Al-Nawawi on the Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimage

In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

Al-Nawawi records in his book Riyad al-Salihin:

Allah said:

فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ

In it are clear signs such as the standing place of Abraham. Whoever enters it shall be safe, and due to Allah from people is a pilgrimage to the house for whoever is able to find a way. But whoever disbelieves, then Allah is has no need of the worlds.

Surat Ali Imran 3:97

And Allah said:

وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ

Proclaim to the people the Hajj pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, and they will come from every distant pass.

Surat al-Hajj 22:27

Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

بُنِيَ الْإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ عَلَى أَنْ يُعْبَدَ اللَّهُ وَيُكْفَرَ بِمَا دُونَهُ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَحَجِّ الْبَيْتِ وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ

Islam is built upon five: worshiping Allah alone and disbelieving in what is worshiped besides him, establishing prayer, giving charity, performing Hajj pilgrimage to the house, and fasting the month of Ramadan.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 8, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked, “What is the most virtuous deed?” The Prophet said:

إِيمَانٌ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ

Faith in Allah and his messenger.

It was said, “Then what?” The Prophet said:

جِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

Jihad in the way of Allah.

It was said, “Then what?” The Prophet said:

حَجٌّ مَبْرُورٌ

An accepted Hajj pilgrimage.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1447, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

مَنْ حَجَّ هَذَا الْبَيْتَ فَلَمْ يَرْفُثْ وَلَمْ يَفْسُقْ رَجَعَ كَمَا وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ

Whoever performs the Hajj pilgrimage to this house without having intimate relations or committing sin, then he will return pure of sin like the day he was born from his mother.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1723, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

الْعُمْرَةُ إِلَى الْعُمْرَةِ كَفَّارَةٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَالْحَجُّ الْمَبْرُورُ لَيْسَ لَهُ جَزَاءٌ إِلَّا الْجَنَّةُ

The Umrah pilgrimage unto the Umrah pilgrimage will expiate whatever sins were committed between them, and the accepted Hajj pilgrimage has no reward other than Paradise.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1683, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Aisha reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, shall we not attend the expeditions and fight in jihad alongside you?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

لَكِنَّ أَحْسَنَ الْجِهَادِ وَأَجْمَلَهُ الْحَجُّ حَجٌّ مَبْرُورٌ

No, rather the best and most beautiful jihad for you is the Hajj, an accepted pilgrimage.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1762, Grade: Sahih

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was delivering a sermon and he said:

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ الْحَجَّ فَحُجُّوا

O people, the Hajj pilgrimage has been made an obligation, so perform the pilgrimage.

A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, is it prescribed every year?” The Prophet remained silent until the man repeated his question three times. The Prophet said:

لَوْ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ لَوَجَبَتْ وَلَمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ

Had I said yes, it would have become an obligation upon you and you would have been unable to fulfill it.

Afterwards, the Prophet said:

لَوْ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ لَوَجَبَتْ وَلَمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ ذَرُونِي مَا تَرَكْتُكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ بِكَثْرَةِ سُؤَالِهِمْ وَاخْتِلَافِهِمْ عَلَى أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ فَإِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ فَأْتُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَإِذَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ فَدَعُوهُ

Do not ask me as long as I do not command anything for you, because those who were before you were destroyed on account of their excessive questioning and disagreement with their prophets. When I order you to do something, then do it as much as you can, and when I forbid you from something, then abandon it.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1337, Grade: Sahih

Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يُعْتِقَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ عَبْدًا مِنْ النَّارِ مِنْ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ وَإِنَّهُ لَيَدْنُو ثُمَّ يُبَاهِي بِهِمْ الْمَلَائِكَةَ فَيَقُولُ مَا أَرَادَ هَؤُلَاءِ

There is no day upon which Allah frees more of his servants from the Hellfire than the day of ‘Arafat. He draws near and then he praises them to the angels, saying: What do these want?

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1348, Grade: Sahih

Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

فَإِذَا كَانَ رَمَضَانُ اعْتَمِرِي فِيهِ فَإِنَّ عُمْرَةً فِي رَمَضَانَ حَجَّةٌ

Perform the Umrah pilgrimage when Ramadan arrives, for Umrah during Ramadan is equal to the Hajj pilgrimage.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1690, Grade: Sahih

Al-Fadl reported: A woman from the tribe of Khath’am said, “O Messenger of Allah, my father is an old man and Allah has obligated him to perform the Hajj pilgrimage but he is cannot ride on the back of a camel.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

فَحُجِّي عَنْهُ

Perform the pilgrimage on his behalf.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1335, Grade: Sahih

Abu Razeen Al-Uqaili reported: He said, “O Messenger of Allah, my father is an old man and he cannot perform the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimage, nor can he take a journey.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

حُجَّ عَنْ أَبِيكَ وَاعْتَمِرْ

Perform Hajj and Umrah on his behalf.

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 930, Grade: Sahih

Ibn Abbas reported: A woman lifted up her child and said, “O Messenger of Allah, is the Hajj pilgrimage for this child?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

نَعَمْ وَلَكِ أَجْرٌ

Yes and you will have a reward.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1336, Grade: Sahih

Ibn Abbas reported: There were markets people attended during the time of ignorance. When Islam arrived, the companions disliked trading in them during Hajj until the verse was revealed:

لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَبْتَغُوا فَضْلًا مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ

There is no blame on you for seeking the bounty of your Lord. (2:198)

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1681, Grade: Sahih

Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.

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