NAFL HAJJ & UMRAH – NAFSAANI HOLIDAYING IN THE NAME OF THE DEEN
Whom are they out to deceive with their mock umrah holidaying? Are they attempting to deceive Allah Ta’ala? They are like the munaafiqeen who said:
“…We believe in Allah and the Last Day whilst in reality they are not Mu’mineen.” (Al-Baqarah, Aayat 8)
Rejecting their clam, Allah Ta’ala retorted: “They (attempt) to deceive Allah and the Mu’mineen whilst in reality they deceive none other than themselves although they do not understand (because they are morons).” (Al-Baqarah, Aayat 9)
Because of their deception, Allah Ta’ala said:
“In their hearts lurks a disease (of nifaaq), therefore Allah increasesd for them their disease, and for them there is a painful punishment because of the lies they used to disgorge.” (Al-Baqarah, Aayat 10)
Similar is the case of the droves of mock umrah holiday-makers. They have a lot of money, much of it ill-gotten, hence they crave to squander it in haraam ways to gratify the nafs with holiday stunts in the name of ‘umrah’. Regarding these mock ‘umrahs’, the Hadith states that among the Signs of Qiyaamah is that the dunya and the nafs will be pursued and acquired with the amal (practice) of the Deen. This Sign of Qiyaamah is becoming incrementally manifest in this era of fitnah and fasaad.
The following is the Naseehat of Hadhrat Maulana Masihullah (Rahmatullah alayh). It was a naseehat specially for Muslims of South Africa and UK.
Hadhrat Masihul Ummat’s Direction with Regard to a Second Hajj
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh
From Jalalabad, Mufti Abdus Sattaar humbly submits that our Hadhrat Masihul Ummat (Nawwarallahu Marqadahu) has a malfooth which is presented here.
The title of it is: Hadhrat Masihul Ummat’s Direction with Regard to a Second Hajj.
Our Hadhrat repeatedly advised that instead of performing Hajj and Umrah multiple times, one should focus on building Musjids, madrasahs, Deeni constructions, or engaging in charitable works for the benefit of the community.
He said that every time you look, you see people from London, South Africa, and other foreign countries going over and over for Hajj and Umrah. Instead, if they used that money to build homes for the poor, it would be far more beneficial. Similarly, constructing Musjids, madrasas, or engaging in charitable works for public welfare would be a much better deed.
He said that similarly, building a Musjid, madrasa, or engaging in charitable work for public welfare would be a very good deed.
In this context, we also present the text of Sharah Al-Ashbaah. Saahib-e-Ashbaah states: “To build a travellers inn so that Muslims benefit is more virtuous than a second Hajj.”
Our Hadhrat would say the same thing, that instead of going over and over for Hajj and going over and over for Umrah, this money should be spent for Deeni works.
And he explained the reason, that performing Hajj and Umrah benefits oneself, while engaging in charitable work, spending in Deeni constructions, benefits others. And it is clear that benefiting others is better than benefiting oneself.
There is another directive, we also present from Sharah Al-Ashbaah.
In it is written that Sheikh Mohyiddin Arabi, a very famous personality, wrote in his kitaab that Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Mubarak (Rahmatullahi alayh) said, “A proud person narrated to me that one year, a group of pilgrims was traveling from Baghdad. I also intended to go with them and went to the market with 500 dinars in my sleeve to buy some provisions for the Hajj journey.
I was on the way when a woman passing by the roadside said, ‘O servant of Allah, may Allah Ta’ala bless you. I am a noble woman with several daughters, and today is the fourth day we have not eaten.’
He said that her words affected my heart. ‘So, I gave her the 500 dinars and returned home without buying anything. And I told her to use these dinars for her needs and take care of herself.
The woman thanked Allah and left. She made dua for me, and Allah Ta’ala removed the intention of Hajj from my heart that year. That was that.
The people went for Hajj and returned after performing it. Then I thought, ‘Let me go and meet my friends. Let me go out to welcome them.’ So, I went out to welcome them.
Whenever I met a companion and greeted them, saying, ‘May Allah accept your Hajj and reward your efforts,’ they would also say to me, ‘May Allah accept your Hajj.’
This weighed heavily on me, and I was surprised. That night when I slept, I found myself in the presence of the Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam).
He said, ‘O so-and-so, do not be surprised that people are congratulating you on your Hajj, because you helped a distressed and oppressed woman and relieved a weak and helpless woman from her need. So she made dua to Allah for you, and Allah Ta’ala accepted her dua and created an angel in your form. That angel will perform Hajj on your behalf every year. Now, it does not matter whether you perform Hajj or not.’
Thus, the directive of Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Mubarak has also been presented, that see, a man fulfilled the need of a poor woman. Allah Ta’ala accepted her prayer, and his reward was that Allah Ta’ala created an angel in his form. That angel will perform Hajj on his behalf until the Day of Judgment.
Therefore, our Hadhrat advised that instead of performing a second or third Hajj or repeated Umrah, one should engage in charitable works. And he explained the reason, that a second Hajj and Umrah benefit oneself. And if one helps others or engages in charitable work, as Hadhrat Sahib said, the reward for Deeni constructions continues forever. For example, if someone builds a Musjid or engages in other charitable works.
Therefore, this teaching of Hadhrat has been presented.
And on such occasions, I often recite these couplets of Hadhrat Khwaja Sahib which Hadhrat Shah Hardoi (Rahmatullahi alayh) often recited. When Hadhrat visited Jalalabad and gave a bayaan in our Musjid, he recited this couplet of Khwaja Sahib. And then he also recited these couplets in Munni Wali Musjid.
“I repeat the teachings of my Murshid,
I repeat the teachings of my Murshid.
Today, I make people understand, but not through myself.
Through the blessings of the principal, but it is not strange.
Even through relating, the same immense grace is achieved,
even though relating, the same immense grace is achieved.”
I wrote this article many years ago. And when I prepared it, during that time, Hadhrat Maulana Mufti Ebrahim Salejee Sahib visited from South Africa. So I showed it to him, and he read it very carefully.
He liked it very much and made dua for me. May Allah Taala accept his dua, Ameen.
(Mufti Abdus Sattaar Sahib, Mufti of Miftaahul Uloom Jalalabad)
(End of Hadhrat’s Naseehat)
Due to the amiability of Hadhrat Masihullah’s natural disposition and affability of temperament, he stated his Naseehat mildly. However, in the current era of extreme fitnah and fasaad which has practically eroded and truncated the Imaan of people, and due to mass indulgence in sin and transgression, Naseehat of a strident nature is incumbent. Insha-Allah, such Naseehat shall be proffered in the light of the castigation of holiday ‘umrah and hajj’ by some of the illustrious Fuqaha of centuries ago.
Furthermore, the Naseehat of Hadhrat Masihullah (Rahmatullah alayh) applies to a scenario devoid of sin and transgression. But such a scenario is currently non-existent. Today it is sin piled on sin.
These holiday-makers acting under ‘deeni’ cover are heartless. Right at the doorstep millions of Muslims are undergoing horrendous sufferings. But the merciless hearts of the mock ‘umrah’ performers are not stirred because they are no longer part of the true Ummah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) who said:
“The Muslimoon (the Ummah of Muslims) are like one man. When the eye pains, the whole body is affected and when the head pains, the whole body is affected.”
May Allah Ta’ala open up the blinded eyes of the heart.
9 Ramadhaan 1446 – 10 March 2025