1. Introduction to Hajj and Umrah

A brief introduction of Hajj & Umrah and their reward in the light of Sharia

Hajj and Umrah are two acts of worship that Muslims from all over the world perform in Makkah. Both of these acts of worship are highly virtuous. Performing Umrah is a Sunnah, while performing Hajj once in a lifetime is obligatory upon everyone who can afford it physically and financially. Rather, it is one of the five basic pillars of Islam. The Almighty Allah is saying in the Quran:

And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way۔ (Surah A’al e Imran: 97)

The Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) also said:

Hajj is the basic principle of Islam. (Sahih Bukhari:8)

The prophet also said another Hadith that:

And there is no reward for Al-Ijajj A1-Mabrür  except for Paradise. (Sunan Tirmidhi:810)

Hajj is performed once a year in Makkah and it starts on 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah. During these blessed days the pilgrims have to go to Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat to complete their Hajj. While there is no specific time for Umrah. It can be performed on any day and at any time throughout the year also to perform Umrah one does not have to go outside of Makkah like Hajj it gets completed in just a few hours.

2. Preparation for the journey of Hajj and Umrah

There are two basic preparations for every Muslim to start the journey for Hajja or Umrah, details are below:

A. Spiritual Preparation:

The worship of Hajj and Umrah is a physically hard and tough journey which is very difficult to do without spiritual power. Therefore, it is important to take care of physical preparation as well as spiritual preparation before departure for the worship of Hajj or Umrah. Some steps for spiritual preparation for Hajj or Umrah are below:

1. Perform Tahajjud along with observing the five prayers.

2. Continue remembering Allah all the time in every day

3. Pray to Allah for ease of your journey and acceptance of worship

4. Be kind to people and take their prayers

5. Understand all the components of Hajj and Umrah well

6. Establish your relationship with Allah and be safe from hypocrisy

7. Remember the Masnoon Duas recited in Hajj and Umrah

8. Ask for forgiveness of your past sins and leave them

9. Pay special attention to fulfill the rights of the people

10. Make it your habit to say daily Masnoon duas

b. Physical Preparation:

During the worship of Hajj or Umrah one has to walk for hours or has to fast. Before leaving for this journey, make sure that you are physically fit and ready to endure these hardships for this journey. Eat a good diet, exercise daily and practice walking. The weather in Makkah is usually hot so train yourself to bear the heat. Similarly, it is normal to get tired during this long journey and members of Hajj or Umrah get used to being tired.

3. Financial Planning

Budgeting for your trip, including costs for accommodation, food, and transportation.

Saudi Arabia is a rich country where people from Mecca and Medina generally manage to serve the guests of Allah in different places. But most people need money for their needs as to rent the room to rest and keep their belongings, to rent a taxi to visit different places, as well as treatment in case of a disease or illness and so on.

Therefore, it is good to deposit the reasonable amount for the expenses before departing on the Hajj or Umrah journey. Allah Almighty is saying in the Holy Quran:

And take a provision (with you for the journey in the shape of money and other traveling requirements), but the best provision is At‑Taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding! (Surah Baqrah: 197)

4. Navigating the Holy Sites

Getting a brief introduction about the blessing places in Makkah and Madina like Quba and the Cave of Hira etc.

There are many places in Mecca and Medina that are attributed to the Messenger of Allah. Many of these places are mentioned in the Qur’an, in the books of hadiths and in the Books of history. There is also the virtue of visiting many of these places and offering prayers there, as the Messenger of Allah PBUH said about the place Quba:

The Salãt in Masjid Quba’ is like ‘Umrah. (Sunan Tirmidhi:324)

A Muslim should get information about these places before leaving for Hajj or Umrah and also visit these places after completing Hajj or Umrah.  This reminds us of the time of the Messenger of Allah.

The spiritual impacts of Hajj and Umrah

1. Understanding Spiritual Transformation

Hajj is an act of worship in which a person has to invest his wealth and time in the way of Allah, as if it is the most laborious act of worship in Islam after Jihad. This worship is obligatory on every Muslim at least once in his life who can afford it financially and physically. Allah Almighty says:

And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way۔ (Surah A’al e Imran:97)

The reward of this great worship with Allah is also very high. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

Whoever performs Haj) for Allah’s sake only and does not do evil or sins; then he will return (after Hajj, free from all sins) as if he was born anew (Sahih Bukhari:1521)

As if by performing Hajj, all sins of a person are forgiven. A Man begins to receive all the blessings of Allah Almighty which were withheld due to his sins.

2. The Journey of Faith

Increasing faith and performing the worship of Allah Ta’ala regularly.

By worshiping Allah, man begins to climb the ranks of faith.  A person’s faith begins to increase and he becomes closer to Allah Almighty Although Hajj is a laborious act of worship, by performing this act of worship, a person becomes so close to Allah Almighty that Allah accepts his every supplication and forgives his every sin. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: 

The One of performs Hajj and Umrah are a delegation to Allah, He invited them so they responded to him, and they ask him and he gives to them. (Sunan Ibn e Majah:2893)

From this, it is known that the pilgrim becomes a special guest of Allah, that whenever he prays to Allah, Allah immediately accepts his duas..

3. Humility and Equality

Getting the sense of unity among Muslims

Hajj is a collective worship in which people of different regions, countries, and colors from all over the world join and seek the forgiveness and mercy of Allah Almighty in Makkah.

This gathering shows that Muslims are a humble nation and among them, one Muslim does not have any superiority over another Muslim on the basis of color, country, physical power or region, but all are equal in the court of Allah. Among them, the closest to Allah is the only person who is most in piety۔ Allah Ta’ala said in the Holy Qur’an:

O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At‑Taqwā  (Piety) (Surah Al-Hujurat:13)

The Prophet Muhammad PBUH Said:

An Arab over a foreigner, a foreigner over an Arab, a red-skinned person over a black-skinned person, and a black-skinned person over a red-skinned person has no superiority, but with piety. (Silsala Ahadith Sahiha: 294)

A spiritual effect of Hajj is also that it creates humility and equanimity in a person, by which a person get more closer to Allah Almighty and attains a higher position than all people by adopting piety.

4. Purification of sins and formation of the best society

By performing Hajj, all sins of a person are forgiven, he refrains from disobeying Allah in the future, and Allah prevents him from oppressing other people. Now that person starts to regret the atrocities he has done to other people before and he tries to make amends by which the relationship of a person with other people starts to be correct.

It seems that Hajj not only gives a person the forgiveness of Allah Almighty, but also shows him as a good and righteous person among the people, which creates an excellent society.

5. Strengthening the Connection with Allah:

Hajj strengthens a person’s relationship with Allah. Man keeps distance from Allah due to the attacks of Satan and his sins and he does not realize how far he is from his Creator and Lord. But when a person performs Hajj and is cleansed of sins along with the performance of Hajj, he gets out of the influence of Satan and becomes closer to Allah.

6. Hajj, cause to remove poverty:

Allah Almighty has promised sustenance to all living beings in the world and it is being given to all of them regularly according to their own time. Sometimes the situation of unemployment arises on a person or lack of blessings in sustenance. The Messenger of Allah, PBUH, has given the solution for this. The Messenger of Allah, PBUH, said:

Alternate between Hajj and Umrah; for these two remove poverty and sins just as the bellows removes filth from iron, gold, and silver. (Sunan Tirmidhi:810)

7. Unity and Brotherhood among Muslims

People from all over the world come to Hajj, whose language, color, country, habits and regions are totally different, but they perform Hajj together without being distant or hating each other, also sometimes two different people having  different regions and languages ​​seem to help each other. All these people show love and affection to each other first because of Islam and then because of the blessings of Hajj. Therefore Allah almighty said in Quran:

The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). (Surah Hujurat:10)

The Prophet Muhammad PBUH said in Hadith:

A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. (Sahih Bukhari:2442)

Important Note:

These few spiritual benefits and effects of Hajj and Umrah have been mentioned, while the fact is that they have countless spiritual and physical benefits, about which countless books have been written in different languages ​​of the world and scholars have mentioned them in their lectures.

Darussalam International has published excellent books on this subject which not only provide a Muslim with information about the spiritual effects and benefits of Hajj and Umrah, but in them the complete method of Hajj and Umrah and Masnoon prayers are also written in detail. Read these books yourself before traveling for Hajj or Umrah and gift these books to someone you know before leaving for Hajj or Umrah.