In the name of Allaah, Most Beneficent and Most Merciful
A muslim earns immense reward, which he cannot earn in any other place; one prayer in Al-Masjid al-Haraam (i.e., the Sacred Mosque in Makkah), for instance, is equal to a hundred thousand prayers elsewhere, and Tawaaf (circumambulation of the Ka’bah) and Sa’i (pacing between Safa and Marwah) cannot be done anywhere else. Other benefits include meeting other Muslims and discussing their circumstances, meeting scholars and learning from them and asking them about one’s problems.
Spiritual Benefits of individual actions of Hajj:
- When a person travels to perform the rites of Hajj, he is reminded of his journey to Allaah and the Hereafter. When he travels, he leaves behind his dear friends, wife, children and homeland, and the journey to the Hereafter is similar.
- Traveling is a kind of torment and the same is true of the journey to the Hereafter, only (that it will be) much greater in scale. Ahead of man there is (the stage of) his passing away, death, the grave, the gathering, the accounting, the scales and As-Siraat (a bridge that will be laid across Hellfire, for people to pass over on the Day of Judgment), followed by either Paradise or Hell. The blessed one will be the one whom Allaah saves.
- The one who goes on this trip equips himself with enough provisions to help him reach the Sacred land, so let him remember that for his journey to his Lord, he needs to have sufficient provisions to help him get there safely, as well. Regarding this, Allaah says which means, “…And take provision, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allaah…” (Al-Baqarah: 197)
- When the pilgrim puts on the two garments of his Ihraam, he cannot help but be reminded of the shroud in which he will be wrapped (after he dies). This prompts him to give up disobedience and misdeeds.
- When he says “Labbayk Allaahumma labbayk (Here I am at your service, O Allaah, here I am)” at the Meeqaat (station from where one enters into the state of Ihraam), he means that he has responded to his Lord; so how can he still insist on sinning and not respond to his Lord’s call to refrain from that?
- By ceasing to do Haraam (forbidden) things while in a state of Ihraam and keeping himself busy with the Talbiyah (a prayer recited by pilgrims going to Makkah) and Dhikr (remembrance of Allaah), the pilgrim gives himself a good idea about how a Muslim should be.
- When he enters the Sacred House of Allaah, which He has made a sanctuary for mankind, he remembers the sanctuary of the Day of Resurrection, which no one can reach without striving hard and making a rigorous effort.
- Kissing the Black Stone which is amongst the first rituals to be carried out, teaches the visitor (of Allaah) to honor the Sunnah and not oppose the laws of Allaah with his feeble reasoning. He comes to recognize that there is wisdom and goodness behind the laws and rites which Allaah has prescribed for mankind, and trains himself to submit totally to his Lord. It is narrated that ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, said after he kissed the Black Stone: “I know that you are only a stone and that you can neither benefit nor harm. If I had not seen the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam kiss you, I would not have kissed you.” (Bukhaari & Muslim)
- When the pilgrim does Tawaaf, he is reminded of his father Ibraaheem, peace be upon him, who built the House so it would be a place of resort for mankind and a safe haven, and that he called them to perform pilgrimage to this House.
- When he drinks the water of Zamzam, he is reminded of the blessing which Allaah has bestowed upon mankind in the form of this holy water, from which millions of people have drunk throughout history, yet, it has never dried up. He is encouraged to make Du’aa’ (supplications) when he drinks it, according to the Hadeeth in which the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is reported to have said, “The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.” (Ibn Maajah & Ahmad)
- When he does the Sa’ie (running between Safa and Marwah), he is reminded of the trial that afflicted Haajar, the mother of Ismaa’eel and the wife of Al-Khaleel (i.e., Ibraaheem, peace be upon him); (he remembers) how she ran back and forth between Safa and Marwah, searching for water which would save her from what she was suffering, and especially so she could give her little son, Ismaa’eel, peace be upon him, water to drink. Since this woman was patient in the face of this adversity and turned to her Lord, this teaches the man that doing this is better and more appropriate. When a man remembers the struggle and patience of this woman, it makes it easier for him to bear his own problems and a woman, who is of the same gender (as Haajar), will also find her problems easier to put up with.
- The standing in ‘Arafah reminds the pilgrim of the throngs of people on the Day of Gathering. If the pilgrim is tired due to being in a crowd of thousands, how will it be to stand amongst the hordes of barefoot, naked, uncircumcised people, for fifty thousand years?
- When he throws the pebbles at the Jamaraat (the three small stone-built pillars in Mina), the Muslim trains himself to obey Allaah unquestioningly, even if he does not understand the reason and wisdom behind this act, and cannot make the connection between rulings and their purpose; this is a manifestation of complete submission to Allaah.
- When he slaughters his sacrificial animal, he is reminded of the great incident when our father Ibraaheem submitted to the command of Allaah to sacrifice his only son Ismaa’eel, peace be upon them, after he had grown up and become a helping hand for him. He is also reminded that there is no room for sentiments, which go against the commands of Allaah. This teaches him to respond to what Allaah orders, as Allaah tells us that Ismaa’eel, peace be upon him, said: “…‘O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allaah wills, of the steadfast.’” (As-Saaffaat: 102)
- After he concludes performing all the rituals of Hajj as they were prescribed by Allaah and in the manner that He loves, the pilgrim has hope that his Lord will forgive all his sins, as the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam promised in the Hadeeth: “Whoever does Hajj for the sake of Allaah and does not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commits a sin or disputes unjustly during the Hajj, will come back (free from all sins) like the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Bukhaari & Muslim) This encourages him to start a new page in his life, free of evil deeds.
- When he comes back to his wife and children, and experiences the joy of meeting them again, this reminds him of the greater joy of meeting them in Paradise. This also teaches him that the greatest loss is losing one’s self and family on the Day of Resurrection, as Allaah says which means, “…’Indeed, the losers are the ones who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, that is the manifest loss!’” (Az-Zumar: 15)