Throughout life we desire for 1 thing that I wish…. I could circumambulate BaitUllah, wear Ihraam and call labbaik along with the other hajis. Then there are people who save each penny and go for Haj. The Hajj of poor and rich can never be the same. How can the value of a Haji who saves each penny can be the same as of that a rich Haji? But on reaching there, the main thing is to make your time precious. The thing which has repeatedly come in my observation is that very few people make their time precious on reaching there otherwise majority walk around with the crowd during the 5 days of Hajj. They spend rest of the time in destruction, politics, poetry, trips to market, window shopping and then comes the day when their luggage is being weighed at the Jeddah Airport. I myself witnessed a man distributing dates. On inquiring it was revealed that he has done some shopping of China goods. Now his luggage is overweight. Instead of leaving back the China goods, he left back the dates and then started distributing them. During tawaf, a woman asked the other that at what rate did you bought the cloth. On hearing the rate, she exclaimed with sadness that O! I was robbed!
Readers! Hajj is obligatory only once. How many Hajj shall we do…. We will do as many as are in our fate but each Hajj should be done like your last one. I have constantly observed few things which a haji should take care of. Allah takes me for Hajj with His power and ability. Hopefully my experience shall benefit you. Pack along few things and do not take a shopping list. The goods which China is exporting to Saudia Arab, the same goods are available in China as well. A friend from Lahore went with me for Hajj. There he bought 3 mobile sets and all 3 did not work. When he went to return them, the shopkeeper refused saying that how can we pay the heavy rent of their shop located right outside the Haram. Do not go for Hajj with the intention of rest and peace. If you find rest then thank Allah and if you don’t then do not complain, fight, quarrel, debate or argue. Take care of your gaze and take care of the feelings/emotions of your heart. It hurts to see that proper veiled women quit pardah there and when asked, reply that we all our brothers and sisters. Hajj are the days of extra care and worship. Extra care should be taken of pardah. Remember! If due to an unveiled woman, Hajj gets spoiled of numerous hajis then how many hajis would she be answerable on the Day of Judgment and the hajis shall claim that O Allah! This woman did not take care of her modesty and kept catching our gaze and she robbed us of the noor which we acquired due to the Manasik-e-Hajj. I remember that few years back the Government of Saudia placed huge posters outside each Pakistani building and the government kept on giving abayas (cloaks). On the posters it was written that from the hajis of the whole world, Pakistani women maintain lowest modesty. Thus, Pakistani women should maintain their modesty as well as her awra (satar). I regretted and was embarrassed on reading this ad as the hujjaj from the whole world are in Saudia; this ad demeaned us in front of everyone. It was not informative but was rather an insult. Another precaution which is necessary for us on Hajj is not to use anyone’s belongings without their permission, do not spend lavishly, but when it comes to spending on food and accommodation, do spend there. Frankness, laughing, collectively standing of men and women; avoid all these things. A man inquired a pious man that in olden days, the hajis used to change from top to toe; why don’t they improve now? He replied that firstly they do not make an intention. Their intention is of tourism and shopping. Secondly, they do not make efforts of working on their own self. Thirdly, evil (batil) have made shopping malls outside Haram. One becomes so tired after being lost in the malls that we do not get the chance of worshipping and cleansing ourselves in the Haram. While travelling, a Haji from Lahore became my room-mate. He was very old and desired for Hajj throughout his life. His mobile rang and that happened often. His ringing tone was a song and it rang on the highest level and rang for a long time as he slept very soundly. Either he answered it himself or someone else had to nudge him. I requested him to change the tone. He said my son has assigned it and I do not know how to change it. I took his permission and asked my companion to change it and assign a simple tone. He did it. The same song rang after 2-3 days. I asked, “Haji Sahab! Dint the ringtone change?” He replied that I only like this one and thus have changed it again. I became quiet.
Readers! You do not go for Hajj often and even if you do then how many Hajj will you do? My request to you is to make your Hajj precious and each moment of your Hajj should be such that Allah should pity you and have mercy on you and our life should change and people should feel that this is a haji. Do not write, call, request or force others to add haji before your name. If anyone writes or calls you haji, negate him sweetly that this is not my name. If he asks that haven’t you performed Hajj? Then clearly tell him that I dint perform it to be called a haji. I have performed Hajj to receive reward from Allah. Otherwise Allah might say on the Day of Judgment that you performed Hajj to be labeled a haji; take the reward from those people from whom you took the label of haji. Therefore, free yourself from the word Haji and Al-Haaj.
