alt="images"/> after they were left in the desert by Prophet Ibrāhīm Ṣalāt: Obligatory or supererogatory prayers.
Shawṭ: One complete circumambulation, or circuit, of the Kaʿbah. Each shawṭ (pl. ashwāṭ) starts and ends at Ḥajar al-Aswad. Seven ashwāṭ constitute one Ṭawāf.
Talbiyah: A devotional recital of the following words by the pilgrim during Ḥajj and ʿUmrah:
Labbaik Allāhumma Labbaik. Labbaik, Lā Sharīka Laka, Labbaik. Innal-Ḥamda, Wan-Niʿmata Laka wa’l-Mulk, Lā Sharīka Lak.
(Here I am at Thy service O Lord, here I am. Here I am at Thy service and Thou hast no partner. Thine alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is the Sovereignty. Thou hast no partner.)
The Talbiyah is a prayer as well as an assertion of the pilgrim’s conviction that he intends to perform Ḥajj only for the glory of Allah. The pilgrim starts the recital upon changing into the Iḥrām, and continues to recite it frequently throughout Ḥajj. Male pilgrims recite the Talbiyah loudly whereas female pilgrims are required to recite it in a low voice.
Taqṣīr: Shortening or clipping of the whole head of hair by the male pilgrim following the completion of Ḥajj. This may be performed in lieu of Ḥalq. The Sunnah of Rasūl Allāh
Ṭawāf: The devotional act of circumambulating the Kaʿbah while reciting prayers. It constitutes an integral part of Ḥajj and ʿUmrah. There are five different types of Ṭawāf one may perform:
Ṭawāf al-Ifāḍah: The Ṭawāf performed by the pilgrim on the 10th of Dhu’l-Ḥijjah as the last formal rite of Ḥajj in Makkah after changing into everyday clothes (also called Ṭawāf al-Ziyārah).
Ṭawāf al-Nafl: A devotional Ṭawāf which may be performed any time.
Ṭawāf al-Qudūm: The initial Ṭawāf performed by the pilgrim upon entering the Masjid al-Ḥarām in Makkah pursuant upon his intention for Ḥajj.
Ṭawāf al-ʿUmrah: The Ṭawāf performed as a rite of ʿUmrah.
Ṭawāf al-Wadāʿ: The Farewell Ṭawāf performed by the pilgrim just before leaving Makkah for his next destination.
ʿUmrah: A set of religious and devotional rites performed in Makkah in an order ordained by Allah and Rasūl Allāh
Yawm an-Naḥr: The 10th of Dhu’l-Ḥijjah. This day is designated as the preferred day of sacrifice during Ḥajj.
Yawm at-Tarwiyah: The 8th of Dhu’l-Ḥijjah signifying the start of Ḥajj. The pilgrim proceeds to Minā on this day.
CHAPTER 3
Before You Leave
Ḥajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. All Muslims who fulfill certain conditions must perform Ḥajj at least once in their lifetime. What are these conditions? Are there any prerequisites of Ḥajj? The answers to these and many other similar questions can help you in making decisions, and in planning for Ḥajj in a better and more efficient manner.
Every Muslim who fulfills the following conditions must perform Ḥajj at least once in his lifetime:
a: He must be of sound mind and in full control of his mental faculties.
b: He must be sufficiently old and mature to understand the full import and significance of what he is setting out to do.
c: He must be sound enough financially to be able not only to bear all of his expenses for Ḥajj but also to provide adequately for his dependants during his absence and until his return.
NOTES(1) Those who are old or permanently incapacitated, but are otherwise fully capable of meeting their financial obligations in respect of Ḥajj, may pay someone else to perform it on their behalf. It is preferable, though not essential, that their delegate has himself been to Ḥajj before undertaking this responsibility on their behalf.
(2) Adult children may also perform Ḥajj on behalf of their deceased parents.
Since Ḥajj is an act of worship, it must be performed in peace and with single-minded devotion. There are a number of simple, yet important, things you can do to get in the right frame of mind for this unique experience. All of these are self-evident and are based on common sense. They are reiterated below for completeness of the discussion and as a reminder:
a: Your intention must be to perform Ḥajj solely for the sake of Allah. Considerations of pleasing or impressing others with your show of piety should never be a factor.
b: All Ḥajj expenses must be paid out of money obtained through legitimate (ḥalāl) means. Money obtained through illegitimate or doubtful means is not acceptable.
c: All of your debts and financial obligations must be fully discharged before you start your journey and, where necessary, a receipt of the transaction obtained for future use.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
