1) Good Deeds after Hajj: A Sign of Acceptance.2) Effects and purposes of Hajj

Bismillaher Rehmanir Raheem

1) Good Deeds After Hajj: A Sign of Acceptance

First and most importantly, the Muslim should avoid being boastful by being able to perform Hajj for it is one of the duties that you owe to the Almighty.

Even the righteous predecessors, knowing that they would return to the Almighty, used to be very afraid that the good deeds they offered in this world might not be accepted.

After performing Hajj, Muslims should combine in their hearts both fear and hope. Experiencing only fear in this respect may lead them to despair of Allah's mercy; while anticipating that Almighty Allah will accept their deeds and Hajj without experiencing any fear of the contrary, may lead you to be overconfident that you can escape Allah's punishment.

Further, they should ask Allah for forgiveness at any moment. However earnest Hajj pilgrims may be in doing their best in offering acts of obedience, there will always be something missing, for no one is perfect.

Thus, the Merciful directs His worshipers to compensate for this inevitable shortcoming by always beseeching Him to forgive them after offering acts of worship. That is why He says after mentioning the rituals of Hajj " Then depart from the place whence all the people depart and ask Allah for His Forgiveness. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful." (Al-Baqarah 199).

Allah equally ordered our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to conclude his life; which was full of acts of worship and striving in His cause, with asking Him for forgiveness. This is referred to in the following verse: "So glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask His Forgiveness. Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and Who forgives." (An-Nasr 3).

After performing Hajj, Muslims should offer as many good deeds as they can. Good deeds are like a tree that needs regular watering and care so that it bears fruits. It is a sign of their obedience to do so in the hope that they will be accepted by the Almighty.

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2) Effects and purposes of Hajj

The purposes of Hajj are too many to name. In what follows some of them:

1 – Hajj recalls a sense of connection with the Prophets (peace be upon them): from the father Abraham of prophets who built the Ka'abah, to our ProphetMuhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). As pilgrims visit the holy places and redo the prophets' acts, they remember them.

2 – The white colour of the pilgrims' clothes: the white colour represents purity

and cleanliness of the heart. It means putting aside all beautification and showing unity. Whiteness is nothing but a reminder of death and life in the same time. It is the colour of clothes with which we worship the Almighty during Hajj and meet him when dead.

3 – Entering into Ihram from the Meeqaat is a submission to Allah's commands and laws: Allah prescribes that each one has to enter into Ihram from Meeqat. It is a confirmation the unity of the Muslim community. Being restricted to one system without exceptions.

4 – Hajj symbolizes Monotheism (Tawheed) from its very first moment: It is the realization and affirmation of the Oneness of the Almighty. Allah has no partner One in his Essence, His Attributes and His Acts. Before the existence of the universe there was nothing but Him.

5 – Hajj is a reminder of the Hereafter when all the people gather in one place in Arafah and elsewhere, without differentiations or exemptions. All of them are equal in this place and no one is better than another.

6 – Hajj symbolizes unity: Pilgrims wear the same clothes, perform the same rituals, have got the same Qiblah and they visit the same places. Thus, the sense of superiority does not exist; no king or slave, no rich or poor, we are all equals. Equals in rights and duties.

7 – Hajj represents the Muslim contentment: when pilgrims wear modest clothing, the two white pieces of cloth and, this embodies sufficiency for them. Moreover, just one room is sufficient for them to sleep.

8 – Hajj establishes a harmonic Muslim gathering: We usually Muslims travelling alone, However in Hajj they travel and gather in huge groups.

9 –Hajj allows Muslims to exchange pieces of advice and benefit from them.

10 – Hajj allows Muslims to meet scholars and decision makers from everywhere to study the situation and needs of the Muslims worldwide.

11 – He/she who performs Hajj his/her sins will be washed out, for Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever does Hajj and does not speak any obscene words or commit any sin will go back cleansed of sin as on the day his mother bore him."

12 – Hajj is a proclamation which states that Islam is the religion of organization: the performance of the rites during time is well organized, every rite is performed in a definite place and at a precise time .

13 – Hajj trains the rich to give up their distinct clothing and accommodation and makes them equals to the poor in clothing and in the rituals of tawaaf, sa'ay and stoning the Jamarat. This teaches them Humility and reveals the insignificance of the worldly life.

14 – Hajj develops good characteristics such as forbearance and putting up with annoyance from people, for the pilgrim will inevitably be exposed to crowding and arguments, etc. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

" The Hajj ( pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e. the 10th month, the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, i.e. two months and ten days). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming Ihraam), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj." (Al-Baqarah 2:197)

15– Hajj trains the pilgrim to be patient and enduring to hardships such as heat, long distances, being apart from one's family and relatives, crowdedness and congestion.

16 – Hajj strengthens bonds with the believers, as represented in the words of the Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): " Your blood, your honour and your wealth are sacred to you as this day of yours in this month of yours in this land of yours is sacred." Narrated by Bukhari, 65; Muslim, 3180.

17 – Hajj separates Muslims from disbelievers (mushrikoon) Allah says :

"O you who believe ( in Allah's Oneness and in His Messenger Muhammad )! Verily, the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and in the Message of Muhammad) are Najasun ( impure). So let them not come near Al Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah) after this year; and if you fear poverty, Allaah will enrich you if He wills, out of His Bounty. Surely, Allaah is All-Knowing, All-Wise" (Al-Tawbah 9:28)