In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr) 1. By the declining day, 2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss, 3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
(An old article)
Last Sunday I visited my sister in law and and her husband who was back home after performing hajj that is one of the Pillars of Islam.
Perhaps all the 28,000 strong Malaysian pilgrims in the Holy Land are now back home; we wish them all the best in their undertakings as new ‘hajjis’ and ‘hajjas’.
‘Hajjis’ and ‘hajjas’ are ambassadors of good faith; they are highly respected and are look upon as examples in society.
In the Holy Land, almost all ‘hajjis’ and ‘hajjas’ follow strictly the word of Allah The Greatest (SWT) and the Prophet (peace be upon him – s.a.w.) in order to be rewarded ‘hajji mabrur’ (hajj that would be accepted by Allah SWT and the reward which is none other than ‘janna’ (paradise), but sadly upon returning home, some come go back to their old ways.
If during ‘hajj’, they follow word by word whatever penned down and instructed in hajj guidebooks, but in life they fail to adhere to the greatest manual given by Allah SWT to human beings, that is the Qur’an. We tend to adhere to some orders of Allah SWT but fail to practice in life His law such as ‘hudud’. We should know that our lives will remain meaningless and ruined unless they are guided by the Qur’an, the word of God.
In Makkah and Madina, some ‘hajjis’ managed to dump smoking but they fail to maintain that good habit as soon as they step on the soil of their homeland. In the Holy Land, ‘hajjas’ follow strictly the dressing code, particularly regarding their ‘aurat’ (parts of the bodies that should not be exposed), but once they reach their homelands, they are practically back to ‘square one’.
Some prefer not to cover their heads; others bare not only their bodies but their sensitive areas as shown by a female popular singer not long ago. The question is, does Allah SWT only ‘exists’ in the Holy Land or His’s laws is only applicable there?
After his return, the pilgrim should adopt the mental frame of a wayfarer, more conscious in his daily routines of the permitted and prohibited in Islam and in constant preparation for the more important journey to the Hereafter.
But wait; are our ‘hajjis’ and ‘hajjas’ ready for that heavy responsibility; for example as ambassadors of good faith they should adhere to the Islamic way of life including in politics. In a book ‘Hajj of the Heart’ published by Orina Consultancy, the writer questioned “where are the good ones?”
He wrote: “The tragedy is not the brutality of the Evil but the silence of the Good, which allows the Evil to flourish. Every year millions of pilgrims declare at Hajj that they will serve Allah The Almighty. Where are they? Hope they’ve not forgotten their Islamic duty to fight injustice and ignorance with their tongues, hands, hearts and resources?”
Violations of Islam including in politics is rampant in society; the question is where are our 'hajjis' and 'hajjas’ to fight the injustice? Or worse, are they with ‘the forces of evil?’
What are violations of Islam? A small book entitled ‘A Guide To Hajj, Umra and Visiting The Prophet’s Mosque’ published by Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da’wah and Guidance, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which was given to every 'hajji' and 'hajja' in the Holy Land is useful and could be guidelines to us.
“Brothers and sisters Muslim, you must aware that there are matters which nullify your Islam. We will mention here the ten most common violations. Please be mindful of them.
The First Associating partners with Allah (shirk). Allah, the Most High, says, “Truly, if anyone associate partners with Allah, Allah will forbid him the Garden and his abode will be the Fire, the wrongdoers will have no helpers.”
Calling upon the dead, asking their help, or offering them gifts or sacrifices are all forms of shirk.
The Second Setting up intermediaries between oneself and Allah, making supplication to them, asking their intercession with Allah, and placing one’s trust in them is unbelief (kufr).
The Third Anyone who does not consider polytheists (mushrikeen) to be unbelievers, or who has doubts concerning their unbelief, or considers their way to be correct, is himself an unbeliever (kafir).
The Fourth Anyone who believes any guidance other than the Prophet’s guidance to be more perfect, or a decision other than the Prophet’s decision to be better, is an unbeliever. This applies to those who prefer the rule of Evil (Taghout) to the Prophet’s rule. Some examples of this are:
a) To believe that systems and laws made by human beings are better than the Shari’ah of Islam; for example, that the Islamic system is not suitable for the twentieth century; that Islam is the cause of backwardness of Muslims; or that Islam is a relationship between Allah and the Muslim, it should not interfere in other aspects of life.
b) To say that enforcing the punishment prescribed by Allah, such as cutting off the hand of a thief or stoning an adulterer, is not suitable in this day and age.
c) To believe that it is permissible to give a rule from that which Allah did not reveal in the Islamic transactions or matters of law, punishment or other affairs. Although one may not believe such rulings to be superior to the Shari’ah he is in fact affirms such a stand by declaring a thing which Allah has totally prohibited, such as adultery, drinking alcohol and usury, to be permissible. According to the consensus of Muslims, one who declares such thing to be permissible is an unbeliever (kafir).
The fifth, anyone who hates any part of what the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has declared to be lawful has nullified his Islam, even though he may act in accordance with it. Allah the Most High says: “Because they disliked what Allah has revealed, their deeds are brought to nothing.”
The sixth, anyone who ridicules any aspect of the religion of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), or any of its rewards or punishments, becomes an unbeliever. Allah, the Most High says: "Say; Do you ridicule Allah, His revelations and His Messenger? Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your (profession of) faith."
The seventh, the practice of magic included in this is causing a rift betwee a husband and a wife by turning his love for her into hatred, or tempting a person to do things he dislikes by using black arts. One who engages in such a thing or is pleased with it is outside the pale of Islam. Allah the Most High, says, "The two (angels, Harut and Marut) did not teach anyone (magic) without warning them, 'Indeed, we are a trial; then do not disbelieve).'"
The eighth, supporting and aiding polytheists against the Muslims. Allah, the Most High says: "The one from among you who supports them belongs to them. truly, Allah does not guide the people who do wrong."
The ninth, anyone who believes that some people are permitted to deviate from Shari'ah of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is unbeliever by the word of Allah, the Most High: "If anyone seeks a religion other than al-Islam it will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers."
The tenth, to turn completely away from the religion of Allah, neither learning its precepts nor acting upon it. Allah, the Most High says: "Who does greater wrong than the one who is reminded of the revelations of his Lord und turns away from them. Truly, We shall recompense the guilty," and He also says: "But those who disbelieve turn away from that about which they are warned."
It makes no difference whether such violations are committed as a joke, in seriousness or out of fear, except when they are done under compulsion. We seek refuge in Allah from such deeds as entail His wrath and severe punishment.
The new 'hajjis' and 'hajjas' should be very keen to avoid evil and shameful deeds especially after Allah SWT has obliterated them and forgave all their sins, as a reward for performing hajj.
Therefore, it behoves every hajji to offer due gratitute to Allah SWT for being chosen to perform those acts of worship and at the same time beseech Him for acceptance. Such persons upon returning home, should be conscious of Allah SWT when performing all that He has obligated him to do of the other worship such as ‘salah’ (prayers), ‘zakah’, fasting, dutifulness to parents and work hard or at least gave support towards the establishment of a government that would push for the implementation of Allah’s law such as 'hudud’.
Well, Islam covers everything in life including politics – it is the only way of life to succeed in this world and Hereafter.
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