MASJIDIL HARAM

RENOVASI MASJIDIL HARAM

HAJJ TIPS (50 THINGS TO DO IN HAJJ)

Hajj Tips (50 Things to do in Hajj)
By Muhammad Alshareef
Smile in another Muslims face
Say Salam to strangers
Shake someone's hand and ask about their health
Buy tea for someone
Offer to get someone's groceries
Sit with a Hajj group from another country and ask about Islam in their village
Carry someone's bags for them
Guide someone ill to the infirmary
Shun vain talk
Recite talbiyah loudly, encouraging others
On the days of Eid, walk through the tents reciting talbiyah loudly reminding others
Gather stones for people
Offer to throw on behalf of unable Hajjis
Guide people to the Jamarat
Lower your gaze
Remind people of the lives of the Sahaabah
Read Qur'an with the Tafseer
Do the authentic Dhikr of the morning and evening
Make dua during your Sajdah
Stand to the side of a gate and offer people water/tea as they leave
Give major attention to shy people in your group
Remind people of patience, why they came here, and the example of our Ulumaa' in Hajj
Explain a Hajj Khutbah you may have heard to those around you
Explain the importance of purifying ones actions for the sake of Allah
Phone relatives (from Makkah) on Eid day
Make dua for forgotten friends (and the author of this list)
Don't allow Muslims to fight during Hajj
Help people find a place to sleep
Remember - during the heat - the unending torment of hellfire
Say 'Laa ilaaha illa Allah, wahdahu laa sharika lah, lahul Mulk wa lahul hamd, wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay'in Qadeer' 100x
Say the dua of entering the market place when you go there
Give charity to those who sell meager things (sandals/eggs)
Attend the Halaqahs that are given in Mina
Stay for the 13th of Dhul Hijjah
Remind people to go home as better Muslims
Forgive people that wrong you
Talk to 10 different people from 10 different countries
Compliment someone sincerely
Visit the hospital and thank Allah for all that he has given you
Take young Muslims and invite them to sit with the elders. Make them the center of attention.
Give a tafseer class after Salah / ask someone knowledgeable
(For men) On the days of Eid, offer perfume to those around you
Ask about the health of senior women in your group. Make sure they are attended to.
Focus hard on helping those immediately near you
Take people to the slaughter house and help them / Or assist them in purchasing their slaughter coupons
Remember specific blessings Allah has bestowed upon you and say Alhamdulillah
Pray to Allah using his 99 most beautiful names (al Asmaa' al Husna)
Use a Miswak
Fill your pockets with candies and give to the children that you meet
Always intend reward from Allah for everything you go through during Hajj

PREPARING FOR HAJJ

IslamicallyThe following conditions must be satisfied for Hajj to be acceptable to Allah SWT:
A Pilgrim must be a sane adult person.
A Pilgrim must pay off all debt. Pilgrim must not be a debtor before departing. He or she must be completely debt-free.
A Pilgrim must leave sufficient money for his family's expenses while he is away on Hajj.
A Pilgrim must have sufficient funds to meet his or her own Hajj expenses. Haaji must not intend to beg when going for Hajj.
A Pilgrim must ask permission of his or her parents, particularly when they are sick or old and should also seek their pardon.
A Pilgrim must complete a regular "Will" ("waseeyyat") before departing.A Sample Islamic "Will"


SpirituallyA person must spend time learning about Islam, the background of Hajj, the special requirements, "Masnoon Dua" for the "Manasik" of Hajj (the "fardh" and the "sunnah" of Prophet Muhammad ) prior to leaving.
It is recommended to familiarize oneself with the details pertaining to the rites of Hajj. The ceremony of Hajj must be according to the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad and must conform to one's "fiqh madhab" (Islamic school of thought).
The complex rituals are performed differently by Hujjaj following the Hanafi, Shaafi, Malaki and Hambali doctrines. Furthermore, shia have their own beliefs. As such toleration and moderation must be cultivated.
Remember, for "Hajj -e- Mabrur ", acceptance of your efforts for Hajj is solely Allah SWT's prerogative and thus a mercy from Him.
We pray that your Hajj and Hajj of all be accepted by Allah SWT. Ameen!







PhysicallyHajj require lots of strenuous physical activity. Although, all of it is amply rewarded by Allah SWT, the intense exertion coupled with harsh desert climate can take a serious toll on the body.
The aged, women, patients suffering from heart, breathing & other ailments and the physically challenged Muslims planning on this blessed trip MUST be accompanied by able bodied & healthy caretakers. It is the responsibility of the person to ensure that he or she is sufficiently prepared to undertake the physical challenge. An individual should not unnecessarily burden strangers. Hujjaj are eager to assist fellow Hujjaj but one must be aware of potential health problems and take adequate precautions to avoid problems. The rest is up to Gracious Allah SWT.
An article "Getting Into Shape For Hajj"


MentallyThe journey to Arabia for Hajj requires mental conditioning since we will be given lessons in becoming sincere "Abdullah" (Allah SWT's slaves). We have to learn to control our tongues, egos and arrogance. Hujjaj dress alike in Ihram during Hajj, regardless, of who they might be in this world. Royalty, corporate executives, normal people or poor people are all slaves in front of Allah : begging for His mercy and forgiveness. Our goal must be to do our very best that we may get the highest rewards from Allah SWT.
Furthermore, the Saudi society and culture today is very different from our own and our expectations of an Islamic society. May Allah forgive us but sometimes, one gets a nauseating feeling that the Makkan society has reverted to the primitive state that existed before our beloved Prophet Muhammad civilized the pagans with Allah's Al Islam.
The entire trip is an eye-opening experience. We must pray to Allah SWT to make Hajj easy for us, prepare us for the difficulties and Graciously accept our Hajj out of His Mercy.
The great differences in language, food, social and religous habits, attitudes of police folks and bureaucrats can cause major stress. Sadly enough, Islamic etiquette (politeness, helpfulness and courtesy) is missing from the behavior of local people providing various services to Hujjaj. These include the Mutawwifs and their agents, salesmen, bank tellers, taxi and bus drivers and operators, tour managers, restaurant and hotel staff, janitors, caretakers, guards, etc. The abruptness and purely commercial motives may shock the Hujjaj. Hajj and Umrah seasons are the main opportunities for the locals to make obscene profits. These raw attitudes are in sharp contrast to Haaji's own state of Islamic awareness.
In general, Hujjaj in Makka are under stress thus the entire atmosphere is tense. This is partly because Hujjaj want to fulfill their religous obligations properly. And partly because of the severe physical rigors. Also, Satan, is ever more intent to cause mischief amongst Hujjaj. We must acknowledge these conditions and prepare ourselves likewise. Praying to Allah SWT to guide and help us is the only solution.
The vast number of people from various corners of the world, the round-the-clock close proximity to strangers, the queues for food, water, transportation, restrooms and other physical inconveniences does have an impact on the mental well being. We must be prepared to detach ourselves from the outside world and its earthly comforts and focus solely on completion of the blessed responsibility to the best of our ability.
We must refrain from our usual modus operandi and channel all our energies to complete Hajj with piety. All this requires mental discipline and will power. Only the blessings and mercy of Allah SWT can help us. We must remain thankful and be hopeful of the abundant reward awaiting us.
In brief, Hajj has become easier physically due to the various modern comforts. However, attainment of spiritual enlightment and inner peace has become more elusive.


FinanciallyGoing for Hajj involves certain amount of investment. This can vary from US$3000 to US$7000 for the entire journey.
It is a requirement that a Haaji must be completely debt-free and must provide adequately (out of Allah SWT's bounty) for his loved ones before departing on Hajj. As such, the person must completely pay off any and all outstanding loans (mortgages, auto loans, college loans, credit card debt, store credit cards, charge cards, etc.) before departing.

GETTING INTO SHAPE FOR HAJJ

The Hajji pleads of Allah to: "...purify (his) intention and give (him) the grace of performing the Hajj in the best possible manner." Most modern sports training books, also talk about "performing....in the best possible manner", with elevated states of physical and mental readiness, writes Mike Magras.
"How?" I hear you say "can he dare to compare the Holy Pilgrimage with the contents of a sports book?" Well, have you ever stopped to think that the training element, in fact, permeates nearly all of the five pillars of Islam? Zakat or the giving of charity trains us in spending our wealth. Fasting trains us in self discipline and self control over the body and its desires. Hajj trains us to sacrifice our physical and mental energies, our wealth, time, comforts and possessions in the way of Allah. Salah and as-Shahadah provide us with exercises in mental culture. These are necessary for the constant reaffirmation of our faith in God. So, I argue, preparation should not be seen as an alien concept since we, as Muslims, are "in training" all the time!
While researching this article, I asked several people who'd already been on Hajj: "What advice would you give to someone who wishes to know how best to prepare for Hajj?"
No question about it, everyone felt that all potential Hajjis should be well versed in the essentials. Specific areas that were mentioned included; the special prayers, obligations, restrictions, terminologies and the sacred places to be visited.
However, to my gratification, (otherwise there would have been no point to this article) their responses also suggested that people have begun to realise this simple fact: Hajjis will be in a better position to deal with the rigours of the holy pilgrimage if they are in a good physical state. People are finally beginning to realise the contribution that good bodily preparation can make towards alleviating some of the (usually extreme) physical hardships and stress during Hajj.
Hajj follows the holy month of Ramadan and is commonly known as the holy pilgrimage. It became a compulsory act, for all Muslims, in the year 9th Hijrah, that is nine years after the Islamic state was established in Medina. While on Hajj, Muslims consciously give up the accepted pleasures and conveniences of life and endure rigorous, obligatory, disciplines. The ultimate aim is to attain, and retain, an intensified state of devotion (taqwa) to God.
So it can be said that those who are physically and mentally fit to undertake the journey, are the ones most likely to gain the greatest potential benefits. Ill-health would greatly affect the level of concentration needed to complete the obligatory ceremonies. If you want to perform in the best possible manner, then you should ensure that you are in the best possible condition - naturally.
When asked how one should prepare for Hajj one Haji remarked, "they should try to walk the equivalent of 10 miles a day in a sauna." Others also remembered with renewed agony the long arduous walks and the intense blazing sun. With this in mind I've put together a simple regular training activity that will give all of those contemplating Hajj this year, an adequate level of fitness before you embark on the Holy Pilgrimage.
People tend to forget that walking is the single most natural human exercise activity there is, and nothing could be easier. By following a simple programme of walking, you can obtain the level of fitness needed to alleviate some of the physical stress of Hajj. Walking punishes the body far less than jogging or swimming, yet is an effective way of improving respiration and heart function.
The aim of this walking programme is to bring on subtle, progressive changes to the aerobic capacity of the body. The aerobic capacity is the body's ability to use oxygen during exercise and this programme is simple. It involves walking a little further than you do normally each day and increasing the distance gradually. The day-to-day improvements to your health, may well be very small and unmeasurable, but don't be put off, when the time comes to leave for the Holy City you will notice the improvement.
This is known, in the fitness world, as the progressive overload principle. To illustrate this principle we can take a look at the legendary tale of Milo. Milo was a warrior in ancient Greece who used the technique of lifting the same calf every day to build up his strength. Milo found that as the calf grew so did his strength. Over a period his strength improved significantly enough to allow him to lift the cow when it was fully grown. This tale shows how the body responds and adapts to steady increases in the workload.
You should, at the first opportunity, put on your walking shoes, set a destination and start your walking programme. Listen to your body, if it aches on the day after your walk, do not increase your distance, if it doesn't, do - say by an extra half mile to start with. You haven't got much time so I suggest you start almost immediately!
Another important factor to consider is the heat. Most of us who do not live in a country near the equator are not acclimatised to the intense heat that is experienced during Hajj. Because of this, our body defence systems are not adequate to cope with the maintenance of the temperature and body fluid balances. This can leave us open to the life-threatening conditions of heat stress and dehydration. During vigorous physical exercise a person can sweat at a rate of 4 pounds of water every hour. This water must be replaced. If a person loses more than 5 per cent of his or her weight in sweat, they face the danger of becoming dehydrated and thus increasing the risk of heat illness. The only way to combat this is to continue to drink at frequent intervals - up to four pints a day is recommended, that's about 12 glasses. The body's thirst mechanism is not a good indicator as it underestimates the need for fluid.
Finally the motivational factor deserves a special mention. Each Haji, who was asked to comment, said that their absorption into the spiritual experience was intensified just through being in the company of people with the same objectives. They went on to say that they also gained additional mental and physical strength. There is evidence that people are prepared to perform their duties, with reverence, in the face of adversity. It was reported that, in 1969, people continued to walk around the Ka'abah despite the fact that it had been flooded and there was 5 feet of water! So if you are going to get the most out of the Hajj please ensure that you are at your best spiritually, physically and mentally.
And while you are there could you please save a prayer or two for this humble correspondent!
Appeared in Q-News International Online (http://www.q-news.com/), Issue 260; March 1997 - Dhul Qada 1417 http://www.aapi.co.uk/q-news/260p26.htm