Shaykh Saaleh bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan
[May Allaah Preserve him]
Member of Committee of Senior Scholars
and Permanent Council of Research and Fatwaa.
It is upon the Muslim to fear Allaah,
The Glorified, The Most High, to rectify his deeds and to repent to Him from
his sins, so that he returns in a better state than he was before the Hajj. So
he must return to Allaah, repenting and returning to Him.
He must protect the obligations upon him
and to increase in doing optional good deeds. He must refrain from what Allaah
has Forbidden, because the Hajj increases one in obedience and Taqwaa of Allaah
and it opens the future (of the pilgrim) to righteous deeds and to be steadfast
upon them.
As for what some people say, ‘Hajj
expiates ones sins so he can do whatever he wants after preforming it because
he has been purified’ then this is from ignorance and deception, Allaah’s
Refuge is sought. What is obligatory is actually the opposite of this. Truly,
the one who performs the Hajj, then he should be in a better state than he was
before it, by following the Hajj with good deeds, repentance to Allaah,
abstaining from what is forbidden and that one remains steadfast on the
religion until death approaches him. Allaah, the Most High, says:
So if one returns to sinning and
disobedience after the Hajj then this has an impact on the Hajj and at times it
may even nullify his Hajj, such as one who does Shirk with Allaah, the Exalted
and Magnified.
So Hajj increases the believer in
Tawqaa of Allaah, the Exalted and Magnified and that he returns home like the
day his mother bore him, free from sins as the Prophet said, “Whoever performs
Hajj and he doesn’t have intercourse or sin, then he returns like the day his
mother gave birth to him”.
So Allaah has taken away your sins and
has accepted your repentance, so don’t return to sin after this. By doing so,
this is clear loss. So it is upon you to be pleased and rejoice with this
favour and to be constant in repentance (or turning to Him) and obedience to
Him, the Exalted and Magnified.
It is also upon you to enjoin what is
good and to forbid what is prohibited and be a guide for your people when you
return to them.
Explain to them what they need to
understand from the rulings of the religion. To explain to your brothers and
your family, the correct path. So call to Allaah, the Exalted and Magnified,
and give caution to mistakes that they have fallen into. The Most High says:
“ And remember
Allah during the appointed Days. But whosoever hastens to leave in two days,
there is no sin on him and whosoever stays on, there is no sin on him, if his
aim is to do good and obey Allah (fear Him), and know that you will surely be
gathered unto Him.” [al-Baqarah 2:203]
At-Taqwaa is to obey Allaah, the Most
High, with Light (i.e. knowledge) from Him, the Exalted and Magnified, seeking
His Reward. It also means that one should leave sinning, fearing His
Punishment. This is the definition of at-Taqwaa. It is called at-Taqwaa because
it protects one from the punishment, so then He said:
”And Obey Allaah (i.e. fear Allaah)…”
[al-Baqarah 2: 203]
This is affair of at-Taqwaa. Fear
Allaah by doing what He has Commanded you and abstaining from what He has
Prohibited. Be constant on this after the Hajj, in every moment.
Then He said after that:
“and know that you will surely be gathered unto Him” [al-Baqarah 2:203]
Meaning, you will be gathered on the
Day of Judgement in front of Allaah, the Exalted and Magnified; a day when the
first and the last will be gathered, on one plain, all of them standing in
front of the Lord of all of creation. Barefooted, naked and uncircumcised. Then
they will be reckoned for what they did and their deeds will be weighed on the
scales:
“Then, those whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, - these, they are the
successful. And those whose scales (of good deeds) are light,
they are those who lose their ownselves, in Hell will they abide.”
[al-Mu’minoon 23:102-103]
Then they will be given their records
in the right hand or in the left hand, then they will be presented with the
Siraat, which is a bridge that lies above the hellfire. There is nothing that
will help one to cross the Siraat except ones deeds, as the Most High, says:
“There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell); this
is with your Lord; a Decree which must be accomplished.” [Maryam 19:71]
Every one of us will pass it, and
Allaah’s help is sought.
This is wisdom behind it is in His
Statement:
“and know that you will surely be gathered unto Him” [al-Baqarah 2:203]
When you see the variety of people who
speak different languages, gather on the day of ‘Arafah, variation in their
nationalities and colours, and you see the extreme crowding, then you should
(also) remember Gathering (i.e. on the Day of Judgement). In fact, the
Gathering (i.e. on the Day of Judgement) will be even more severe in massing.
So the Gathering (i.e. on the Day of Judgement) will be an even greater
gathering than the gathering of the Hajj. It (i.e. on the Day of Judgement)
will gather from the first to the very last, all in one place. So if you saw
the way they gathered during the Hajj, and you witnessed the variation in their
languages and colours, you will also realise that they all differed in
accordance to their deeds and ranks. You saw them all gathered. So this should
remind you of the greatest gathering on the Day of Judgement, so prepare for it
with doing righteous deeds.
Then, He says:
“And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you (O Muhammad 205. And when he turns away (from you "O Muhammad"), his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allah likes not mischief.
206. And when it is said to him, "Fear Allah", he is led by arrogance to (more) crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest!
207. And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is full of Kindness to (His) slaves.” [al-Baqarah 2: 204-207]
So look to see
which group you belong to? Are you from the group which cling to the earth and
corrupt it? Or are you from those who trade themselves to seek the Pleasure of
Allaah? Trade: meaning they sell themselves to seek the Pleasure of Allaah, by
striving for the sake of Allaah; preforming acts of obedience, being patient in
times of difficulty, to seek the reward of Allaah, the Exalted and Magnified. So look! Are you from these or them?
So it is upon you to fear Allaah, the
Glorified and the Most High, and to account yourself. That you return (after
the Hajj) in a state that is better than before it, so that your Hajj will be
an accepted Hajj, a toiling which has been met with thankfulness (from Allaah)
and an expiation for sins.
And one should not say, ‘I have
performed the Hajj and I can now rely on that.’ These people are deceived by
their Hajj and their deeds. These people have not performed in relation to the
Rights of Allaah except something very little. And this is IF Allaah has
accepted it from you! Rather, the Rights of Allaah are far greater upon you,
however He, the Glorified and the Most High, Makes the little that you do into
something very big. He Multiplies your righteous deeds as a virtue and a favour
from Him. (And on top of this) He Admits people into Jannah from His Favour and
Mercy. If we were to depend on our deeds alone then we would perish! This is
because what we accomplish is very little in comparison to the favour of Allaah
upon us, however Allaah, the Glorified and the Most High, is ash-Shakoor
(Appreciative), al-Haleem (Enduring on peoples mistakes), al-Gahfoor
(Forgiving), ar-Raheem (Merciful).
So it is obligatory upon us to have
good thoughts about Allaah, that we rely upon Him, The Glorified and The High.
That we go back to in a better state then before, in obedience to Him and
Taqwaa, and to place ourselves in front of Him so that the Hajj has a positive
impact on our lives.
That we change our manners and degree
of steadfastness. That we call to Allaah in our lands, explaining matters to
our brothers and our families. That we remind them of Allaah, The Glorified and
The Exalted. That we order them to obey Allaah and we forbid them from
disobeying Allaah, so that our Hajj is accepted, our toiling is met with
thankfulness (from Allaah) and our sins expiated.
With this I ask Allaah, The Glorified
and The Magnified, that He Gives us and you Strength and Acceptance. That He
Makes us firm on the truth and Make us die upon the truth. That He Shelters us
and you from misguidance and al-Fitnah,
from the worst of al-Fitnahs, that which is apparent and what is hidden.
May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah
be upon our Prophet Muhammad, upon his Family and all his Companions.
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