Rulings Pertaining To Hajj (2)

By Imam, Sheikh Dr AbdulKadir Al-Salman

Reflections and Continuation from Last Week’s Discourse

Last week, we embarked upon a profound spiritual and jurisprudential journey through the sacred rites of Hajj, drawing upon the illuminating sermon of Imam, Sheikh Dr AbdulKadir Al-Salman, the Ubandoma of Ilorin Emirate, Imam and Khatib of the National Mosque of Nigeria, Abuja. The sermon, rendered under the above title (Elucidating the Rulings Pertaining to Hajj), was presented in its entirety as the opening instalment of this column, and it is our privilege to resume today from the precise point at which we concluded.

Before we proceed, it is incumbent upon us to revisit the salient themes that were laid out in the first part, not merely as a matter of courtesy to those readers who may be joining us afresh, but as a necessary act of intellectual and spiritual grounding. For Hajj is not a ritual performed in isolation, nor is it a set of mechanical actions devoid of context and meaning. Rather, it is a meticulously ordered act of worship, rooted in the eternal wisdom of the Creator, timed to the rhythm of sacred months, and designed to purify the heart, discipline the soul, and reaffirm the covenant between servant and Lord.

In the discourse of last week, we were reminded that time itself is not neutral in the sight of Allah. The Almighty, in His infinite wisdom, has chosen certain seasons, days, and months and elevated them above others. The Qur’ān declares with unassailable clarity: “Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months in the Book of Allah on the Day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred.” [al-Tawbah: 36]. Amongst these four sacred months — Dhū al-Qadah, Dhū al-ijjah, al-Muarram, and Rajab — the present season of Dhū al-Qadah holds a particular distinction as the first in the sequence of three consecutive months of sanctity. It is within this hallowed timeframe that the hearts of millions turn towards the Sacred House in Mecca, and that the great pilgrimage of Hajj is enjoined upon those who possess the means and capacity.

We examined the quintessence of Hajj as the fifth pillar of Islam, an obligation that does not fall arbitrarily upon every believer, but only upon those who meet the conditions of physical and financial ability. This is not a mere technicality, but a manifestation of divine mercy. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. Yet, as Sheikh Dr AbdulKadir Al-Salman eloquently expounded, this obligation is further conditioned upon knowledge. One cannot be held accountable for that which one does not know. Hence, ignorance of the rulings, the pillars, the obligations, and the etiquettes of Hajj does not excuse a person from the liability of performing it incorrectly, nor does it exempt one from the duty of seeking knowledge prior to undertaking the journey. This is a point of no small consequence in our age, where many embark upon the pilgrimage with zeal but with insufficient understanding of its legal and spiritual framework.

The first instalment also took us through the three recognised forms of Hajj: Ifrād, Qirān, and Tamattu. Each represents a distinct legal and practical approach to the fulfilment of the obligation, and each carries with it specific rulings concerning the intention, the timing, the Say, and the Hady. We saw that the Mufrid enters into consecration with the intention of Hajj alone, the Qārin combines both Hajj and Umrah in a single consecration, whilst the Mutamatti performs Umrah first, releases himself from the state of consecration, and then re-enters it for Hajj on the 8th of Dhū al-ijjah. The nuances between these forms are not mere academic distinctions; they bear directly upon the validity of the pilgrimage and the responsibilities of the pilgrim.

Furthermore, we were taken through the sequence of events that follow the standing at Arafāt — the descent to Muzdalifah, the overnight stay, and the attainment of the lesser release on the Day of Sacrifice through the stoning of the Great Pillar of Aqabah. The sermon reminded us that the rites are not arbitrary symbols but are deeply connected to the legacy of the Prophets and to the submission of the soul to divine command.

In all of this, the tone of the sermon was one of measured scholarship, grounded in the Mālikī legal tradition, yet accessible to the common believer. It balanced precision with Imamate concern, reminding us that Hajj is as much about inner transformation as it is about outward compliance. The verse of Ibn al-Qayyim that opened the sermon set the spiritual keynote: the pilgrim departs dusty and dishevelled, yet returns forgiven and enveloped in mercy. This is the promise of Hajj, and this is the hope that sustains every pilgrim through the trials of travel, fatigue, and heat.

It is with this rich foundation that we now turn to the continuation of the discourse — the Second Sermon — which addresses matters of contemporary relevance and practical necessity for Nigerian pilgrims in particular, and for Muslims in general in our modern era.

As we resume our reading today, let us do so with renewed attentiveness and humility. The rulings we shall encounter are not merely legal decrees to be memorised, but divine mercies to be understood and applied with wisdom. They reflect a legal tradition that has evolved over fourteen centuries to accommodate changing times without compromising immutable principles. They demonstrate that Islam is not a religion of rigidity, but of balance — a religion that honours both the text and the context, both the letter and the spirit.

It is our sincere hope that this continued exposition will serve not only as a source of knowledge but as a means of spiritual preparation for those who intend to perform Hajj this year, and as a source of insight for all who wish to deepen their understanding of one of Islam’s greatest pillars.

We now proceed, with Allah’s permission, from where we left off — the Second Sermon — and we ask Allah to grant us sincerity in our intention, correctness in our understanding, and acceptance in our deeds.

The Second Sermon:

O servants of Allah, amongst the important matters which must be addressed from this pulpit is the question of the mīqāt, or the point parallel to the mīqāt, for Nigerian pilgrims who habitually travel by air. Three options present themselves to them: (a) If they intend to disembark at the Illuminated City of Medina, then their mīqāt is that of the people of Medina, namely Dhū al-ulayfah. (b) If they intend to proceed directly to Mecca, that is, to disembark at Jeddah, then they have two options: (i) To enter into consecration whilst aboard the aircraft when it becometh parallel to one of the mawāqīt. This is conditional upon the presence of a qualified person on board to notify them thereof, and upon sufficient time being afforded for that purpose; otherwise, it is not to be done. (ii) To enter into consecration upon disembarking at Jeddah Airport, because it is considered a point parallel to the mīqāt, in that it embodies one of the meanings of parallelism — namely, its location between the two mawāqīt: al-Jufah to the north and Yalamlam to the south. This is in accordance with what is established by the Mālikī school, and in facilitation for our Nigerian pilgrims, and in application of the jurisprudence of contemporary realities. Acting upon this parallelism to the mīqāt, the pilgrim passing through Jeddah Airport en route to Mecca is not liable for an expiatory sacrifice, provided he entereth into consecration at the airport.

• Whosoever passeth beyond his mīqāt, or the point parallel thereto, and it was possible for him to return to it, should return; and no expiation is due upon him.
• Whosoever passeth beyond his mīqāt and entereth into consecration from his location, then returneth to his original mīqāt or the point parallel thereto to enter into consecration therefrom, there are two opinions: (a) he is liable for an expiation; (b) no expiation is due upon him.
• Whosoever passeth beyond his mīqāt and entereth into consecration thereafter without returning, his consecration is valid, but an expiation is due upon him.
• Whosoever entereth into consecration before boarding the aircraft from his homeland, and before reaching the mīqāt or the point parallel thereto, out of fear of passing the mīqāt, hath fallen into that which is disliked according to the Mālikīs. Yet dislike is not incompatible with permissibility, for dislike is a value-based ruling, whereas permissibility is a situational ruling.

Amongst the important matters, O servants of Allah, is the taking of medication by a woman to prevent menstruation, that she may devote herself to the rites. This is permissible, but abstention is more prudent and preferable, in order to safeguard her health. As for the awāf of a menstruating woman, the preferred course is to postpone it until she becometh pure. Nevertheless, some schools of law have held it permissible by analogy with the standing at Arafāt, for which ritual purity is not a condition.

Furthermore, the bathing or showering of the pilgrim in consecration for the sake of cleanliness, the changing of the garments of consecration for cleaner or newer ones — all of these are permissible. The use of soap whilst bathing is likewise permissible, even if it containeth fragrant scents, because what is incidental is not taken into account, and that which is subsidiary followeth the principal, and is not considered independently.

As for the pilgrimage of a woman without a maram, it is permissible according to the Mālikīs under certain conditions, and it is preferable that she be in the company of trustworthy women.

Moreover, according to the Mālikīs, pilgrims of all categories are not required to offer an additional sacrificial animal.

• Imam, Sheikh Dr AbdulKadir Al-Salman, is the Ubandoma of Ilorin Emirate, Imam and Khatib of the National Mosque of Nigeria, Abuja