The journey And Its Hazards

FAZA'IL-E-A'MAAL

Shaikhul Hadith Maulana Mohammad Zakariyyah (Rah)

ANY JOURNEY HAS ITS DIFFICULTY AND SUFFERINGS. OUR SHARIAT HAVING TAKEN THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, ALLOWED THAT ANY SALAAT COMPOSING FOUR RAK'AATA SHOULD BE REDUCED TO TEO WHILE ON TRAVEL. RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) HIMSELF SAID ABOUT TRAVEL : " TRAVEL IS A PORTION OF HELL-FIRE." THEREFORE TRAVELLING MEANS INCONVENIENCE AND DIFFICULTY. SO COME WHAT MAY ANY TRAVELLER TO THE HOLY PLACES WILL UNDER GO SOME SUFFERING ENROUTE. BUT BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS JOURNEY TO THE KA'BAH IS A JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF THE BELOVED ONE, ONE SHOULD BEHAVE WHO AWAITS HIM. SO WHETHER HE HEARS ABUSIVE LANGUAGE DIRECTED AT HIMSELF OR WHETHER HE IS BEING SWORN AT OR WHETHER STONES ARE CAST ON HIM, NO MATTER WHAT DIFFICULTY HE ENCOUNTERS THE HAAJI SHOULD GO AHEAD TO THE DESTINATION UNDETERRED BY ANY SUCH OBSTACLE. AND BY TOLERATING ALL SUFFERING AND HARDSHIPS WITH PATIENCE, ONES REWARD IS INCREASED, (IN CASES WHERE SUCH HARDSHIPS ARE NOT CONTRARY IN EFFECT TO THE INTERESTS OF OUR DEEN AND HEALTH).

HAZRAT IMAM GHAZALI RA. MENTIONS AN INTERESTING POINT BY SAYING: "WHATEVER A PERSON SPENDS ON THIS JOURNEY, SHOULD BE SPENT WITH PLEASURE, AND WHATEVER LOSS OF LIFE OR WEALTH ONE EXPERIENCES SHOULD BE BORNE WITH PATIENCE, BECAUSE SUCH THINGS ARE THE SIGNS OF A HAJ THAT IS ACCEPTED BY ALLAH."

TO EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY ON THE JOURNEY OF HAJ IS LIKE SPENDING IN THE WAY OF JIHAAD, WHERE ONE DIR'HAM IS REWARDED UPTO SEVEN HUNDRED TIMES. TO EXPERIENCE PAIN AND HARDSHIPS ON HAJ IS SIMILAR TO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE HARDSHIPS OF JIHAAD. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ALL HARDSHIPS AND LOSSES EXPERIENCED ARE NOT FORGOTTEN BY ALLAH, BUT ARE TURNED INTO REWARDS(IT'HAAF)

RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) SAID TO HAZRAT AA'ISHA RA. : "VERILY THE REWARD (OF YOUR UMRA) IS ACCORDING TO INCREASED TO THE EXTENT OF HIS HARDSHIPS. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT A PERSON SHOULD CREATE UNNECSSARY OR UNNATURAL DIFFICULTIES FOR HIMSELF. FOR SUCH ARTIFICIAL DIFFICULTIES HERE IS NO REWARD.

ONE HADITH IN BUKHAARI ILLUSTRATES THIS : "ONCE RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) PASSED A PERSON WHOSE HANDS WERE TIED WITH ROPE. ANOTHER MAN WAS PULLING HIM BY THE ROPE AROUND THE KA'BAH FOR TAWAAF. (APPARENTLY THE PERSON WAS BLIND OR HAD SOME OTHER DIFFICULTY). RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) CUT THE ROPE AND SAID : "LEAD HIM AND PULL HIM BY THE HAND."

ANOTHER TIME RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) SAW TWO PERSONS TIED TOGETHER BY A ROPE TOWARDS MECCA. RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) ASKED : "WHAT IS THIS?' THEY REPLIED : "WE MADE A VOW THAT WE WOULD PROCEED TOWARDS THE KA'BAH TIED TOGETHER LIKE THIS." RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) SAID : "CUT THE ROPE; SUCH A VOW IS WRONG. A VOW IS ONLY MADE FOR RIGHTEOUS DEEDS; WHILE THIS THAT YOU ARE DOING IS SATANIC." (AINY-BUKHAARI)

GOING TO HAJ ON FOOT IS A PRAISEWORTHY ACT, BUT OLY AS ONE CAN BEAR THE BURDEN OF IT. AT THE BEGINING OF THIS BOOKLET WE QUOTED THE VERSE : "AND PROCLAIM THE PILGRIMS AMONG MEN. THEY WILL COME TO YOU ON FOOT AND ON EVERY KIND OF CAMEL, LEAN ON ACCOUNT OF JOURNEYS THROUGH DEEP AND DISTANT MOUNTAIN HIGHWAYS."

ONE WILL NOTICE THAT THOSE COMING ON FOOT ARE MENTIONED BEFORE THOSE "ON CAMEL". SOME ULAMAA THEREFORE DEDUCE FROM THIS THAT TRAVELLING FOR HAJ ON FOOT IS MORE VIRTUOUS THAN TRAVELLING BY ANY OTHER MEANS OF CONVEYANCE.

ULAMAA HAVE GONE SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT : "FOR HAVE GONE SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT : "FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE HABIT OF PERFORMING HAJ ON FOOT, IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR THEM TO HAVE THE MEANS OF TRANSPORT BEFORE HAJ BECOMES OBLIGATORY ON THEM. WHEN THEY ARE HEALTHY AND HAVE THE STRENGTH OF BODY, AND WHEN THE ROAD IS SAFE (WITH SUFFICIENT FOOD AND DRINK) HAJ BECOMES COMPULSORY ON THEM. (SEE AINY)

THE GREAT BLESSINGS OF TRAVELLING FOR HAJ ON FOOT HAS ALSO BEEN EXPOUNDED BY RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) . WE QUOTE A FEW THESE AHAADITH.

HADITH NUMBER ONE.

HAZRAT IBN ABBAAS RA. REPORTS FROM RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) WHO SAID : "WHOEVER GOES FOR HAJ TO MECCA ON FOOT, AND TRETURN; FOR HIM IS WRITTEN THE REWARD OF SEVEN HUNDRED GOOD DEEDS PERFORMED IN THE HOLY HARAM FOR VERY STRIDE TAKEN." THE COMPANIONS ASKED : "AND WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE GOOD DEEDS OF THE HARAM?"

RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) REPLIED : "EVERY GOOD DEED IS GRANTED THE REWARD OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND GOOD DEEDS." ACCORDING TO THE ABOVE CALCULATION IT WOULD MEAN THAT SEVEN HUNDRED GOOD DEEDS ARE EQUAL TO SEVENTY MILLION GOOD DEEDS. AND SUCH IS THE REWARD GAINED AT EVERY STEP; HENCE ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THE SUM WOULD BE AFTER COMPLETING THE WHOLE JOURNEY. HAZRAT IBN ABBAAS RA. IS REPORTED TO HAVE RECOMMENDED TO HIS CHILDREN; AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH; THAT THEY TRAVEL FOR HAJ ON FOOT, AND QUOTED THIS HADITH TO THEM. (IT'HAAF)

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE COMPANIONS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE HEARD RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) SAY : "THE SALAAHS IN THE HARAM IS EQUAL TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND SALAAHS." (ELSEWHERE)

HASAN-UL-BASARI USED TO SAY : "IN THE HOLY HARAM ONE FAST IS GRANTED THE REWARD EQUIVELENT TO THAT OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND FASTS, AND GIVING ONE DIR'AHM IN CHARITY BRINGS THE REWARD OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAD DIR'HAMS. SIMILARLY, EVERY GOOD DEED INSIDE THE HOLY HARAM IS REWARDED ONE HUNDRED STRONG AND HEALTHY AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE A HABIT OF WALKING AND ARE SUFFICIENTLY HEALTHY AND STRONG, IT IS BEST FOR THEM THAT THEY SHOULD PROCEED ON FOOT FROM MECCA TO MINA AND THEN ONTO ARAFAAT MUZDALIFAH MINA ETC. AT LEAST THIS MUCH SHOULD BE DONE. APART FROM THE GREAT REWARD, ONE GETS THE OPPORTUNITY BY GOING ON FOOT AND PERFORMING SO MANY OF THOSE DEEDS WHICH ARE MUSTAHAB. HOW MUCH DO WE NOT LOSE BY NOT PERFORMING THOSE MUSTAHAB DEEDS AS A RESULT OF BEING MORE OR LESS BOUND TO A CERTAIN FORM OF TRANSPORT MOREOVER, THE DISTANCES DURING HAJ ARE NOT GREAT AT ALL FOR A STRONG AND HEALTHY PERSON. ON THE EIGHTH DAY FROM MECCA TO MINA IS A MERE THREE MILES ; ON THE MORNING OF THE NINTH FROM MINA TO ARAFAAT IS A DISTANCE OF FIVE TO SIX MILES. THIS SHOULD BE NO BURDEN FOR THOSE WHO ARE FIT AND ABLE TO WALK. THE THAWAAB IS SO GREAT THAT FOR EACH STEP TAKEN ; THE REWARD WILL BE 70,000,000 NEKIS. (REWARD).

HAZRAT IBN ABBAS RA. ALSO SAID : "WHOEVER WALKS ( IN HAJ) FROM MINA TO AARFAAT SHALL RECEIVE 100,000 GOOD DEEDS OF THE HOLY HARAM." IT IS REPORTED THAT ALI BIN SHU'AIB CAME WALKING FOR HAJ FROM NESAPUR MORE THEN SIXTY TIMES. AND ABOUT MUGHEERA BIN HAZRAT HAKEEM RA. IT IS KNOWN THAT MORE THAN FIFTY TIMES DID HE GO WALKING FROM MECCA FOR HAJ. HAZRAT ABUL ABBAAS RA. PERFORMED HAJ MORE THAN EIGHTY TIMES ON FOOT. HAZRAT ABU ABDULLAH MAGHRABI RA. PERFORMED HAJ NINETY SEVEN TIMES ON FOOT. (ITHAAF).

HOW GREAT IS THEIR REWARD AT SEVENTY MILLION PER STEP QAZI AYAAZ WROTE IN HIS BOOK SHIFA THAT A SAINTLY MAN TRAVELLED THE WHOLE JOURNEY ON FOOT. WHEN PEOPLE ASKED HIM ABOUT THE GREAT DIFFICULTY HE ENCOUNTED AND THE REASON FOR UNDERTAKING HIS JOURNEY ON FOOT, HE SAID : "WHEN A SLAVE HAS RUN AWAY FROM HIS MASTER, IS IT SUITABLE THAT HE RETURNS TO HIS MASTER ON FOOT OR ON HOREBACK. HAD I THE STRENGTH TO PRESENT MYSELF BEFORE HIM TRAVELLING ON MY HEAD ; I WOULD HAVE DONE SO." THESE ARE ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES ABOUT THE HARDSHIPS OF THIS JOURNEY. SIMILARLY, ONE SHOULD BEAR ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE AGAINST ONE'S NATURE.

RASULULLAH (SALLALLAHO ALAIHE WASALLAM) IN A HADITH ; TO HAZRAT AA'ISHA RA. THAT WAS MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS CHAPTER ; SAID TO HER : "YOUR REWARD IS PROPORTIONATELY ACCORDING TO THE HARDSHIPS YOU UNDERGO." THIS INCLUDES ALL TYPES OF HARDSHIPS. ALL THE HARDSHIPS OF THIS JOURNEY SHOULD BE BORNE WITH PATIENCE, TOLERANCE ; WITHOUT ANGER OR ARGUMENTS. HAZRAT IMAAM GHAZALI RA. WRITES THAT ONE SHOULD NEVER NAG OR ANNOY ONE'S COMPANION ON THE JOURNEY, INSTEAD ONE SHOULD BE SOFT SPOKEN, FRIENDLY AND BROTHERLY. WHEN ANY PAIN OR INJURY IS CAUSED FROM THEIR SIDE THEN PATIENCE IS REQUIRED. IN A CASE WHERE ONE'S TEMPER BECOMES UNPLEASANT THROUGH WALKING, IT IS BEST TO GO BY TRANSPROT.

SUCH IS THE JOURNEY TO ONE'S BELOEVED. LIKE AN ARDENT LOVER TRAVELLING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TOWN WHERE THE BELOVED RESIDES. HIS HAPPINESS, YEARNING AND EXPECTATION IS SUCH THAT NOTHING ON HIS WAY TO HIS BELOVED DISCOURAGES HIM, NOT THE HEAT OF THE DAY, NOR THE COLD BY NIGHT, NOR THE FIERCE WINDS OR THE RAIN FROM ABOVE. NEITHER SHOULD THE TAUNTS OR DISTURBANCES OF OTHERS, NOR THEIR ABUSE CAUSE ONE'S TEMPER TO FLARE AND CHANGE FROM REMAINING COOL AND CALM.