Virtues of Hajj	The Origination of Haj
The Significance of Hajj	The Call-Labbaik Allahumma Labaik
Perils of Not Performing Hajj	Hajj- An Obligatory Fundemantal
General Procedure of Haj	A Most Blessed and Sacred Month
Significance of  First Ten Days	The Day of Arafah
Qurbani	The Reward
The Warning	After Hajj
Upon Visiting the Holy Tomb	Virtue of Praying Salaah in Masjid-e-Nabawi
The Pilgrimage of Life (A short poem)	The House of Allah
A Saintly Hajj	Did You Know?

 

Detail performance of Haj and Umrah

Queries and Conditions Concerning Female Pilgrims

 

The 12th month of the Islamic calendar, the month of Zil-Hijjah, is indeed a most meaningful and valuable month for every Muslim. 

Its name is directly derived from the Hajj, which, being the 5th pillar of Islam, is to be performed during this month. It has been referred to in the Holy Quraan and the Ahadeeth, as one of the Sacred months ( Ash-hurul-Hurum ).

The first ten days hold a particular significance as is mentioned in the Hadeeth of our Prophet Mohammed  wherein He is reported to have said :  " On no other days is the worship ( Ibadah ) desired more than in the first ten days of Zul-Hijjah. The fast of each of these days is equal to the fast of a whole year and the Nafal Salaah of each of these nights is equal to that of Laylatul Qadr."

Our Prophet Mohammed   was once asked about the fast on the day of Arafah ( 9th Zul-Hijjah ) to which He replied:  " It will be a means of compensation for the  ( minor ) sins of the past year as well as the coming year."

Thus, this nafal fast holds such a great reward that a sincere and eager Muslim should not let this opportunity go by, thinking it to be just like any nafal Ibadaah. 

One should note that on the day of Eid-ul-Adha ( 10th ZilHijjah ) there is no fast, actually it is not permissible to fast on this day, thus the fasts would be from the 1st to the 9th.

The days from the 10th to the 13th of ZilHijjah are known as the days of sacrifice (Ayyamu-un-Nahar) during which the Qurbaani must be carried out. 

Qurbaani is wajib (compulsory) upon all those Muslims who are mature and possess the nisaab of sadaqatul-fitr. In England, it will be compulsory upon most Muslims

Regarding the importance of the Qurbaani, it is related from Hazrat Aisha   that the Holy Prophet  said:   " There is nothing dearer to Allah during the days of Qurbaani, than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Judgment with its horns, hair and hooves ( To be weighed as good deeds.) The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood reaches the ground."

Therefore, a Muslim is abundantly rewarded and draws closer to Allah, through this sacrifice. Since this devotion can only be offered during these three days of the year only, this God-given opportunity must not be missed by any Muslim.

There is a very stern warning in the Hadeeth, for those who ignore the obligation of Qurbaani. Our Holy Prophet Mohammed  has said:  " The person who has the means of performing the Qurbaani but does not do so, should not even come near our prayer gathering ( of Eid )." This makes it obvious that the Qurbaani is very important indeed.  May Almighty Allah grant us all the best understanding and accept our  qurbaanis-Ameen.