الخطوات الأولى في الاسلام The first steps in Islam

[فدااء الرسول]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

معنى لا اله الا الله



The Meaning of Laa Ilaaha Ill-Allah


This is the phrase of Tawheed . For this concept, Allah brought the creation into being, and for this concept He created Jannah and Hellfire. Allah says:

"And I have neither created the Jinn nor humans except to worship Me." (51:56)

This is the belief which all Prophets and Messengers called their peoples to, from Adam to the last of them, Muhammad, may Allah exalt their mention and render them safe from every derogatory thing. Allah says:

"And we have not sent before you any messenger except that We have revealed to him that there is no deity that is worshipped in truth except Me, so worship and obey Me." (10:25)

The Meanings of the Shahaadah


The first testimony,

that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah,

includes the following meanings:


Allah is the One Who deserves to be worshipped. Allah says:
"No doubt! Verily, to Allah belongs whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth. And those who worship and invoke others besides Allah, in fact they follow not the (Allah's so-called) partners, they follow only a conjecture and they only invent lies." (10:66)
Allah is the Creator of all that exists. Allah says:
"Such is Allah, your Lord! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship and obey Him (Alone), and He is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, etc.) over all things." (6:102)
Allah is the Proprietor of all that exists, and the Disposer of all affairs. Allah says:
"Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, Jinns and all that exists)!" (7:54)
To Him belongs the beautiful names and perfect attributes. Far removed is He from every imperfection.


Allah says:

"And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do." (7:180)

The Conditions of the Shahaadah


It is not enough to merely utter the Shahaadah for it to be accepted by Allah. It is a key to the gates of Jannah, but in order for the key to work, it needs to have the right notches. The Shahaadah must meet the following conditions for it to be accepted by Allah:


Knowledge: Comprises knowing that all things worshipped besides Allah are false. There is no god worshipped in truth except Allah, even if it be a prophet, a messenger or an angel. Allah is the only One Who deserves all types of worship, such as prayer [Salaah], supplication (du‘aa), hope, sacrificial slaughtering, making oaths, etc. Whoever assigns any act of worship to other than Allah while that person intends to worship or aggrandize the one who he assigned it to has committed kufr , even if he uttered the Shahaadataan.
Certainty: The heart must be firmly certain of the meaning of the two Shahaadah. Certainty is the opposite of doubt, so there is no room for a person to doubt or waver in his belief. Allah says:
"The believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not, and strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allah. Those are the truthful." (49:15)
Acceptance: One should accept the Shahaadah fully, and not reject it. Allah says:
"Truly, when it was said to them, “Laa ilaaha ill-Allah (no deity is worshipped in truth except Allah),” they puff themselves up with pride (i.e. deny it)." (37:35)
Submission, obedience and acting upon all what the Shahaadah necessitates. A person must do what Allah ordered and abstain from what He prohibited. Allah says:
"And whosoever submits his face to Allah, while he is a Muhsin (doer of good) then he has grasped the most trustworthy hand¬hold [La ilaha ill-Allah]. And to Allah return all matters for decision." (37:35)
Truthfulness: One must be truthful in professing the shahaadah. Allah says:
"They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts." (48:11)
Sincerity of worship: One must sincerely dedicate all acts of worship to Allah alone. Allah says:
"And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, following the religion purely and sincerely for Him, turning away from other religions." (98:5)
Love: One must love the shahaadah and all that it necessitates. He must love Allah, His Messenger, and His righteous slaves. He must hate and show enmity towards all who show enmity to Allah and His Messenger. He must prefer what Allah and His Messenger love, even if it is differs from his desires. Allah says:
"Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight… are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are Al-Faasiqoon (the rebellious and disobedient to Allah)." (9:24)
The Shahaadah also necessitates that Allah is the only One Who has the right to legislate, whether it be in matters concerning worship or those concerning human relations, in both individual and public matters. The act of making something prohibited or lawful is for Allah alone. His Messenger (peace be upon him) merely explained and clarified Allah’s commandments.

Allah says:
"And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)." (59:7)

[فدااء الرسول]

The Merits of Iman (Belief) in Allah

الايمان بالله




When one fulfills the conditions of the Shahadah, he would free himself from worshipping man and devote all acts of worship to the Creator of man. This would lead one to being independent. Allah says:



"Say: ‘Tell me then, the things that you invoke besides Allah, if Allah intended some harm for me, could they remove His harm, or if He (Allah) intended some mercy for me, could they withhold His Mercy?’ Say: ‘Sufficient for me is Allah; in Him those who trust (i.e. believers) must put their trust." (39:38)


Peace of heart, mind and soul. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." (13:28)
Sense of security through the knowledge that there is someone to turn to in times of hardships. Allah says:
"And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him (Allah Alone). But when He brings you safely to land, you turn away (from Him). And man is ever ungrateful." (17:67)
The feeling of spiritual joy in worshipping Allah. This is due to the fact that the goal which he is trying to achieve (Jannah) cannot be reached except after death. So you see him persistently striving to achieve this goal by doing righteous deeds, rendering all acts of worship sincerely and purely to Allah alone. Allah says:
"Say: ‘Verily, my Salaah (prayer) my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, Jinn and all that exists). He has no partner. * And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims." (6:162-163)
The guidance and success which is granted by Allah to those that believe in Him. Allah says:
"…and whosoever has Iman in Allah, He guides his heart." (64:11)
The love of doing righteous deeds and its propagation amongst the masses. Allah says:
"So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom shall see it." (99:7)
The Prophet said:
'Indeed the one who leads another to do a righteous deed is like the one who actually does it (i.e. he will receive the same reward).' (Tirmidhi #2670)
One who has belief in Allah must also have belief in all the things He has informed us of, and among them are the following:

[فدااء الرسول]

What One Should Do After Pronouncing the Testimony (Shahadataan)

ماذا بعد الشهادتان؟

After pronouncing the Shahadataan, it is from the Sunnah that a person does the following:


It is recommended that a person takes a complete bath (ghusl) with pure water and then perform a two-unit prayer. It is narrated that Thumamah al-Hanafi was taken captive and the Prophet would keep coming to him and say:
“What do you say, O Thumamah?” He would say, “If you decide to kill me, you would be killing [in right] because I have killed; if you let me free, you would be letting free one who shows gratitude; and if you desire wealth, we will give you what you please.” The Companions of the Prophet liked to ransom captives, and so they said, “What would we gain if we killed him?” So finally one day, the Prophet decided to set [Thumamah] free, and he accepted Islam. The ProphetProphet said, “Your brother’s Islam is sincere.” (Saheeh ibn Khuzaimah #253) untied him and sent him to the walled garden of Abu Talhah, commanding him to take a complete bath (ghusl). He performed a complete bath and prayed a two unit prayer, and the




How to perform a Complete Bath (Ghusl)

الغسل



The Intention (Niyyah). One must intend (in his heart) that he is performing ghusl to purify himself from a state of major impurity – whether janâbah, menstruation or postpartum bleeding – without uttering such intention verbally.
Say ‘Bismillah’ (‘I begin with the name of Allah’).
Wash the hands and then the private parts.
Next, perform wudhu as he would for the prayer. He may delay washing his feet until the end of his ghusl.
He should pour [at least] three handfuls of water on his head, running his fingers through his hair and beard so that water reaches the roots of his hair and scalp.
Then pour water over the rest of the body, beginning with the right side. He should make sure that he washes his armpits, ears, navel, and the creases of the skin if he is fat, for these creases prevent water from reaching the areas of skin concealed within. He should then wash his feet if he has not already done so while making wudhu . ‘Aa`ishah reported:
“When Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) would perform ghusl due to sexual intercourse, he would first wash his hands, then pour water with his right hand into his left, washing his private parts. After that he would perform wudhu as he would for the Prayer, and then take water and rub it into the roots of his hair with his fingers. [Lastly] he would wash his feet.” (Muslim #316)
[B]Ghusl becomes obligatory after one of the following things:

Ejaculation of semen due to desire, nocturnal emission, or the like.
Sexual intercourse, even if it does not result in ejaculation.
Following menstruation,
Following postpartum bleeding.




How to Perform Ablution(Wudhu)

One should perform wudhu before the prayer, for the Prophet said:
"Prayer is not accepted without purification….” (Muslim #224)
Allah says:
"O you who believe! When you intend to offer the Salaah, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, pass wet hands over your heads, and [wash] your feet up to the ankles." (59:7)


One should perform wudhu in the following manner:
Humraan the freed slave of ‘Uthmaan bin Affaan («may god exalt their mention») said:


“I saw ‘Uthmaan («may god exalt their mention») perform wudhu. He poured water on his hands thrice, then he rinsed his mouth and nose, washed his face thrice, washed his right hand up to his elbow thrice, washed his right hand up to his elbow thrice, wiped over his head once, washed his right foot thrice, and then his left foot thrice. He then said, ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah perform wudhu like this, and he said: ‘Whoever performs wudhu like my wudhu, and then prays two Rakaat not thinking about anything else, Allah will forgive him all his previous sins.’ (Bukhari #1832)




One should intend that he is performing wudhu to purify himself from a minor state of impurity. The proof that intention (niyyah) is obligatory as seen from the statement of the Prophet:
“All deeds are considered by their intentions, and each person will be rewarded according to what he intends…” (Bukhâri #1 & Muslim #45)


One should say, “Bismillaah,” before making wudhu. The Prophet said:
“There is no Prayer for one who does not perform wudhu, and there is no wudhu for one who does not mention the name of Allâh.” (Abu Dawood #101 & ibn Maajah # 399)
One should wash his hands thrice at the beginning of the wudhu.
One should rinse his mouth and clean his nose by sniffing water into it thrice. He should blow the water out of his nose using the left hand.
One should wash his face thrice. The face consists of the area starting from the forelock at the top of the forehead of a normal haired man to the bottom of the [chin or] beard, vertically, and from right earlobe to the left, horizontally.
One should wash his hands from the tips of fingers to the elbow (while washing it as well) beginning first with the right hand, then the left. If he is wearing a ring or a watch, he must remove it in order to allow the water to reach the skin underneath it.
One must wipe over his head once. This is done by wetting the hands and passing them over the head, beginning from the front, proceeding to the back, and then passing them back over the head to the front. Abdullah b. Zaid («may god exalt their mention») narrated:
“Allâh’s Messenger (peace be upon him) passed his hands over his head starting from the front, proceeding to the back. He started from his forehead and passed them over to the top of his neck, and then passed them back to the place where he started from.” (Bukhari #183 & Muslim#235)
One should wipe his ears by inserting wet index fingers in the cavity of the ears, and wipe their backs with the thumbs. Ibn Abbas described the wudhu of the Prophet saying:
“He then wiped over his head and put his index fingers into his ears. He wiped the outside of his ears with his thumbs, and the insides of his ear with his index fingers.” (Abu Dawud #123)
One should wash his feet three times from the tips of the toes up to and including the ankles. Abu Hurairah («may god exalt their mention») said that the Messenger of Allah saw a person who did not wash his heels, and he said to him:
“Woe to the heels from the Hellfire!” (Bukhari#60 & Muslim #142)
One should wash the parts of wudhu in the correct sequence. He should not contradict the sequence mentioned in the verse, for Allah mentioned the obligatory acts of wudhu in a specific sequence.
One should not delay washing one part of the body so that the previously washed part becomes dry.
It is mentioned in a Hadeeth that the Prophet saw a man praying, but a portion of his foot -the size of a dirham- was not wet. Upon this, the Prophet ordered him to repeat his wudhu and Prayer.” (Abu Dâwud #175)
One must remove anything from the parts that must be washed in the wudhu which might prevent water from reaching the skin underneath it, such as paint, and similar things.
One remains in a state of wudhu unless something invalidates it, such as urination, defecation, passing of gas, pre-seminal fluid, prostatic fluid, false menstruation (vaginal bleeding other than menses) eating camel meat, touching the private parts with one’s hand directly, and deep sleep.

Tayammum (Dry Ablution)

التيمم

If there is no water available to perform wudhu or ghusl, or there is a factor present which prevents the use of water, such as illness, or the inability to use water, it is lawful to perform Tayammum.
Tayammum takes the place of water in purifying oneself from states of impurity, and it is performed as follows:


One should strike the ground once with his hands while his fingers are spread apart,
One should then wipe over his face once with his palms,
One should wipe both hands until his wrists.

[فدااء الرسول]

الصلاة في الاسلام


Prayer in Islam


It is obligatory upon you to establish the prayer (Salaah) for it is the backbone of the religion; without it, one’s Islam would not be complete. The Prophet said [striking an example between the religion and a camel]:

“As for the head of the religion, it is Islam (the Shahadataan); as for its backbone, it is the Salaah, and as for the highest part of its hump, it is Jihad .” (Tirmidhi #2616)

The Salah is a term which denotes a group of words and actions which start with takbeer (saying ‘Allahu Akbar’, meaning: ‘Allah is the greatest’) and end with tasleem (saying ‘As-Salaamu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullaah).


Reward of Prayer(Salaah) (http://www.1ststepsinislam.com/en/prayer-in-islam.aspx#reward)
Prayer Times (http://www.1ststepsinislam.com/en/prayer-in-islam.aspx#times)
Prayer Chart (http://www.1ststepsinislam.com/en/prayer-in-islam.aspx#chart)
The Pre-Requisites of Prayer (Salaah) (http://www.1ststepsinislam.com/en/prayer-in-islam.aspx#pre)
How to Pray? (http://www.1ststepsinislam.com/en/how-to-pray.aspx)
Voluntary Prayers (http://www.1ststepsinislam.com/en/prayer-in-islam.aspx#voluntary)
Forbidden Times of Prayer (http://www.1ststepsinislam.com/en/prayer-in-islam.aspx#forbidden)


The Reward of Prayer(Salaah)

ثواب الصلاة



When one establishes the Salaah, he benefits in the following ways:


Spiritual joy: The Salaah establishes a relationship between the slave and Allah. He enters a private conversation with Him, supplicating Him in sincere humbleness.
Peace of heart and tranquility. The Prophet said:
“Women and perfume have been made beloved to me, and the Salaah has been made the delight of my eyes.” (Nasa'ie #3940)
The Salaah prevents one from all sinful and immoral deeds. Allah says:
"And We have not sent you (O Muhammad «peace be upon him») except to all of humanity, as a giver of glad tidings and a warner, but most people know not." (29:45)
The Salah strengthens the bonds of love and unity among the Muslims. It breaks down all social differences that may exist between them; they all stand together side by side in rows, the old and young, the rich and poor, the noble and ignoble. All people are the same, humbling themselves before Allah, facing the same direction (the Qiblah ) performing the same actions, reciting the same recitation, all at the same time.


Prayer Times

وقت الصلاة



There are five prayers during the day and night which are obligatory upon every Muslim. All men should establish Salaah in congregation (jamaa‘ah) in the Masjid, unless they have a valid excuse; while women should pray in their homes.

The Messenger of Allah said:

“The time of Dhuhr is when the sun declines from its zenith until a person’s shadow becomes equal to his height, as long as the time of ‘Asr is not due. The (recommended) time of Asr is until the sun starts to turn yellow [at which point it becomes makrooh ]. The time of Maghrib remains until the red color of the horizon disappears, and the time of ‘Ishaa´ remains until the middle of the night, and the time of Fajr prayer is when the pre-dawn light appears until the sun starts to rise. If the sun starts to rise, then abstain from prayer, for indeed it rises between the two horns of Shaytaan.” (Muslim #612)





The Pre-Requisites of Prayer (Salaah)

شروط الصلاة



Know that the Salaah has certain prerequisites; if one leaves them, his prayer is invalid. They are as follows:


Praying them in their proper times.
One must purify himself from minor and major impurities. Allah, the Exalted, says:
"O you who believe! When you intend to offer the Salah, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, pass wet hands over your heads, and [wash] your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of janaabah (state of major impurity), purify yourself (bathe your whole body)." (5:6)
One’s body must be clean from any impurities. The Prophet said:
“Be careful to keep yourself clean from urine, for indeed majority of the punishment of the graves is due to people not doing so.” (Haakim #654 and verified)
One must keep his clothes pure from any impurities. Allah says:
"And purify your garments." (74:4)
One must make sure that the place he is praying in is free from impurities. A Bedouin once urinated in the Masjid, and the people stood up to confront him and the Prophet said:
“Leave him and pour a bucket of water where he urinated, for you have been sent to make things easy, not to make things hard.” (Bukhari #217)
Covering one’s ‘awrah . For a man, it is the area between the navel and the knees, but in Salah, it includes both his shoulders. As for a woman, it is her whole body, but in Salah, she does not need to cover her face and hands. Allah says:
"O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing clean clothes), while praying." (7:31)
One must face the Qiblah. Allah says:
"So turn your face to the direction of al-Masjid al-Haraam (in Makkah). And wherever you are, turn your faces (in prayer) to that direction." (2:144)
A woman in her menstrual period, or postpartum bleeding should not pray until her bleeding stops. Thereupon, she should perform a complete bath (ghusl) and resume praying, and perform ablution (wudhu) for each prayer if she invalidates it. She should not make up any prayers she missed while bleeding.


Voluntary Prayers

صلاة النوافل



There are certain prayers known as as-Sunan-ur-Rawaatib , by which one would get extra reward and raise his level in Jannah. Through them, one makes up for any of his faults in the obligatory prayers, which have been mentioned in the table. The Witr Prayer is also a Sunnah Prayer, and it consists of at least one rak‘ah. It should be the last prayer one performs at night.

Forbidden Times of Prayer

الاوقات التى لا يستحب فيها الصلاة



Voluntary prayers other than those mentioned may be performed at any time other than those specifically forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). They are as follows:


After the Fajr Prayer until the sun rises a spear’s length.
The time when the sun reaches its zenith until it descends.
After the ‘Asr prayer until the sun sets.

[فدااء الرسول]

Zakaah: Conditions & Eligibility

شروط الزكاه



Upon becoming Muslim, one must pay Zakaah to those who deserve it.

Zakaah is a right from the rights of Allah which a Muslim must pay to his brothers from the poor and those in need to cover their requirements and save them from the humility of asking others. Allah says:

"And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and establish the Salah and give the Zakaah: and that is the upright religion." (98:5)

There is a great wisdom and many reasons why Zakaah has been prescribed. From them, may be the following:


It purifies the souls of rich Muslims and cleanses them from greed, selfishness, base covetousness, and the love of this interim world and drowning in its desires.
It purifies the soul of the poor from hate and jealousy which they might feel for the rich. They see them giving from their wealth, and continuously caring for them, by giving them money and treating them well.
It causes a Muslim to grow fond of good manners, such as giving charity, and preferring others over himself.
It uproots poverty in the Muslim society and alleviates the dangers which result from it, such as theft, murder, and transgression against people’s honor.
It brings the spirit of mutual dependence and Islamic brotherhood to life, by fulfilling the needs of Islam and the Muslims.
It plays a role in spreading Islam throughout the world. Through it, non-Muslims are shown the religion of Islam and its beauty, and it is hoped that they would accept it.


The Conditions of Zakaah



Possession of the nisaab, which is the amount of wealth upon which Islam has legislated Zakaah. This amount is equal to 85 grams of gold.
The elapse of one year. If one possesses the nisaab for a period of a complete year, Zakaah becomes due upon him.


Those Eligible for Zakaah


Allah has specified those who are eligible to receive Zakah. Allah says:

"As-Sadaqaat (i.e. Zakaat) are only for the Fuqaraa´ and Masaakeen (the poor) and those employed to collect [the funds]; and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined [towards Islam]; and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allah's Cause (i.e. for Mujaahidoon - those fighting in Jihad), and for the wayfarer (a traveler who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allah. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise..." (9:60)

Important Notes



There is no Zakah due on those items which one possesses for personal use, such as houses, furniture, cars, and beasts of burden (horses, donkeys, etc.).
There is no Zakah due on those assets one holds for rental purposes, like cars, shops, houses. Zakah must be paid on the rental payment if it is combined with his other wealth, reaches the nisaab and remains in his possession for a period of one year.

[فدااء الرسول]

The Fast (Siyaam) of Ramadhan

الصوم


Upon becoming Muslim, one must fast the month of Ramadhan, every year. One must abstain from anything that breaks the fast, such as food, drink, and sexual intercourse, from Fajr until Maghrib as an act of obedience to Allah. Allah says:
"O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become from the pious." (2:18)
The objective of fasting is not that one merely abstains from the material and physical things which break one’s fast, but rather, one must also refrain from those intangible things which diminish [the reward] of one’s fast, such as lying, backbiting, tale-bearing, cheating, deception, false talk, and other offensive behavior. He should keep in mind that it is obligatory upon him to abstain from these offensive things outside of Ramadhan, but more so in this month, due to the saying of the Prophet:
“Whoever does not refrain from false speech and deeds, Allah has no need for him to leave his food and drink.” (Bukhari #1804)
There are many reasons and great wisdoms why Siyaam has been prescribed. From them are the following:


It is spiritual exercise for the believer, for his soul is making Jihad against his wants and desires.
Keeping the Muslim’s soul above all offensive speech and deeds. The Prophet said:
“When one of you is fasting, he should not speak evil, nor should he yell or shout, and if someone were to curse or fight him, let him say, ‘Indeed I am a fasting person.” (Bukhari #1805 & Muslim #1151)
Through fasting, one realizes how his needy brothers feel, and this encourages him to fulfill their rights, ask about their welfare, and look into their needs.

Note:
It is not allowed for a woman in her menstrual period or postpartum bleeding to fast until her bleeding stops. Once it does, she must have a complete bath (ghusl) and make up the fasts she missed. If one is ill or traveling, it is permissible for him not to fast, but he must make up those days at a later time.

[فدااء الرسول]

Hajj

الحج


Upon becoming Muslim, one must perform Hajj once in his lifetime. Hajj is the pilgrimage one makes to the Sacred House of Allah (the Ka’bah) in order to perform certain rites at specific places at specific times. This pillar of Islam is obligatory upon every Muslim, male or female, who is sane and has reached the age of puberty, once in a lifetime if they have the physical and financial ability. If a person has an incurable disease which prevents him from performing Hajj, but has enough money, he must assign someone to perform Hajj for him. But if a person does not have enough money to fulfill his daily requirements or to support those whom he supports, Hajj is not an obligation upon him. Allah says:
"And Hajj to the House (Ka’bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses; and whoever disbelieves, then Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘Aalameen (Mankind and Jinns)." (3:97)
There are many reasons and great wisdoms why Hajj has been prescribed. From them are the following:


To increase one’s good deeds due to his act of obedience, for the reward of Hajj which has been accepted by Allah is nothing but Jannah. The Messenger of Allah said:
“An ‘Umrah followed by another is an expiation for the lesser sins one performed between them, and there is no reward for a Hajj which has been accepted by Allah except Jannah.” (Bukhari #1683 and Muslim #1349)
To realize the unity of the Muslims, for Hajj is the largest Islamic gathering. Muslims from all over come together at one place, at one time, calling the same Lord, wearing the same clothes, performing the same rituals. There is no difference between the rich and poor, the noble and ignoble, the white and black, Arab and non-Arab. They are all equal; there is no difference between them except in piety (taqwaa). This is nothing but an emphasis of the brotherhood of all Muslims and the unity of their hopes and feelings.
It is a spiritual exercise which trains one to exert his efforts, physically and financially, in the way of Allah and seeking His Pleasure.
It is a purification of one’s sins and wrongdoings. The Prophet said:
“Whoever performs Hajj to this House (the Ka’bah) and does not and does not have sexual relations, he will return [sin-free] like the day he was born.” (Bukhari #1723 & Muslim #1350 )

How to Perform Hajj?

كيفية آداء مناسك الحج


There are three types of Hajj; each one has its specific rites. The best type is Tamattu’, wherein one performs Hajj and ‘Umrah separately, in the Sacred Months of Hajj. It is done as follows:


One should enter the state of Ihraam from the Miqat before the 8th of Dhu’l-Hijjah. He should enter state of Ihram, saying:
“Labbayk-Allahumma ‘Umratan mutamitti’an bihaa ilal-Hajj.”
Meaning: Here I am at your service, O Allah, performing ‘Umrah and then a Hajj [separately].
After entering Makkah, he should perform Tawaaf around the Ka’bah and perform the Sa‘i for ‘Umrah, and then shave or shorten the hair. Women should clip her hair equal to a third of a finger’s length.
On the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah, which is called the day of Tarwiyah, one should enter the state of Ihraam at the time of Duhaa´ , from the place he is in. He should then go to Minaa´, and there he should perform Dhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishaa´ prayers. He should shorten Dhuhr, ‘Asr and ‘Ishaa´ prayers [as a traveler does] but he should not combine them.
After the sun has risen on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, which is the Day of ‘Arafah, one should leave Minaa´ and head towards ‘Arafah. He should pray Dhuhr and ‘Asr at the time of Dhuhr, both two rak‘ahs. After completing them, he should spend his time remembering Allah and supplicating him with sincere humility. One should ask Allah whatever he wishes raising his hands while facing the Qiblah.
When the sun sets on the Day of ‘Arafah, one should set out for Muzdalifah. Once he has reached, he should pray the Maghrib and ‘Ishaa´ prayers, combining both prayers together, making the ‘Ishaa´ prayer two rak’aat only. He should spend the night in Muzdalifah. He should pray Fajr prayer in its earliest acceptable time, and then he should spend his time supplicating until the sky appears bright.
But before the sun has risen, he should leave for Minaa´. Once he arrives, he should throw seven pebbles at Jamrat-ul-’Aqabah , saying “Allahu Akbar” with each throw. The pebbles should be the size of a chickpea.
After this, he should slaughter his sacrificial animal, and then shave or shorten the hair. Shaving is better for men, but as for women, she should clip her hair about a third of a finger’s length. (She should not shave her head).
With this one would partially terminate the Ihraam, and remain in a state of lesser Ihraam. He may wear normal clothes and do everything which is allowed for a normal person except for having marital relations with his wife.
One should then proceed to Makkah and perform the Tawaaf and Sa‘i, both for Hajj. Upon completion, he should return to Minaa´ and spend the nights of the eleventh and twelfth of Dhul-Hijjah there. During the days, he should throw seven pebbles at all three Jamaraat, saying “Allahu Akbar” with each pebble. He should do so after the sun starts to decline from its zenith. He should begin with the smallest Jamrah, and then proceed to the middle and then the largest.
Once a person has thrown pebbles at the Jamaraat on the twelfth day, he may leave Minaa´ or he may spend another night in Minaa´, throwing pebbles at the three Jamaraat on the thirteenth day after the sun starts to decline from its zenith as explained earlier, this is more praiseworthy.
Once one intends to return home, he should proceed to Makkah and perform Tawaaf al-Wadaa’ (farewell Tawaf). This Tawaaf is not an obligation for a woman experiencing menses or postpartum bleeding. Once a person has done this, his Hajj is complete.