This excerpt is taken from the book "Advice to Hajj Pilgrims" by the virtuous Sheikh Professor Dr. Saleh bin Ghanem Al-Sadhan, may Allah preserve him.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الحمد لله رب العالمين، والصلاة والسلام على أشرف الأنبياء والمرسلين نبينا محمد و على صحبه أجمعين، أما بعد:
These few important advices are presented for the Muslim brothers performing Hajj at the Holy House of Allah. It is hoped from the Almighty Allah that He grants us and them the ability for an accepted Hajj, appreciated effort, and forgiven sins.
◈ Sincerity that negates polytheism:
No Muslim doubts that the essence of deeds depends on sincerity for Allah. And associating partners with Allah, whether it is minor shirk or major shirk, corrupts the deed and destroys it. Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَّنثُورًا﴾
"And the deeds they used to do have We made as scattered dust particles."
Reference: (25-Al-Furqan:23)
Allah Almighty has strongly warned His servants against shirk and insincerity. Allah Almighty said to His beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
﴿وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ﴾
"Indeed, it has been revealed to you and to those before you that if you associate others with Allah, your deeds will surely become worthless. And indeed, you will be among the losers."
Reference: (39-Az-Zumar:65)
A person should never consider himself safe from major shirk or any of its minor forms at any time, rather he should be concerned and fearful about shirk, avoid falling into it, and continuously pray to Allah to protect him from shirk, as Allah Almighty said regarding His friend Ibrahim (Abraham) عليه السلام, he prayed:
﴿وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ﴾
"And protect me and my descendants from worshipping idols."
Reference: (14-Ibrahim:35)
Some scholars say about this: After Ibrahim Khalilullah عليه السلام, who can consider himself safe from shirk?
The Divine command is:
﴿ أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ﴾
"Beware: Worship Allah alone sincerely."
Reference: (39-Az-Zumar:3)
Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, explains this as: Worship only Allah alone without any partner, and invite the creation to this, and inform them that worship and devotion are only correct for one Allah, who has no partner, no equal, and no rival. Therefore, Allah Almighty said: (Beware! Worship Allah alone sincerely), meaning no deed will be accepted until the doer dedicates that deed sincerely to Allah alone without any partner.
Reference: (Tafsir Ibn Kathir 4/49)
The amount of faith and sincerity in the heart of the doer affects the reward and virtue of deeds. Allah Almighty says:
﴿لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا﴾
"That He may test you as to which of you is best in deed."
Reference: (67-Al-Mulk:2)
Fudayl ibn Iyad explains this as: The best deed means a completely sincere and completely correct deed. If the deed is sincere but not correct, it will not be accepted; and if the deed is correct but not sincere, it will also not be accepted. The deed will be accepted only when it is both sincere and correct. And sincerity means the deed is done solely for Allah, and the correct deed is that which is according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
◈ Major Shirk and Minor Shirk:
Because Major Shirk is clear, it is somewhat easier to avoid; but what is not easy to avoid are the other types of shirk that are less than Major Shirk, and there are many examples of these:
⋆ Showing off (Riya):
Riya (showing off) means seeking praise and admiration from people for one's actions, such as when someone's purpose of performing Hajj is so that people say: "He is a great pilgrim, very devoted in worship." Or when one intends to participate in Hajj in a manner whose purpose is not the pleasure of Allah.
⋆ Riya also includes performing Hajj by counting the number of times and telling others at various occasions and gatherings that one has performed Hajj so many times. Or the purpose of Hajj is to be called a pilgrim, so that people say: "Haji Sahib, Haji Sahib."
Similarly, performing Hajj for the sake of wealth and trade, or for sightseeing and recreation. The worst form of this is performing Hajj to trouble and harass Muslims, and worse than that is considering causing harm to Muslims as an act of worship and reward. Some people perform Hajj to spread matters among pilgrims that have no relation to Hajj and worship, raise various slogans, and gather crowds, diverting people from the purpose for which they come.
Even worse sin is that they present Quranic and Sunnah evidences to justify their actions. This is a great lie against Allah Almighty, His Messenger ﷺ, and the Shariah. It is extremely necessary to avoid this in every way, and also warn your Muslim brothers about it, and expose the corrupt beliefs and false ideas, which some people use as slogans to stage a drama of expressing enmity towards Jews, Christians, and other disbelievers, trying to exploit the gathering of Muslims in Makkah and the sacred places by raising these false and oppressive slogans. While in their own country, they do not speak of this at all, rather secretly show friendship and love towards disbelievers? Therefore, every Muslim should stay away from such corrupt and destructive beliefs, and not pay attention to the slogans of groups inviting towards such matters who say: "Hajj is the best opportunity to oppose love and friendship with disbelievers." While the media has access to many millions of people far more than the gathering of Hajj, if they are truthful, then they should benefit from their media, so why do those who raise slogans of enmity towards disbelievers during Hajj days maintain deep friendship with non-Muslims? Such claims are false, whose falsehood is clear and evident. There are many evidences for this. Allah Almighty said to His beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
﴿قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ﴾
"Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive your sins."
Reference: (3-Al Imran:31)
The Noble Prophet ﷺ performed the Farewell Hajj, and with him were one hundred thousand or more companions, may Allah be pleased with them. At that time, the majority of the people on earth were non-Muslims; in fact, in all countries, there were large numbers of Jews, Christians, polytheists, and disbelievers. Yet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not command to insult the disbelievers, except for the mention of Allah, Talbiyah, Takbeer, Tasbeeh, and Tahleel; no other slogan was commanded. So what resemblance does the belief and method of this group have with the Prophetic practice and the teachings given to the companions, may Allah be pleased with them?
◈ Understanding the religion, especially learning the rulings of Hajj:
Many people are ignorant of many essential rulings of the religion, and unfamiliar with the obligatory acts of Hajj, without which Hajj is not valid, and whose practical application is gradually necessary. Sometimes a pilgrim comes for Hajj and does not even know from where and how to wear the Ihram? Should Tawaf be performed first or Sa’i? Other such necessary matters, which the pilgrim must know, are often unknown to him.
◈ Gaining deep understanding in the essentials of religion:
It is obligatory for every Muslim man and woman to specifically learn and understand the essential rulings of the religion. Because Allah Almighty has created the creation for His worship, and His worship is His oneness and obedience, and this cannot be done by imitation or inheritance. Rather, it can only be done through knowledge, education, and learning and understanding. Therefore, a Muslim who believes that Allah has created him for His worship will not be excused for his ignorance in matters of religion and worship, especially when worship cannot be correct without it, such as Hajj.
Some people do come for Hajj but leave not only the Sunnahs and recommended acts but also the obligatory ones, and even interfere in the pillars and fundamental matters of Hajj, then come and ask, expressing regret, remorse, and sorrow. Well, why were the issues of Hajj, belief, and worship not learned beforehand? When we are firmly certain that Allah has created us for His worship, then it is not befitting for any Muslim to remain ignorant of the issues of belief and worship. While the texts of the Quran and Sunnah clearly and explicitly command the obligation of understanding the essentials of religion and acquiring knowledge of Shariah. The Divine command is:
﴿فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ﴾
"So (O Prophet) know that there is no deity except Allah and ask forgiveness for your sins."
Reference: (47-Muhammad:19)
◈ The Necessity of Knowledge Before Speech and Action:
Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, titled a chapter in his book Sahih Bukhari as: (The statement about acquiring knowledge before speech and action)
Reference: Sahih Bukhari with Fath al-Bari Vol. 1 / 159
. Under this, he quoted the following divine command:﴿فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ﴾
Reference: (47-Muhammad:19)
Then it was stated that this verse is evidence that acquiring knowledge is prior to and precedes action because Allah Almighty has given precedence to knowledge over action. He said فاعلم meaning "Know and believe," otherwise the action will be wrong and incorrect. No person likes mistakes in worldly matters, let alone in religion. If a person performs any worldly task without first knowing the procedure, without knowing how to start and how to finish, what to do first and what later, and does the tasks in the wrong order, then the work is spoiled and the wealth wasted, people will call such a person a fool. This is very clear. Human nature never accepts such behavior, but regarding beliefs, worship, and especially the rituals of Hajj, we see many people make this very mistake: they do what should not be done, and perform the earlier acts later and the later acts earlier. Now what would you call such a person?
Understanding the fundamental rulings of religion, whether they are sayings, actions, or both, is obligatory upon Allah’s servants. Moreover, understanding and learning religion is not a matter of chance that if one accidentally acquires some information, they consider it correct. Rather, this knowledge should be obtained from learned scholars. Guidance should be sought from them in every field of life. It is necessary for a Muslim to strive to acquire knowledge, prepare oneself for it, allocate appropriate time, and spend some wealth on it, because our belief is that Allah created us for His worship. A person who engages in worship without knowing the rulings is in great danger and deserving of blame and punishment. The divine command is:
﴿فَلَوْلَا نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ﴾
"Why do they not, from every large group among them, send a small group to acquire understanding of the religion and to warn their people when they return so that they might be cautious?"
Reference: (9-At-Tawbah:122)
This verse points to the obligation of acquiring deep understanding of religion and teaching it to the people in one’s residential area so that at least religious acts can be performed correctly and people do not remain ignorant of the basic rulings. You have seen how clearly Islam invites its followers to education and learning through the educated to eradicate illiteracy; no other religion has such a clear invitation. Because knowledge and awareness are the path to goodness, welfare, and success, as the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "Allah grants understanding of religion to whom He wishes good." Similarly, in the incident of the wounded companion, may Allah be pleased with him, who was made to perform ghusl (ritual bath) despite being wounded and then died, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "They killed him, may Allah destroy them. When they did not have knowledge, why did they not ask? The cure for the sick is in asking." Therefore, one who does not acquire deep understanding of religion, does not learn its obligations and necessities, or is negligent in this, should never be excused. Because Allah Almighty says:
﴿ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ﴾
"Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience."
Reference: (103-Al-Asr:3)
And the divine command is:
﴿إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ﴾
"Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge."
Reference: (35-Fatir:28)
The more knowledge a Muslim has, the more he will have fear of Allah, respect for His commands, and avoidance of prohibitions. Describing the character of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, Abdullah bin Mas’ud said: "None of them would recite more than ten verses of the Qur’an until he understood their meanings and acted upon them." The condition of many Muslims today is exactly the opposite; they act without knowledge and understanding. The true evidence of this is the way many Muslims perform the rituals of Hajj, making many mistakes and leaving many obligatory acts undone.
◈ Guiding Principles for the Pilgrim:
In the following lines, I will clarify some points that any Muslim intending to perform Hajj or Umrah should observe before going for Hajj or Umrah:
① Study the books written about Hajj and Umrah, especially the book:
Reference: (Al-Tahqiq wal-Izaah Likatheer min Masa'il al-Hajj wal-Umrah)
whose Urdu translation is authored by the former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him. Similarly, read the books and pamphlets published by Taw'iyah Islamiyah during Hajj, and the books of trustworthy scholars of sound creed that are free from innovations and superstitions.② Listen to the broadcasts related to Hajj rulings on the media in Saudi Arabia.
③ Inquire about issues by telephone or by meeting with learned scholars.
④ Whoever intends to perform Hajj or Umrah should sit with a religious scholar some time before going to learn the rulings of Hajj and Umrah.
⑤ Contact the scholars present on the land, sea, and air routes to Saudi Arabia, at the Miqat, and inside the two Holy Mosques. Whoever does this or does some of these will find a way to learn the rulings of Hajj and Umrah. If a mistake occurs or something is forgotten, it will be easy to rectify. But whoever does not care about this, pays no attention, and sets out to perform Hajj or Umrah without learning and knowledge is a great sinner and deserving of blame and punishment.
This is not the characteristic of believing Muslims, but rather the traits of those Christians who worship in ignorance and misguidance. Allah Almighty says:
﴿اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ. صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ.﴾
“Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.”
Reference: (1-Al-Fatiha:6,7)
المغضوب عليهم refers to the Jews, and الضالين (those who are astray) refers to the Christians. In every unit of prayer, a Muslim prays to his Lord to protect him from the traits and deeds of these people. Avoiding their ways is only possible by adopting the means of protection, foremost among which is acquiring deep understanding of the religion and gaining knowledge before acting. In this way, one will develop the traits of those whom Allah has praised and promised happiness and success in this world and the Hereafter.
Allah's command is:
﴿قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ . يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ.﴾
“Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book by which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace.”
Reference: (5-Al-Ma'idah:15,16)
يهدي به الله (by which Allah guides) refers to the Book. (His pleasure) refers to what Allah likes and the Shariah revealed for His servants. (The ways of peace) is Islam, the path of safety by following which one preserves his religion. And the straight path refers to the path of truth. Therefore, whoever acquires deep understanding and knowledge of Allah’s religion attains all this and becomes among those whom Allah benefits with this light and guides to the path of truth.
◈ Adherence to Islamic Rules and Obligations Before Hajj:
Some pilgrims do set out for Hajj. May Allah guide us and them as well. However, they commit significant negligence and major faults in the pillars of Islam such as Tawheed, Salah, and Zakat, etc.
There is no doubt that Hajj is a great pillar of Islam, as Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا﴾
“Indeed, the Hajj to the House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the journey.”
Reference: (3-Al Imran:97)
But its condition is to remain free from associating partners with Allah. That major shirk which ruins deeds and in its presence, worship is not accepted. Just as prayer is not valid without ablution, similarly worship is not valid due to shirk and lack of sincerity.
◈ Forms of Ignorance Regarding Basic Rules:
In the plain of Arafat and in front of the Holy Kaaba, we heard some people uttering outright polytheistic words. Such great ignorance and a major error exist that a person comes for Hajj, spends money, and tires his body, while the fundamental pillar of religion, Tawheed (monotheism), is missing in him. This is a very great evil; it is necessary for scholars everywhere to warn against this and inform those coming for Hajj about this mistake. How bad it is that one Muslim hears another Muslim saying the Talbiyah: (Here I am, O Allah, here I am, You have no partner, here I am), and then immediately hears the worst outright polytheistic words. Does this not indicate how much negligence and deficiency there is in guiding the pilgrims in the countries from which these pilgrims have come? The situation is similar regarding prayer. A large number of pilgrims openly abandon prayer. Prayer is being performed, and they are sitting, sleeping, or doing something else. There is another type of pilgrim who does not even know the times of prayer or the number of rak'ahs. This is the height of lack of understanding and ignorance in religion, and the shortcomings of those institutions and parties are also evident, which allow these people to perform Hajj but do not teach them the rules and etiquettes of religion, zakat, fasting, and how to perform these acts purely for Allah and according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. This is such a dangerous situation that wherever people come for Hajj, all Muslims should treat it. All Islamic countries, Arab or non-Arab, have religious affairs supervisory bodies; see what services they have provided for their pilgrims and what they have done for them. Meanwhile, most pilgrims coming from Islamic countries have to undergo many legal procedures to obtain permission for Hajj. Some pilgrims face difficulties for not adhering to Shariah rulings, for example, prayer, even the etiquettes of walking and sitting, and neglecting other Hajj rituals like stoning (Rami) and Tawaf. At a glance, the disorder and misunderstanding among some pilgrims are evident. Seeing the chaos near the Black Stone, the noise and uproar, the disturbance while reciting prayers during Tawaf, the pushing and shoving and confrontations during Rami, one wonders what has happened to the understanding of these honored pilgrims and what has happened to their guidance?
◈ Peace and Security During Hajj:
Allah Almighty, while describing His House and the Noble Sanctuary, said that there are clear signs in it, and among these signs He said:
﴿وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا﴾
"Whoever enters it shall be safe."
Reference: (3-Al Imran:97)
This safety includes the safety of life, property, the path, residence, entry and exit, and the peaceful fulfillment of all necessities and requirements of life, and this entire safety can be achieved from various aspects.
➊ Safety of the place.
➋ Safety from individuals and groups.
As far as the safety of the place is concerned, the Saudi government, God willing, not only makes it possible but arranges for the establishment of all kinds of safety with full strength and capability, whether it is safety of life, property, the path, or safety of entry and exit, etc. Many relevant departments participate in this process. The police department, health department, administrative affairs departments all perform their respective duties. Now it becomes obligatory upon the individual or group of pilgrims to cooperate with the relevant authorities in implementing this safety and to consider what should be done.
◈ It is not permissible to disrupt the peace and security of the pilgrims:
Yes, the implementation of peace means not doing anything that contradicts the peace of the pilgrims, and firmly believing that disturbing the peace of the pilgrims is not permissible under any circumstances. Whoever disrupts the peace of Hajj, whether by committing such an act themselves, helping someone else, being pleased with it, or despite knowing, not informing the security personnel, or at least not warning the one causing the disturbance, such a person will deserve the severe punishment mentioned in the Divine command:
﴿وَمَن يُرِدْ فِيهِ بِإِلْحَادٍ بِظُلْمٍ نُّذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ﴾
"Whoever intends to commit mischief therein with oppression, We will make him taste a painful punishment."
Reference: (22-Al-Hajj:25)
To preserve the sanctity and inviolability of this House, Allah Almighty has prescribed such a severe punishment for anyone who even intends to violate this sanctity and inviolability, even if they do not actually commit any wrongdoing; rather, the mere thought and intention of the heart is sufficient for punishment. This is one of the special characteristics of this secure sanctuary, that even the intention of sin is subject to accountability. This is the statement narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Abdullah bin Umar, Dhahak, and Ibn Zaid, may Allah be pleased with them, who even said: (If a person intends in Aden to go to the sanctuary and commit evil, Allah will punish him).
◈ Adherence to common law and order is cooperation in righteousness:
The attainment of peace can only be achieved through the adherence of every individual and every group, whether it concerns orders from the police department or matters of health such as maintaining cleanliness, or compliance with administrative affairs such as following designated walking paths, places for sitting and standing, and traffic rules. Every pilgrim should understand that they have a great obligation which must not be neglected under any circumstances. This is a practical implementation through which the pilgrims can attain peace, security, and comfort. If every pilgrim, according to their ability, chooses to maintain cleanliness, follow designated paths, and fulfill their duty by practically applying the teachings and instructions received through media and other sources, then all pilgrims at the House of Allah and the sacred sites will achieve peace and tranquility as expected, and the command to cooperate with one another will also be fulfilled, as Allah says:
﴿تَعْتَدُوا ۘ وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ﴾
“Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression.”
Reference: (5-Al-Ma'idah:2)
Anyone who does not try to do this in any Islamic society, especially in a large gathering like Hajj, is opposing this verse. They are committing transgression and falsely claiming on Allah, His Messenger, and the Shariah, because Allah Almighty has commanded cooperation through the words of His beloved Messenger, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. And the Prophet, peace be upon him, demonstrated this practically during Hajj, and people learned from him. Among many sayings, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said to Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, near the Black Stone: “Umar, you are a strong man, do not trouble the people.” And while teaching the people, he said: “Walk calmly, walk calmly.”
He also said: “O people! Be gentle with yourselves; you are not calling upon a deaf and absent Lord, but a Hearing and Seeing Lord.” And he said: “Allah is gentle and loves gentleness, and He grants through gentleness what He does not grant through harshness and severity.” Narrated by Muslim.
On the occasion of the Farewell Hajj, the Prophet, peace be upon him, came to Mecca, performed Tawaf and Sa’i between Safa and Marwah, then went to the place of Al-Mash’ar Al-Haram, and from there on the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah proceeded to Mina. Neither he nor any of the companions acted in the way that pilgrims today repeatedly perform Umrah and Tawaf excessively, and in the severe crowds show no consideration for their brothers who are performing the Hajj rituals for the first time. This is an example of the lack of cooperation by some individuals or groups.
◈ Some manifestations that destroy peace:
Another example of non-cooperation is sitting on the pathways, sleeping there, and blocking these paths, or entering crowded places with vehicles, and disturbing by honking horns repeatedly, disregarding administrative matters and teachings, committing oppression and injustice, for example, stealing or unjustly taking people's property through deceitful means, etc. All these are contrary to the desired peace in Hajj, which is a characteristic of the peace of the Sacred Precinct.
◈ Visiting the Noble Prophet's Mosque and its etiquettes:
Visiting Masjid al-Nabawi Sharif and traveling for it is permissible, just like Masjid al-Haram and Masjid al-Aqsa. There is no specific time for this, neither before nor after Hajj. Visiting Masjid al-Nabawi is not among the obligatory or complementary acts of Hajj, nor is it among the Sunnahs of Hajj; rather, it is a continuous act of worship. Since it is easy to do along with Hajj, there is no harm if someone visits it during Hajj. If someone believes that it is among the essentials or complements of Hajj, then that is a mistake for which there is no evidence. Rather, it is a great Sunnah about which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "A prayer in my mosque is better than a thousand prayers in other mosques, except for Masjid al-Haram." Bukhari and Muslim, among others, have narrated this from Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه. Ahmad and Ibn Hibban added in the hadith of Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنهما that: "A prayer in Masjid al-Haram is better than a hundred prayers in my mosque."
Since this visitation is an act of worship, it should be performed in a prescribed manner, because acts of worship are divinely ordained. It is not permissible for anyone, whoever they may be, to declare any religious act as obligatory, Sunnah, recommended, halal, haram, or permissible without a Shariah-based proof.
◈ The Sunnah Method of Visiting Masjid an-Nabawi:
When this is known, then what is the proper way to visit this mosque and offer prayer in it according to Shariah? And what is permitted in it? The following points should be kept in mind.
➊ When a person arrives in Medina with the intention of visiting the Prophet's Mosque ﷺ, it is recommended for him to enter the mosque calmly and respectfully, as one normally enters a mosque. When entering, place the right foot first and recite this supplication:
(اللهم اغفر لي ذنوبي وافتح لي أبواب رحمتك) "O Allah, forgive my sins and open the doors of Your mercy for me."
And when leaving the mosque, place the left foot first and recite this supplication:
(اللهم إني أسألك فضلك) "O Allah, I ask You for Your bounty."
➋ It is recommended to come to the Noble Rawdah, provided it is possible without pushing or disturbing the worshippers, and to offer two rak'ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid in the Noble Rawdah with humility and devotion. Otherwise, these two rak'ahs can be offered anywhere in the mosque.
➌ After completing Tahiyyat al-Masjid, go towards the Noble Chamber where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is buried, stand facing the grave with your back to the Qiblah, about four feet away from the lattice opposite the left hole, and greet the Prophet ﷺ silently without raising your voice. After reciting Durood, you may say any of the words of the greeting. Then move about one and a half feet to the right and greet Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه, saying whatever words come naturally without formality. Then move another one and a half feet to the right and greet Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه in the same manner.
➍ It is recommended to visit the Quba Mosque and pray in it, because in the hadith of Sahl bin Hunayf رضي الله عنه, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever performs ablution at home, then comes to the Quba Mosque and prays in it, will have the reward equivalent to Umrah."
Reference: Ahmad, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Hakim
➎ It is recommended to visit Baqi and the martyrs of Uhud, among whom is Hazrat Hamza رضي الله عنهم أجمعين, because the Prophet ﷺ used to visit them and supplicate for them.
◈ Purpose of Visiting Graves:
To remember the Hereafter, to create tenderness in the heart, to pray for forgiveness and mercy for the deceased, to gain a lesson, to do a favor for the one who has passed away so that the living does not forget them after a long time, and the visitor, by visiting according to the Sunnah, earns a good deed.
◈ The Ruling on Women Visiting Graves:
The consensus of scholars is that it is disliked for women to visit graves. The evidence for this is the hadith narrated by Imam Tirmidhi from Hazrat Abu Huraira:
”أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لعن زوارات القبور“
“That the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, cursed women who visit graves.”
Also, because women are more prone to emotional softness and panic, and they have less endurance for calamities. If it is found that they will commit forbidden acts, then visiting graves becomes forbidden for them. And the curse of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, upon them is understood in this context. This ruling applies to all graves, whether they are the graves of the Prophets, saints, or ordinary Muslims. According to the opinion of the learned scholars, the grave of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, is also included in this, because the Prophet’s command is general and there is no exception. Some scholars consider the grave of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, exempt from this ruling, as there are people who hold such beliefs. Therefore, the authorities managing the affairs of the Sacred Mosque of Makkah and the Sacred Mosque of Madinah arrange a separate time for women to visit the grave of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him. However, a Muslim should act according to the evidence and not follow opinions contrary to the evidence.
➏ It is recommended to perform many obligatory and voluntary prayers in the mosque of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him. If possible, one should try to find a place in the first row or on the right side of the rows. However, one should not disturb the worshippers, cause inconvenience to Muslims, or stretch their necks; rather, they should sit wherever there is space.
◈ Prohibited matters for those visiting the blessed grave of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
One should avoid and abstain from everything that is considered worship, and which Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have not permitted, whether it relates to words or actions, for example: traveling with the intention to visit your grave, standing at your grave with closed eyes and full presence of heart to pray, excessive supplication and humility and meekness, renewing repentance near your grave.
Praying to you for relief from difficulties and intercession, taking your right or your status, or someone else's right as a means to ask Allah to remove their calamity, fulfill their need, or grant healing to their sick, raising voices there, standing for a long time repeatedly sending salutations, or facing your grave while raising hands to pray, or placing the right hand over the left on the chest like in prayer— all these are innovations, following desires, altering realities, and exaggeration for which there is no evidence.
It is by Allah’s grace and favor on this country that the rulers and scholars here have been granted the ability to enforce Shariah and establish the religion correctly. The means and ways of polytheism, innovation, and superstitions have been closed off. All doors and paths opposing the Book, Sunnah, and consensus of the Ummah are sealed.
Therefore, how necessary it is that the honored pilgrims cooperate with the official and administrative institutions during Hajj, and all pilgrims, individually and collectively, keep in mind the greatness of reward, so that Hajj and all other acts of worship are performed correctly, free from excess and negligence, exaggeration, innovations, and superstitions.
Show cooperation by acting upon the command of Allah Almighty:
﴿وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ﴾
“Help one another in righteousness and piety.”
Reference: (5-Al-Ma'idah:2)
And the divine command is:
﴿إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ﴾
“Indeed, the believers are brothers to one another.”
Reference: (49-Al-Hujurat:10)
If Islamic rulings, etiquettes, and teachings are implemented in Hajj and outside of Hajj, then a society full of love and affection will be established, and all Islamic countries will experience prosperity, peace, security, tranquility, and comfort.
We call upon all Muslim scholars, leaders, and those responsible for Hajj and pilgrims, and present these few advices.
With the prayer to Allah Almighty that He grants everyone the ability to act according to His pleasure.
وصلي الله على نبينا محمد وعلي آله وصحبه وسلم
