Unity Can Be Witnessed Everywhere at Hajj, Scholar Says
Speaking to IQNA, Jahangiri stressed the manifestation of unity during the sacred pilgrimage, saying that one of the signs of this unity is that regardless of the ethnic background, country, and madhhab, pilgrims are wearing the same clothes.
It is “impossible” to find differences between followers of different madhhabs or the ethnicity of the individuals during the Hajj, he said.
The remarks come as the Hajj pilgrimage has reached its climax as millions of pilgrims are performing the final rites in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
“Under Fiqh (jurisprudence) discussions, if we compare the Hajj with other chapters, we see very rare differences among jurists,” Jahangiri added. This shows that even the jurists have been “very cautious” about the unity of the Hajj.
“This shows that unity is the message of the Hajj,” he said.
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Further explaining the unity in rites, he said that taking into account the order of the Hajj rituals, all pilgrims have to depart their houses for Arafat on the 8th of Dhuʻl-Hijjah, they have to be in Arafat on the same day, they have to leave to the Arafat for Mashaer on the same moment, they have to stay in Mash’ar, and on the early morning of Eid al-Adha, they have to leave the Mash’ar for Mina, and this is when all of them say the same Talbiyah.
And when stoning the Jamarat, all pilgrims throw seven stones, no more, he added.
“All these symbols teach us the unity,” Jahangiri said.
Importance of Hajj in Islam
Elsewhere, speaking about the significance of the pilgrimage, the scholar pointed to the history of the Hajj and when God ordered Muslims to observe it.
Allah Almighty legislated Hajj on the final years of the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Jahangiri said, noting that the Hajj was revealed on the sixth year after the Hijrah.
The revelation of the Hajj was not in Mecca, he said, adding that Allah did not order believers to perform the Hajj while the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was in Mecca, and this order was postponed to the time the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was in Medina.
It is not a “fair understanding” to say that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had a farewell Hajj; rather, the Hajj that he performed was his “first and last,” the scholar said.
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Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born and grown in Mecca but performed only one Hajj, and this shows the significance of the ritual, he said, adding that God wanted the Prophet (PBUH) to train the Ummah to become eligible for the Hajj.
Allah says that you have to perform other duties in Islam, such as Zakat, Salah, etc., and after all these, “you are now eligible” to perform the Hajj, the cleric stressed.
He then cited verse 196 of Surah Baqarah, which reads “Complete the Hajj,” adding that the fact that the Hajj comes after other religious duties shows that the ritual aims at "perfection.”
The Hajj “perfects” other rituals that Muslims observe, he said.
‘Spiritual Eligibility’ needed to perform Hajj
Those who perform the Hajj pilgrimage for the first time should have “spiritual eligibility,” Jahangiri said, adding that some may enjoy the financial and physical requirements for observing the Hajj but lack the spiritual ability.
The scholar noted that pilgrims can boost this spiritual aspect by referring to the teachings of Ahl al-Bayt (AS), especially to the Sermon of Mina delivered by Imam Hussein (AS) which is “full of knowledge.”
Interview by Mohammad Ali Haqshenas
