that manner."

Shaykh: "At that time, did you also become

cleansed from all evil and faults?"

I replied, "No, that I cannot say."

Shaykh: "In that case, you did not cleanse

yourself. Did you recite Labbaik?"

I replied: "Yes, I did recite Labbaik."

Shaykh: "Did you at that time hear the answers of

Labbaik from Allah?"

I replied, "No, I received no reply."

Shaykh: "In that case, what kind of Labbaik did

you recite? Did you enter the holy Haram? (i.e.

area around the Kabah)"


Shaykh: "Did you at that time pledge to leave

aside every Haraam (prohibited) act forever?"


Shaykh: "Then you did not enter the area of the

Haram Shareef at all. Did you visit Mecca?"


Shaykh: "When you did, did you also see the

Hereafter?"

I replied, "No, I did not see anything."

Shaykh: "Then you did not visit Mecca. Did you

enter the Holy Mosque?"


Shaykh: "Did you then, on entering, feel the

nearness of Allah?"


Shaykh: "Then you never actually entered the

Mosque. Were you present at the Kabah?"

I replied, "Yes, I was."

Shaykh: "Did you see that entity; due to which the

Kabah is visited?"

I replied, "No, I saw nothing."

The Monthly Noor 3:07 The True Manner Of Performing Hajj

3

Shaykh: "Then you never saw the Kabah. Did you

perform ramal (i.e. sliding ones cloth off one's

shoulder as they circle the Kabah with increased

speed, a running motion)"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "Did you at that time flee from this world

in such a manner that you felt you were

completely out of this world?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "In that case, you did not perform ramal.

Did you place your hands on the black stone and

kiss it?"


The Shaykh become very pale and greatly

frightened, so much

so, that a shriek

passed from him, and

he said, "Woe unto

you. Rasulullah

( ) has said,

'Whoever places his

hands on the black

stone is like him who

actually shook hands

with Allah, and

whoever shakes the

hand of Allah shall in

every way remain

safe from all things.' Did you then feel anything

about that security?"


Shaykh: "Then you did not touch the black stone.

Did you perform two rakahs at the Maqaam-e-

Ibrahim (i.e. place of Hadrat Ibrahim's (Alayhis

Salaam) footprints)?"


Shaykh: "You were at that particular time placed

on a high rank by Allah; did you carry out what is

due for that high rank for which you stood there?"

I replied, "No, I did nothing."

Shaykh: "In that case, you did not perform salaah

at the Maqaam-e-Ibrahim. Did you perform Saee

(i.e. running back and forth) between Safaa and

Marwa, and did you ascend the Safaa?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "And what did you do there?"

I replied, "I recited takbeer, thrice, and prayed to

Allah to accept my Hajj."

Shaykh: "Did the angels also recite the takbeer

with you, and did you have any knowledge of the

significance of your own takbeers?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "Then you actually did not recite the

takbeer. Did you descend from Safa?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "When you descended, did you feel all

evil and every weakness departing from you, and

inner cleanliness entering yourself?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "Then you never ascended Safaa nor

descended from it. Did you run between Safaa and

Marwa?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "At that time of running, did you feel

yourself running away from everything else;

besides Allah, and reaching Him? (referring to the

Quranic verse: 'And I fled from you when I feared

You' -Surah Shu'ra; and: 'And flee towards

Allah.')"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "Then you never ran. Did you ascend

Marwa?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "While on Marwa, did you perceive the

great inner calmness and peace that descended

upon you?"

I replied, "No."


4

Shaykh: "Then you never ascended Marwa. Tell

me, did you proceed to Mina?"

I replied, "I did."

Shaykh: "While you were there, did you attain such

hopes in Allah that have nothing to do with evil?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "Then you never went to Mina. Did you

visit Masjid-ul Khaif?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "And did you then experience such fear for

Allah that you have never ever experienced

before?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "Then you never entered Masjid-ul Khaif.

Did you reach the plain of Arafaat?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "And on Arafaat, did you recognize the

cause for your coming into this world, what you are

doing here, and where you shall proceed to

afterward; and did you recognize the thing that

points towards these things?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "Then you never visited Arafaat. Did you

visit Muzdalifah?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "And did you remember Allah there; so

much so, that everything else was forgotten; as

Allah has mentioned? (referring to the Quranic

verse: 'And remember Allah at the Masharul

Haraam [plain of Muzdalifah]')

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "In that case, you never reached

Muzdalifah. Did you perform Qurbani at Mina?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "Did you then sacrifice your own self?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "Then you performed no Qurbani. Did you

perform Rami? (i.e. pelting the Shaytan)"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "With every stone that you threw, did you

feel yourself shaking off you every form of

ignorance and feel your knowledge increasing?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "Then you did not actually perform Rami.

Did you perform the Tawaaf-uz-Ziyaarah?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "Did you experience any spiritual

enlightenment at that time, and from Allah did

honor and respect descend upon you? for

Rasulullah ( ) said, 'One who performs Hajj or

one who performs Umrah is Allah's guest; and

when a visitor visits somoene, it is only correct that

he should be honored.'"

I replied, "No, I experienced nothing."

Shaykh: "Then you never actually performed

Tawaaf-uz-Ziyaarah. Did you then release yourself

from Ihraam?"

I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "Did you at that time promise to adhere to

strictly to Halaal earnings at all times?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "In that case, you did not become Halaal

(released from Ihraam). Did you perform the

farewell tawaaf?" I replied, "Yes."

Shaykh: "Did you then say a complete farewell to

your whole self, your desires, and your passions?"

I replied, "No."

Shaykh: "Then you did not perform Tawaaful

Widaa (farewell tawaaf). Go back and perform Hajj

again; and peform it in the manner which I have

described for you."

The following story was related by the author of It-

haaf. May Allah in His infinite grace and mercy

grant us all this type of Hajj. Ameen.


5

InshaAllah, may reading all of these merits make

our hearts yearn for Hajj. Ameen!

As reported by Mujahid (RadiAllahu Anhu),

Ibn Abbas (RadiAllahu Anhu) once said:

“We were in the company of Allah’s Messenger

( ) when a group of people arrived from

Yemen. They said: ‘May our mothers and fathers

be your ransom! Will you tell us bout the special

merits of the Pilgrimage (Hajj)?’

He ( ) said:

“Yes! If any man sets out from his home, as a

Pilgrim (Hajji) or a Visitant, whenever he lifts a

foot, or sets a foot down on the ground, sins are

scattered from his feet, just as leaves are scattered

from the trees. Then, when he reaches the city of

Madinah Munawarrah, shakes my hand, and

salutes me with the greeting of peace (salaam), the

angels will likewise salute him with the greeting of

peace. Then, when he reaches Dhul-Halifa, and

performs the major ritual ablution (ghusl), Allah

will purify him of his sins. When he puts on two

new pieces of clothing, Allah will renew his good

deeds for him. When he says:

“I wait intent upon Your service, O Allah, time

and time again. Doubly at Your service!”

“Labbaika Allahumma labbaik”

Allah (Exalted is He) will respond to him with:

“I wait intent upon your service, time and time

again, and upon aiding your cause, time and time

again. I hear your speech, and I am watching you!”

“Labbaika wa sa’daik. Asma’u kalama-ka wa

anzuru ilia-k”

When he enters Mecca, performs the tawaaf

(circling around the Kabah Shareef), and walks at

a brisk pace (sa’a) between Safa and Marwa, Allah

will bestow good things upon him.

When he performs the rite of standing at Arafat,

and voices clamor at him with all kinds of needs,

Allah (Exalted is He) will hail them (him and all

those like him) as shining examples, saying to the

angels of the seven heavnes: “My angels and

inhabitants of My heavens, you must surely notice

My servants! See how they come to Me from

every deep ravine (from Quran 22:27), disheveled

and thick with dust. They have spent their wealth

and wearied their bodies, so, by My Might ad My

Majesty and My Honor, I shall give the evildoer

among them (as ransom) for the one who does

good, and I shall set them apart from sins, as on

the day when their mothers gave them birth.”

In another narration, Sayyidinah Rasulullah

( ) is reported to have said,

“Look over there, at (Mount) Abu Qais. Even if

you possessed a stack of fine gold, the size of Abu

Qais, and you applied it all to the cause of Allah,

you would not obtain what the Hajji obtains.”

He ( ) then went onto say:

“Whenever the Hajji picks something up, or puts

something down, while making preparations for

his journey, Allah will record ten good deeds in

his favor, erase ten bad deeds from his debit

column, and advance his spiritual progress by ten

degrees. Once he has mounted his camel, Allah

will likewise improve his record for him, each

time the camel lifts a hoof or sets it down on the

ground. When he circles the House (Kabah

The Monthly Noor 3:07 The Merits of the Hajji

6

Shareef), he will leave his sins behind. When he walks at a brisk pace (sa’a) between Safa and Marwa, he

will leave his sins behind. When he performs the rite of standing at Arafat, he will leave his sins behind.

When he stands at the Sacred Monument (Mashar al Haram), he will leave his sins behind. When he

throws pebbles at the pillars (jimar– representing the devil), he will leave his sins behind.”

As reported by Ibn Abi Malika, Abdullah ibn Abbas (RadiAllahu Anhu) once heard Sayyidinah

Rasulullah ( ) say:

“Every night and every day, one hundred and twenty merficful blessings descend upon this House (Kabah

Shareef). Sixty of them are for the benefit of those who circle (do tawaaf) the Sacred House. Forty of

them are for the benefit of those who practice worshipful seclusion around the Sacred House. Twenty of

them are for the benefit of those who simply turn their eyes toward it.”

As reported by Umar ibn Salama (RadiAllahu Anhu) that Sayyidinah Rasulullah ( ) once said:

“The Hujjaj (Pilgrims) and the Visitants are the delegation of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He). If

they appeal to Him, He will answer them, and if they seek His forgiveness, He will forgive them.”

As reported on the authority of Hadrat ad-Dahhak (RadiAllahu Anhu) that Sayyidinah Rasulullah (

) once said:

“...If any Muslim sets out from his own house, bound for the House of Allah (Kabah Shareef), but death

then descends upon him, before his arrival, Allah will surely award him the Garden of Paradise.”

As reported by Hadrat Abu Hurairah (RadiAllahu Anhu), Sayyidinah Rasulullah ( ) once said:

“If someone comes as a Pilgrim to his House, then goes back home, without having acted obscenely,

without having acted immorally, and without having acted foolishly, he will return as he was on the day

when his mother gave him birth.”

These ahadith are just a few examples of how blessed the Hajji is. Even for those not going on Hajj, the

first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are very holy, sacred, and special days. We should all make efforts to go on

Hajj, if not physically, then at least spiritually, by sending our hearts to do tawaf and sending our hearts to

Tayyibah (Madinah Munawarrah Shareef). InshaAllah Ameen!

The Monthly Noor 3:07 The Merits of the Hajji

It was while Hadrat Adam (Alayhis Salaam) was sleeping that

Allah created Bibi Hawa (Eve) from the short rib in his left side, so

he woke up from his slumber and saw Bibi Hawa sitting there

beside him. “To whom do you belong?” he said to her. “To you,”

she replied. Then he wanted to touch her, but he was told: “You

must not touch her until she has been given your dowry (mahr).”

“My God,” said he, “what is my dowry (for her)?” Allah (Exalted

is He) explained:

“It is that you invoke My blessing upon the Prophet of the end of

the age (Prophet Muhammad ( ) by reciting salawat/durood

shareef), ten times over. That is her dowry (from you).”

7

Fascinating Story of A Jewish Girl

A pious man was once lecturing on the virtues of

'Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem" (In the Name

of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most

Compassionate). A Jewish girl was also listening

to his lecture. She was so moved by the lecture

that she accepted Islam. Now, whenever she did

anything she always said the "Bismillah..." first.

When her father, who was the king's minister,

discovered that she had embraced Islam, he

became very upset. He feared that the people

would look down upon him so he began

threatening her in the hope that she would forsake

Islam. But she would not. Finally, he decided that

only solution was to kill her. Thus, he thought of a

plan, he gave her the ring which was used for

sealing letters and documents in the king's court.

He said to her, "Keep it until I ask for it."

Saying, "Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem," she

took it and put it in her pocket.

That night, the father tiptoed into her room, stole

the ring, and flung it into the river. That would

give the king all the reason to hang her.

The following day, a fisherman came along to the

minister and gave him a fish as a gift. The minister

took it and gave it to his daughter to prepare. As

soon as she opened the stomach to clean the fish,

she found the ring. She was shocked for it looked

exactly like the ring her father had given her! She

searched for the ring in her pocket but couldn't

find it. She read, "Bismillah hir Rahman nir

Raheem," and put the ring back into her pocket.

She prepared the fish and presented it to her father.

He ate the fish. He then asked for the ring. She

said, "Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem," and

produced it from her pocket. The father was

shocked for he had thrown it into the river! How

could she take it out of her pocket!

He told her what he had done and asked her where

she got the ring from. She told him she found it

from the fish's stomach. Witnessing the barakah of

"Bismillah" he too accepted Islam straightway

(mentioned in Maate Sufiyyah).

Story of the Roman King

The Roman king wrote to Hadrat Umar

(RadiAllahu Anhu) that he had continuous

headaches and kindly requested for some

medication.

Hadrat Umar (RadiAllahu Anhu) sent him a topee

(kufi) back. The king noticed that as long as he

had the topee on his head, he would feel well. But

when he took it off, the headache would come

back on.

He was suprised so he took off the topee and

inspected it carefully. He found, "Bismillah hir

Rahman nir Raheem," inscribed inside (Mentioned

in Moodhihul Quran).

Khalid bin Waleed and the Poison

On one occasion, Khalid bin Waleed (RadiAllahu

Anhu) was challenged. It was said to him that if

Islam is a true religion, then show everyone some

proof.

So Hadrat Khalid told them to bring him some

poison. They brought him a cup filled with poison

strong enough to kill fifty men. He said

"Bismillah" and drank it! No harm whatsoever

came to him by the blessings of the 'Bismillah,'

and they all embraced Islam. (*Do not try at home

as he had full faith in Allah and was a Sahabah.)

The Monthly Noor 3:07 The Blessings of Bismillah

8

*For

© Copyright 2014 The Monthly Noor. All rights reserved

Visit MonthlyNoor.com for more pictures, articles, and updates inshaAllah!

Prayer Time Table for Chicago, IL. Please adjust times according for your city.

Hijri Dates Date Day Fajr Sun Zuhr Asr Maghrib Isha

Dhul-Hijjah September Start Begins Rise Begins Begins Begins Begins 1 26 Fri 5:10 6:42 12:42 4:54 6:41 8:14

2 27 Sat 5:12 6:43 12:42 4:52 6:39 8:12

3 28 Sun 5:13 6:44 12:42 4:51 6:38 8:10

4 29 Mon 5:14 6:45 12:41 4:49 6:36 8:09

5 30 Tue 5:15 6:46 12:41 4:48 6:34 8:07

6 1st Oct Wed 5:16 6:47 12:41 4:46 6:33 8:05

7 2 Thu 5:17 6:48 12:40 4:45 6:31 8:03

8 3 Fri 5:17 6:48 12:40 4:45 6:31 8:03

9 *Arafat 4 Sat 5:18 6:49 12:40 4:43 6:29 8:02

10 *Eid Mubarak!

5 Sun 5:21 6:51 12:39 4:40 6:26 7:58

11*Eid Mubarak!

6 Mon 5:22 6:52 12:39 4:39 6:24 7:56

12*Eid 7 Tue 5:23 6:53 12:39 4:37 6:22 7:55

13 8 Wed 5:24 6:55 12:38 4:36 6:21 7:53

14 9 Thu 5:25 6:56 12:38 4:34 6:19 7:51

15 10 Fri 5:26 6:57 12:38 4:33 6:18 7:50

16 11 Sat 5:27 6:58 12:38 4:31 6:16 7:48

17 12 Sun 5:28 6:59 12:37 4:30 6:14 7:47

18 13 Mon 5:29 7:00 12:37 4:28 6:13 7:45

19 14 Tue 5:31 7:01 12:37 4:27 6:11 7:43

20 15 Wed 5:32 7:02 12:37 4:25 6:09 7:42

21 16 Thu 5:33 7:04 12:37 4:24 6:08 7:40

22 17 Fri 5:34 7:05 12:36 4:22 6:06 7:39

23 18 Sat 5:34 7:05 12:36 4:22 6:06 7:39

24 19 Sun 5:35 7:06 12:36 4:21 6:05 7:37

25 20 Mon 5:37 7:08 12:36 4:18 6:02 7:35

26 21 Tue 5:38 7:09 12:36 4:17 6:00 7:33

27 22 Wed 5:39 7:11 12:35 4:16 5:59 7:32

28 23 Thu 5:40 7:12 12:35 4:14 5:57 7:30

29 24 Fri 5:41 7:13 12:35 4:13 5:56 7:29

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