💎 💎

7 things every H.jji should ‘p.ckʼ in order to be spiritu.lly re.dy.

When someone is prep.ring to go to H.jj they .sk their f.mily, friends

.nd those who h.ve previously been to H.jj for .dvice on wh.t to p.ck
for H.jj. Different people give different recommend.tions. Some will
give . whole list of things to t.ke whilst others will .dvise tr.velling light
– t.king only the essenti.ls.

However, we c.n .ll get . bit c.ught up on focusing too much on the
m.teri.l prep.r.tion .nd forget the spiritu.l prep.r.tion.

Here .re 7 things every H.jji should ‘p.ckʼ in order to be spiritu.lly

re.dy.

1. T.qw.
When All.h t.lks .bout prep.ring for H.jj he s.ys,
“H.jj is [during] well-known months, so whoever h.s m.de H.jj
oblig.tory upon himself therein [by entering the st.te of ihr.m], there is
[to be for him] no sexu.l rel.tions .nd no disobedience .nd no
disputing during H.jj. And wh.tever good you do – All.h knows it. And
t.ke provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fe.r of All.h. And fe.r
Me, O you of underst.nding.” Sur.h Al B.q.r.h, Verse 197
Some people from Yemen did not used to t.ke provisions with them
when tr.velling for H.jj .nd they used to rely on others. All.h
comm.nded th.t provisions should be t.ken by pilgrims .nd th.t they
should be well-prep.red for the journey. However, .fter mentioning
this, All.h s.ys the best provision is T.qw.. The tr.nsl.tor h.s
tr.nsl.ted T.qw. in the verse mentioned .bove .s ‘fe.r of All.hʼ .nd
whilst th.t is correct, the word T.qw. encomp.sses so m.ny
me.nings. One tr.nsl.tion I prefer is being mindful of All.h .t .ll times.
H.jj is not something only for those who h.ve .lre.dy re.ched . high
level of piety but it is for the sinner to go .nd beg All.h for forgiveness
.nd come b.ck . ch.nged person. However, it is import.nt to try to
.dopt . level of mindfulness of All.h before going to H.jj so . person
h.s .lre.dy st.rted rectifying themselves spiritu.lly .nd is .ble to
.void committing sins during H.jj itself.

2. Good intentions
Ask yourself, why .m I going H.jj? Are you going due to f.mily or soci.l
pressure, .re you going just to get it out of the w.y? Are you going to
post lo.ds of photos on soci.l medi. so th.t people think you .re
pious? If your intention is .ny of the .bove or something simil.r, then it
is extremely import.nt to rectify your intentions before going to H.jj.
Your intention should be only to ple.se All.h, to fulfil His
comm.ndment .nd to show your servitude to your All.h.
In .ddition to your m.in intention, you c.n .lso m.ke m.ny other good
intentions in order to e.rn extr. rew.rds. For ex.mple, to follow the
Sunn.h of the prophet (pe.ce .nd blessings be upon him), m.king du.
for your p.rents .nd letting them know in order to m.ke them h.ppy
.nd h.ving intention to help other pilgrims during H.jj by .ssisting
them if they need help. These .re just . few ex.mples, try to think of
some more good intentions.

3. Knowledge
P.ck knowledge with you. It is import.nt to know the doʼs .nd donʼts of
H.jj .nd it is vit.l th.t you le.rn how to perform the ritu.ls of H.jj.
Donʼt just rely on your groupʼs schol.rs, m.ke .n effort to le.rn. You
donʼt h.ve to become .n expert but .t le.st try to le.rn the b.sics.
Also try to improve your T.jweed .nd .t le.st try to ensure you know
how to recite Sur.h Al-F.tih. correctly .s well .s . few other short
sur.hs. Perh.ps .sk . f.mily member or friend to help you. Ensure th.t
you know how to do wudhu .nd pr.y s.l.h correctly so th.t during
H.jj, .ll your pr.yers .re properly performed .nd .ccepted.
H.jj, .ll your pr.yers .re properly performed .nd .ccepted.

4. P.tience
Anyone who h.s been to H.jj will tell you, you need lo.ds of p.tience
during H.jj. H.jj is not e.sy .nd when itʼs hot .nd crowded people c.n
get irrit.ted .nd the sm.llest of things c.n m.ke them .rgument.tive.
The key is never to rush. T.ke your time. There is no extr. rew.rd for
completing t.w.f/s.ʼee quickly or going to Ar.f.t e.rly or doing the
stoning of the J.m.r..t quickly. T.ke your time .nd be mindful of other
Hujj.j so th.t you donʼt in.dvertently c.use them inconvenience. If you
.re trying to rush .nd there .re queues etc. you m.y get .nnoyed.
C.rry . Mus-h.f with you .nd busy yourself in the recit.tion of the
Qurʼ.n .nd the remembr.nce of All.h.
Itʼs imper.tive to pr.ctice p.tience during H.jj in order to ensure .n
.ccepted H.jj. If someone s.ys something or does something to you,
just le.ve it for the s.ke of All.h .nd donʼt .llow yourself to become
irrit.ted. Pushing .nd shoving h.ppens during T.w.f .nd sometimes
the person behind you does not me.n to push you but is pushed onto
you from behind due . sudden movement of the crowd so be.r th.t in
mind .nd h.ve good thoughts .bout your brothers .nd sisters from
.round the world.
One thing you c.n do is pr.y for blessings upon the Prophet (pe.ce
.nd blessings be upon him) when you feel th.t you .re getting irrit.ted
.nd .ngry. I w.s told of .n incident where two brothers got into .n
.lter.tion in M.kk.h .nd things were getting quite he.ted to such .n
extent th.t . fight w.s .bout to bre.k out. All of . sudden, . brother
s.id to them “send s.lut.tions upon the prophet” .nd upon he.ring
th.t, both brothers immedi.tely c.lmed down.

5. Gr.titude
We h.ve so much to be gr.teful for, .nd it is import.nt th.t we .re
gr.teful for being given the opportunity to perform H.jj. There .re so
m.ny people who .re he.lthy .nd h.ve the money to perform H.jj but
do not do so or .re un.ble to do so for v.rious re.sons. If you .re going
for H.jj, it is bec.use All.h h.s chosen you, so th.nk Him for choosing
you!

6. Hope in All.hʼs Mercy

All.h s.ys: “[Prophet], if My serv.nts .sk you .bout Me, I .m ne.r. I
respond to those who c.ll Me, so let them respond to Me, .nd believe
in Me, so th.t they m.y be guided.” Sur.h Al B.q.r.h, Verse 186
All.h s.ys in . H.dith Qudsi: “I .m to my serv.nt .s he thinks of
Me.” (S.hih Al Bukh.ri).
An.s (M.y All.h be ple.sed with him) s.id: I he.rd the Messenger of
All.h (pe.ce .nd blessings be upon him) s.ying, “All.h, the Ex.lted,
h.s s.id: ‘O son of Ad.m! I sh.ll go on forgiving you so long .s you
pr.y to Me .nd .spire for My forgiveness wh.tever m.y be your sins. O
son of Ad.m! I do not c.re even if your sins should pile up to the sky
.nd should you beg p.rdon of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Ad.m!
If you come to Me with .n e.rthful of sins .nd meet Me, not .ssoci.ting
.nything with Me in worship, I will cert.inly gr.nt you .s much p.rdon
.s will fill the e.rth.”‘ (At-Tirmidhi).
Go to H.jj hoping for All.hʼs mercy. When you m.ke duʼ. be positive
.nd be confident th.t All.h will listen to .nd .ccept your duʼ.s. H.ve
good thoughts .bout All.h. If we doubt All.hʼs .bility to forgive, itʼs not
h.ving good thoughts .bout All.h. Know th.t He is .ble to do .ll things
.nd He promised to .ccept the pr.yers of those who c.ll unto Him.
Do your best in H.jj .nd when you return, think th.t you .re returning in
. st.te like the d.y you were born.

7. Firm Resolve to Ch.nge

Go with . firm resolution to ch.nge when you return from H.jj. This is in
f.ct . condition of repent.nce – to h.ve . firm resolution to le.ve the
sins you were previously involved in.

Try to le.ve .ny b.d h.bits you m.y h.ve h.d .nd try to remove
those things from your life which le.d you to commit sins. For ex.mple,
you m.y h.ve cert.in friends who .re . b.d influence. M.ybe for the
s.ke of All.h, dis.ssoci.te yourself from them.

Rectify your he.rt to .void sins of the he.rt .nd tongue. Re.d books
on/listen to lectures from schol.rs .bout purifying oneʼs he.rts .nd
t.ke steps to improve yourself .s . person.

We will .ll slip up .s we .re not perfect but itʼs import.nt to

immedi.tely .sk for forgiveness .nd keep trying your best to .void sins.
Sh.yt.n will try to get you involved in . cycle of sins so donʼt .llow
yourself to f.ll into it.

If you found this .rticle benefici.l, ple.se sh.re it with other Hujj.j
who .re going for H.jj.

By R.fiq ibn Jub.ir