https://www.khutbah.info/yearning-for-hajj/ Allah Almighty has honored the Muslim community with successive seasons of goodness, consecutive days of mercies, and many means of triumphing with Paradise. The days pass by quickly. For as soon as Muslims bid farewell to Ramadan, the month of blessings and mercy, the season of Hajj arrives, the season of remembrance, magnifying and praising Allah, responding to the call of Allah, standing in Arafat, throwing the jamarat and tawaf (circumambulating) around the ancient House. Allah Almighty said: Al Hajj (22) 32: That [is so]. And whoever honors the symbols [i.e., rites] of Allāh – indeed, it is from the piety of hearts. And from Allah’s magnifying this season, that the souls of the believers yearn to shade under, is that Allah Almighty singled it from other seasons, that He did not entrust the honor of informing people about it and inviting them to it except to His close friend and the best of His creation after our Prophet Mohammad ﷺ; our father Ibrahim, peace be upon him. Allah Almighty said:
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
Allah Almighty has honored the Muslim community with successive seasons of goodness, consecutive days of mercies, and many means of triumphing with Paradise. The days pass by quickly. For as soon as Muslims bid farewell to Ramadan, the month of blessings and mercy, the season of Hajj arrives, the season of remembrance, magnifying and praising Allah, responding to the call of Allah, standing in Arafat, throwing the jamarat and tawaf (circumambulating) around the ancient House. Allah Almighty said:
ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ-الحج 32
Al Hajj (22) 32: That [is so]. And whoever honors the symbols [i.e., rites] of Allāh – indeed, it is from the piety of hearts.
And from Allah’s magnifying this season, that the souls of the believers yearn to shade under, is that Allah Almighty singled it from other seasons, that He did not entrust the honor of informing people about it and inviting them to it except to His close friend and the best of His creation after our Prophet Mohammad ﷺ; our father Ibrahim, peace be upon him. Allah Almighty said:
وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لإِبْرَاهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ أَنْ لا تُشْرِكْ بِي شَيْئًا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِي لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْقَائِمِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ * وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالاً وَعَلَى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ-الحج 26-27
Al Hajj (22) 26-27: (26) And [mention, O Muhammad], when We designated for Abraham the site of the House, [saying], “Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform tawāf and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate. (27) 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
Hajj, pilgrimage, to Allah’s sacred House is one of the great pillars of Islam. Allah Almighty mandated Hajj once in a lifetime upon His servants who are able to find a way there. Not to multiply through them due to lack and not to get glory through them out of humility. For He is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy. And indeed He bestows His grace and mercy upon people. So whoever obeys Him is guided. And whoever disbelieves does not hurt except themselves and does not harm Allah Almighty in the least bit. Allah Almighty said:
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ-آل عمران 97
Al Imran 97: And [due] to Allāh from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves [i.e., refuses] – then indeed, Allāh is free from need of the worlds.
And Hajj is specific to this religion and it is the secret of tawhid (affirming the Oneness of Allah). It is the visit of the one who loves to their Beloved and answering His invitation. And one’s dignity is through an ancient phrase that constantly renews, whose echo does not weaken over the centuries and the successive generations.
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ
Labbaika Allahumma Labbaik, Labbaika la sharika laka labbaik.
I respond to Your call O Allah, I respond to Your call, You have no partner, I respond to Your call.
Those of you who intend to perform the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allah, have glad tidings of Allah Almighty’s promise for you as the Prophet ﷺ indicated when responding to a man from among the Ansar (helpers) about what Hajj contains of reward. The Prophet ﷺ said:
أما خروجُك من بيتِك تؤُمُّ البيتَ الحرامَ؛ فإنَّ لك بكلِّ وطأَةٍ تطؤها راحلتُك يكتبُ اللهُ لك بها حسنةً، ويمحو عنك سيئةً. وأما وقوفُك بعرفةَ، فإنَّ اللهَ عزَّ وجلَّ ينزلُ إلى السماءِ الدنيا فيباهي بهم الملائكةَ، فيقولُ: هؤلاءِ عبادي جاؤوني شُعثًا غُبرًا من كلِّ فجٍّ عميقٍ، يرجون رحمتي ويخافون عذابي ولم يروني، فكيف لو رأوني، فلو كان عليك مثلُ رملِ عالجٍ أو مثلُ أيامِ الدنيا أو مثلُ قطرِ السماءِ ذنوبًا، غسلها اللهُ عنك. وأما رميُك الجمارَ فإنه مَدخورٌ لك. و أما حلقُك رأسَك فإنَّ لك بكلِّ شعرةٍ تسقطُ حسنةً، فإذا طُفتَ بالبيت خرجتَ من ذنوبِك كيومِ ولدتْك أمُّك”
As for leaving your home towards the Sacred House; for every step that your riding animal takes, Allah will record a good deed for you, and wipe away a sin. As for your standing in Arafat, Allah Almighty will descend to the sky of this world (in a manner befitting His Majesty) and boast about them to the angels and will say: these servants of Mine have come to Me disheveled from every distant pass, hoping for My mercy and fearing My torment while they have not seen Me, so how about if they saw Me? So if you have (countless) sins like the sands of a great desert or the days of this worldly life or the raindrops of the sky, Allah will cleanse it from you. As for your throwing the jamarat, its (reward) will be stored for you, as for shaving your head, a good deed will be recorded for every hair that falls, then if you perform tawaf around the House (Kaba) you will exit from your sins like the day that your mother gave birth to you. [At Tabarani 426/12, Albani (Saḥīḥ al Jami’) 1360, Grade: Ḥassan]
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺwas asked:
أَيُّ الْعَمَلِ أَفْضَلُ، قَالَ: «إِيمَانٌ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ» قِيلَ: ثُمَّ مَاذَا، قَالَ: «الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ» . قِيلَ: ثُمَّ مَاذَا، قَالَ حَجٌّ مبرورٌ
Which of the deeds are the best? He replied faith in Allah and His messenger. Then it was said, what’s next, he said striving in the way of Allah. Then it was said, what’s next, he replied a Hajj Mabroor. [Bukhari 2784, Muslim 85e]
And a Hajj Mabroor is a Hajj that is performed properly in accordance to the requirements and accepted by Allah Almighty. A Hajj that is free from showing off, seeking reputation, sin and unlawfully gained wealth. Therefore, it’s reward was promised by the Lord of the Worlds. And it’s reward is for the Allah conscious. It is the precious wish of the seekers of Allah’s pleasure and the believers race to it. The Prophet ﷺ said:
والحَجُّ المَبْرُورُ ليسَ له جَزَاءٌ إلَّا الجَنَّةُ
And the reward for the Hajj Mabrur (an accepted Hajj) is paradise. [Bukhari 1773, Muslim 1349a]
Ibn Shumasah, may Allah have mercy on Him reported:We visited ‘Amr bin Al-‘As (May Allah be pleased with him) when he was on his deathbed. He wept for a long time and said:
لَمَّا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الإسْلامَ في قَلْبِي أتَيْتُ النبيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلَّمَ، فَقُلتُ: ابْسُطْ يَمِينَكَ فَلأُبايِعْكَ، فَبَسَطَ يَمِينَهُ، قالَ: فَقَبَضْتُ يَدِي، قالَ: ما لكَ يا عَمْرُو، قالَ: قُلتُ: أرَدْتُ أنْ أشْتَرِطَ، قالَ: تَشْتَرِطُ بماذا، قُلتُ: أنْ يُغْفَرَ لِي، قالَ: أما عَلِمْتَ أنَّ الإسْلامَ يَهْدِمُ ما كانَ قَبْلَهُ، وأنَّ الهِجْرَةَ تَهْدِمُ ما كانَ قَبْلَها، وأنَّ الحَجَّ يَهْدِمُ ما كانَ قَبْلَهُ
When Allah placed the love for Islam in my heart, I went to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, extend your right hand, so that I may pledge allegiance to you. He ﷺ stretched out his right hand, but I withdrew my hand. He ﷺ said, What is the matter, Amr?’ I said, I wish to make some conditions. He asked, What conditions do you wish to make? He replied, to be granted forgiveness. He ﷺ said, do you not know that (embracing) Islam wipes out all that was before it (previous misdeeds). And that emigration for the sake of Allah wipes out all the previous sins before it, and that Hajj (pilgrimage) wipes out all previous sins and misdeeds before it. [Muslim 121]
From Allah’s kindness to the Muslims is that if a door of righteousness is closed for someone, He replaces it with another that is in line with their abilities and readiness. For the wives of the Prophet ﷺ requested from him to strive against the adversaries for the sake of Allah for what it contains of great virtue and high stations with Allah Almighty. So the Prophet ﷺ directed them to a deed that takes the its place and is befitting for them. Indeed it is Hajj. For the Prophet ﷺ said:
لَكُنَّ أفْضَلَ الجِهَادِ حَجٌّ مَبْرُورٌ . فَقالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فلا أدَعُ الحَجَّ بَعْدَ إذْ سَمِعْتُ هذا مِن رَسولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ.
But the best Jihad (for women) is the Hajj Mabroor (accepted by Allah). Then Aishah said, I did not leave performing Hajj after I heard this from Allah’s Messenger ﷺ. [Bukhari 1861]
There are many virtues of Hajj and Allah’s favor upon us is bigger and greater. It is astonishing for the one knowing these virtues to turn away from Hajj; people whom Allah has blessed with health, well-being, security and abundance of wealth. Rather, they may have gone on trips and travels to all countries and regions. They endure toil and fatigue because of these trips, and may even incur sins because of them. While their toil and spending in Hajj (pilgrimage) is recorded for them with their Lord and is saved for them in the balance of their good deeds. And in spite of this, there are those who are negligent of Hajj. For Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said to her when she performed Umrah:
إِنَّ لَكِ مِنَ الأَجرِ عَلَى قَدرِ نَصَبِكِ وَنَفَقَتِكِ
You will be rewarded in accordance to your effort and spending. [Sahih Al Targheeb (Albani), Grade: Sahih]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
تَابِعُوا بَيْنَ الْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَةِ، فَإِنَّهُمَا يَنْفِيَانِ الْفَقْرَ وَالذُّنُوبَ، كَمَا يَنْفِي الْكِيرُ خَبَثَ الْحَدِيدِ وَالذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ، وَلَيْسَ لِلْحَجَّةِ الْمَبْرُورَةِ ثَوَابٌ إِلَّا الْجَنَّةُ
Perform Hajj and ‘Umrah consecutively; for they remove poverty and sin as the bellows remove impurity from iron, gold and silver. And there is no reward for an accepted Hajj except paradise. [Sunan an-Nasa’i 2630, Grade: Hassan]
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
Every Muslim, who has the ability, should hasten to perform Hajj. And it is not justified for the one who is able and capable of performing Hajj to delay it. Rather one should hasten to perform Hajj before something happens to them. The Prophet ﷺ said:
تَعَجَّلُوا إِلَى الْحَجِّ فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَا يَدْرِي مَا يَعْرِضُ لَهُ
Hasten in performing the (one obligatory) Hajj, For none of you knows what will happen to them. [Ahmad 2869, Sahih Al Jami’ 2957, Grade: Sahih]
And in a narration:
مَنْ أَرَادَ الْحَجَّ فَلْيَتَعَجَّلْ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ يَمْرَضُ الْمَرِيضُ، وَتَضِلّ الرَّاحِلَةُ وَتَعْرِضُ الْحَاجَةُ
Whoever intends to perform Hajj, shall hasten to do so, for he may fall sick, lose his mount, or be faced with some need. [Sunan Ibn Majah 2883, Grade: Hassan]
And Abu Saeed Al Khudry, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said that Allah said:
إنَّ عبدًا أصحَحتُ لهُ جسمَهُ ، ووسَّعتُ عليهِ في مَعيشتِهِ ، تمضي عليهِ خمسةُ أعوامٍ لا يَفِدُ إليَّ لمَحرومٌ
Verily, the one whose body I have made sound, and I have made his life easy, but five years pass for him without coming to me, is deprived. [Sahih Al Jami’ (Albani) 1909, Grade: Sahih]
Meaning that if five years pass without a person visiting Allah’s sacred House, either intending Umrah or Hajj, while they are healthy and have extra wealth, then they are deprived from great good and reward from Allah Almighty, because they left what has much good in this life and the next without a valid excuse.
We ask Allah Almighty to grant us and you a Hajj this year and to bless us with pardoning and well-being in this world and the hereafter. Indeed Allah is All Hearing Answering.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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