5 Pillars Made Plain
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Pillar 5: Why do Muslims Perform Hajj (Pilgrimage)?
Thousands of years ago, God promised Prophet Ibrahim ﷺ that people will come to Mecca and perform Hajj (pilgrimage). To this day, Muslims from all walks of life gather around the Ka'bah to fulfill this pillar. Their dedication begs the question: why do Muslims perform Hajj? Sh. Abdullah Oduro explains the connection between us and Prophets Ibrahim and Muhammad ﷺ through the rituals and rites of the 5th pillar.
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Transcript
This transcript was auto-generated using AI and may contain misspellings. The Prophet Muhammad Peace and Blessings be upon him So yes, this house was built by Ibrahim and Ismail alayhi salam and they were generations before the Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him. But through time, as we see the Arabs came from the descendants of Ismail alayhi salam because he married from one of the ancient Arab tribes. And over time, yes, there was polytheism that was practiced. As a matter of fact, during the time of the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him, they still revered the Kaaba as a holy place. But there were polytheistic practices that they did around the Kaaba. Allah even mentions in chapter number eight, verse 35, and their prayer was nothing more than hand clapping and singing. So this is what Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is talking about how they prayed. But consider this, when the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him became a prophet and came around the Kaaba with struggle and with hardships and the companions that followed him in secret in the beginning, the converts to Islam, they still revered the Kaaba as the original house and structure of monotheistic practices. And they did this with struggle. So what's interesting is to see how the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him renewed what was originally there, the practice of Islam, worshiping Allah alone. And as a matter of fact, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, when he told Ibrahim, he said, ta'hira bayti al-ta'ifeen and to purify the house for the ones that make the tawaf, the ones that circumambulate around the Kaaba. wal qa'imina wal ruka'i al-sujood and the ones that stand in prayer and prostrate and go into prostration and bowing. So looking at the greatness of this Kaaba and understanding how the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him renewed something and didn't bring anything new, which is a manifestation and worshiping Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala alone.
When looking at why we make the pilgrimage, why do we make Hajj? Firstly, as we've mentioned before, to mention that this is a pillar of Islam and it being a pillar, looking at the beautiful, beautiful reenactment of the Prophet Ibrahim alayhi salam and that of the Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala talks about this in the chapter of Hajj, chapter number 22, verses number 27 to 29, where he tells Ibrahim alayhi salam to call the people to Hajj. Now let's stop here. Ibrahim alayhi salam was with his wife, Hajar, and Hajar was a maid servant. He had a child named Ismail. He took them to a barren land in the desert, which is known as Mecca. When he left them there, this is when Ibrahim alayhi salam left them and he came and would periodically visit Hajar and Ismail alayhi salam. They grew up in this area. When Ismail became older, this is when Ibrahim visited him and they decided to build the foundations of the Kaaba. When Ismail was older and married and there was a civilization there. Upon this, Ibrahim alayhi salam was ordered to call the people to make the pilgrimage. When looking at this, Ibrahim was in a barren land, nothing there, no vegetation, and Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la told him to call out to the people. Where he says, afta'udhu billahi minash shaitanir rajim wa adhin fin nasi bil hajji He told Ibrahim, adhin fin nas As we hear the adhan, he said, adhin, call the people, call mankind, an-nas, bil hajji, to make the hajj, to make the pilgrimage. yattuka rijalan wa ala kulli dhaamirin yateena min kulli fajjin AAameeqa
They will come to you by foot on every lean camel through every distant valley. Why? liyashhadu manafiAAalahum To witness what is beneficial for them. And that is the answer to the question, why? The primary answer, to witness what is beneficial for them. wayadhkuru ismAllahi fee ayaamin ma'loomat And remember the name of Allah in the well-known days. So let's stop here. Ibrahim was ordered to call the people to hajj. And it was even mentioned that Ibrahim said, how am I going to call the people? They cannot hear me. Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la being the all-hearing, the all-wise, the all-knowing, the all-merciful, told Ibrahim, do not worry, upon you is the call and it is our responsibility to bring the people. And as he said, that they will come by foot. Till today, we see people come from distant lands and their only goal in life when they reach a certain age is to make hajj. You will see that there are certain nationalities that they have a sense of bragging rights or they feel proud and happy, not of pride of belittling people, but they are happy that they have fulfilled this pillar, that they have performed hajj to where they have behind their name, hajji, the pilgrim. So Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la has mentioned that there will be people that come walking and I have seen myself, people that felt that they fulfilled their purpose in life because they have done this last pillar. They've done all four, but this last one, and they've come walking to hajj. And those that are on lean camels by vehicles from every distant valley, being that people from all races, colors, the universality of Islam is manifest with this pillar. You will see people from all cultures that you will never meet ever in your life performing hajj, performing this pilgrimage
to witness what is beneficial for them as he says. And that is the ceremonial practices of being with your brothers from all over the world, worshiping Allah together, praising Allah together, crying together, turning to Allah together. And then Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la mentions in these well-known days, which we will talk about, and then distributing the meat. And they've mentioned the name of Allah and distribute the meat because they have sacrificed an animal, which is on the 10th day. And Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la continues to say, Wa at'imu al ba'is al faqeer, faquluha wa at'imu al ba'is al faqeer and eat from it and also distribute the meat to the distressed and poor people. So here Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la mentions to Ibrahim what to do and why he should do it because it is a beneficial practice for those people to where they will, for example, slaughter and sacrifice an animal, which is one of the practices, feed themselves and feed those that are distressed and poor. May Allah bless you all in this performance of hajj and bless you with this beautiful opportunity to fulfill this journey of a lifetime. As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
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