Ta'lim : Part XXXIII

Hazrat Abu Huraira R.A. reports that Rasulullah Salallaho Alaihi Wassallam) said: "Verily there shall be no reward for a righteous pilgrimage except Jannat".According to some ulama a "Mabroor Hajj" (a righteous Hajj) is such a pilgrimage during which no evil deed is committed. For this reason they speak of Hajj-e-Mabroor as a Maqbool Hajj (an accepted Hajj). By this they mean such a Hajj wherein the Hajee took note of each and every one of the Aadaab and Shuroot of Hajj while at the same time avoiding all faults.By way of further elucidation we quote a Hadith by Hazrat Jaabir R.A. in which Rasulullah Sal'am said: " the beauty (righteousness) of Hajj lies in feeding others and speaking to them in an amicable fashion". Another Hadith states: "The virtue of Hajj lies in feeding others and in greeting others a lot". (Targheeb)It is also reported that when Rasulullah (Salallaho Alaihi Wassallam) announced that Paradise alone shall be the reward for a righteous Hajj, some companions inquired as to what a righteous Hajj actually was. To this Rasulullah (Salallaho Alaihi Wassallam) replied: "To feed others and to greet much". (Kanzul Ammaal)Hadith Number Three:Hazrat Aayesha R.A. reports that Rasulullah Sal'am said: "There is no day in which Allah sets free more souls from the fire of hell than on the day of Arafaat. And on that day Allah draws near to the earth and by way of exhibiting His pride remarks to the Angels: "What is the desire of these servants of mine."Note: As for the fact that 'Allah draws near' or 'descends' to the lowest heaven and similar phrases in Hadith literature, it should be borne in mind that Allah alone knows best the correct meaning. Allah is at all times near. He is not at all in need of the literal ascending or descending. When they come across such statements, the ulama explains it as referring to Allah's special mercies that draw near.Whatever has been read in this above Hadith has been said in many others. In one Hadith for example we read: "When the day of Arafaat dawns, Allah descends to the lowest heaven and boastingly remark to the Angels: " Look at My servants, they have come towards Me with their hair disheveled and scattered while their bodies and clothes are covered with the dust of long journeys. The cry from them is 'Labbaik, Allahumma Labbaik (We are at Your service, 'O Lord, we are at Your service) 'O My Angels, I take you to witness that I have forgiven their sins". The Angels will say: "O Allah among them there is that person who is inclined towards sin, and there are among them that evil man. And that so woman": Allah will reply: " I have forgiven them all".Rasulullah (Salallaho Alaihi Wassallam) said: "On no other day are so many souls set free from hell as on that day". (Mishkaat) We see the same theme in the following tradition: Allah says (on that day) "these servants of mine have come to Me with disheveled hair, begging for My mercy". Then addressing the pilgrims Allah says: "Even though your sins shall be as numerous as the grains of sand on the earth and though they may be as many as the raindrops that descend from heaven, and though your sins be as many as the trees that grow on the earth, I forgive them all. Proceed from here to your homes while your sins are forgiven".Looking at another Hadith we read: (on the day of Arafaat) Allah boastingly addressing the Angels say: "Look at them, I have sent my Messenger to them. They believed in him. I revealed My book to them and they believed in it. You be My witness that I have forgiven them all. (Kanzul Ummaal)