HAFEEZANWAR
02-12-07, 07:05 PM
Sun, 2 Dec 2007 18:41:17 +0300
A Pilgrim’s Thoughts: Where to Start the Ihraam?
Long it has been since I offered the pilgrimage. I come from a far away country and things back home have not been well generally. My only previous pilgrimage was a great experience that gave me much spiritual fulfilment on which I could draw even many years later. Since then I have always yearned for a repeat, but it has not been possible. Now, nearly 40 years after that pilgrimage, I am on the plane and will soon be in Jeddah for this second pilgrimage. I have heard that many things have changed in the pilgrimage sites and that Makkah cannot be recognized by someone whose previous visit was so many years ago. Be that as it may, the pilgrimage rituals are required to be performed in the same places. I am looking forward to this new experience with the same, if not greater, excitement as my previous pilgrimage, but I definitely cannot regenerate the enthusiasm I had at the time. It has gone with my youth and cannot be retrieved. It has been replaced with the sort of serenity that comes with age.
What is most encouraging is that this time I am in the company of a scholar who has looked into various aspects of the pilgrimage, always reviewing rules and looking into the ways to facilitate the performance of rituals. He has done the pilgrimage several times and watched developments in the pilgrimage scene. He always praises the Saudi authorities and the changes they have made to facilitate the pilgrimage and make the movement of the pilgrims easier. He said more than once that without these changes large numbers of pilgrims would not be able to complete their pilgrimage every year. It is a great chance for me to find out what all these changes mean for an ordinary pilgrim like myself. I suppose I am not much different from a pilgrim coming for the first time, even though I could draw on my previous experience 40 years ago.
The first change is taking place now, as we are on the plane approaching Jeddah. Some pilgrims are in their ihraam garments, while others are preparing to change into these now, before we arrive. Members of our group are in our ordinary clothes and will not change into ihraam garments until we have arrived in Jeddah and finished the procedures there. When we are about to travel to Makkah, we will put on our ihraam garments. Our scholar has joined some others in different parts of the Muslim world, endorsing a ruling, or fatwa, that Jeddah is outside the Hil area, where a pilgrim enters into the state of consecration, or ihraam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) named certain points on the routes to Makkah from all directions, stating that on arrival at any of these points, a pilgrim should begin his pilgrimage, declaring his intention verbally and entering into the state of consecration, putting on his ihraam garments. From then on, pilgrims must observe all the restrictions this state imposes until they have finished most of their rituals.
Umar ibn Al-Khattab, the second Caliph, told pilgrims who did not pass any of these places to start their consecration at a point on their route parallel to any of these. Thus, scholars agree that the Hil area is that within an imaginary line connecting these four points. Our scholar, and those subscribing to the same ruling, say that this imaginary line leaves Jeddah outside the Hil area. When you look at the map, you will see that this is certainly true. Therefore, these scholars have ruled that there is no need for pilgrims to go into the trouble of putting on their ihraam garments at home, when they start their travel. To do so may often mean that they begin this process several hours before they board their flights. Many would have travelled from different cities on the same day, moving their luggage and going through railway stations and airport procedures. To be in ihraam garments through all this causes much hardship, when there is no religious requirements to do so. Moreover, nowadays when the pilgrimage is in the middle of winter, this could constitute a health risk as pilgrims wearing ihraam garments in cold weather move from air conditioned environment into the open air, wearing nothing but their white towels. Our scholars have thoroughly studied the issue and ruled that Jeddah is outside the Hil area, and therefore, it can be the starting point of consecration for all pilgrims coming from all areas by air or sea.
The plane has touched down and the excitement among the passengers is keenly felt. Those who entered into the state of consecration declare the talbiyah phrases, which are repeated by pilgrims throughout. These are phrases stating that the pilgrims have undertaken this journey in response for God’s call, with no purpose other than fulfilling His orders, and in the hope that they earn the reward He gives for it, which is the forgiveness of all past sins, no matter how grave they are, as long as the pilgrim has repented ever doing them.
We go through the formalities at the airport, which take longer than at other airports. The numbers of pilgrims arriving from all over the globe is enormous. There is a new planeload every few minutes, and they all have to go through the same procedure. Hence, delay is inevitable, particularly because all these pilgrims have to be transported to Makkah, where they will have to find their accommodation and start their rituals.
As we arrive in Makkah, I realize the truth of what people said that the city is unrecognisable by someone who has not visited it for many years. This is absolutely true. There are so many hotels and high-rise buildings occupied by pilgrims throughout the area surrounding the Sacred Mosque. I certainly prefer the old scene, which is friendlier, but then, where would all these pilgrims be accommodated if the same conditions were to be maintained. I am told that the number of pilgrims last year was in excess of three million, which is a 50% increase on what it used to be a few years ago. No city in the world can accommodate such an increase keeping its facilities as they are.
Having settled in our place of accommodation, we will now proceed to do the Umrah, which is a mini-pilgrimage that can be performed throughout the year, but is part of the pilgrimage journey as well. It consists of four duties, one of which is consecration, or ihraam, which we have already done, putting on only two pieces of cloth. One of the two is wrapped around the body from a little over the waistline to well below our knees. The other is thrown over shoulders to cover the top part of the body. No head covering or socks are allowed for men. Only slippers are allowed as footwear. Women, however, wear their normal clothes, but they have to keep their faces and hands, up to the wrists, uncovered. I noticed that some women are covering their faces, and I assume that these are not in ihraam. To cover when in ihraam is certainly wrong.
=================================
FROM THE BELOW WEB SITES
Adil Salahi, Arab News
==================
SEARCH BY
MUHAMMED A. HAFEEZ
B.COM.,
HYDERABAD, INDIA.,
EMAIL ; hafeezanwar@yahoo.com
===============================
A Pilgrim’s Thoughts: Where to Start the Ihraam?
Long it has been since I offered the pilgrimage. I come from a far away country and things back home have not been well generally. My only previous pilgrimage was a great experience that gave me much spiritual fulfilment on which I could draw even many years later. Since then I have always yearned for a repeat, but it has not been possible. Now, nearly 40 years after that pilgrimage, I am on the plane and will soon be in Jeddah for this second pilgrimage. I have heard that many things have changed in the pilgrimage sites and that Makkah cannot be recognized by someone whose previous visit was so many years ago. Be that as it may, the pilgrimage rituals are required to be performed in the same places. I am looking forward to this new experience with the same, if not greater, excitement as my previous pilgrimage, but I definitely cannot regenerate the enthusiasm I had at the time. It has gone with my youth and cannot be retrieved. It has been replaced with the sort of serenity that comes with age.
What is most encouraging is that this time I am in the company of a scholar who has looked into various aspects of the pilgrimage, always reviewing rules and looking into the ways to facilitate the performance of rituals. He has done the pilgrimage several times and watched developments in the pilgrimage scene. He always praises the Saudi authorities and the changes they have made to facilitate the pilgrimage and make the movement of the pilgrims easier. He said more than once that without these changes large numbers of pilgrims would not be able to complete their pilgrimage every year. It is a great chance for me to find out what all these changes mean for an ordinary pilgrim like myself. I suppose I am not much different from a pilgrim coming for the first time, even though I could draw on my previous experience 40 years ago.
The first change is taking place now, as we are on the plane approaching Jeddah. Some pilgrims are in their ihraam garments, while others are preparing to change into these now, before we arrive. Members of our group are in our ordinary clothes and will not change into ihraam garments until we have arrived in Jeddah and finished the procedures there. When we are about to travel to Makkah, we will put on our ihraam garments. Our scholar has joined some others in different parts of the Muslim world, endorsing a ruling, or fatwa, that Jeddah is outside the Hil area, where a pilgrim enters into the state of consecration, or ihraam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) named certain points on the routes to Makkah from all directions, stating that on arrival at any of these points, a pilgrim should begin his pilgrimage, declaring his intention verbally and entering into the state of consecration, putting on his ihraam garments. From then on, pilgrims must observe all the restrictions this state imposes until they have finished most of their rituals.
Umar ibn Al-Khattab, the second Caliph, told pilgrims who did not pass any of these places to start their consecration at a point on their route parallel to any of these. Thus, scholars agree that the Hil area is that within an imaginary line connecting these four points. Our scholar, and those subscribing to the same ruling, say that this imaginary line leaves Jeddah outside the Hil area. When you look at the map, you will see that this is certainly true. Therefore, these scholars have ruled that there is no need for pilgrims to go into the trouble of putting on their ihraam garments at home, when they start their travel. To do so may often mean that they begin this process several hours before they board their flights. Many would have travelled from different cities on the same day, moving their luggage and going through railway stations and airport procedures. To be in ihraam garments through all this causes much hardship, when there is no religious requirements to do so. Moreover, nowadays when the pilgrimage is in the middle of winter, this could constitute a health risk as pilgrims wearing ihraam garments in cold weather move from air conditioned environment into the open air, wearing nothing but their white towels. Our scholars have thoroughly studied the issue and ruled that Jeddah is outside the Hil area, and therefore, it can be the starting point of consecration for all pilgrims coming from all areas by air or sea.
The plane has touched down and the excitement among the passengers is keenly felt. Those who entered into the state of consecration declare the talbiyah phrases, which are repeated by pilgrims throughout. These are phrases stating that the pilgrims have undertaken this journey in response for God’s call, with no purpose other than fulfilling His orders, and in the hope that they earn the reward He gives for it, which is the forgiveness of all past sins, no matter how grave they are, as long as the pilgrim has repented ever doing them.
We go through the formalities at the airport, which take longer than at other airports. The numbers of pilgrims arriving from all over the globe is enormous. There is a new planeload every few minutes, and they all have to go through the same procedure. Hence, delay is inevitable, particularly because all these pilgrims have to be transported to Makkah, where they will have to find their accommodation and start their rituals.
As we arrive in Makkah, I realize the truth of what people said that the city is unrecognisable by someone who has not visited it for many years. This is absolutely true. There are so many hotels and high-rise buildings occupied by pilgrims throughout the area surrounding the Sacred Mosque. I certainly prefer the old scene, which is friendlier, but then, where would all these pilgrims be accommodated if the same conditions were to be maintained. I am told that the number of pilgrims last year was in excess of three million, which is a 50% increase on what it used to be a few years ago. No city in the world can accommodate such an increase keeping its facilities as they are.
Having settled in our place of accommodation, we will now proceed to do the Umrah, which is a mini-pilgrimage that can be performed throughout the year, but is part of the pilgrimage journey as well. It consists of four duties, one of which is consecration, or ihraam, which we have already done, putting on only two pieces of cloth. One of the two is wrapped around the body from a little over the waistline to well below our knees. The other is thrown over shoulders to cover the top part of the body. No head covering or socks are allowed for men. Only slippers are allowed as footwear. Women, however, wear their normal clothes, but they have to keep their faces and hands, up to the wrists, uncovered. I noticed that some women are covering their faces, and I assume that these are not in ihraam. To cover when in ihraam is certainly wrong.
=================================
FROM THE BELOW WEB SITES
Adil Salahi, Arab News
==================
SEARCH BY
MUHAMMED A. HAFEEZ
B.COM.,
HYDERABAD, INDIA.,
EMAIL ; hafeezanwar@yahoo.com
===============================