MOCK AQSA ‘ITIKAAF’ SCOUNDREL HOLIDAYMAKERS
Question
Is there Sunnah significance to undertake journeys to sit in I’tikaaf in Musjiul Aqsa? Many people nowadays are going there for I’tikaaf. A brother told me that the Israelis detain holidaymakers and ask stupid questions. Among these are:
- Why do you want to come here during war time?
- What do you think of the war?
- What do you think of the October 7 attacks?
- What do you think of Hamas?
- Etc., etc.
Those Muslims who pass through Israeli security successfully have to sing the tune of the Yahood. They have to tell the shaytaans what they want to hear or face deportation and/or detention. Now for gaining admission to Aqsa, these Muslims have to bootlick the Israelis. Minus bootlicking, they will not be allowed to enter. Even if some are not asked these questions, is there any Deeni merit in going to Musjidul Aqsa at this time?
Answer
There is absolutely no Sunnah significance in travelling to Musjidul Aqsa for I’tikaaf. The Shariah instructs I’tikaaf in neighbourhood Musaajid. It is not a teaching of the Shariah to undertake a journey to Musjidul Aqsa for the purposes of I’ikaaf. Most, if not all, people who travel to Musjidul Aqsa to observe their mock ‘I’tikaaf are in reality scoundrels – fussaaq and fujjaar. The underlying motivation is nafsaani gratification – pride and show. They have plenty haraam and mushtabah money to give expression to the lusts of their nafs.
Once a man came to Hadhrat Bishr Haafi (Rahmatullah alayh) – the famous Wali of the Tasabi-ee era – seeking advice regarding his planned Nafl Hajj journey. He mentioned that he had saved 200 dinars for the trip. Hadhrat Bishr (Rahmatullah alayh) asked the reason for his desire to go for Hajj. The man said that it was for thawaab (reward). Hadhrat Bishr said: “I shall inform you of a way of gaining the thawaab of two hundred Hajj.”
He advised the man to give the 200 dinras to ten, Fuqara, ten widows, ten orphans, etc. He will then receive the reward of 200 Hajj. But, like these holidaymakers going for mock ziyaarat and mock i’tikaaf, he said that it was his heartfelt desire to visit the holy places to perform Hajj. Hadhrat Bishr then said: “As long as you do not squander your ill-gotten wealth in haraam, you will not be satisfied. You say that your intention is thawaab. I am showing you a way of gaining the thawaab of 200 Hajj without undertaking a difficult journey, but you are not satisfied.” This demonstrates the insincerity and hypocrisy of the man. His talk of ‘thawaab’ was false and self-deceptive.
These Aqsa holidaymakers deceive themselves with their mock holiday ‘i’tikaaf’. It is not permissible for people to go for a holiday to Musjid Aqsa. The excuse of going for I’tikaaf/Ziyaarat is nonsensical, deceptive and hypocritical. They use the deen to camouflage their nafsaaniyat. The people of Palestine are suffering and dying of starvation while these holidaymakers bask in cream and butter, wasting huge amounts of money which is in all probability contaminated with haraam. They are absolutely shameless and heartless. Haraam earned is spent in haraam ways.
In these times of fitnah, fassad and the fisq of the people who visit it is not permissible to go for ziyaarat. They sin from the day they leave home until the day they return with bloated pride believing that they had accomplished a wonderful feat. At the Israeli checkpost they have to cross, they are constrained by the Israelis to speak ill and make gheebat of Hamas and the Palestinians. These so-called I’tikaaf holiday makers are actually spineless rubbish.
Just imagine! The Palestinians are suffering. They are starving. Nothing to eat. But these rubbish holiday makers have the shaitaani gut to squander millions of rands enriching the kuffaar airlines. Instead of contributing the huge amounts of money wasted on mock ‘itikaaf’ holidays, they derive base nafsaani pleasure in squandering. They are ruthlessly insensitive to the suffering of hundreds of thousands of Muslims at the doorstep of Musjidul Aqsa.
There is not a single benefit which these spineless rubbish holiday makers can contribute with their mock ‘i’tikaafs’ to ameliorate the suffering of the Palestinians. There are still some channels of transmission available for ‘smuggling’ food to the starving segment of the Ummah. But, these rubbish holidaymakers select to eat, excrete and squander money to satisfy the base instincts and lusts of their nafs.
Some misguided ones argue that they do contribute towards the Palestine Fund. This argument is baseless. Their contribution does not justify squandering huge sums of money undertaking a journey for a purpose not commanded by the Shariah. Whatever is being contributed to alleviate the plight of the suffering Palestinians is a drop in the ocean. The monies wasted on these holidays should also be contributed to assist the suffering Palestinians.
The satanic squandering of money and the villainy of these spineless, rubbish, scoundrels are aggravated by the false ‘deeni’ cover proffered by the ghutha to justify and camouflage their haraam holidays. Among the signs of Qiyaamah mentioned in the Hadith is to gratify the nafs and to pursue worldly objectives with the a’maal of the Deen. These miserable holidaymakers fit into this class of scoundrels who are signs of Qiyaamah.
21 Ramadhaan 1445 – 1 April 2024