A sense of the Kaaba, a glimpse of God's Throne on Earth.
The Almighty God, to make man angelic and to show the traits of angels in him, just as He commands fasting to abstain from natural pleasures, so that humans, like angels, refrain from eating, drinking, and other animalistic acts, so too does He command man to circumambulate the sacred precinct of the Kaaba, which corresponds to the Bayt al-Ma'mur in God's Throne.
Just as the angels around the Divine Throne are engaged in remembrance, circumambulating the Truth, and glorifying in the name of the Truth, and seeking forgiveness from the Almighty God for others, so too did God build the Kaaba on earth for man, so that a virtuous man may circumambulate it. To murmur in the name of the Truth and to seek forgiveness from God for others. The Kaaba, and its limits, the Haram, the Mash'ar, the boundaries of the Haram and its rituals, each in its turn, are a sign of God's signs that play an effective role in achieving this noble purpose.
In traditions, the Kaaba is considered a descent of the Throne, and it is in line with the Bayt al-Ma'mur and God's Throne, and circumambulating the Kaaba is like the circumambulation of angels around the Divine Throne, which has descended in the form of the Bayt al-Ma'mur, and the Bayt al-Ma'mur has manifested in the natural world in the form of the Kaaba.
That it is stated in traditions that the Kaaba is aligned with the Bayt al-Ma'mur, and the Bayt al-Ma'mur is aligned with the Throne, means that if one circumambulates the Kaaba as it is worthy of circumambulation, he ascends to the Bayt al-Ma'mur, and if he ascends to that level and fulfills the duties of that stage, he reaches the station of the Divine Throne; "The heart of the believer is the Throne of the All-Merciful." (1) 1
The Kaaba, a Free House.
So that the excellent quality of virtous freedom and liberation, which belongs to the angels (since angels are free from moral vices), may appear in man, the Almighty God introduced this house as a house of freedom so that people may circumambulate this free house. And the meaning of circumambulating a free house is to become free and to learn liberation.
The Qur'an refers to the Kaaba as "Bayt al-Atiq" in two places:
* "And let them circumambulate the Ancient House." (2) 2
* "Then its place of sacrifice is to the Ancient House." (1) 3
"Atiq" means free, and "Atq" means freedom. This house is free, unlike other mosques that might sometimes be owned by someone and sometimes built as a mosque.
It is a house that has never been owned by anyone and has no owner other than God, and never will.
It is a house free from servitude, ownership, and possession by anyone other than God. You circumambulate the free house to learn the lesson of freedom. Do not become a possession of anyone. Do not become enslaved by anyone, and let your reins not be in the hands of anyone other than God.
The Kaaba is a house that "no one owns and no one has ever owned." (2)4. Circumambulating this house liberates man from becoming a possession of anyone and from becoming a slave to anyone. Neither a slave to an inner owner nor a slave to an outer owner. A greedy and covetous person is a slave to his inner greed; "Greed is a firm bond." A person afflicted by greed is a slave to an inner demon and devil.
Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), said: "The slave of lust is more abject than the purchased slave." (3) 5. The purchased slave is respected, while the person who follows lust is abject. Circumambulating the Kaaba frees man from lust and anger. A person liberated from the bondage of lust and freed from the chains of anger is an angel.
You become an angel if you strive for it, 6.
Just as a mulberry leaf gradually becomes satin.
If a mulberry leaf can become silk and brocade through cultivation, why shouldn't man become an angel through cultivation!
Hajj is the best ritual for becoming an angel. If someone visits the pure house and does not become pure, woe to him. If a person circumambulates the free house and puts on the ihram towards the Ancient House and does not attain virtous liberation and freedom, woe to him.
That Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Looking at the Kaaba is worship" (2) 7. is because the Kaaba is a manifestation of God's Throne and a symbol of purity. This house is a manifestation of liberation and freedom from servitude to anyone other than God. Looking at the source of purity is worship. Looking at the manifestation of freedom is worship. Looking at the example of God's Throne is worship.
The Pure House, for the Pure.
This house is a house of purity, and its circumambulation is the circumambulation of the precinct of purity.
The result of circumambulating the Kaaba is purification, just as the Qur'an is a pure, purifying book, a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds, and understanding its verses is not possible except with a pure heart.
"Indeed, it is a noble Qur'an, in a protected Register; None touch it except the purified." (3) 8.
Only pure hearts reach the reality of the Qur'an. Just as one's hand of heart does not reach its content and knowledge unless one is pure and purified.
The Kaaba is also the pure house of God, and only those who are pure circumambulate its precinct and surroundings, and these are the Infallibles (peace be upon them) who reach the reality of the Kaaba and its circumambulation, and after them, their students, who benefit from circumambulating the Kaaba to the extent of their purity. Just as it is the Infallibles who reach the reality of the Qur'an, for the verse of purification introduces them as "purified."
If it is said that this house is pure and built for the pure, it means that circumambulating this house teaches purity, and if a person becomes pure, he is beloved by God (Indeed, Allah loves those who repent and loves those who purify themselves). (1) 9.
Therefore, just as God's Throne is pure and God's pure angels circumambulate it, so too is the Kaaba God's house, the center of monotheism, and pure from polytheism and impurities, and those who circumambulate it are also pure ones who are purified and protected from all impurity and defilement, and circumambulating this house also teaches purity.
Abraham and Ishmael, the Architects of the Kaaba.
In order for the Almighty God to revive the traits of angels in man, He built the Kaaba. The best prophets, with the best description, built the best house on earth. The Kaaba is the first house of public worship; "Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Bakkah - blessed and a guidance for the worlds." (1) 10
On earth, no house was built as a universal place of worship before the Kaaba.
In order for the circumambulating pilgrims around the Kaaba to be endowed with the angelic quality and for the traits of angelic nature to be revived in them, God built the Kaaba by the hands of the purest and most monotheistic humans, namely Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them); "And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael." (2) 11
These two esteemed prophets are the architects of the Kaaba, and they laid its foundations from within themselves. And at the time of building the Kaaba, this prayer welled up from within them: "Our Lord, accept from us."
The Kaaba was built with sincerity by the hands of two divine prophets. Neither polytheism found its way into the architects, nor into the construction, nor into its establishment and renovation. It is a house entirely pure, so that it can be aligned with the Bayt al-Ma'mur and consequently with the Throne of God.
The sincerity of these two prophets is such that God attributes the house built by them to Himself and says: This house is God's house, just as the Throne is God's Throne. And He also commands these two architects to purify this house for those who circumambulate, those who pray, those who bow and prostrate: "And purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate." (1) 12
Why is the Kaaba called Kaaba?
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: The Kaaba was named Kaaba because it is a cubic house. (2) 13 That is, it has four walls, a roof, and a floor, hence it is cubic.
Then he said: The secret of its four walls is that the Bayt al-Ma'mur has four walls and four sides. The Bayt al-Ma'mur has four sides because God's Throne has four sides, and God's Throne has four sides because the words upon which divine knowledge is based are four words: "Subhan Allah" (Glory be to God), "Alhamdulillah" (Praise be to God), "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but God), and "Allahu Akbar" (God is the Greatest). It is glorification, declaration of oneness, praise, and magnification. This hadith takes man from the world of "nature" to the world of "example" and from the world of example to the world of "intellect" and from the world of intellect to the world of "Divinity" and introduces him to them. (p. 16)
Usually, people of wisdom attribute three stages to every being:
* Natural existence
* Barzakh (liminal) existence in the world of example
* Intellectual existence in the realm of intellectual abstractions.
However, mystics and people of gnosis have another point, which has found its way from gnosis to transcendent philosophy. This saying is not found in most words of philosophers; it is in transcendent philosophy and is also taken from people of gnosis. And that is that every existing thing has four stages of existence: "the world of nature," "the world of example," "the world of intellect," and "the world of Divinity," where they have the principle of "the Vast Reality is all things and is not any of them," and they say: The sacred essence of God, without being limited, determined by a specific determination, distinguished by a specific distinction, and without having quiddity and concept, possesses and comprehends the reality of everything in the highest and noblest manner. This noble hadith can express the four stages of existence that the people of gnosis speak of.
The reality of the Kaaba has a natural and material existence in the land of Mecca, and that is the same house (1) 14 that Abraham, the friend of God (peace be upon him), built, and Ishmael (peace be upon him) was his helper. And in the world of example, it has another existence. Again, this same reality has another existence in the world of intellect, which is the Divine Throne, and also in the stage of glorification, declaration of oneness, praise, and magnification, which is the station of Divinity and Divine Names, it has another existence.
The Imam said: Since the Divine Names and the words of monotheism and religion are four, the Throne also has four corners, the Bayt al-Ma'mur also has four corners, and the Kaaba also has four sides. The Throne is not like a throne, and the Bayt al-Ma'mur is not a stone and mud house. A group of pilgrims circumambulate this very Kaaba and nothing else. Some go beyond this to perceive the world of example, and they are those who, "out of fear of Hellfire" or "out of longing for Paradise," are honored with visiting the House of God.
Another group ascends beyond this stage and reaches the station of the Divine Throne; like Harithah (1) 15 ibn Zayd who said: "It is as if I see the Throne of the All-Merciful clearly exposed." And higher than this is the station of the pure Household, to whom the reality of the Kaaba takes as its pride, and they circumambulate these four words: "Subhan Allah," "Alhamdulillah," "La ilaha illa Allah," and "Allahu Akbar."
The Kaaba: Center of Brotherhood and Equality.
The Almighty God commands equality, brotherhood, and parity and considers the Kaaba and the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) a clear example of equality. He then tells man: Circumambulate the Kaaba to learn the lesson of equality.
In Islam, there is "individual equality," about which the Messenger of God said: "People are like the teeth of a comb." (2) 16 And there is "racial and ethnic equality," about which God said: "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you." (3)
And these two principles: "equality of individuals with each other" and "equality of nations with each other" are part of Islamic principles.
For this equality to manifest properly, everyone was called to the land of equality and invited to circumambulate the Kaaba, which is the same for everyone.
"Indeed, those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allah and [from] the Sacred Mosque which We made for [all] people - those who reside therein and those who are from outside..." (1) 18
Those who hinder God's path and turn people away from the Sacred Mosque, while the Sacred Mosque has been built for everyone alike, are outside the bounds of monotheism.
When the Holy Qur'an introduces the Haram, the Kaaba, and the Sacred Mosque, it states: The near and the far are equal beside the Kaaba, the city dweller and the villager are equal before the Kaaba. Familiar and stranger are equal and brothers in the presence of the Kaaba.
Whoever comes from anywhere in the world and enters the Sacred Mosque and stands beside the Kaaba is one with others.
On one hand, the architect of this edifice was commanded to make a general call and invite everyone: "And proclaim to the people the Hajj; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass." (2) 19 Invite all people from every direction and call them to the Kaaba.
And on the other hand, He said: This place is open to everyone; the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant, and the near and the far are equal here.
First, He commanded them to circumambulate the Kaaba, then He said: This is a place of equality; meaning, revolve around the axis of equality so that you remove any individual or racial distinction from yourselves. Consider other races and nations as your own race and nation. Circumambulating in a mosque that is equal for everyone teaches the lesson of equality and purity.
If it was said to Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them): "And purify My House for those who circumambulate" (1) 20; it means that the circumambulator beside the pure Kaaba circumambulates to learn the lesson of purity. In this section, it also said: Those who circumambulate in a mosque that is equal for everyone, so that the provision of the pilgrim and the gift of the one in ihram is the learning of equality. (p. 20)
Takhliyah (Purification) and Tahliyah (Adornment).
Hajj, like other acts of worship, has its manners and traditions, its duties and rulings.
Some matters are part of the manners of Hajj and are among its instructive issues. Others are part of the recommended acts, and the third part is among the obligatory acts of this politico-religious ritual.
All these manners, traditions, and duties are for the acquisition of affirmative attributes and the avoidance of negative attributes. Man, as a manifestation of the Divine Essence and the Vicegerent of the All-Merciful, possesses affirmative and negative attributes. Imperfect attributes are man's negative attributes, and perfect attributes are his affirmative ones. And man is obligated to acquire every perfect attribute and to repel and remove every imperfect attribute from himself; that is, if he does not have it, he should strive not to become afflicted with it (repulsion), and if he is afflicted, he should strive to eliminate it (removal). And these negative and affirmative attributes appear in the form of "takhliyah" (purification) and "tahliyah" (adornment). Every person must first purify themselves from moral vices, then adorn themselves with moral virtues and become a manifestation of God's beauty and majesty. And Hajj is one of the best acts that provides these matters for man.
To understand the secrets of Hajj, we must learn the conduct and tradition of those who performed a true Hajj, and they are the Infallibles (peace be upon them). Those great figures were familiar with the manners of Hajj, performed its duties and obligations, and observed its traditions and recommended acts. Because they had knowledge of the ontological basis of the rulings, in addition to performing the outward rulings, they also considered the ontological aspect.
Purification of the Soul in Hajj.
The purification of any action is like explaining the secrets of that action.
The issue of "teaching the Book and wisdom" ("He teaches them the Book and wisdom") (1) 21 has appeared throughout divine knowledge, a part of which relates to beliefs, ethics, and acts of worship, and another part to economic, political, military issues, and so on.
And the issue of "purification" ("and He purifies them") (1) 22 is for explaining the inner dimension of actions by which man worships his God or obeys His command. Therefore, every action has a secret, and paying attention to that secret will lead to the purification of the soul. And the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) is not only an interpreter and teacher of the Qur'an and wisdom, but also an explainer of the secrets and symbols of this Book and wisdom. Thus, it must be said that he is also a purifier of souls.
A significant part of the purification of souls lies in understanding the secrets of worship and religious commands. And Hajj, among other acts of worship, has a special characteristic regarding its secrets, about which the Imams (peace be upon them) have given their students more and better beneficial instructions; such as the question and answer between Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) and Shiblie. This narration is mursal in terms of its chain of transmission, but its content is very profound and outstanding.
Hajj belongs to God.
"And due to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way." (2) 23
Hajj is for God and belongs to God, and this expression is exclusively for Hajj and has not been used for prayer, fasting, and so on. If a pilgrim travels to Mecca for tourism or trade, or the like, his journey is not a journey towards God and lacks its secret. The most important secret of Hajj is that this journey must be "to God"; (p. 22)
Because in the Qur'an, it is expressed as "and for Allah from the people is the Hajj of the House."
Hajj is a hospitality, and the pilgrims are guests of the All-Merciful.
All acts of worship have a "shared secret" and a "specific secret". Whenever a person finds a way to either of them and understands it, he can also traverse this path concerning Hajj.
The greatness of Hajj is very prominent in the supplications of the holy month of Ramadan. It seems that the Almighty God wants to complete His hospitality over several months, with the beginning of the hospitality being the month of God (the holy month of Ramadan) and its end being Dhu al-Hijjah al-Haram, which is the end of the months of Hajj. So Hajj - like fasting - is the hospitality of God, and the pilgrims are the guests of the All-Merciful. The expression "hospitality" which is mentioned in fasting and Hajj, is taken from narrations. (1) 24 One of the most prominent supplications of the holy month of Ramadan is asking for Hajj, and that is repeated Hajj: "And provide me with the pilgrimage to Your Sacred House, in this year of mine and in every year." (2) 25 This supplication is the supplication of the fasting person and the guest of the All-Merciful in the holy month of Ramadan.
Hospitality has two stages: 1- The host tells the guest to ask for something. 2- The host grants the guest what he asks for.
In the holy month of Ramadan, the Host, who is the Almighty God, commands His righteous servants: "Ask Me for Hajj." Then, in the rituals and ceremonies of Hajj, He grants the requests, and there is no talk of "asking"; it is about "giving." There, He does not say, "Ask Me," but rather grants the requests. Although every request and grant are intertwined, and every stage of granting also carries a request.
He is the One who: "And the abundance of giving does not increase Him except in generosity and magnanimity." (1) 26 The more a person receives from the Almighty God, the thirstier he becomes. Initially, he does not know what to ask from God because he does not know what is in God's domain. When He shows a glimpse and one sees things from behind the veil, questions arise, and requests appear. Every stage of giving and granting is a stage of requesting and keeps the desire alive in man, and man, by requesting and asking, requests and receives a new stage from the Almighty God. When he receives a higher stage, his thirst increases, and he asks for something new.
Among the situations where excessive greed is good is in this knowledge and divine sciences. To the same extent that greed in material things is bad, in knowledge, it is good to the same extent, and conversely, being content in sciences and knowledge is as bad as greed in the world and material matters. "They call upon their Lord in fear and aspiration." (2) 27
The more fear, hope, supplication, and invitation there are, the greater will be the sincerity and proximity. The Almighty God, no matter how much He bestows upon the traveling servant, a question arises in him, and in response to this question, the Almighty God grants a new answer, and that new answer is the increased gift.
That they say the Almighty God's treasures are not diminished by His giving, and His generosity and magnanimity increase with His giving (And the abundance of giving does not increase Him except in generosity and magnanimity) is because the more He gives, the more the capacity, broadness of chest, and request of the righteous traveler increase. And when his request increases, he will receive more bounty, and when the bounty is greater, the request becomes greater and better, and finally, in response to a better and greater request, he receives an even greater bounty. So, not only does nothing diminish from God's treasury with giving, but it increases. Because the Divine treasury is supplied by God's will, and God's will is infinite.
In another stage of hospitality, during the holy month of Ramadan, we are commanded to ask for the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of God, the two noble sanctuaries, and the holy shrines. Since Wilayah (Guardianship) is one of the pillars of Hajj, it is also mentioned alongside them in the supplications.
Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) says: "And do not deprive me of those noble stations and honorable sites." (1) 28
In ordinary hospitality, it is not customary for the host to tell the guest what to ask for; the guest accepts whatever is presented. The guest follows the host's table, but in divine and spiritual hospitality, the Host tells the guest what to ask for, saying, "Whatever you ask, I will give, but ask for these things: 'visiting the House of God, the sanctuary of the Messenger of God, and the holy shrines.'" This is the quality of Ramadan's hospitality, which prepares the ground for Hajj's hospitality.
Hajj: Fleeing to God and Forsaking All Else.
The Almighty God has said: "So flee to Allah..." (1) 29 And traditions have considered "fleeing to Allah" as Hajj, meaning journeying towards God. This is how humans, no matter which direction they turn, see the Almighty God and His divine signs; "So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah." (2) 30
However, this same human, who sees the divine countenance wherever he turns, may reach a point where he becomes surrounded by errors and it becomes "wherever you turn, there is the face of Satan."
It is evident that man creates his own boundaries and limits, so if he treads the path of sin, he fills his surroundings with devils, snakes, and scorpions, and wherever he looks, he sees Satan, snakes, and scorpions, and the Holy Qur'an says: These are the ones whose sins have encompassed them (1) 31 and engulfed them, and the door of repentance is closed to such people. If sin is outside the gate of the heart, man understands that he is doing wrong, and there is a possibility of repentance for him. However, if these sins find their way from within to outside, the ground for "the Fire of Allah, [eternally] fueled, which mounts upon the hearts" (2) 32 - God forbid - has been prepared.
And then he no longer sees or understands that he is doing wrong, and he even perceives bad as good and good as bad; "while they think that they are doing good in work." (3) 33 Hence, every wrongdoing and disobedience he commits, he imagines it to be a good deed. And since he sees bad as good, he never succeeds in repenting. Of course, he can repent, but he does not consider his act to be bad to repent. Such a person has filled his inside and outside with devils, snakes, and scorpions; just like someone who fills his home garden with weeds, even inside the flowerpot in his room, weeds grow.
Whoever has filled their inside and outside with weeds has blocked their path of movement and has tied their own hands, mouth, ears, and eyes; "Then they put their hands over their mouths." (4) 34
In the past, when a group heard the words of the prophets (peace be upon them), they would cover their ears with their fingers so that the voice of truth would not reach them; "They put their fingers in their ears." (1) 35
The polytheists of Mecca, when passing by the teaching session of the Book and wisdom of the Prophet (peace be upon him), would cover their ears with their fingers so that the luminous words of the Qur'an would not reach their ears; for they considered the Prophet's words magic and myths.
One of the most prominent manifestations of traveling towards God is the journey of Hajj. Although one can worship God everywhere and become one of the guests of the All-Merciful, the Almighty God has specified and prepared certain places and times for hospitality and reception; such as Hajj and fasting. So, since God is everywhere, traveling towards God does not mean a temporal or spatial journey. God is in every time and in every land and everywhere; "And He is Allah in the heaven and in the earth." (2) 36 Certainly, Hajj will have a special secret that fleeing to God has been interpreted as Hajj, and that fleeing to God is that man forsakes everything other than God and seeks God. Yes, one of the secrets of Hajj is forsaking everything other than God and seeking the Almighty God. And whoever performs Hajj with the intention of trade, fame, or other goals, his fleeing is not "to God" but rather he has fled "from God"; just as we have jihad "from God" and jihad "in God." What is mentioned in the Qur'an is, "And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways" (3) 37, and in contrast, some wage jihad "from God" and turn away from God. They rely on themselves, their position, fame, and status. Therefore, their jihad is "from God," and naturally, they also lose their way because it is "in Us" not "from Us." (p. 28)
Hajj is presented and reiterated in the Holy Qur'an as "fleeing to Allah." (1) 38 This means that a pilgrim, as soon as he intends Hajj or Umrah, his journey is towards God, and journeying towards God means reliance on God and nothing else. If someone relies on his provisions and mounts, or depends on his business or companions, he has fled to companions and others than God. He has journeyed to his own provisions, not to the hospitality of God. (p. 29)
The visitor to the House of God and the traveler of Hajj must cut himself off from everything other than God and connect himself to the Almighty God, and from the very first step and the preparation of the preliminaries, it must be so. One who wants to prepare the ihram clothes must purify his wealth, prepare his will, and bid farewell to his relatives. This is because the visitor to the House of God is with God in all states, and his journey is "in God," "to God," "with God," and "by God."
That it is mentioned in some Hajj supplications: "In the name of God and by God and in the way of God and on the religion of the Messenger of God" (2) 39 refers to this, that this act begins in the name of God, in the way of God, with the nation of God, and in the tradition of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him). (p. 29)
Hajj: An Afaqi (External) and Anfusi (Internal) Journey.
Let us not take the Hajj journey lightly and feel that once we reach the destination, we have found our purpose there and returned. And when we return, our journey will be "from the Truth to the creation by the Truth" (1) 40 and this journey, although it is a horizontal and external journey, also entails an internal one. When you become a guest of the Truth, you realize that: "He is with you wherever you are." (2) 41 At this time, the pilgrim returns with a special light and radiance, as if he has just been born from his mother. (3) 42 And people are obligated to visit the pilgrim, and visiting him has great reward; because his past sins have been purified, and before he becomes afflicted with any sin, there is a special light in him. (p. 30)
It becomes clear that: "And show us our rites and accept our repentance" (4) 43 will also entail the issue of "He purifies them."
Secrets of Hajj from the Words of Imam Sajjad (PBUH).
Some narrations that pertain to the secrets of Hajj (1) 44, although they need careful consideration in terms of their chain of transmission and require more investigation, their content is very strong. Those who recognize hadiths by their texts also consider such hadiths authentic.
Ali ibn al-Husayn, Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him), after his Hajj journey, met Shiblie and asked him: What are you doing?
He replied: I am returning from Hajj.
He asked: When you went to the Miqat and took off your stitched clothes and put on the Ihram clothes, and then performed the Ihram bath?
He replied: Yes.
He asked: When you took off the stitched clothes, did you intend, when removing the stitched clothes, to exit from the clothes of disobedience?
He replied: No.
He asked: When you put on the Ihram clothes, was it your intention to put on the garment of obedience?
He replied: No.
He asked: When you performed the Ihram bath, did you intend to cleanse yourself from sins?
This passage delves into the esoteric and spiritual dimensions of Hajj, emphasizing the inner meaning of its rituals beyond their outward appearance. It draws heavily on dialogues with Imam Sajjad (عليه السلام) and insights from other revered figures, highlighting the concept of inner purity, sincerity (ikhlas), and spiritual transformation as the true essence of the pilgrimage.
The Unveiling of the Inward Journey
He asked: Did you gird yourself in obedience?
He replied: No.
He said: When you performed the ritual bath of ihram, did you intend to cleanse yourself of sins?
He replied: No, I only removed my sewn garments and donned the clothes of ihram, and I stood. And I intended what others do.
He said: Then you have not entered ihram! Ihram has an outward command that all perform, and an inward and secret command that only the people of spiritual journey and those aware of the mysteries of Hajj attend to.
Glimpses of the Mysteries and Ethical Matters of Hajj
Some of the companions and students of the Imams (عليهم السلام) have attained unveiling and spiritual insight. They have seen the inner reality of those who dwell in the land of Arafat and other places. The pilgrim to the House of Allah must undertake this journey with an illuminated inner self, otherwise, God forbid, they might possess an animalistic inner reality, and those with inner vision, with their celestial eye, would see their true nature.
Imam Sajjad (عليه السلام) asked Zuhri: In your opinion, how many pilgrims are there this year? Zuhri replied: Four hundred thousand or five hundred thousand. The Imam (peace be upon him) by a gesture, revealed glimpses of the celestial realm to him, and he saw the inner reality of many individuals who appeared as animals. Then he said: The true pilgrims are few, and the clamor and wailing are many. These clamors are not the cries of true pilgrims. True pilgrims are very few; those whom you see in human form are those who believe in the Qur'an and the pure progeny (itrah) and revelation and prophethood, and they believe in and act upon all that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) brought concerning the principles and branches of religion, especially Imamate and guardianship (Wilayah). The inner reality of this group is human, just like their outward appearance. And religion encompasses their very being. But those who have not accepted many matters and say that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) exercised ijtihad in appointing leadership and that this appointment of leadership was not by the command of Almighty Allah! These are those who advocate for the separation of the Qur'an and the itrah, whereas the Qur'an and the itrah are one light and inseparable. If someone adheres to the Qur'an and does not accept the itrah, they have in reality chosen the Qur'an minus the Qur'an.
It is not possible for a person to accept a part of the truth and abandon another part; “Nu'minu bibad wa nakfuru bibad” (We believe in some and reject some) is not possible. Those who “yuridoona an yattakhidhoo bayna dhalika sabeela” (1) 45 (desire to take a way between that) have gone astray, and in reality, their inner self is that of denial and rejection of the truth. And denial and rejection of the truth manifest as animality and predatory nature.
If a human becomes an animal, it is bad. Otherwise, an animal that was not human and was created at the level of animal life is not blameworthy or punishable, and they are not taken to Hell because they were not obligated.
1- - Nisa: 150
Here, Seeking Other Than God From God is a Mistake
When Imam Sajjad (سلام الله عليه) honored Mecca, it was conveyed to him: The governor of Medina, who unjustly seized your garden, report his complaint to Abdul Malik, the caliph of the time, as Abdul Malik has come to Mecca this year. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: I do not seek worldly things from the Lord of this House next to the Kaaba, let alone resorting to others besides God and raising worldly matters here! This is a place for supplication that connects a person with the true Beloved. Woe to him who, next to the Kaaba, seeks from the Lord of the Kaaba other than the true Beloved!
Imam Sajjad (عليه السلام) saw a beggar weeping and begging in Arafat. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: If all the world belonged to this man and was taken from him, he would not have the right to shed tears for it today in this land! Here, seeking other than God from God is a loss.
In the words of the great master, the divine sage, the late Allamah Ilahi Qomshaei (قدس الله سره الشریف):
The Black Stone is the mole on the ruby lip, and kiss this mole to reach your Beloved. Kissing the stone, the mole on the ruby lip of the beloved ones. (1) 46
The pilgrim pledges allegiance to the right hand of God and considers the Black Stone a manifestation of the hand of the Lord. Just as the Kaaba is considered a manifestation of the Frequented House (Bayt al-Ma'mur) and the Throne of God, and their circumambulation is considered a manifestation of the circumambulation of angels. And finally, they find themselves an intermediate angel and observe the effects of angelhood within themselves.
When he reaches the land of Arafat, he recites the special supplications of Arafat, just like Imam Sajjad and the Master of Martyrs, Sayyid al-Shuhada (عليهما السلام).
As for Zamzam, the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) loved the water of Zamzam so much that he would seek it as a gift, saying: When you come from Mecca to Medina, bring me Zamzam water as a souvenir. (1) 47 This water gushed forth as a result of the supplication of that mother. When Hajirah said to Abraham, the friend of God: To whom do you leave me and this newborn child in this barren land? (ila man tada'una) He said: To the Lord of this structure (ila Rabbi hadhihil binya). (2) 48 No sooner had he said this than peace descended upon the mother's heart.
When the child became thirsty, the mother searched for water, going back and forth seven times from the bosom of Safa to Marwa and from the top of Marwa to Safa. Suddenly, she saw a spring gushing forth from beneath the newborn child's feet, a spring that has continued to gush for thousands of centuries! How blessed is Zamzam!
Woe to him who performs ablution with Zamzam water, circumambulates the Kaaba, and seeks from God other than God, and is not enlightened!
Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام) said: “Noor al-Haqq la yazalu ala al-hajj ma lam
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1- - Man La Yahdhuruh al-Faqih, vol. 2, p. 135
2- - Furu' al-Kafi, vol. 4, p. 201
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yudhnib.” (1) 49
“The light of God remains with the pilgrim as long as he does not become polluted by sin.”
This is the highest value placed on Hajj and pilgrimage. This act is light. Blessed is he who sees this light there and implements it within his soul.
When a person returns from the Kaaba and from the journey to the House of Allah, they must perform the farewell circumambulation and converse with God.
It has been narrated that Imam al-Ridha (عليه السلام), when he was about to bid farewell to the Kaaba, this edifice of monotheism, would say to God:
“Inni anqalibu ala an la ilaha illa ant.” (2) 50
“O God! I return from Your House with monotheism, and I am firm in my belief that there is no god but You.”
The pilgrim should say: O God! I depart from here as a monotheist, and not only do I believe that there is a God in the world – which is the weakest degree of monotheism – but I am such a monotheist that I see all actions as annihilated in Your action, and all attributes as annihilated in Your attribute, and ultimately all essences as annihilated in Your Essence (inni anqalibu ala an la ilaha illa ant).
The Imam (peace be upon him) said: “Ad-dukhul fi al-Ka'bah dukhul fi rahmat Allah wal khuruj an
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1- - Furu' al-Kafi, vol. 4, p. 253; Thawab al-A'mal of Saduq, p. 74
2- - Wafi, Chapter on Entering the Kaaba.
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al-Ka'bah khuruj min al-dhunub.” (1) 51
If a person is granted the favor of entering the Kaaba, a place where one can pray in any direction and always face the qibla, and ultimately, a perfect manifestation of “fa'aynama tuwallu fathamma wajh Allah” (2) 52 (wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah), such a person has entered into divine mercy. And when they exit the Kaaba, they emerge from their sins.
The Presence of Imam al-Mahdi (عليه السلام) in Hajj
The blessed presence of Imam Baqiyatullah, Hujjat ibn al-Hasan (عجل الله تعالى فرجه الشریف), is present every year in the Hajj rituals. (3) 53 He is present in Arafat and Mina. Likewise, many of his special students, such as Abu Basir, Sudayr al-Sayrafi, Zuhri, and others who have been trained by him, are present in the rituals. The امام (عليه السلام) can, through the celestial realm, make his students understand who is human and who is animal. It is possible for someone in the land of Arafat and Mina to even supplicate to the blessed presence of Baqiyatullah al-A'zam and recite the prayer for his appearance, but their heart may not be a human heart. It is possible for someone to have a problem and for their problem to be unconsciously solved through the blessing of Imam Hujjat (سلام الله عليه), but it is not the case that if an extraordinary act occurs in Hajj or in Mina and Arafat, it is directly through the blessed presence of Imam Hujjat. It is probable
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1- - Wasa'il al-Shi'ah, vol. 13, p. 272
2- - Baqarah: 115
3- - Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 151 and p. 152; Man La Yahdhuruh al-Faqih, vol. 2, p. 307
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that it is the Imam himself, and it is probable that it is the saints who are trained by him. An elderly person, a woman or a man, or someone inexperienced might lose their way to their tent or camp, or be stranded on the way without provisions, and a saint from the divine saints, trained in the school of the Imam of the Age's guardianship (ارواحنا فداه), might guide them. Although this person has reached Imam Hujjat indirectly, it was not directly. It is not the case that every unseen effect in the Hajj rituals is directly related to the holy presence of Imam Wali al-Asr (ارواحنا فداه). It requires great success, and such an honor occurs for only a select few monotheists that the blessed presence of the امام (سلام الله عليہ personally comes to their bedside. Of course, his عنایت (favor) extends to the saints, students, righteous, truthful, and martyrs whom he has trained. They are his agents and, by his command, solve the problems of others. In short, the holy presence of the امام and those trained by him see our inner reality.
The Difference Between Hajj and Other Acts of Worship
Pilgrims to the Sacred House of Allah, when they perform any act of worship, the secrets and mysteries of many of them are clear to them. Prayer has certain actions. Fasting has certain commands. Zakat and Jihad have commands whose benefits and advantages are not difficult to understand. Prayer has invocations whose meaning is clear; it has bowing and prostration that convey reverence, and it has a tashahhud that implies confession and...Fasting involves abstaining from desires. It fosters empathy, compassion, and solidarity with the needy, and it is a reminder of the hunger and thirst after death. Fasting has many benefits, both known medical and worldly benefits, and spiritual and soul-purifying benefits.
Zakat is charity and the redistribution of wealth and attending to the needs of the poor and weak, whose benefits and advantages are also clear.
Jihad, border protection, and sacred defense against foreign aggression also have many benefits that are not difficult to understand.
However, Hajj has a series of commands, ceremonies, and rituals whose secrets and mysteries are very difficult and arduous to comprehend. Understanding the meaning of spending the night in Muzdalifa, shaving one's head, going back and forth seven times between Safa and Marwa and hastening in a part of this distance, and so on, is difficult because it has a complex secret and mystery. Therefore, the aspect of absolute submission (ta'abbud) in Hajj is greater than in other religious commands.
It has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) that when he recited the talbiya, he said to God:
“Labbaika bihajja haqqan ta'abbudan wa riqqa.” (1) 54
“O God! I answer Your call with true submission and utter servitude, and I perform the rituals of Hajj.”
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1- - Majma' al-Zawa'id, vol. 3, p. 223; and Mahajjat al-Baydha' of Faydh Kashani.
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Since the spirit of absolute submission is greater in Hajj, the secret of many rituals cannot be explained by ordinary intellect. Therefore, when reciting the talbiya, he said: “ta'abbudan wa riqqa” (in submission and servitude), similar to the dhikr recited in the prostration of recitation.
Thus, Hajj has a series of commands that are more consistent with pure servitude, sheer bondage, and complete worship. In order to explain those mysterious secrets and benefits, they have been mentioned in narrations as benefits, and sometimes as stories in the sayings of the people of gnosis and heart. On the one hand, they are presented as explanations of secrets, and on the other hand, as stories, they intend to properly convey and explain the essential parts of Hajj.
Piety and Righteousness are the Spirit of Action
Since the pivot of acceptance for every action is piety and detachment, Almighty Allah established the foundation of the Kaaba and the rituals of Hajj upon piety. Before Islam, people performed Hajj and circumambulated the Kaaba and performed the rituals of Hajj, such as sacrifice and the like, but it was mixed with idolatry. When sacrificing, they would hang some of the meat on the walls of the Kaaba and also smear some of its blood on the walls of the house. They had tainted this monotheistic worship with that idolatry. When Islam came, it stated:
“Lan yanal Allah luhumuhum wa la dimauhum wa lakin yanaluhu al-taqwa minkum.” (1) 55
“Almighty Allah does not accept this sacrifice with its flesh, nor with its blood. The flesh and blood of this sacrifice do not reach God, rather the spirit of the action, which is piety and righteousness, reaches God.”
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1- - Hajj: 37
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Strive to perform actions with spirit and soul; for God accepts an action that is pure and good (ilayhi yas'ad al-kalim al-tayyib wal 'amal al-salih yarfa'uhu) (1) 56 His sacred Essence is beautiful, and He loves beauty. He is also One, and He loves monotheism. And He abhors any action mixed with polytheism.
Here, too, it says: The sacrifice in the land of Mina, which is part of the rituals of Hajj and pilgrimage, is accepted only when it is performed with piety, and the spirit of the action is piety. For if the action is not with piety, it is not accepted at all. Or if it was accompanied by piety, but the doer suffered from weaknesses outside the scope of this action, although their action is accepted, it is not fully accepted. The restriction mentioned in the Holy Qur'an: “Innama yataqabbal Allahu min al-muttaqin” (2) 57 refers to these two points:
1- If an action is without piety, it is not accepted at all.
2- If the action was accompanied by piety, but the doer suffered from weaknesses outside the scope of this action, although this action is accepted, it does not ascend as it should.
Abraham is a perfect example of divine piety, and the rituals of Hajj are a perfect manifestation of the acceptance of actions. God accepts the action of a human whose entire programs are based on piety; “Afaman assasa bunyanahu ala taqwa min Alla
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1- - Fatir: 10
2- - Ma'idah: 27
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wa ridhwanin khairun am man assasa bunyanahu ala shafa jurufin harin fanhara bihi fi nar Jahannam wallah la yahdi al-qawm al-dhalimin” (1) 58
God accepts an action whose doer bases their program on piety and considers the rituals of Hajj among the actions based on piety.
If the issue of stoning the Jamarat is raised, it is in reality stoning the inner and outer devil and driving away the devil of humans and jinn. Until a human becomes an angel, the devil does not leave their sanctuary. Only then, when they acquire angelic characteristics, are they immune from the harms of devilry. The pilgrimage to the Kaaba is for a person to acquire angelic characteristics. In stoning the Jamarat, one should cast away all impure qualities and become pure. At the sacrificial site, one should sacrifice based on piety.
Next to the Kaaba, around the pure, ancient House, which represents equality, one should circumambulate. Between Safa and Marwa, one should strive so as to acquire divine purity.
Almighty God has used the term “tawaf” for the striving between Safa and Marwa in the Qur'an and then said: This striving is part of the divine rituals, and whoever honors the divine rituals, “fa'innaha min taqwa al-qulub” (2) 59 (it is from the piety of the hearts).
The place of piety is the heart, just as the place of piety in sacrifice is the spirit of action. And Almighty God, through this action, elevates the spirit and tests the human in all these stages. And that He commands circumambulation around the Kaaba is so that a human, next to this Kaaba, like the angels, may remember God and chant. In the era of ignorance (Jahiliyya), people circumambulated the Kaaba, but their worship consisted of whistling and clapping. The Qur'an says:
“Ma kana salatuhum inda al-bayt illa muka'an wa tasdiyah.” (1) 60
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1- - Tawbah: 109
2- - Hajj: 32
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If a polytheist stands in prayer and whispers next to the Kaaba, they will whistle. If they say takbir, they will clap; for polytheistic takbir and whispering are not human speech. The Qur'an does not consider the speech of those who in the era of ignorance circumambulated the Kaaba with polytheistic invocations as speech, but rather as whistling and hooting.
In the sight of the Qur'an, human speech is "expression" (bayan); “Ar-Rahman 'allama al-Qur'ana khalaqa al-insana 'allamahu al-bayan.” (2) 61
The teacher is the Most Merciful God, and it is He who taught the Qur'an. When the Qur'an is taught, the student of the Qur'an becomes human; “khalaqa al-insan.”
And then, when an individual becomes “human,” their speech is “expression” (bayan); “allamahu al-bayan.”
First comes the knowledge of the Qur'an, then becoming human, and then having expression. Expression for humans and humanity is in the light of the Qur'an. Whoever has no share of the Qur'an is not human. Whoever is not human, their speech is not expression, and whoever's speech is not expression, their words are whistling, hooting, and shouting.
And as for the pure ones, who circumambulate the Kaaba, they are not only preoccupied with the remembrance of God but also concerned with the welfare of God's creation, and they seek the well-being of all from Allah where prayers are answered. Next to the Kaaba and the House of God, they do not seek from God other than God.
Attaining Complete Stages of Sincerity is Possible Through Understanding the Mysteries
In Hajj, the greater the sincerity, the greater the reward. Sincerity is an aspect of practical intellect, which is preceded by knowledge, and knowledge is an aspect of theoretical intellect. (1) 62 A person must first understand, so that in accordance with their understanding and knowledge, they may act sincerely. They must know what is happening in Hajj to perform Hajj with sincerity. If a person does not know the secrets of Hajj, no matter how much sincerity they have, it is still limited. But if they are aware of the secrets of Hajj,
1- - Philosophers have divided knowledge into "practical wisdom" and "theoretical wisdom," and intellect into "practical intellect" and "theoretical intellect." Wisdom relates to sciences, and intellect relates to psychic faculties. Theoretical intellect provides theoretical wisdom and practical wisdom and deals with issues of ethics, jurisprudence, and the like; because from that perspective, when a human understands these issues, they formulate them. Practical intellect is the executive force. Theoretical intellect receives aid from above, and practical intellect governs nature and the body. The perfection of practical intellect is in not being dominated, and the perfection of practical intellect is in always implementing what it knows in the lower realms to reach higher stages, and this is what is meant by: "Intellect is what by which the Most Merciful is worshipped and Paradise is gained." And wherever practical intellect is absent, there is foolishness. And the perfection of theoretical intellect is in being under control and always accepting perfection from higher principles. The soul has two wings; the wing of theoretical intellect and the wing of practical intellect. a- Theoretical intellect; understands what is bad and what is good. What should be done and what should not be done. b- Practical intellect; understands that such and such an action is good and should be done, and that "good should be done," the soul understands through practical intellect.
Their sincerity is expansive and open. Therefore, before the issue of intention and sincerity, familiarity with the secrets of Hajj is necessary so that a person, when performing formal and outward actions, knows that this action has a core and essence. When they understand this, they seek from the sacred Essence of God. Thus, without familiarity with the secrets, attaining the complete stages of sincerity is not possible.
Just as all beings in the natural world have descended from the divine storehouse, so too have conventional realities descended from the unseen storehouse. Prayer, fasting, and Hajj, like buying, selling, leasing, and other transactions, do not have a real existence in themselves; they are conventional matters. However, they rely on certain realities and are the source of many realities; because many realities are involved in the conventionality of conventional matters, and conventional matters have also descended from the unseen storehouse based on their real origins. So, if someone recognizes these conventional matters and acts upon them, they will reach their root, which is the unseen storehouse. The narration states that prayer, fasting, zakat, Hajj, and so on, appear in beautiful forms, and the guardianship of the divine saints appears most beautifully of all. (1) 63 This refers to the same meaning, and a person in the descending barzakh or ascending barzakh becomes familiar with those realities. There are a select few humans who, before prayer came to this world, were aware of its reality in the descending barzakh. And average and ordinary humans, after death, realize the reality of prayer, Hajj, and zakat, and they see that prayer, fasting, Hajj, and so on, are in the form of an angel, and in the grave, they become intimate with these angels.
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1- - Mahasin Barqi, Hadith 432; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 99, p. 20; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 6, p. 236
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If a person knows that the reality and secret of prayer is an angel, when performing it, they enter with a higher intention. And if a person knows that the reality of Hajj is an angel and wishes to fly with an angel, they begin Hajj with greater sincerity and awareness.
Beings in the hidden storehouse are pure and immune from the stain of imperfection and fault, and sin and forgetfulness. And these pure beings are referred to in religious terminology as angels (malak). An angel is that pure being who does not sin, does not die, and has no imperfection or fault.
Indeed, if one performs a true Hajj, they are in the company and travel with angels, and angels are their companions. They live with the angels, and the angels are intimate with them.
Ritual Bath of Ihram; Washing Away Sins
The meaning of performing ghusl (ritual bath) while in ihram - although it is recommended - is: “O God! I have washed away those sins.”
In reality, three things must be done:
1- I will no longer commit sins.
2- I have decided to be obedient forever.
3- I will wash away and compensate for past sins.
A person sometimes takes off dirty and old clothes that they have been wearing for a while and puts on new, clean clothes, and here they have done two things. However, if they purify and wash their body, they have done the third thing. In Hajj, the matter is similar; it is said: Take off your old, sewn clothes – meaning the clothes of sin and disobedience that you have woven and sewn and worn until now – and before putting on the clothes of ihram, perform ghusl – which is recommended – and wash away past sins with the water of repentance. Meaning: O God! I will no longer sin, but I even want to wash away past sins. It is not important that a person does not sin from now on, but what is important is that they also rectify past sins, and the effect of ghusl is that rectification.
The secret of performing ghusl is to say: “O God! I have poured all those transgressions and sins at the feet of Your repentance, and now, with a pure body and a pure heart, I put on pure garments, the garments of obedience.”
Not every person who becomes capable and goes to Mecca is familiar with those secrets. Only those who are aware of the storehouse of wisdom are aware of the secret of the command and reach that secret.
It is clear that the mursal narration that we quoted from Imam Sajjad (سلام الله عليه), where the Imam (peace be upon him) said to Shiblie:
“...You have not gone to the miqat, you have not entered ihram, and so on,” is a denial of “perfection,” not a denial of “validity.” So, if someone is not familiar with the secrets of Hajj and performs Hajj, they have not performed a complete Hajj.
It might be valid and not require qada (compensation), and outwardly, their obligation has been fulfilled, but their soul has not ascended because they were not aware of the secrets and did not intend the secrets during the action.
Imam Sajjad (عليه السلام) hinted at some of the secrets and explained:
When you purify yourselves at the miqat, you are in fact purifying yourselves from hypocrisy and insincerity. Purifying the body is a pattern and example of purifying the heart and soul from hypocrisy and insincerity.
When you enter ihram, you forbid upon yourselves everything that Almighty God has forbidden upon you, and you commit yourselves not to tread the boundaries of the forbidden.
The Garment of Ihram, the Garment of Obedience
That you take off sewn clothes from your body means that you have taken off the garment of sin and disobedience that you have woven and sewn and worn until now. Otherwise, what is the difference between sewn and unsewn clothes?! So these are all secrets of Hajj. Of course, it is not the case that worship in sewn clothes is unacceptable, as a person prays and worships in sewn clothes throughout the year.
But in Hajj, it is not accepted; and this is to make humans understand the secrets of Hajj, that they have a day ahead of them when they must enter with unsewn clothes, and that is the “day of death,” when they wear the shroud and appear in the hereafter with that very shroud. Since they want to manifest the secrets of Resurrection in the rituals and ceremonies of Hajj, they commanded: Wear simple clothes so that all pride is removed. Unsewn clothes, meaning the clothes of ihram, so that the journey of death is embodied in your mind and the issue of death and Resurrection is present before you.
Imam Sajjad told Shiblie: The meaning of taking off sewn clothes is: “O God! I will no longer wear the garment of sin, and I have repented of every sin.”
It is not only "not sinning" that is important; "obeying" is important. For this reason, the pilgrim wears the garment of ihram; unsewn, undyed, permissible, pure, and the garment of obedience.
Talbiya
Reciting the talbiya while in ihram also means:
“O God! I proclaim everything that is truth, and I silence my tongue from everything that is false.” Reciting the talbiya is the purification of the tongue from every sin.
The tongue is small in substance but great in transgression. Many sins are committed through the tongue; from verbal denial to backbiting, slander, lying, false accusation, mocking, and so on.
The secret of reciting the talbiya is: “O God! From this moment, I commit to uttering everything that is Your obedience and to silencing my tongue from everything that is disobedience,” and that, not only within the scope of Hajj and Umrah, but forever.
The boundary of the sacred precinct (haram) (1) 64 in some areas is larger than the boundary of Mecca. The entry of non-
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1- - Boundaries of the Haram: The boundary of the Haram from the north side of Mecca is Masjid al-Taneem, which is on the way to Medina and is 6148 meters from Masjid al-Haram. The south side is the location of Idhaa'at Laban, which is on the way to Yemen and is 12009.5 meters from Masjid al-Haram. From the east side is Ja'ranah, which is on the way to Ta'if and is 30 kilometers from Mecca. From the west side, slightly to the north, is the village of Hudaybiya, which is on the way to Jeddah and is 48 kilometers away. Signs have been erected at these boundaries to mark the Haram. God has made these boundaries a safe area and has even forbidden cutting trees within this area. However, in Mirat al-Haramayn, vol. 1, p. 225; Al-A'laq al-Nafsiya, p. 57, Mu'jam al-Buldan, letter alif with dhad. Second theory about the boundary of the Haram: From the northwest, Masjid al-Taneem, 6148 meters. From the south tending east, Idhaa'at Laban, 12009.5 meters. Ja'ranah from the east tending south, Arafat, Mina, and Muzdalifa are 18333 meters, which is 9 miles. Some have said 12 miles. Hudaybiya on the way to Jeddah is about 14 kilometers (13353 meters). From the signs of the Haram to Masjid al-Haram, these distances are given. There are also other opinions regarding some of these boundaries.
Muslims and un-consecrated Muslims is not permissible there, unless one is a resident of Mecca and wishes to frequently enter and exit the Haram, or someone who has not yet completed a month since their ihram and wishes to leave and re-enter the Haram. There are only a few special cases that are exempted, and no one has the right to enter the Haram without ihram.
Imam Sajjad (عليه السلام) said to Shiblie: “Did you enter the Haram?
And when you entered Mecca, did you visit the Kaaba?”
Shiblie replied: Yes.
The Imam said: “The secret of entering the Haram is: ‘O God! I will not backbite or find fault with any Muslim.’”
And when you entered Mecca, you should say: “O God! I came with the intention of You, not with the intention of trade or fame or tourism and recreation.”
Stages and Degrees of Talbiya
Those who visit Mecca and perform Hajj or Umrah and recite the talbiya belong to several groups; for faith has degrees, and believers also have classes and degrees. The talbiya also has stages. Everyone says Labbaik, but some answer the call and request and question of the prophets, while others answer the invitation of Allah.
Some say: “Labbaik Da'i Allah, Labbaik Da'i Allah” (Here I am, Caller to Allah, Here I am, Caller to Allah). These are the first group; that is, the average among the pilgrims to the House of God, and they are those who answer the invitation of Abraham, the friend of God. Abraham, the friend of God (سلام الله عليه), invited people to visit the House of God, not anything else.
He said: “Wa addhin fi al-nas bi al-hajj ya’tooka rijalan wa ala kulli dhamirin ya’tin min kulli fajjin 'ameeq.” (1) 65 (Adhan) is to make a public announcement openly and clearly.
This group hears the words of Abraham, the friend of God, and answers them, saying: “Labbaik Da'i Allah, Labbaik Da'i Allah.”
Beyond the first group are the second group, who hear the invitation of “Allah” and respond to it.
The sacred Essence of God said in the Holy Qur'an:
“Wa lillahi ala al-nas hijj al-bayt min istaṭa'a ilayhi sabeela.” (2) 66;
“And to Allah from mankind is the pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way.” Mustati' (able) does not mean someone who owns property and is wealthy. Mustati' means someone who can undertake this journey normally and then has no problem, whether they have wealth or it is for services or as a guest or a gift, and so on.
The able person must answer God's invitation. This pilgrim to the House of Allah, who is among the select few men of faith, gives a positive response to God and says:
“Labbaik Dha al-Ma'arij Labbaik da'iyan ila dar al-salam Labbaik marhooban marghooban ilayka Labbaik la ma'booda siwak Labbaik.”
۔۔۔۔۔
1- - Hajj: 27
2- - Aal Imran: 97
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These talbiyas show that the pilgrim to the House of Allah answers “God” and not “the friend of God,” although answering the friend of God is also answering God. And although answering God is not without answering the friend of God. But this vision of the gnostic pilgrim to the House of Allah is different. The talbiyas are also not uniform, although one might say: “Labbaik Dha al-Ma'arij Labbaik,” but in reality, they are answering “Wa addhin fi al-nas bi al-hajj” and answering the invitation of the friend, not the invitation of the Majestic; because as much as a person has responded in that first stage, they respond in the outward realm as well. Humans say Labbaik twice, and these two Labbaiks are in continuation of each other, and these two instances are always preserved. It is not a historical event or a specific occurrence that has passed.
In the Holy Qur'an, it is stated:
“Wa idh akhadha rabbuka min bani adama min zuhurihim dhurriyyatahum wa ashhadahum ala anfusihim alastu bi rabbikum qalu bala.” (1) 67
God said to His Messenger: Although this blessed verse addresses the Prophet of God, it in reality addresses all humans, saying: Remember that scene of covenant-taking when We took a pledge from you and showed you your true selves. You understood Our Lordship and observed your own servitude, and you said: “Yes.” In response to God's question: “Am I not your Lord?” you said: “Yes, You are our Lord.”
This was one scene where God brought His servants to witness it. And the second scene was when Abraham, the friend of God (سلام الله عليه), was commanded by the sacred Essence of God to announce Hajj and instructed people to come to Hajj. Abraham (سلام الله عليه) went to the top of Mount Abu Qubays and announced the command of the Lord:
“From every path, come to visit the House of God.” Men and women of humanity, who were in the loins of their fathers, all said Labbaik. This scene of saying Labbaik in response to the friend's invitation is similar to the scene of saying Labbaik to the invitation of Almighty God in the event of the world of particles (alam al-dharr) and progeny. Just as that scene is still present, the scene of saying talbiya to the invitation of the rightful friend is also present now. These are not historical events, because the discourse is not about minute particles and loins and wombs; it is about fitra (innate disposition) and spirit.
In reality, the souls of humanity and their innate dispositions responded positively both to the invitation of God and to the invitation of the friend of God. Those who saw the friend in the friend of God's invitation also say, when reciting the talbiya: “Labbaik Da'i Allah, Labbaik Da'i Allah.” And those who, when reciting the talbiya in response to the announcement of the prophet Abraham, the friend of Allah, observed the true Owner and the sacred Essence of God, say, when reciting the talbiya: “Labbaik Dha al-Ma'arij Labbaik Labbaik marhooban mar'ooban ilayka Labbaik, Labbaik la ma'booda siwak Labbaik, Labbaik la sharika lak Labbaik” (1) 68 and so on.
These two types of responding, two types of knowing and worshipping, are discussed in many religious matters; for example, ordinary people who recite the Qur'an are not concerned with whom they are hearing these words from. But
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1- - Mustadrak, vol. 9, Hadith 10618 and 10603; Furu' al-Kafi; vol. 4, p. 214
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believers who are people of spiritual understanding and inner insight recite the Qur'an in such a way that it is as if they are receiving these words from the blessed presence of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).
And it is as if they are hearing directly from the Prophet.
Those who are a select few of the reciters and people of gnosis recite the Qur'an in such a way that it is as if they are hearing it from God. Regarding the Shia Imams (عليهم السلام), it has been narrated that those great personalities, when reciting Al-Hamd (the opening chapter of the Qur'an) in prayer, would repeat some words so much that it was as if they were hearing them from God Himself! (1) 69 In the noble verse “Wa in ahadun min al-mushrikeen istajarak fa'ajirhu hatta yasma'a kalam Allah” (2) 70 (And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah), these two points are also present. Some who were in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) would hear the Prophet's recitation in such a way that it was as if they were receiving and hearing it from Almighty God, because this book was revealed for everyone. However, the one who received it directly and is the recipient of revelation is the Prophet and no one else.
“Anzalnahu ilayka al-dhikra litubayyina li al-nas ma nuzzila ilayhim...” (3) 71 The Holy Qur'an is both “descent” towards the Prophet and “revelation” towards the people. It has also been revealed for the people, and the people are also recipients of God's word. However, through the mediation of the noble Messenger of God. Therefore, some can reach a point where, when reciting the Holy Qur'an, they are as if listening to these words from the sacred Essence of God. The same is true in the matter of receiving greetings. Almighty God sends blessings and greetings upon believers:
“Huwa alladhee yusallee alaikum wa malaa'ikatuhu liyukhrijakum min al-dhulumat ila al-noor.” (1) 72
“Salamun ala Musa wa Haroon.” (2) 73
“Salamun ala Noohin fi al-alamin.” (3) 74 This greeting is specific to حضرت Noah; for throughout the Qur'an, this expression appears only once, and that is concerning Noah, and this is due to his endurance of ten centuries of hardship and toil in the path of divine propagation. For other humans, the phrase “fi al-alamin” is not present.
God, following His greetings to the prophets, said: “Inna kadhalika najzi al-muhsineen.” (4) 75 (“Indeed, thus do We reward the doers of good”), meaning that God's greetings also include believers.
God's greeting is also God's action, for He Himself is Peace (Salam). And Peace is one of the beautiful names (asma' al-husna) and active names of the True (5) 76 and invites humans to the Abode of Peace (Dar al-Salam) (6) 77; meaning He invites them to His own abode and house, and He also bestows this very peace as a grace upon His righteous servants. So God sends both blessings (salawat) and peace (salam) upon believers, and those who receive this
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1- - Usul al-Kafi, Kitab Fadl al-Qur'an, vol. 2, p. 602
2- - Tawbah: 6
3- - Nahl: 44
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greeting sometimes receive it from an angel and sometimes from the Prophet of God (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). And a select few humans also receive it from the sacred Essence of God.
“Wa idha ja'aka alladhina yu'minuna biayatina faqul salamun alaikum.” (1) 78
Meaning, when believers come to your presence and school to hear and learn divine knowledge, say “Salam alaikum.”
When believers were present before the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his purified family, for a sermon or the like, the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) would greet them, and since the words of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) were nothing but revelation, he naturally conveyed this greeting to the believers by the command of Almighty God.
Believers are of two types; some of them received and accepted the greeting from the Prophet himself, and others from the sacred Essence of God.
The talbiya is also like this; pilgrims and those performing Umrah who say Labbaik sometimes answer God's invitation and sometimes the invitation of the rightful friend.
When a pilgrim reaches the presence of the Lord, whatever problem they have, if they say Labbaik correctly, their problem is resolved and they return. These have been stated as secrets, and alongside these secrets, there are also stories, which, even if they do not have an original reality and there is no external incident, their spirit is true.
It is said that a person of inner insight and gnosis, dressed in worn and dirty clothes, came into the presence of a person of high status. He was told that it was shameful to appear before a person of high status in such dirty clothes. He replied: It is not shameful to appear before a person of high status in dirty clothes, but it is shameful to return from the presence of a person of high status in the same dirty clothes; meaning, when a person has nothing, they come into the presence of a person of high status. At that time, if the person of high status deems them unworthy and rejects them and gives them nothing, it is shameful and disgraceful for them. But if they are a worthy person, the person of high status accepts them and bestows upon them gifts and grants. This person of inner insight, with this story and event, said: It is not shameful to go towards God with sins and to extend hands full of sins towards Almighty God; it is shameful to return from God's presence with hands full of sins! If Almighty God does not accept and does not forgive the sins, a person goes polluted and returns polluted.
This is a story, yet it carries a reality.
And it has also been said of a person of inner insight who came into the presence of a person of high status: (1) 79 They asked: What have you brought? He said: When someone goes into the presence of a person of high status, they are not asked “What have you brought?”, but rather they are asked “What do you want?” If I had anything, I would not have come here; meaning, when a person goes to the presence of God, they cannot say: I have toiled all my life, I became a scholar, a preacher, a teacher and guide for people, or I acquired wealth and spent it in the service of society, etc. Because all these are His gifts; “Ma bikum min ni'matin fa min Allah.” (2) 80
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1- - Qadhi Sa'id Qummi, Asrar al-Ibadat, p. 234
2- - Nahl: 53
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So no one can say that I came before God with a load of virtue and art, for these are His possessions. What does a human being possess? Two empty hands, nothing more. No one goes to the divine threshold with full hands. Therefore, no one is asked, “What have you brought?” Everyone is asked, “What do you want?”
Visiting the Sacred House of Allah is considered a hospitality and hosting (1) 81. We must understand this matter, that we should never attribute any good deed that originates from us to ourselves and say: “O God! We have done this much good; all of it belongs to You.” When we reach His House, we say: “Al-Haram haramuk, al-balad baladuk, al-bayt baytuk, wa ana 'abduk.” (2) 82
Imam Sajjad (سلام الله عليه) also says:
“Sayyidi 'abduk bi babik aqamatuhu al-khasasah bayna yadayk, yaqra'u bab ihsanik bidu'aih, fala tu'rid biwajhika al-kareem 'anni.” (3) 83
“My Master! Your servant is at Your door, his need has brought him before You. He knocks on the door of Your benevolence with his supplication, so do not turn Your noble face away from me.”
O God! Poverty and destitution have brought me here. We have brought nothing; we have come to take something.
If someone goes to visit the House of God relying on their own deeds, they have suffered a loss, because they have considered God's property as their own and have claimed divine blessings, successes, and favors as their own. Successes for which Almighty God should be praised for granting them.
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1- - Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 96, p. 34
2- - Adab al-Haramayn, p. 162
3- - Du'a Abu Hamza al-Thumali.
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Those secrets on one hand, and these stories on the other, are meant to narrate the benefits, advantages, and mysteries of these Hajj rituals.
Praiseworthy Asceticism (Rahbaniyya)
One of the rituals of Hajj is the matter of reciting the talbiya, by which ihram is consecrated. After ihram, it is recommended for the pilgrim to continue reciting these talbiyas until the houses of Mecca appear within sight. This recitation of talbiya, which a person utters at every ascent and descent, at every peak and trough, is so that they may renew that covenant at every moment.
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: If asceticism (rahbaniyya) found its way into past nations, the asceticism of my nation is jihad in the way of God and takbir (exclaiming "Allahu Akbar") at every high place and peak. "Takbir at every high place" refers to this very talbiya (Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik...) which the pilgrims to the House of God shout whenever they reach a high place. This is a form of asceticism. A hermit (rahib) is one who fears God, and the sacred Essence of God called us to a praiseworthy and commendable asceticism, saying: “Wa iyyaya farhaboon.” (1) 84 Fearing Hell is not an art; fearing the sacred Essence of God is an art, for this fear is a rational fear and a taking of sanctuary, and for this reason, they say that a certain person is respected; meaning, one must maintain distance in their presence and not approach them too closely lest manners be abandoned.
Regarding the sacred Essence of God, we must maintain distance because He is always and in all situations with us (wa huwa ma'akum aynama kuntum). (1) 85
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1- - Baqarah: 40
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The meaning of keeping distance and showing reverence here is not about temporal or spatial distance; because wherever we are, He is with us. Regarding a teacher, one can say, "Respect that teacher"; meaning, keep a distance. When the teacher is sitting somewhere, you should sit a little lower. Do not sit next to the teacher or higher than them. This is called showing respect; meaning, keeping a distance. However, this kind of showing respect does not apply to the sacred Essence of God, for us to say: "Respect God and keep a distance and do not sit in a specific place at a specific time and so on..." Because God is present and manifests with everyone in all conditions without mixing.
Thus, keeping distance and respecting God is an ideological respect and distance-keeping; meaning, a person must humble themselves before God to such an extent that they see no one but Him, rely on no one but Him, and attach their heart to no one but Him. And they should say: “Labbaik...” meaning, I have come to Your presence. This is the ascetic of God. “Wa iyyaya farhaboon” means this.
And Hajj, which has been legislated and described as a praiseworthy and commendable form of asceticism, will be this very thing. (2) 86 The pilgrim in ihram says “Labbaik” in many of these ceremonies and rituals. The initiation of Hajj and Umrah in the form of ihram begins with talbiya and is then repeated. And for this reason, the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: “Labbaik bihajja haqqan ta'abbudan wa riqqa.”
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1- - Hadid: 4
2- - In our narrations, jihad and Hajj are mentioned as forms of asceticism. Mahajjat al-Baydha', vol. 2, p. 197. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 1, p. 540; Nihayat Ibn al-Athir, vol. 2, p. 113
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Prohibitions of Ihram
While in ihram, certain matters are forbidden to a person (1) 87, and the prohibition is temporary, becoming permissible after ihram; such as plucking hair, looking in a mirror, killing animals, hunting, and the like. However, some matters are sins and are absolutely forbidden.
The Imam (peace be upon him) said: When entering ihram, your intention should be to forbid upon yourselves everything that Almighty God has forbidden. It should not be limited only to the prohibitions of the state of ihram. Decide not to extend your hand towards any sin; for whoever enters ihram at the miqat, their statement is: O God! I commit to abstaining from all prohibitions and to abandoning them forever, and never to extend my hand towards them or drag my feet towards them.
Ihram consists of three actions and has three parts:
1- Wearing two garments.
2- Intending Hajj or Umrah.
1- - It is well-known among jurists that the prohibitions of Ihram are 24: 1- Land hunting, 2- Sexual intercourse, 3- Concluding marriage, 4- Masturbation, 5- Using perfumes and fragrances, 6- Wearing sewn clothes, 7- Applying kohl (eyeliner), 8- Looking in a mirror, 9- Covering the entire top of the foot, 10- Fusuq (disobedience), 11- Jidal (dispute), 12- Killing creatures living on the body, 13- Wearing a ring for adornment, 14- Women wearing jewelry, 15- Applying oil to the body, 16- Removing hair from oneself or another, 17- Men covering their heads, 18- Women covering their faces, 19- Men seeking shade above their heads, 20- Drawing blood from the body, 21- Trimming nails, 22- Extracting a tooth, 23- Uprooting a tree or plant that has grown in the Haram, 24- Carrying weapons.
3- Reciting talbiya.
So one wears the two garments of ihram, intends Hajj or Umrah, and then recites talbiya, and ihram is realized with these three actions. And the secret of this action is that the pilgrim says: O God! I have broken away from everything other than You and have connected only to You. First, breaking away from other than God, and then connecting to divine grace.
If, at the time of entering ihram, a person does not internalize the thought: “O God! I have forsaken everything other than You and connected only to Your guardianship,” then in reality, they have not gone to the miqat and have not entered ihram.
Before ihram at the miqat, performing prayer is recommended, although some scholars and jurists hold the view of obligatory precaution, but most generally issue a fatwa of recommendation.
The Imam (عليه السلام) said: The prayer performed at the miqat means: “O God! I have drawn closer to You through the best of worships, which is the pillar of religion.”
The Seven Circuits (Ashwat Sab'a)
The seven circuits are around these four words. The prayer after tawaf is also around these four words. The striving between Safa and Marwa after tawaf is also around these four words. The standing of pilgrims in Arafat, Muzdalifa, and Mina is also for reaching the secure sanctuary of these four words, and the spirit of these four words is in reality nothing but one reality.
The Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad)
Many virtues have been reported concerning the Black Stone, and it is appropriate that those performing the obligatory tawaf (1) 88 should have precedence in touching and kissing the Black Stone, and those performing supererogatory tawaf should not obstruct them. And among the traditions of tawaf is that the hand of the circumambulator should touch the Stone.
When Imam Sajjad (عليه السلام) asked Shiblie: Shiblie! Did your hand reach the Black Stone or not? He cried out, almost fainting! Then he said: Do you know what this Black Stone is?! This is the right hand of Allah and the hand of God on earth. Although Almighty God “kilta yadayhi yameen” (2) 89 (both His hands are right) and does not have hands like humans, to have a right hand and a left hand. He is free from body and corporeality. Rather, this is a metaphorical representation of the intelligible by the sensible, and an embodiment and manifestation of the intelligible in sensible form, such that it is said: Man has touched the hand of God, and the Black Stone is the hand of God on earth. Otherwise, the sacred Essence of God is not corporeal or visible. He is pure abstraction and pure existence. However, in order to have a model in the realm of nature and sense, He built a Kaaba, and in a specific corner, a specific stone was placed by His command as “the right hand of Allah on His earth.” And the meaning and secret of touching the Black Stone is:
“O God! I have made a pledge and a covenant with You that I will no longer stretch my hand towards sin.” I will not give or take usury, I will not give or take bribes, I will not sign false documents, and so on.
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1- - Sahba-e-Safa, Ayatullah Jawadi Amoli, refer to p. 122.
2- - Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 99, p. 228; Sahih Muslim, Amara, 18
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And the secret of why the religiously observant insist on touching the Stone is that they want to endorse this commitment and make this covenant.
All that insistence and statement on touching the Stone by the Imams (عليهم السلام) is due to a secret hidden in touching it, which is:
O God! My hand has reached Your hand, I will never give my hand to a stranger. If someone was a political official of the country and succeeded in touching the Black Stone, they would no longer extend their political hand to the East or to the West. They would not put their hand in the hands of politicians.
The Stone and the Station (Hajar wa Maqam)
When the pilgrim to the House of Allah stands before the door of the Kaaba, the Black Stone is on their left and the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, is on their right. However, when they observe carefully, they realize that the Black Stone is on the right side of the Kaaba and the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, is on its left. And the secret of this is that the station of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is equivalent to the right side, and the station of the friend of God (Abraham, peace be upon him and his family) is equivalent to the left side.
Facing the door of the Kaaba, they recite this supplication: “Al-baytu baytuk, wa ana dayfuk, wa ana 'abduk...” (The House is Your House, and I am Your guest, and I am Your servant...)
The Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family (Maqam Ibrahim)
The Imam (عليه السلام) said to Shiblie:
“Did you understand the meaning of standing behind the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family and performing prayer behind it, and did you do so?”
Shiblie replied: I prayed, but I did not have the intentions that you mentioned.
He said: You have not circumambulated at all and have not gone to the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, because your action was without secret and spirit.
The Qur'an says: After circumambulating, go to the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family and choose a place there for prayer; “Wa ittakhidhoo min maqami Ibrahima musalla.” (1) 90 Pray behind the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family and choose that as a place of prayer.
In narrations, there is talk of khalf maqam Ibrahim (behind the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family), but the Qur'anic expression is: Choose that area as a place of prayer. The secret of this standing and choosing a place at the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, is:
“O God! I have stood in the place where Abraham (عليه السلام) stood.” And this has two aspects: 1- An outward aspect 2- An inward aspect. And that inner aspect is the secret of this outer one. The outward aspect is: The circumambulator should stand in the place where Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, stood and perform two units of prayer. As for its inner aspect, it is to realize one's station and to become established in that station and to perform a prayer like the prayer of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family. So there are two matters; one related to the rituals of Hajj, and the other related to the secrets of Hajj.
Indeed, when a person reaches the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, it means: O God! I have stepped into the place of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, the friend of God. Just as the friend said: “Inni wajjahtu wajhi lil-ladhi fatara al-samawati wa al-ard hanifan wa ma ana min al-mushrikeen.” (1) 91 I too, like the friend and like Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, turn towards every act of obedience and turn away from every act of disobedience. Whoever lacks humility, reverence, and sincerity in their prayer has not stood in the place of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family.
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1- - Baqarah: 125
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It is incumbent upon those who embark on that sacred journey that when they circumambulate the Kaaba, they should honor each moment and every step of those stations; for prophets and saints have stepped there.
Those who are not familiar with the secrets of Hajj, and it is unclear with what wealth they go to Mecca and with what discourse they speak there, these people circumambulate a Kaaba that polytheists have also circumambulated extensively, whose prayer around the House was "whistling and clapping" (wa ma kana salatuhum inda al-bayt illa muka'an wa tasdiyatan). (2) 92 Wicked people have also circumambulated this Kaaba many times. When this Kaaba was an idol temple, idol worshippers also circumambulated this Kaaba many times. During the era of ignorance (Jahiliyya), a great number of people also circumambulated this Kaaba. Only those who are familiar with the secrets of Hajj see that they have stepped in the place of the prophets and Imams (عليهم السلام), for these are the sincere ones, and the whispers of Satan do not affect them. (3) 93 Satanic thoughts do not find their way into the depths of their souls.
The machinations of strangers also do not penetrate their intellectual boundaries.
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1- - An'am: 79
2- - Anfal: 35
3- - Hijr: 40
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Shiblie and those like him were familiar with the rituals and rulings of Hajj and acted upon them, but a spiritless pilgrimage is like neglecting the pilgrimage.
Hijr Isma'il
Hijr Isma'il is not a qibla (direction of prayer) but it is a place for circumambulation. Hajirah (سلام الله عليها) and many prophets (عليهم السلام) are buried there, and out of respect for the graves of Hajra, peace be on her, and the prophets, Hijr Isma'il has been made a place for circumambulation. (1) 94
Pillars of the Kaaba
In the realm of the Kaaba, there are four pillars, as it is told. First, the Black Stone, then as one approaches the Hijr Ismail, there is the Syrian pillar, and after that, the Western pillar. The other pillar is the Northern one. So the Kaaba, in all, has four pillars. If the pilgrim stands facing the Kaaba, their left hand is towards the Black Stone, and truly, the Black Stone is the right hand of the Kaaba. The right side of the Kaaba has two pillars: 1. The Black Stone pillar. 2. The Yemeni pillar. The left side of the Kaaba also has two pillars: 1. The Syrian pillar. 2. The Western pillar.
Between the Western pillar and the Yemeni pillar, behind the door of the Kaaba, is the Mustajar, where it is as if the pilgrim clings to the hem of God, and seeks refuge in His divine grace.
Each moment of these rituals is a matter which one articulates with special prayers.
The Water of Zamzam, the Cup of Obedience
It is recommended for a person, after performing the circumambulation and its prayer, to go to the well of Zamzam, drink some of its water, and pour some over their head and face, seeking blessings from it. (1) 95 The Messenger of God—peace be upon him and his family—when in Mecca, personally used the water of Zamzam, and when in Medina, pilgrims returning from Mecca would bring Zamzam water as a gift for him, and the blessed presence of the Messenger of God—peace be upon him—would accept it as a gift. (2) 96 The water of Zamzam is water that gushed forth by the blessing of the family of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, the Friend of God, and it still gushes after several thousand years, even though blessed Mecca is not a land of abundant snow and rain. Although other wells and qanats have been added, the water of Zamzam continues to flow after several thousand years, and it is fitting for the pilgrim of the House of God, after the circumambulation and its prayer, to approach Zamzam and drink some of its water.
Imam Sajjad asked Shiblí, "Did you approach the water of Zamzam and drink some of it? When you approached and drank, and when you came over that well, was your intention, 'O God, I have accepted all Your obedience and abandoned all disobedience'?"
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* Shahid Awwal, Lum'ah, Kitab al-Hajj, Al-Qawl fi al-Sa'y wa al-Taqsir.
* Wasā'il al-Shīʿah, vol. 9, pp. 512-480; Wāfī, vol. 12, p. 79
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Shiblí replied, "No."
The Imam said, "Then you have not truly approached."
The pilgrim of the House of God, who is aware of the secrets of Hajj, when they pour Zamzam water over their head and chest or into their mouth, understands that "O God! I have drunk the cup of obedience and abandoned the cup of disobedience."
Safa and Marwa
Safa is called Safa because it gained something from the essence of the prophets, especially Adam—peace be upon him. In the Quran, it is also stated:
"Indeed, God chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds." (1) 97 They are the chosen ones of their Lord, and since the blessed presence of Adam stood on Mount Safa, facing the House, this mountain became Safa because of Adam's chosenness. And if someone attains purity from this mountain, they are among the chosen of God Almighty. Yes, God chooses a group; "Indeed, God chooses from the angels messengers and from the people. Indeed, God is Hearing and Seeing." (2) 98
Eve—peace be upon her—who was a woman (mar'ah), was situated on Mount Marwa, and thus it is called "Marwa."
Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—addressed Shiblí, saying, "Did you perform the sa'y between Safa and Marwa?"
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* Al 'Imran: 23
* Al-Hajj: 75
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Shiblí replied, "Yes."
He asked, "During your sa'y between Safa and Marwa, did you grasp that certain meaning?"
Shiblí answered, "No."
The Imam said, "Then you have not truly performed the sa'y between Safa and Marwa."
There are many secrets in Safa and Marwa, and in the Holy Quran, the sa'y between Safa and Marwa, and Safa and Marwa themselves, are considered among the rituals of God; "Indeed, Safa and Marwa are among the rituals of God. So whoever performs Hajj to the House or performs 'Umrah, there is no blame upon him for circumambulating between them. And whoever volunteers good—then indeed, God is Appreciative and Knowing." (1) 99 From Safa and Marwa, in turn, it is referred to as tawaf (circumambulation) and considered among the divine rituals.
According to the Imam, the meaning of sa'y is that one flees from disobedience to obedience, and this "flight to God" appears prominently in the sa'y between Safa and Marwa. The hurrying and running between Safa and Marwa is a running from sin towards obedience, and from other than God towards the Truth.
Then he asked, "Do you know the meaning of traversing between the two mountains of Safa and Marwa?"
It means, "O God! I am in a state between fear and hope, neither pure fear nor pure hope. It is not such that I only fear and have no hope, nor is it such that there is all hope and no fear." This traversing between Safa and Marwa is the same traversing between fear and hope. A believer and a Muslim, as long as they are alive, live between fear and hope; they fear their deeds and hope for the grace of God.
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* Al-Baqarah: 158
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God Almighty, in the Holy Quran, when praising divine men—who are knowledgeable and act upon their knowledge—says:
"Is he who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, like one who is not? Say, 'Are those who know equal to those who do not know?'" (1) 100
Divine men, who possess enlightening knowledge, fear the outcome of their affairs and hope for the grace of God. They do not fear God because God Almighty is pure beauty, and pure beauty and the Most Merciful have no fear. Rather, they fear the outcome of their own deeds. God Almighty is beloved, not feared.
A believer always lives between fear and hope, and as long as they are alive, in the middle of their life, they strive for their fear to be slightly greater, and in the latter part of their life, their effort is for their hope to exceed their fear.
In any case, they always live between fear and hope, and this secret is manifested in the sa'y between Safa and Marwa.
When facing Safa, one strives to purify oneself, and when going towards Marwa, one strives to acquire manliness and chivalry; for Marwa is a reminder of manliness and chivalry, and Safa is a reminder of purification and spiritual refinement. Yes, each of these has a secret.
Although in the origin of this traversing, Hajirah—peace be upon her—went several times from Mount Safa to Marwa and from Marwa to Safa to find water, and spoke of "Is there any companion?" and "Is there any consoler?" (1) 101 to provide water for her infant, and her motherly sigh had such an effect that, according to the prayer of the Friend of God, the well of Zamzam gushed forth from beneath Ismail's feet and still gushes forth after several thousand years, the secret of this act is for man to reach purity (safa) and attain manliness (muruwwah). A chivalrous person no longer extends their hand towards degrading acts, just as Husayn ibn Ali—peace be upon him—said: "No, by God, I will not give them my hand in the manner of the humiliated, nor will I flee from them in the manner of slaves." (2) 102
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* Az-Zumar: 9
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He said: "I have neither a foot for fleeing nor a hand that would be a hand of surrender and humiliation. Rather, I am here with my manliness, the field of struggle, valor, and courage." This lesson is also taught to man by the secret of Hajj; for in every step of Hajj, there is a secret.
Secrets of Arafat
Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—in this hadith, taught Shiblí the secrets of various Hajj rituals; among them are the secrets of Arafat. Usually, the pilgrim puts on the ihram on the Day of Tarwiyah (the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah) to stay in the land of Arafat on the night of the ninth, so as to experience the necessary standing (wuquf) on the ninth day. On the ninth day, from the decline of the sun (noon), one must remain in the land of Arafat, and on the night of the tenth, move from Arafat to Mash'ar and spend the night there. On the tenth day, after sunrise, one moves from Mash'ar towards Mina. Upon entering the land of Mina, one performs the sacrifice, halq (shaving the head), and ramy al-jamarat (stoning the pillars). The secret of Hajj is not merely to perform the outward acts—whether obligatory or recommended.
Amir al-Mu'minin—peace of God be upon him—said: "Do you know why the pilgrim, after putting on ihram, must go to Arafat and then come to circumambulate the Kaaba? It is because Arafat is outside the boundary of the sanctuary, and if someone is a guest of God, they must first go outside the gate and pray and lament until they become worthy of entering the sanctuary. Then in Arafat, both at night and during the day, especially on the Day of Arafah, there is a special supplication. And supplication is among the distinguished virtues and important duties of the Day of Arafah in the land of Arafat; for even if someone is not in Arafat on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, among the distinguished virtues of that day is reciting the supplication of Arafah by the Master of Martyrs, Husayn ibn Ali—peace be upon them both." (1) 103 The pilgrim must first supplicate and purify themselves outside the sanctuary's boundaries until they become worthy of entering its limits; for this reason, it has been said that before the circumambulation, one must go outside the gate, meaning Arafat; just as a guest who wishes to enter before a great person must first seek permission at the entrance before entering the presence. Pilgrims on the ninth day go to the land of Arafat, where they humble themselves, recite prayers, and ask God for permission to enter the sanctuary. Once they become worthy, they enter the sanctuary's limits.
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* Illal al-Shara'i' by Saduq, p. 432, and Furu' al-Kafi, vol. 4, p. 201
* Maqtal al-Khwarizmi, vol. 1, p. 253; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 7, p. 328; and Kamil Ibn al-Athir, vol. 3, p. 287
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Arafat has five secrets mentioned in Shiblí's hadith:
* Standing in Arafat means that one should become acquainted with, aware of, and knowledgeable of divine truths. One should know that God is aware of all their needs and capable of fulfilling all their requirements. One should surrender oneself to God and feel that they are His servant and dependent on Him, so that they obey Him alone. If a servant becomes obedient and follows God, they are independent of everything and everyone; for capital is the means to every independence (and "His obedience is richness"). (1) 104 So, one who stands in Arafat must gain something from knowledge (ma'rifah).
* One must become aware that the sacred essence of God is cognizant of the tablet of their heart, of their inner being, and of their hidden secrets. The pilgrim in the land of Arafat must grasp the noble verse: (2) 105
"And if you speak aloud, then indeed, He knows the secret and what is even more hidden." (3) 106
God Almighty says: Your Lord is aware and informed of every action you perform, every turn you take, and every secret you hold within yourself. He knows your open speech and your hidden secret, and even what is concealed and perhaps not even clear to yourself, passing unconsciously through the corners and crevices of your mind, heart, and soul.
In short, one must realize that God Almighty has complete encompassing knowledge of the tablet of their heart. If one knows that their heart is in the presence and sight of God, then just as they do not commit sins with their tongue, hands, and feet, they will also not entertain sinful thoughts or desires. Just as they do not utter falsehoods or speak ill of anyone, they will also not harbor ill will towards anyone in their heart. And finally, just as they purify their body, they will also cleanse their heart of impure thoughts.
* It is fitting for one who is in the land of Arafat to ascend Jabal al-Rahmah (Mount of Mercy) and recite its special supplication. The Master of Martyrs, Husayn ibn Ali—peace be upon them both—stood on the left side of that mountain, facing the Kaaba, and recited that famous supplication. The secret of ascending Jabal al-Rahmah is to know that God Almighty is compassionate and merciful to every believing man and woman. He is the guardian of every Muslim man and woman. Although the guardianship of God Almighty is takwini (ontological) and He is the guardian of all; "There, [all] protection is for God, the Truth" (1) 107 and although the mercy of God Almighty is all-encompassing; "My mercy encompasses all things," yet that is the general guardianship and mercy. Alongside this general guardianship and mercy, He also has a special and particular mercy that is not for everyone; "My mercy encompasses all things, but I will decree it for those who fear God." (2) 108 In the first part of the verse, He clearly stated that His mercy is all-encompassing ("My mercy encompasses all things"), and in the second part, He explained that His mercy benefits the pious ("but I will decree it for those who fear God"). He said: "Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy." (3) 109 From the combination of the two verses, it is understood that God Almighty has decreed upon Himself to grant special mercy to the pious.
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* Du'a Kumayl.
* Ayatollah Javadi Amoli - Hossein Rezvani, Irfan al-Hajj, 1 vol., Nashr Mash'ar - Tehran, 12th print, 1383 AH.
* Taha: 7
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Ascending Jabal al-Rahmah acquaints and makes one aware of this secret and mystery (1) 110 that God Almighty has a special mercy and guardianship over believing Muslim men and women. Naturally, when adorned with this secret, one has a special mercy towards believing men and women and gains a special guardianship over them, and one implements this secret in their conduct, speech, and writing.
* In the land of Arafat, there is an area called "Namira" which is marked with special signs. According to Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—when you reach this area of Arafat, its secret is to say:
"O God! I do not command anything (2) 111 unless I have already acted upon it myself and been commanded, and I do not forbid anything unless I have already refrained from it myself."
Every Muslim has a duty to enjoin good and forbid evil.
Enjoining good and forbidding evil has a jurisprudential ruling and a secret. Its jurisprudential ruling is that a scholar aware of the religious ruling, if they see someone knowingly and intentionally not observing a ruling, must guide them.
* Jabal al-Rahmah is located almost at the end of Arafat, approximately 300 meters long, and is separate from the surrounding mountains. It was the prayer place of Abraham—peace be upon him and his family—and the Holy Prophet—peace be upon him and his Purified Family. The Messenger of God stood on a rock of this mountain and delivered the famous sermon of Arafat. On this mountain, there is a dome named after Prophet Adam, where praying is disliked, and Husayn ibn Ali—peace be upon him—recited the profound supplication of the Day of Arafah at the foot of this mountain with tearful eyes. (Fakihi, Akhbar Makkah).
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* Kafi, vol. 4, p. 245
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It is obvious that enjoining good and forbidding evil is different from teaching, admonition, and guidance. (1) 112 Enjoining good and forbidding evil has an aspect of authority and command, although in some cases, it may fall under the instances of teaching, guidance, or admonition. However, the true essence of enjoining good and forbidding evil is distinct from the aforementioned categories.
In enjoining good and forbidding evil, it is not necessary for one to have a pure inner self or to be characterized by justice.
Justice is not a condition for enjoining good and forbidding evil; rather, knowledge, awareness, and the likelihood of impact are among its conditions.
However, despite all this, in the land of Arafat, the secret of enjoining good and forbidding evil reverts to justice; meaning that the one who commands must have been commanded first. The one who forbids and restrains must have been refrained and restrained first, and should say: "O God! Grant me such success that whatever I command others as 'enjoining good,' I have already acted upon it myself, and from whatever I forbid others, I have already refrained from it myself."
Yes, in the secrets of Hajj, justice is considered a condition for enjoining good and forbidding evil.
* There is a vast area in Arafat marked with special signs as "Namirat." Imam Sajjad said: On the ninth day, when you enter the land of Arafat and reach this vast area, its secret is to be aware that this land is the land of witnessing, knowledge, and gnosis, and it knows who treads upon it and with what intention they have come and with what intention they will return! Besides that, God and the angels are also witnesses.
God Almighty has made this area and this land a witness to your actions; so that He knows well what you are doing. The lands beneath the feet of the pilgrims to the House of God are fully aware of what intention the pilgrim, the Hajj performer, and the 'Umrah performer came with and with what intention they return.
* The difference between "enjoining good and forbidding evil" and "admonition and guidance" is that the domain of "enjoining good and forbidding evil" is "action," while the domain of "admonition and guidance" is "the doer of the action." Enjoining and forbidding say that sin should not be committed, but in admonition, the emphasis is on guiding the one who commits sin and abandons an obligation. Therefore, enjoining good and forbidding evil is concerned with the "evilness of the act," while guidance and admonition are concerned with the "evilness of the doer."
Few Pilgrims, Much Crying!
Abu Basir, who was blind, said: One year I was in Mecca, and Imam Muhammad Baqir—peace be upon him—was also there that year. From the signs and indications I perceived through senses other than sight, I understood that there were many pilgrims.
I said in astonishment, "How many pilgrims there are this year and how great the clamor!" (1) 113 In the land of Arafat, everyone is engaged in prayer; around the Kaaba, everyone is engaged in circumambulation and prayer, and so on.
Imam Baqir—peace be upon him—said to Abu Basir, "It is not so. Abu Basir, come closer." Abu Basir drew nearer to the Imam—peace be upon him. The Imam—peace be upon him—placed his blessed hand on Abu Basir's eye, and suddenly he saw a vast plain where many of the creatures were animals. Then the Imam said:
"How few are the pilgrims and how much is the clamor!" Abu Basir! The pilgrims are few, and the lamentation and noise are many.
The issue of substantive motion in creatures and the issue of the soul being corporeally originated and spiritually subsistent (1) 114—two philosophical issues—bring about many transformations in ethics. These two points fundamentally change many ethical issues.
The true form of Hajj creates the true character and reality of the pilgrim.
The reality of every person is formed by their beliefs, morals, deeds, and intentions.
Hajj is human-making, and if someone is not a true and real pilgrim, they are not human. Other religious commands, like prayer and fasting, are also human-making, just like Hajj, and if someone does not find the reality of prayer and the secret of fasting, they have no share in humanity. Their form is the form of a human, but their character is the character of an animal; Ali—peace be upon him—said: "So the form is the form of a human, but the heart is the heart of an animal." (2) 115
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* Bihar, vol. 7, p. 179 and vol. 99, p. 258; Sahbay-e Safa, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, p. 105
* Mabda' wa Ma'ad, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, p. 193
* Nahj al-Balaghah, Subhi Salih, sermon 87
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The heart means the reality of a person, and that divine subtlety. (3) 116 And the spirit is an animal spirit in a human body; the face is the face of a human, yet the reality is the reality of an animal.
That which constitutes the reality of a human—whether in the form of humanity or in the form of animality—is the very beliefs, morals, and actions.
Indeed, Hajj has a secret that harmonizes with the inner self of a human and is formed by it. This is why Imam Baqir—peace be upon him—showed Abu Basir that many of the people present at Hajj were animals. Of course, Shiites should be happy and joyous that, by the blessing of Wilayah (divine guardianship), they are protected from this evil and danger. Imam Baqir—peace be upon him—then passed his blessed hand over Abu Basir's eye, and he returned to his original state, seeing the people in Arafat as humans.
Then he addressed Abu Basir, saying: "Abu Basir! If I were to do to others what I did to you, and others also understood the secrets of people and saw what was happening in Arafat, they might not have the capacity and might exaggerate about us. While we are servants of God and do not disdain His worship and servitude. We are submissive, surrendered, Muslim, and obedient before the Almighty God, and in this matter, we never tire."
Imam Baqir—peace be upon him—described the Imams with the same description that God used for angels, close ones, and divine human beings.
Sudayr al-Sayrafi said: I was in the land of Arafat, in the presence of Imam Sadiq—peace be upon him. I saw a large crowd engaged in their duties and prayers. It occurred to my heart whether these people would go to hell? Because one who does not believe in the Wilayah of Ali and his descendants—peace be upon them—and one who knowingly and intentionally transgresses the clear command of the Holy Prophet, their reality is not the reality of a human.
Imam Sadiq—peace be upon him—said: "Sudayr! Reflect and observe." With the Imam's intervention in my perception, I saw the inner reality of many individuals who did not appear in human form. (1) 117 So Hajj has a secret that shapes the reality and inner self of a human. If someone accompanies the reality of Hajj, they are a true human. But if they perform Hajj for sightseeing or trade, and have no share of Wilayah, and do not believe in the pure progeny of the Prophet, then they are deprived of the secret of Hajj.
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* Refer to Sharh Tawhid al-Saduq by Qazi Sa'id Qummi, vol. 2.
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Conversation of Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—with Zuhri (2) 118
Zuhri said: There was a large crowd in the land of Arafat when Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—said: (3) 119 "How many people have come!" I replied, "Four hundred to five hundred thousand." This number is not small for the first century AH! The Imam said: "Although the matter of quantity is raised for you, if you dissect the spirit of the issue; 'How few are the pilgrims and how much is the clamor!'"
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* Bihar, vol. 99, p. 258
* Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 4, p. 177. Although the authenticity of some narrations, like this hadith, is subject to reconsideration and not very precise or sound, a reliable conclusion can be drawn from the collection of these narrations. Moreover, the text of these hadiths is consistent with other Islamic teachings, and by combining them, one can be confident that they originated from the Household of Revelation.
* Tafsir Imam Hasan Askari—peace be upon him—p. 177, under verse 200-198; and Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 39
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"Pilgrims are few, and noise and clamor are many." Then he said: "Can you look at the land of Arafat?" Zuhri looked, and through the Imam Sajjad's spiritual intervention, he experienced several states: he saw people in various forms; some as monkeys, some as pigs, and some as wolves and the like. From this, it appears that the reality and truth of the pilgrim are determined by the Hajj itself, and a true Hajj is one accompanied by Wilayah.
In this same narration, it is stated: "Those who took the Quran and abandoned the Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet's Household) have no share in the reality of Hajj."
The Role of Wilayah in the Acceptance of Hajj
What emerges from the words of Imam Sajjad is that he made Zuhri understand that, although the crowd present in Arafat numbers around four hundred or five hundred thousand, the reality of individuals is constituted by their inner being, not their outward appearance. People might be counted in a superficial census and statistics, but in a census related to the secrets of Hajj, they are not human. And although this discussion is presented in the context of Hajj, it ultimately relates to the secret of Wilayah, not the secret of Hajj, unless we argue that Wilayah casts its shadow over deeds and worship. The reality of Wilayah appears as the secret of deeds and worship. They might go to Mecca for God and with lawful wealth. They might outwardly perform the rituals of Hajj and pilgrimage according to their jurisprudential instructions. However, when they do not derive their jurisprudence and rulings from Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq—peace be upon them—and do not believe in the leadership of the pure progeny and do not believe in their takwini (ontological) and tashri'i (legislative) Wilayah, their inner being is a denial of Wilayah, and it appears in the form of animality. Consequently, their Hajj, pilgrimage, fasting, and prayers will not be accepted worship. Although this scene occurred in Arafat, a similar situation might occur in long lines of congregational prayers. In long lines of congregational prayers, numbering four hundred or five hundred thousand, the number of true worshippers might be few. Therefore, Wilayah plays a key role, and it is stated in narrations that: "The Wali (Guardian) is the guide and pointer to the general lines of religion." If religion has fundamental principles and foundations, such as prayer, fasting, zakat, Hajj, and the like, the Wali is their guide and director. He is the executor, interpreter, expounder, and guardian of the limits of religious rulings. He punishes transgressors and encourages and supports those who comply, and preserves the divine boundaries.
Just as Amir al-Mu'minin Ali—peace be upon him—stated in his will:
"Establish these two pillars and embed these two lamps."
The two pillars and two lamps (1) 120 refer to the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt (Wilayah), which he enjoined: "Keep these two illuminating torches, the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt (Wilayah), ablaze and enlightened, so that your affairs and matters are carried out by them, for they are the divine leaders." If someone intentionally abandons the reality of Wilayah, even if they perform prayers, fasting, zakat, and Hajj, since they lack that secret,
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* Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 149 and letter 23
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they have inevitably lost their humanity; for it is the secret of worship that nurtures and makes a human, and if someone does not reach the secret of worship, they are not human.
Up to this point, what has become clear from the statements and words of Imam Sajjad, Imam Baqir, and Imam Sadiq—peace be upon them—is that the commands of religion have an outward aspect and an inward aspect. Their inward aspect deals with the souls of human beings. Others who explained ethical issues merely in terms of virtuous or vicious dispositions could not explain the embodiment and incarnation of man in the forms of psychic dispositions, although they accepted it by tradition and narrated that some would be resurrected in the form of animals, but they had no scientific way to prove it. However, based on two principles of transcendent wisdom: 1. The soul being corporeally originated and spiritually subsistent, and 2. Substantive motion, one can well construct a correct scientific perspective for these narrations and understand scientifically how a person moves in human form but is in reality an animal. At the same time that they were human, they became animalistic, not that they became an animal in opposition to humans like other animals, but rather they are a human-like monkey, a human-like pig, a human-like wolf, and so on... and here, the original human temperament is executed in the form of animality.
Another point is that: In the context of Hajj, God Almighty said: "In it are clear signs..." (1) 121 Although in many cases, there is talk of a sign or indication, regarding Hajj, He said: "Clear signs" (ayat bayyinat). There are many signs and indications in Hajj. Ontological signs and celestial, earthly, climatic, and atmospheric characteristics, etc., which are for everyone. But there are a series of commands as rituals of Hajj where a number of people from far and near humble themselves. In Hajj itself, there are divine signs; the Kaaba is among the divine signs, the Black Stone, the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, and Zamzam are among the divine signs. That a barren land should reach a point where the hearts of some eagerly desire it and love the Kaaba and the Sacred Mosque, which Abraham—peace be upon him and his family—requested; "So make hearts among the people incline toward them" (1) 122, is among the divine signs. And these signs are understood and seen by those who have gone to Hajj to fulfill a duty and obligation, not for trade or sightseeing, for such people who go to Hajj with these motives cannot grasp the secret of Hajj and the signs within Hajj as they should.
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* Al 'Imran: 97
* Ibrahim: 37
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Afada and Migration to Mash'ar
God Almighty has commanded that at the end of the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, you, like others, move from the land of Arafat towards Mash'ar al-Haram; "Then depart from where the people depart." (2) 123
Mash'ar al-Haram is part of the sanctuary's boundary and its first entrance gate. If someone becomes acquainted with knowledge on the ninth day, they are worthy of entering through the entrance gate and also spending a night in the entrance corridor of the sanctuary.
One should gather pebbles for stoning the jamarat to stone Satan on the tenth day.
Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—said to Shiblí: The meaning of standing and spending the night in Mash'ar al-Haram is to make your heart aware with the slogan of piety (taqwa) and to make piety the slogan of your heart so that your heart is known by piety, for the slogan of every people identifies that people.
Although the issue of piety is relevant in all Hajj rituals and ceremonies, its manifestation and emergence are on the night of the tenth, in the land of Mash'ar al-Haram; there, one stands, gathers pebbles, gains strength, and arms oneself to fight Satan and struggle against every disobedience, and to humble oneself before every act of obedience.
Mina, The Land of Attaining Desires
When the pilgrim's standing and spending the night in Mash'ar al-Haram conclude, they remain on the border of Muzdalifah between dawn and sunrise, and after sunrise, they move towards Mina. The instruction is not to incline to the left or right during the movement and to traverse the distance between Mash'ar and Mina within a specific boundary. The secret of this is: "O pilgrim, move on the straight path, incline neither to the east nor to the west; for 'the right and the left are misleading, and the middle path is the clear road.'" (1) 124 Yes, all of these are preparations and plans for purification.
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* Al-Baqarah: 199
* Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 16
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When one travels the path and traverses the stations and reaches the land of Mina, this is where one has reached their desires and aspirations.
Imam Sajjad said to Shiblí: "When you reached Mina, did you attain your hopes, desires, and wishes, and were your needs fulfilled? If not, then you were not aware of the secret of Hajj, and you must perform Hajj again."
The pilgrim of the House of God, when they move and traverse the stations and reach the land of Mina, must feel that they have attained their desires. And that is a desire that will always remain with them.
We know that a human desires to acquire something that will be with them always and everywhere, not something that leaves them and becomes a burden. The problem of humanity in acquiring worldly possessions is that they prepare affliction for themselves. One who thinks of accumulating wealth is fundamentally mistaken and prepares torment for themselves; for:
"And We did not grant to any human being before you immortality; so if you die, will they be the immortal ones? Every soul will taste death." (1) 125
"Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die." (2) 126
According to the Holy Quran, death is certain, and ultimately, a person will die one day. It is obvious that in that state, they will take neither wealth nor their attachment to wealth with them. From this moment, torment begins; for they are attached to wealth, and the attachment to wealth does not leave them, but they leave the wealth. When there is attachment but no object of attachment, torment begins. So, it is good for a person to strive and endeavor greatly in production but be content in consumption. Solving others' problems for the sake of God makes a person wealthy and capitalized; for they have sent their capital ahead of themselves, and with death, they go to the presence of their capital. Such a person is not lazy, indolent, or unproductive. They are highly productive and low in consumption. They are not a storekeeper for the generation after them because they know that after death, the paternal and filial relationship is cut off. Others enjoy the pleasure, and they burn in torment and pain. Of course, maintaining and providing for children's livelihood is among the commands, but one must dedicate a significant part of their effort to their own future and also raise their children to be righteous.
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* Az-Zumar: 30
* Al-Anbiya: 34
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Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—said: "O Shiblí, the secret of going to Mecca is that when a person sets foot in the land of Mina, they should understand that they have reached their desires."
The secret why some people wish to die sooner, and others, even in old age and infirmity, try to remain, is this: those who have reached old age and have nothing saved for the afterlife see that their hands are empty and their faces are darkened, and the journey is difficult. But those who have lived wisely see that their hands are full and their faces are bright. Therefore, they feel light and desire to depart; for they understand that they have reached their goal.
Yes, Mina is the land of aspirations and attainment of desires, not just wishing for them.
A pilgrim who enters the land of Mina must be at a stage where: "People are safe from his tongue, heart, and hand."
The Imam said to Shiblí: "Did you also fulfill the desires of others? Have you reached a point where people are not harmed by your tongue, heart, and hand?" The secret of the pilgrim's journey to Mecca is that people should be safe from the pilgrim's hand, tongue, and heart.
A pilgrim, neither in seriousness nor in jest, should not damage anyone's reputation.
A person—even in humor and jest—should not embarrass anyone. Even if they are joking, they have ruined a believer's reputation, and this is a bad deed. And even a literary satirist is good only if they do not harm anyone's dignity.
Satire that deals with people's dignity and ruins their reputation is not permissible and is not in harmony with the secret of visiting the House of God.
A pilgrim must not harbor grudges against anyone, nor envy anyone, nor wish ill for anyone, nor belittle anyone in their heart, because these are all acts of injustice of the heart. And the secret of visiting the House of God and entering the land of Mina is that people should be safe from the hands, tongues, and hearts of pilgrims.
Ramy al-Jamarat; Stoning Every Satan and Devilry
The meaning of stoning the jamarat is: "I have stoned every devil and devilry." So if a person is one of the human devils, they will never have the power or worthiness to stone their own kind.
When Satan is a companion to someone, that person cannot stone their own companion; "And whoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful—We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion." (1) 127 "And he for whom Satan is a companion—how evil a companion he is!" (2) 128
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* Az-Zukhruf: 36
* An-Nisa: 38
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One who is heedless of the remembrance of God, and does not hear or see the name and remembrance of God, the punishment that God Almighty gives them is that He makes Satan their companion and associate. And one whose companion is Satan is afflicted with a bad travel companion, and since Satan is their companion, they will not stone him. Such a person has not truly performed the rituals of Mina, has not reached the secret of stoning the jamarat, and their Hajj is incomplete.
Sacrifice; Slitting the Throat of Greed and Avarice
Slitting the throat of a sheep, throwing its carcass aside, and leaving it useless is not important. The pilgrim who slaughters a sheep or a cow, or sacrifices a camel, intends by this act to convey, by way of descending from the intelligible to the sensible, this meaning:
"I have slitted the throat of the demon of avarice and choked it." So, sacrifice means slitting the throat of greed and avarice.
Shaving the Head and its Secret
Hair, outwardly, is a person's beauty and adornment. If someone forcibly shaves another person's head, they have taken away their beauty and must pay diya (blood money).
Ibn Abi al-Awja', in a debate he had with Imam Sadiq—peace be upon him—(1) 129 and returned defeated, was asked: "How did you find Ja'far ibn Muhammad—peace be upon them both—in this practical debate?"
He said: "He is an ocean of knowledge!" Then he continued: "How, when he is the son of one who shaved the heads of these people!" (2) 130
No one is willing to shave their own head with a razor, especially young people, but when they enter the land of Mina, they sacrifice this beauty, which they value highly, at the command of that Pure Beauty.
Among the Arabs, it was very difficult to shave their heads, but from the moment they heard the divine command through the Prophet—peace be upon him—they detached their hearts from this outward and formal beauty for the sake of God.
The secret of shaving the head is for a person to cast away all pride, arrogance, haughtiness, and egocentricity from their head, and to purify and cleanse themselves from every sin.
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* Wafi, Kitab al-Hajj, Bab Ibtila al-Khalq wa Ikhtibarahum bi al-Kaaba, vol. 2, p. 34; Ihtijaj Tabarsi, vol. 2, p. 71
* Ihtijaj Tabarsi, p. 173
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Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—asked Shiblí: "Did you consider these secrets when shaving your head, stoning the Jamarat, and offering the sacrifice, or not?"
Shiblí replied, "No."
The Imam said: "It is as if you have not gone to Mina and have not performed its rituals."
These "as if's" that Imam Sajjad spoke of—"as if you did not circumambulate," "as if you did not pray at the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family" "as if you did not drink Zamzam water and approach it," "as if you did not perform sa'y between Safa and Marwa," "as if you did not stand in Arafat," "as if you did not go to Mash'ar," and so on—deeply affected Shiblí, so much so that the following year he succeeded in performing a Hajj according to the instructions of Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him.
Degrees of Faith
Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—said: Those who have accepted religion inwardly and outwardly with all its aspects and dimensions are luminous, but there are degrees of faith; "They have degrees." (1) 131 And it is obvious that believers will also have degrees. Faith is the builder of human reality.
Believers are divided into three groups:
* A group with weak faith.
* A group with strong and firm faith.
* The last group is moderate.
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* Al-Anfal: 4
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Those with weak faith, their inner light illuminates a path of a thousand years. It is not clear whether a thousand years in terms of this world or a thousand years in terms of the afterlife.
Those who are at the pinnacle of faith, their light illuminates a path of one hundred thousand years. This is the entire extent of the distance in that scene, though its outward appearance is not worldly years.
The third group, who have moderate faith, possess faith with various degrees, their degrees being between one thousand and one hundred thousand years, and the scope of their light varies. As far as their light shines and they see individuals, God Almighty grants them permission to intercede, and this is for those who perform a true Hajj and do not separate between the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt. Those who are familiar with the secrets of Wilayah and the secrets of Hajj, and who have performed and continue to perform a true Hajj, they are luminous and have the right of intercession.
However, the ultimate limit of their intercession is proportional to the extent of their light. As far as they can see, they have the power of intercession.
God Almighty says: "Those who did good to you, the believers, in this world, and did good for you, or solved one of your problems, or an enemy intended to attack and they repelled the enemy from you, or observed justice and fairness in their dealings and conduct, etc., if they have a problem today, you are permitted to intercede on their behalf, and your intercession is accepted."
The True Pilgrim Has the Right to Intercede
The true pilgrim is one who can illuminate a vast scene on the Day of Judgment and intercede.
And take the hands of the fallen ones on the scene of judgment, rush to their side, cure them, and ultimately solve their problem on the scene of judgment.
On that day, those who do not have the right of intercession are helpless. On that day, power does not govern. That day is a day when brother separates from brother, and father flees from son; "On the Day a man will flee from his brother and his mother and his father and his wife and his children." (1) 132 Like a place where a fire has occurred, or a flood and storm has come, in such a scene, no one thinks of another, and everyone thinks of their own salvation.
On that day, only those who are familiar with the secret of Wilayah and Hajj will think of others. They are true believers and real pilgrims. These can solve the problems of others and are attractors, not repellents. They do not flee from anyone; rather, they strive to reach out to the fallen.
The Real Pilgrim Seeks "Good of This World," Not "This World"
A man said to Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him: "When we have performed the rituals of Arafat, Mash'ar, and Mina, and found some leisure, in the land of Mina, instead of spending the night, we remember God and the Prophet, and also recall our fathers, grandfathers, and ancestors, and remember their good deeds and virtues. We have no intention of boasting or anything else, but rather we want to fulfill their rights. Is this permissible or not?"
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* Abasa: 34
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Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—replied: You can choose a better path, one that brings you greater reward and better fulfills the rights of your ancestors.
Before explaining the Imam Sajjad's answer—peace be upon him—it is beneficial to elaborate on a historical and interpretative point: Hajj existed during the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance) and idolatry, where some people in the days of Mina would boast about the glories of their ancestors, mentioning them as a means of pride. Just as in the market of 'Ukaz, they would speak of their abundant wealth, large tribe, or the plundering power of their relatives, considering it a source of pride, saying: "Our tribe was so strong that it plundered such and such a group and caravan," or "it won in such and such a plunder," or "in such and such a battle, the fight was in favor of our tribe," and so on. In short, they boasted about the plundering, aggression, and attacks of their forefathers.
The Holy Quran points out this historical fact and nullifies it, offering the correct path. It says:
"When you have completed your rites of 'Arafat and move towards Mash'ar, remember God."
And similarly, when Mash'ar is completed and you go to Mina, when you wish to perform the rituals of Mina, just as you remembered your fathers in the era of ignorance, now remember God, even better and more, and keep the memory of your ancestors alive in the shadow of the remembrance of God. Otherwise, recounting the achievements of forefathers gradually creates an environment for boasting; "So when you have completed your rites, remember God as you remember your forefathers or with [even] greater remembrance." Pilgrims in Mina have leisure, and during the day, when they perform their rituals, at night they only need to spend the night. The Holy Quran commands them:
Spend the nights in Mina remembering God and devote your time to acquiring knowledge and wisdom, and to intimate supplications and murmuring. That land is the land of attaining divine aspirations. The Quran states that those who went to that land were two groups:
* "And among the people is he who says, 'Our Lord, give us in this world,' and he will have no share in the Hereafter." (1) 133
Some people only seek a change of name and go to Hajj for sightseeing, trade, fame, and similar purposes, and they perform rituals! Their logic is worldly; they do not say, "Our Lord, give us good in this world." They do not want the good things of this world, but rather the world itself. Therefore, for them, lawful and unlawful are not issues. In their view, a friendly gathering is no different from a teaching, training, and purification session, and they prefer a party to a spiritual refinement gathering. These people have no share in the afterlife.
* "But among them is he who says, 'Our Lord, give us in this world good and in the Hereafter good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.'" (2) 134
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* Al-Baqarah: 200
* Al-Baqarah: 201
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These are intelligent people whose words in the land of Mina, on the nights they spend there, and on other occasions too, are: "O God! We do not want everything that is worldly in this world; rather, we want the good things of this world."
Lawful wealth is among the good things of this world. A spouse, children, father, brother, and sister, friend, family, tribe, and virtuous and faithful race are all among the good things of this world. Participating in study circles and discussions is among the good things of this world. Participating in beneficial institutions is among the good things of this world. Productive work and alleviating inflation are among the good things of this world. Social services that are just are among the good things of this world. Divine gatherings, teaching of the Book and wisdom, purification, intelligent encounters, maintaining kinship ties, and so on are among the good things of this world. And the world, minus these and similar matters, has no good for one to ask God for the good things of this world. If one has the opportunity to be a member of the association of Quran reciters, an association of commentators, an association of teachers, an association of philanthropists and benefactors and relief workers, and scientific, service, productive, and industrial associations, they enjoy the good things of this world.
One who strives to relieve a burden from the community has performed a good deed. Intelligent men, whose logic God Almighty mentions with grandeur in the Holy Quran, are those who say: "O God! Grant us the good things of this world."
The afterlife also has good deeds and bad deeds, and in addition to seeking good deeds in this world, they also seek good deeds in the afterlife and ask God to protect them from the torment of the afterlife; "Our Lord, give us in this world good and in the Hereafter good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." Pilgrims of the House of God must be careful to be counted among the second group; that is, in the land of Arafat and Mina, they should not ask God for anything but the good things of this world and the afterlife. They should ask for something that remains with them, not something that leaves them and brings them nothing but regret; for what they have acquired, they are attached to it, and when they depart, they leave behind what they were attached to, but the attachment itself remains. For this reason, torment begins. And the pressure of the grave and the torment of purgatory appear for some from this very point.
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* Ma'ani al-Akhbar by Saduq, Bab Ma'na al-Mawt, p. 288; Al-Kafi, vol. 3, p. 245, Bab Akhar fi Arwah al-Mu'minin; Fayd Kashani, Ilm al-Yaqin, vol. 2, p. 832; Asfar Sadr al-Muta'allihin, vol. 9
* Al-Mu'minun: 100
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Death is not easy, and death is not merely that the doctor permitted burial, and the heart and pulse stopped functioning, and so on. Death is the transition from this world to the intermediate realm (barzakh); "And behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected." (2) 136 One who wishes to traverse this distance must be unburdened, on foot, barefoot, and abandon all attachments. Because when one becomes attached to something temporary, that thing is taken from them, and upon dying and leaving, one takes nothing with them. However, that emotional attachment remains with them. Since the emotional attachment exists and the beloved object is not given to them, they burn until, little by little, these attachments are taken from them through burning and suffering. If one does not reduce their attachments, they will be reduced, but with burning and suffering, and this is difficult and unbearable. Therefore, God Almighty has commanded His pilgrims to say: "Our Lord, give us in this world good and in the Hereafter good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."
Now, after clarifying this necessary historical and interpretative point, we continue with the words of Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him:
Instead of Praising Ancestors, Praise God
Imam Sajjad—peace be upon him—said: "If you wish to mention the good deeds and virtues of your ancestors after performing Hajj, and consider this as fulfilling the rights of your forefathers and ancestors, there are better ways. And that is the issue of testifying to the Oneness of God, the Prophethood of the Messenger of God, and the Wilayah, Caliphate, and Imamate of the infallible Imams—peace be upon them. You can discuss these principles and doctrines in Mina."
Every monotheist knows that God is always with them, closer to them than anyone else, and can do anything. His power and knowledge are greater than anyone else's. One can be alone with Him and supplicate intimately. Speak softly to Him and share their problems. A monotheist never remains stuck in any matter, because the One who holds all keys is with them.
p. 100
One moderates their desires. One does not wish for everything. One regulates the quantity and asks only for what is needed, and that from one who is always and everywhere with them.
Thus, he said: If you speak about Tawhid (Divine Unity), Prophethood, and Wilayah and such matters, besides attaining a high virtue, you have also better fulfilled the rights of your ancestors. In this case, if your ancestors were to rise from their graves, they would tell you: "Do not mention our virtues. Whatever good deeds we performed were by divine grace. He is the best Praiser and the best Praised. Praise Him. He who granted us success, gave us wealth, power, and knowledge. Praise those who were intermediaries between us and Him and conveyed these words to us, and so on."
Angels Are Aware of the Pilgrims' Secrets
It is narrated that: In the afternoon of the Day of Arafat and at noon on the tenth day, when the pilgrims of the Holy Kaaba are gathered in Mina, God Almighty boasts to the angels and says: "Look at My servants who have come from distant and near paths with many difficulties, all in one attire and similar to each other. They have forbidden many pleasures to themselves and are covered in dust (1) 137 and have slept on the sands of the land of Mash'ar al-Haram. These, with dusty faces, express their helplessness and humility before Me..." "My angels! I have allowed you to see their secrets." Then the angels of God, by the permission of God Almighty, become aware of their secrets and see their hearts. Although the divine angels are aware of unseen knowledge and the angels of the unseen are informed about many matters beyond nature, God Almighty is so kind and merciful that He does not allow even the angels to know many of our secrets, lest we be ashamed and embarrassed before them. Between us and our Lord, there is a direct path known only to Him, and He alone knows what we have done.
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* Nahj al-Balaghah, Subhi Salih, sermon 192; Mustadrak al-Wasail, vol. 1, p. 465; Mahajjat al-Bayda' by Fayd Kashani, vol. 2, p. 194. And the hadith outwardly appears to be from the Messenger of God—peace be upon him and his family.
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A glimpse of these secrets is in Du'a Kumayl, where Ali—peace be upon him—says: "O God! Some of the things You witnessed and did not allow the angels to know, only You know them; 'And the Witness to what was hidden from them, and by Your mercy You concealed it.'" Although the angels are commanded to record our deeds, God Almighty has placed a thin veil so that they do not understand everything. Our Lord is so merciful. But on the Day of Arafah and Eid al-Adha in the land of Mina, He permits the angels to see the hearts of the pilgrims, and they look with a heavenly eye and see that the hearts of some are very dark, and black smoke rises from them, which is from "the fire of God, [which is] kindled, which ascends to the hearts." (1) 138
God explains to the angels and says: These are those who do not believe the Prophet to be truthful (God forbid), and in some matters, they say: "He has done this from himself!" They are those who have separated between the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt and do not accept some matters. On the other hand, the angels see a group whose hearts are very luminous, white, and bright. He says:
These are obedient to God Almighty and the Holy Prophet, and they are believers. They accept the divine revelation. They do not believe in the separation of the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt, and they consider the Prophet's existence as a trustee of revelation and believe that he said nothing of his own accord, and in matters of caliphate, imamate, leadership, and divine rulings, and the like, whatever he did was in accordance with God Almighty's revelation. These are firm in belief and accept with heart and soul, affirm with their lips, and act with their limbs and organs.
God Almighty boasts about humans who are true pilgrims to His House.
And in the Holy Quran, it is stated: "They do not tire." (1) 139 They do not tire, because fundamentally, there is no work that contradicts angelic nature and causes fatigue. It is humans who can become tired, and can, through the refinement of the soul, perform religious acts without fatigue and mend bodily fatigue with spiritual pleasure. The Almighty Lord prides Himself on such human beings, even though the servant's pride is in God; just as it is stated in the words of Ali ibn Abi Talib—peace be upon him:
"My God! It suffices for me as an honor that I am Your servant, and it suffices for me as a boast that You are my Lord. You are as I love, so make me as You love." (1) 140
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* Al-Humazah: 6
* Fussilat: 38
* Mafatih al-Jinan, Supplication of Ali—peace be upon him.
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"O God! My honor lies in being Your servant. My pride lies in You being my Master. My God! I desire You to be, and You are, knowledgeable, powerful, the fulfiller of needs, the transformer of evil deeds into good, the forgiver of sins, and the Provider. You possess all these perfections. Now, You desire me to be a believing, sincere, humble, traversing, devoted, and successful servant. In short, make me as You please."
From the entirety of Imam Sajjad's words—peace be upon him—it becomes clear that Wilayah and Hajj each have a secret; if someone is among the true believers, they attain both the secret of Wilayah and the secrets of Hajj, and appear as a true human in the lands of Arafat and Mina, about whom the sacred essence of the Lord, in His act, boasts to the angels. Such human beings, who are angelic and angel-like, or perhaps some of them are even higher than angels. This is not a "case in reality" (qadiyyah fi waqi'ah) and not a matter that is historical, that at one time God Almighty would say to the angels: "I boast," and lift the veil from the faces of the angels' hearts to see the pilgrims in the land of Arafat and Mina. Rather, it is like this every year. Not just once a year, but those who succeed in performing Umrah mufradah (minor pilgrimage) are also like this. This meaning always exists, not just in Hajj, but outside of Hajj as well; the ultimate is that it has manifested in the issue of Hajj.
The Holy Quran has revealed a part of these secrets in the context of sacrifice, and similar inferences can be drawn for other Hajj rituals. Regarding sacrifice, it states: "What they did in the pre-Islamic era is not permissible, and when you sacrifice, know that the meat and blood of the sacrifice do not reach God. Do not seek blessings from this blood and meat." "Neither their meat nor their blood reaches God, but rather piety from you reaches Him." (1) 141 This means that this act has an outward and an inward aspect. Outwardly, someone slaughters a sheep, and it has meat and blood.
The sacredness belongs to piety, not to meat and blood. What reaches God is not the meat and blood, such that you hang the meat of this sacrifice on the wall of the Kaaba or smear the blood of this sacrifice on the wall of the Kaaba. What reaches God from this act is its inner essence and spirit (piety from you reaches Him). Sacrifice has a reality called piety, which reaches God.
The issue of ramy al-jamarat (stoning the pillars) is also like this. The stones and the act of stoning, none of them reach God. Here, what reaches God is the disavowal of the enemy of God.
Circumambulation around the Kaaba, prayer behind the Station of Abraham, peace be upon him and his family, sa'y between Safa and Marwa, drinking Zamzam water, and dozens of other obligatory and recommended acts involved in Hajj and Umrah, none of these reach God, except their spirit, and their spirit is the secret of Hajj. However, the secret sometimes appears in the intermediate realm (barzakh) and sometimes beyond barzakh. Sometimes it appears little, and sometimes much. And the true pilgrim himself appears as a secret in the Hereafter, just as in this world he appears as a true human through the spiritual eye.
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* Al-Hajj: 37
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Sign of Accepted Hajj
The Imams—peace be upon them—have narrated from the Messenger of God—peace be upon him and his family—that he said: "If someone succeeds in visiting the House of God and performing Hajj and returns and becomes a righteous person, and their hands and feet do not go towards sin, this is a sign of their Hajj being accepted. But if, after visiting the House of God, they again succumb to corruption and sin, it is a sign that their Hajj is rejected." This point can, in turn, explain the secret of Hajj; for the secrets of our acts of worship will manifest on the Day of Judgment, which is the day of the manifestation of the inner self. On that day, every human will understand whether their deed is accepted or rejected. Not only the result, but also the reason and secret of rejection or acceptance will be observed. On the Day of Judgment, both acceptance and rejection are manifest. Similarly, the secret of acceptance and rejection also becomes clear because the Day of Judgment is the day of the manifestation of truth and the revelation of secrets; "The Day when secrets will be exposed." (1) 142 If someone in this world can reach a stage where they understand, similar to the Day of Judgment, whether their Hajj has been accepted or rejected, they have reached a part of the secrets of Hajj. And naturally, they will also examine the cause of acceptance or rejection.
The Messenger of God—peace be upon him—said: "If someone wants to know whether their Hajj has been accepted or not, they should see whether, after returning from the House of God, they commit sins or not. If they do not sin, they should know that their Hajj has been accepted by God. And if they still commit sins, it is a sign that their Hajj is rejected." (1) 143 This meaning also applies to other acts of worship; for example, the Holy Quran says about prayer: "Indeed, prayer prevents immorality and wrongdoing." (2) 144 Prayer has a reality that prevents evil intentions, even though prayer itself is a conventional matter. However, its reality is a takwini (ontological) matter. If someone wants to do something, they have psychological principles: conception, affirmation, desire, resolve, will, and so on. All these are takwini matters.
Prayer has a takwini role for the worshiper. It modifies one's motivations, intentions, desires, decisions, and resolves, making one determined for good and deterring one from evil. What has a takwini share in the decision-making of a human is the reality of prayer. That which creates a desire for honor, sacred law, and virtue in a human is the reality of prayer. The same meaning applies to Hajj. It is the spirit of Hajj that is a takwini matter and prevents evil decisions and intentions.
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* Al-Tariq: 6
* Bihar (old edition), Kitab al-Hajj, p. 59
* Al-'Ankabut: 45
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The Soul and Essence of the Kaaba is Wilayah
We must say that the Kaaba and its sanctity, Zamzam and its honor, Safa and Marwa and their purity, the sacrifice site and the piety of its sacrifice, the stoning of the jamarat and the expulsion of Satan, Arafat and its sincere supplication, and the land of the Sanctuary with all its blessings, are all under the light of the Wilayah (divine guardianship) and Imamate of the Messenger of God and the Ahl al-Bayt. If the Kaaba is adorned with all these honors, the spirit of its rituals and acts is Wilayah and Imamate, and the recognition of the Imam and submission to the Imam.
God Almighty swears by a Mecca where the Prophet is present.
Mecca without the Prophet is nothing but stones and clay; "I swear by this city, and you, [O Muhammad], are residing in this city." (1) 145
Yes, if God swears by Mecca, it is out of respect for the infallible ones. If He praised the Kaaba and the Sacred Mosque with grandeur and said:
"And whoever intends therein [to deviate] with injustice—We will make him taste of a painful punishment." (2) 146
"Whoever intends evil or apostasy in the Kaaba and the Sacred Mosque, We will inflict upon him a painful punishment."
And if He says: "Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant? Did He not make their plan go astray? And He sent against them birds in flocks, striking them with stones of hard clay, and He made them like eaten straw." (3) 147
If Abrahah, with all his elephants, is humiliated by the Ababil birds and flees, this is the very wrath of God that: "And whoever intends therein [to deviate] with injustice—We will make him taste of a painful punishment."
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* Al-Balad: 1
* Al-Hajj: 25
* Al-Fil: 1
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Individuals like Ibn al-Zubayr, who abandoned Husayn ibn Ali and Ali ibn al-Husayn—peace be upon them—and did not rush to their aid, even if they sought refuge inside the Kaaba, the Kaaba, with all its sacredness, is no longer the secure sanctuary of God and is destroyed by the catapults of Hajjaj ibn Yusuf.
The God who once stopped Abrahah with the Ababil birds, this time granted a delay until Hajjaj, from atop Mount Abu Qubays, with the installation of catapults and stones from that mountain, destroyed the Kaaba.
Yes, the sanctity of the Kaaba is in honor of the Imamate of the Imam. The soul of the Kaaba is Wilayah. The spirit of the Kaaba is Imamate. If someone does not recognize the Imam, they will fall under the category of "Whoever dies without knowing the Imam of his time, dies a death of ignorance." (1) 148 And even if they seek refuge inside the Kaaba, they will not enjoy divine security. Because:
"Islam is built upon five [pillars]; upon prayer, zakat, Hajj, fasting, and Wilayah (divine guardianship), and nothing was called to as strongly as Wilayah was called to." (2) 149 With the hope that Hajj, with all its dimensions, as the Messenger of God—peace be upon him—said: "Take your rituals from me" (3) 150 and the pilgrimage of the Kaaba, in the manner that Abraham—peace be upon him and his family—asked from God: "And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful," may be granted to all pilgrims of the Holy Kaaba, and that they may circumambulate and return from that land like angels, bearing light.
May God forgive us and you, and peace and mercy and blessings of God be upon you.
(4) 151
Footnotes
* Wasā'il al-Shīʿah, vol. 16, p. 246
* Wasā'il al-Shīʿah, vol. 1, p. 7
* Taysīr al-Wusūl, vol. 1, p. 312
* Ayatollah Javadi Amoli - Hossein Rezvani, Irfan al-Hajj, 1 vol., Nashr Mash'ar - Tehran, 12th print, 1383 AH.
p. 109
1 (1)- Bihar, vol. 55, p. 39, Beirut print.
2 (2)- Al-Hajj: 29
3 (1)- Al-Hajj: 33
4 (2)- Wasā'il, vol. 9, p. 347
5 (3)- Ghurar al-Hikam, hadith 6298
6 (1)- Diwan Sanā'ī.
7 (2)- Bihar, vol. 99, p. 65
8 (3)- Al-Waqi'ah: 79
9 (1)- Al-Baqarah: 222
10 (1)- Al 'Imran: 97
11 (2)- Al-Baqarah: 127
12 (1)- Al-Baqarah: 125
13 (2)- Man Lā Yahduruhu al-Faqīh, vol. 2, p. 124
14 (1)- Al-Baqarah: 127
15 (1)- In Usul al-Kafi and Mahasin Barqi, it is mentioned as Harithah ibn Malik.
16 (2)- Nahj al-Fasāḥah, p. 635
17 (3)- Al-Hujurat: 13
18 (1)- Al-Hajj: 25
19 (2)- Al-Hajj: 27
20 (1)- Al-Baqarah: 125
21 (1)- Al 'Imran: 164
22 (1)- Al 'Imran: 164
23 (2)- Al 'Imran: 97
24 (1)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 96, p. 34
25 (2)- Du'a Abu Hamza Thumali; Du'a Iftitah.
26 (1)- Du'a Iftitah.
27 (2)- As-Sajdah: 16
28 (1)- Du'a Abu Hamza Thumali.
29 (1)- Adh-Dhariyat: 51
30 (2)- Al-Baqarah: 115
31 (1)- "And his sin has encompassed him." Al-Baqarah: 81
32 (2)- Al-Humazah: 6
33 (3)- Al-Kahf: 104
34 (4)- Ibrahim: 9
35 (1)- Al-Baqarah: 19
36 (2)- Az-Zukhruf: 84
37 (3)- Al-'Ankabut: 69
38 (1)- Adh-Dhariyat: 51
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39 (2)- Shahroudi, Adab al-Haramayn, p. 161
40 (1)- The spiritual wayfarers, in reaching the seven stations (nature, chest, heart, spirit, secret, hidden, and most hidden), have four journeys, which are referred to as the four journeys:
a: The journey "from creation to truth," which begins from the initial stage of nature and temperament. Through contemplation and observation and reflection on the universal and individual signs, one understands that these have a Creator and reach the Truth.
b: The journey "from truth to truth," which is from the stage of the heart to the end of the stage of the spirit. One discusses and journeys through the high names and attributes of God Almighty in His oneness, knowledge, and power.
c: The journey "from truth to creation by truth," which is from the stage of the secret, as God wills, where one observes the manifestations of truth in creation, and witnesses the emanations of God Almighty in creation. This is a prophecy in the principles and doctrines of religion, not a legislative prophecy. If there is a prophecy or news, it is in the doctrines of religion, not in the rulings of religion or legislative prophecy.
d: The journey "from creation to truth by truth," and this journey is specific to the sent prophets who journey among people by truth, and it is the station of legislative prophecy that familiarizes people with divine rulings. And a person, by reaching this stage and station, becomes a perfect human. (Introduction to Asfar Arba'ah, vol. 1; Introduction to Fusus al-Hikam by Qaysari, chapter 12)
41 (2)- Al-Hadid: 4
42 (3)- Bihar, vol. 96, p. 385
43 (4)- Al-Baqarah: 128
44 (1)- Mustadrak al-Wasail, vol. 10, p. 166, Shiblí's narration. In Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din by Ghazali, it is stated: Someone saw Shiblí in a dream and asked him: "What did the Lord do to you?" Shiblí replied: "He held me accountable in such a way that I despaired, and then He immersed me in forgiveness."
45 (1)- An-Nisa: 150
46 (1)- Diwan Ilahi Qumsha'i.
47 (1)- Man Lā Yahduruhu al-Faqīh, vol. 2, p. 135
48 (2)- Furu' al-Kafi, vol. 4, p. 201
49 (1)- Furu' al-Kafi, vol. 4, p. 253; Thawāb al-A'māl by Saduq, p. 74
50 (2)- Wafi, Bab Dukhul al-Kaaba.
51 (1)- Wasā'il al-Shīʿah, vol. 13, p. 272
52 (2)- Al-Baqarah: 115
p. 111
53 (3)- Bihar, vol. 52, pp. 151 and 152; Man Lā Yahduruhu al-Faqīh, vol. 2, p. 307
54 (1)- Majma' al-Zawā'id, vol. 3, p. 223; and Mahajjat al-Bayda' by Fayd Kashani.
55 (1)- Al-Hajj: 37
56 (1)- Fatir: 10
57 (2)- Al-Ma'idah: 27
58 (1)- At-Tawbah: 109
59 (2)- Al-Hajj: 32
60 (1)- Al-Anfal: 35
61 (2)- Ar-Rahman: 1-2
62 (1)- Scholars have divided knowledge into "practical wisdom" and "theoretical wisdom," and intellect into "practical intellect" and "theoretical intellect." Wisdom relates to sciences, and intellect relates to psychic faculties. Theoretical intellect provides theoretical wisdom and practical wisdom, and is responsible for ethical and jurisprudential matters, etc., because a person, from that aspect, understands and poses these matters. Practical intellect is the executive force. Theoretical intellect receives aid from above, and practical intellect governs nature and the body. The perfection of practical intellect lies in not being subjected to domination, and the perfection of practical intellect lies in always implementing what it knows in the lower realms to reach higher stages, and this is what is meant by: "Intellect is that by which the All-Merciful is worshipped and by which Paradise is gained." And wherever there is no practical intellect, there is foolishness. And the perfection of theoretical intellect lies in being subject to domination and always receiving perfection from higher principles. The soul has two wings; the wing of theoretical intellect and the wing of practical intellect.
a- Theoretical intellect; understands what is bad and what is good. What should be done and what should not be done.
b- Practical intellect; understands that such and such an action is good and must be done, and that "good must be acted upon," the soul understands through practical intellect.
63 (1)- Mahasin Barqi, H. 432; Bihar, vol. 99, p. 20; Bihar, vol. 6, p. 236
64 (1)- Boundaries of the Sanctuary: The boundary of the sanctuary from the north of Mecca is Masjid Tan'im, which is on the road to Medina and is 6148 meters away from Masjid al-Haram. To the south, the location of Iḍā'at Laban, which is on the road to Yemen, and its distance from Masjid al-Haram is 12009.5 meters. From the east; Ja'ranah, which is on the road to Ta'if and is 30 kilometers from Mecca. From the west, slightly to the north, is the village of Hudaybiyyah, which is on the Jeddah road, 48 kilometers away. Signs have been erected at these boundaries to mark the sanctuary's limits. God has made these limits a safe haven and even forbidden cutting trees within this area. However, in Mir'āt al-Haramayn, vol. 1, p. 225; al-A'lāq al-Nafisiyah, p. 57, Mu'jam al-Buldān, letter Alif with Ḍād, there are other opinions.
Second theory on the boundary of the Sanctuary: From the northwest, Masjid Tan'im and 6148 meters. From the south, tending to the east, Iḍā'at Laban and 12009.5 meters. Ja'ranah from the east, tending to the south, Arafat and Mina and Mash'ar, which is 18333 meters, which is 9 miles. Some have also said 12 miles. Hudaybiyyah on the Jeddah road is about 14 kilometers (13353 meters). These are the distances from the markers of the sanctuary to Masjid al-Haram. In some of these boundaries, there are other opinions.
65 (1)- Al-Hajj: 27
66 (2)- Al 'Imran: 97
67 (1)- Al-A'raf: 172
68 (1)- Mustadrak, vol. 9, Hadith 10618 and 10603; Furu' al-Kafi; vol. 4, p. 214
69 (1)- Usul al-Kafi, Kitab Faḍl al-Qur'an, vol. 2, p. 602
70 (2)- At-Tawbah: 6
p. 112
71 (3)- An-Nahl: 44
72 (1)- Al-Ahzab: 43
73 (2)- As-Saffat: 120
74 (3)- As-Saffat: 79
75 (4)- As-Saffat: 80
76 (5)- Al-Hashr: 23
77 (6)- Yunus: 25
78 (1)- Al-An'am: 54
79 (1)- Qazi Sa'id Qummi, Asrar Ibadat, p. 234
80 (2)- An-Nahl: 53
81 (1)- Bihar, vol. 96, p. 34
82 (2)- Adab al-Haramayn, p. 162
83 (3)- Du'a Abu Hamza Thumali.
84 (1)- Al-Baqarah: 40
85 (1)- Al-Hadid: 4
86 (2)- In our narrations, jihad and Hajj are mentioned as forms of monasticism. Mahajjat al-Bayda', vol. 2, p. 197. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 1, p. 540; Nihayat Ibn al-Athir, vol. 2, p. 113
87 (1)- It is commonly known among jurists that the prohibitions of Ihram are 24: 1- Hunting in the wilderness, 2- Sexual intercourse, 3- Contracting marriage for a woman, 4- Masturbation, 5- Using perfumes and fragrant substances, 6- Wearing sewn clothes, 7- Applying kohl, 8- Looking in a mirror, 9- Covering the entire top of the foot, 10- Wickedness, 11- Quarrelling, 12- Killing creatures living on the body, 13- Wearing a ring for adornment, 14- Women wearing jewelry, 15- Applying oil to the body, 16- Removing hair from oneself or another, 17- Covering the head for men, 18- Women covering their faces, 19- Men taking shade over their heads, 20- Drawing blood from the body, 21- Trimming nails, 22- Extracting a tooth, 23- Uprooting a tree or plant growing in the sanctuary, 24- Carrying weapons.
88 (1)- Sahbay-e Safa, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, refer to p. 122.
89 (2)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 99, p. 228; Sahih Muslim, Imarah, 18
p. 114
90 (1)- Al-Baqarah: 125
91 (1)- Al-An'am: 79
92 (2)- Al-Anfal: 35
93 (3)- Al-Hijr: 40
94 (1)- Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 12, pp. 117-79
95 (1)- Shahid Awwal, Lum'ah, Kitab al-Hajj, Al-Qawl fi al-Sa'y wa al-Taqsir.
96 (2)- Wasā'il al-Shīʿah, vol. 9, pp. 512-480; Wāfī, vol. 12, p. 79
97 (1)- Al 'Imran: 23
98 (2)- Al-Hajj: 75
99 (1)- Al-Baqarah: 158
100 (1)- Az-Zumar: 9
101 (1)- Illal al-Shara'i' by Saduq, p. 432, and Furu' al-Kafi, vol. 4, p. 201
102 (2)- Maqtal al-Khwarizmi, vol. 1, p. 253; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 7, p. 328; and Kamil Ibn al-Athir, vol. 3, p. 287
103 (1)- Kafi, vol. 4, p. 224; Wasā'il al-Shīʿah, new edition, vol. 11, p. 225; Shu'ab al-Iman, vol. 3, p. 468
104 (1)- Du'a Kumayl.
105 Ayatollah Javadi Amoli - Hossein Rezvani, Irfan al-Hajj, 1 vol., Nashr Mash'ar - Tehran, 12th print, 1383 AH.
106 (2)- Taha: 7
107 (1)- Al-Kahf: 44
108 (2)- Al-A'raf: 156
109 (3)- Al-An'am: 54
p. 115
110 (1)- Jabal al-Rahmah is located almost at the end of Arafat, approximately 300 meters long, and is separate from the surrounding mountains. It was the prayer place of Abraham—peace be upon him and his family—and the Holy Prophet—peace be upon him and his Purified Family. The Messenger of God stood on a rock of this mountain and delivered the famous sermon of Arafat. On this mountain, there is a dome named after Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, where praying is disliked, and Husayn ibn Ali—peace be upon him—recited the profound supplication of the Day of Arafah at the foot of this mountain with tearful eyes. (Fakihi, Akhbar Makkah).
111 (2)- Kafi, vol. 4, p. 245
112 (1)- The difference between "enjoining good and forbidding evil" and "admonition and guidance" is that the domain of "enjoining good and forbidding evil" is "action," while the domain of "admonition and guidance" is "the doer of the action." Enjoining and forbidding say that sin should not be committed, but in admonition, the emphasis is on guiding the one who commits sin and abandons an obligation. Therefore, enjoining good and forbidding evil is concerned with the "evilness of the act," while guidance and admonition are concerned with the "evilness of the doer."
113 (1)- Bihar, vol. 7, p. 179 and vol. 99, p. 258; Sahbay-e Safa, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, p. 105
114 (1)- Mabda' wa Ma'ad, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, p. 193
115 (2)- Nahj al-Balaghah, Subhi Salih, sermon 87
116 (3)- Refer to Sharh Tawhid al-Saduq by Qazi Sa'id Qummi, vol. 2.
117 (1)- Bihar, vol. 99, p. 258
118 (2)- Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 4, p. 177. Although the authenticity of some narrations, like this hadith, is subject to reconsideration and not very precise or sound, a reliable conclusion can be drawn from the collection of these narrations. Moreover, the text of these hadiths is consistent with other Islamic teachings, and by combining them, one can be confident that they originated from the Household of Revelation.
119 (3)- Tafsir Imam Hasan Askari—peace be upon him—p. 177, under verse 200-198; and Ithbat al-Hudat, vol. 5, p. 39
120 (1)- Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 149 and letter 23
121 (1)- Al 'Imran: 97
122 (1)- Ibrahim: 37
p. 116
123 (2)- Al-Baqarah: 199
124 (1)- Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 16
125 (1)- Az-Zumar: 30
126 (2)- Al-Anbiya: 34
127 (1)- Az-Zukhruf: 36
128 (2)- An-Nisa: 38
129 (1)- Wafi, Kitab al-Hajj, Bab Ibtila al-Khalq wa Ikhtibarahum bi al-Kaaba, vol. 2, p. 34; Ihtijaj Tabarsi, vol. 2, p. 71
130 (2)- Ihtijaj Tabarsi, p. 173
131 (1)- Al-Anfal: 4
132 (1)- Abasa: 34
133 (1)- Al-Baqarah: 200
134 (2)- Al-Baqarah: 201
135 (1)- Ma'ani al-Akhbar by Saduq, Bab Ma'na al-Mawt, p. 288; Al-Kafi, vol. 3, p. 245, Bab Akhar fi Arwah al-Mu'minin; Fayd Kashani, Ilm al-Yaqin, vol. 2, p. 832; Asfar Sadr al-Muta'allihin, vol. 9
136 (2)- Al-Mu'minun: 100
137 (1)- Nahj al-Balaghah, Subhi Salih, sermon 192; Mustadrak, vol. 1, p. 465; Mahajjat al-Bayda' by Fayd Kashani, vol. 2, p. 194. And the hadith outwardly appears to be from the Messenger of God—peace be upon him and his family.
138 (1)- Al-Humazah: 6
139 (1)- Fussilat: 38
140 (1)- Mafatih al-Jinan, Supplication of Ali—peace be upon him.
141 (1)- Al-Hajj: 37
142 (1)- Al-Tariq: 6
p. 117
143 (1)- Bihar (old edition), Kitab al-Hajj, p. 59
144 (2)- Al-'Ankabut: 45
145 (1)- Al-Balad: 1
146 (2)- Al-Hajj: 25
147 (3)- Al-Fil: 1
148 (1)- Wasā'il al-Shīʿah, vol. 16, p. 246
149 (2)- Wasā'il al-Shīʿah, vol. 1, p. 7
150 (3)- Taysīr al-Wusūl, vol. 1, p. 312
151 Ayatollah Javadi Amoli - Hossein Rezvani, Irfan al-Hajj, 1 vol., Nashr Mash'ar - Tehran, 12th print, 1383 AH.
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
"Go forth, light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah. That is better for you, if you only knew." (At-Tawbah: 41)
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