Yaser Birjas – Hajj And The Ummah Of Good Character
AI: Summary ©
The community and the um slide for the betterment of the people and culture in the United States is emphasized, along with the importance of individually aligned principles and speaking out against malicious behavior. The message is to control one's ego and pursue a disciplined lifestyle, while also learning to be conscious of oneself and doing good manners. The speaker warns against seeking pleasure and embracing opportunities to achieve success, emphasizing transformation and embracing opportunities to achieve success.AI: Transcript ©
From this community and other communities
to be there on that magnificent journey to
Mecca. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make it
easy on the
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant each and
every one of you a visit to his
house, You Rabbi Alamin,
and accept from the Hujjaj and bring him
back safely whom You Rabbi Alamin.
Brothers and sisters, as we see people going
to Hajj,
we sometimes wonder what's the purpose of it,
what's the point of it, what's the meaning
of being there and going to Hajj, Especially
in times when we see the ummah and
sometimes at its lowest moment.
Like we'll see what's happening there to our
brothers and sisters in Gaza, may Allah make
it easy for them, You Rabbi Alamin.
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala alleviate their sufferings.
We ask Allah Azzajal for their victory, You
Rabbi Alamin, and bring them peace and tranquility
in their lives in the dunya and in
the akhirah.
Brothers and sisters, when we see the situation
of the ummah, they would wonder what is
the meaning of Hajj?
To the extent that some people have been
questioning themselves, should I even be going to
Hajj in time like this? Well, yes, we
should still be going to Hajj,
because Hajj is more than just doing tawaf
and sa'ih and staying
in Mina
and staying in Arafa.
There is much more profound
meaning for Hajj.
It's much more profound message that we need
to learn about
on a personal level
as well as in a community level. Now
on the community level, we understand that it's
once in your lifetime where you go and
you meet in this annual annual meeting of
the ummah.
The entire ummah is meeting in one place,
coming from all over the world, so you
could share concerns with each other, share culture
with one another, get to know one another
as
Allah commands us to do.
We made you into nations and people so
you could know each other. So that's an
opportunity for us to see the diversity of
our community, how beautiful it is, and
then we recognize we're all there for the
exact same reason, for the example purpose.
The single message of Hajj is really bring
people together for the sake of Allah
under one banner, La ilaha illallah Muhammad Rasulullah.
Unifying the ummah,
that's through the principle of hajj.
But that's on a community level. What about
on an individual level? I want to focus
on this a little bit,
Because in order for us to be unified
as a community, as an ummah,
we need to all be individually
aligned with the same principles,
the principles of our deen. And even when
we go to Hajj, we're gonna go we'll
have in our mind the exact same purpose
for Hajj
Otherwise,
many many people these days when they go
to Hajj they focus on what? They focus
on
the technical aspect of it.
So you receive a lot of questions from
people about their ehram,
what kind of shoes should I wear, what
kind of belt, am I allowed to carry
this with me, Should I put this, that,
and that? A lot of technical questions about
Hajj.
But that's the easiest part of it my
dear brothers and sisters.
What is much more profound about Hajj is
what the prophet he
said
to us, whoever goes to Hajj.
Didn't speak ill, didn't speak bad, profanity.
Didn't do anything haram or wrong or offensive.
Raja Akayam
shall come back from that journey
pure, with cleanse, just like the day when
their mother gave birth to them.
What does that mean? It's transformation.
The whole purpose of Hajj
is to have a better version of yourself.
When you come back, you come anew, somebody
completely different.
But how can you do this? What exactly
do I need to do? What is it
that I need to transfer and transform in
my life in order for me to get
to that level of purity? And alhamdulillah, it
was mentioned for us in the Quran. Al
Hajj is truly
the message of Al Hajj is reminding us
we as an ummah,
we need to care about
our character.
Allah
says, Al Hajj, they're well known months,
begins from Shawwal, the Al Qadadul Hijjah. So
So we know that there's the months of
Hajj.
So he said,
If you commit yourself
starting your journey, that's what it means.
There should be
3 things mentioned explicitly here in the ayah.
Number 1, which
means watch your tongue,
watch your language.
What do you say? Remember,
hadith Muhammad
the prophet
said to him
when he was surprised as the prophet said
that many many people will end up in
jahannam because of what they say and he
was shocked. Are
we gonna be held accountable for what we
say?
And the prophet
says,
like he's surprised with Mu'ad, like you and
Mu'ad don't know that?
What does really throw people on their face
on the day of judgement in Jahannam more
than the harvest of their tongues?
What they say and what they tell.
These things, Allah
is reminding us on the Hajj, you need
to be more careful with what you say
and what you do.
So he said, And
the rafas basically speak in profanity.
Some will, they make it specific. These are
introductions like the the the conversation happens between
a husband and wife right before they become
intimate.
But overall, it's all about speaking something that
is not appropriate for the season of Hajj.
You're there to purify your soul.
You clean yourself
from that kind of lifestyle right now and
dedicate yourself to Allah
You committed to the spiritual journey right now,
Surah Rafat.
And they said,
right now is disobedience acts of disobedience means
actions.
You don't hurt anybody
physically,
you don't push, you don't pull, you don't
do any of that stuff. Why? Because there
are so many chances and opportunities in Hajj
that people will lose their cool.
You will lose your patience.
And it becomes easy for people to start
cursing and cursing and saying things that they
would regret, they would ruin their Hajj for
it. And also they start pushing and shopping
and probably fighting with people over little things
of matters of dunya,
of matters of dunya, like their priority, their
lines, and so and so.
And
there should be no argumentation in Hajj.
Conversation is okay, dialogue is fine. But argumentation
meaning even if you're right, you shouldn't be
arguing, as the prophet mentioned the hadith.
He says, I'll guarantee you a house in
Jannah if you leave argumentation
even if you are right.
Because when people argue, no one is listening.
Everybody just won't prove their point. And as
a result,
the whole message of it is gone and
we just end up fighting and hating each
other. He says, should we know of that
nature? What does that mean?
Here's the message is to control your ego.
Because when you start a dialogue and a
conversation, and then now you lose the purpose
because you're not getting what you wish for
from it, what happens? Your ego kicks in.
And it becomes now a matter of winning
the argument, no matter what, at all cost.
And suddenly what was inappropriate and haram becomes
permissible
because it's justified now. And the prophet says
don't even argue.
Even if you are right, it's okay. Peace.
Just leave the argument and we move on.
Al Hajj is about
holding your ground and making sure that you
hold to this character.
Watch what you say,
what you do, and watch your ego, otherwise
it will ruin you.
Then Allah
says Whatever good that you do in this
dunya,
Allah knows about it. What does that mean?
It's gonna be registered for you. It's gonna
be in your account.
What does that mean then?
That means also
by reverse or reverse,
whatever evil or bad that you do will
also be there on record for you.
So our ulema, they say, this ayah is
simply about what?
It's about giving us this sense of
disciplined lifestyle.
Now you have a disciplined lifestyle. Brothers and
sisters,
you can't really, you can't grow
spiritually, you can't grow even physically unless you
have a disciplined
system that you follow.
Even if, hamdullilah, if you mastered
your recitation of the Quran,
even if you mastered the 5 daily prayers,
even if you mastered fasting Mondays Thursdays, if
you don't take yourself to the next level,
that level right now is going to start
slowly and gradually disappear from your life,
becomes habitual,
and it loses its purpose and states as
well. So there has to be always a
moment of growth.
And here Allah says, look, I know everything
good that you do.
It's meaning that Allah is asking us to
always pursue that which is good
all the time.
Having a disciplined lifestyle, staying away from that
which is bad because it's gonna be registered.
So make sure what is best, what is
good is the one that counts for you.
And then Allah
is now narrowing that focus for us in
this ayah, making it very specific. He says,
What does Zawba do?
He says seek the provision from this dunya.
It's okay. Like we're not asking you to
abandon the life of this world because
in Hajj there are specific
halal matters we are not supposed to practice
or do. Like what?
Like for example, using perfume,
trimming
and and and this specific act of hygiene,
things that you need to abstain from for
these 2 3 days when you are in
Hajj, for example, or as long as you're
in your salve haram.
Also, abstain from seeking pleasure with your spouse
during that particular time.
Even even to seek nikah during that time
when you're haram, you're not supposed to do
that because it again is pursuing something that
has to do with desires and instincts.
During those times, we're supposed to abstain from
during Hajj time discipline.
That's a disciplined lifestyle.
But then
when that is over, Allah says, it's okay.
After that, besides this, make sure to seek
that provision. Allah made halal for you,
but
the best provision that you carry
with you on your journey
is the piety of your heart, the righteousness.
You're conscious of Allah
Now that applies to the hujj
because the hujj when they leave, you're gonna
see people bring big luggage and bags, and
some people they bring everything,
leave nothing behind.
And others they know, you know what, I
don't want to burden myself with all that
stuff. I want to make it simple.
Simplicity,
as Allah asks us,
Seek that which is most precious,
most valuable,
but lightest in your hand and in your
bag.
And there is nothing more valuable for us
in this life, my dear brothers and sisters,
as what we're going to be questioned about
on the day of judgment.
There is nothing more precious in this dunya
than really standing before Allah
and having in your mind, in your heart
the lifestyle that Allah as well, He is
pleased with. And it comes with the taqwa
of the heart, the piety of the heart.
That's why Allah says,
And then he said
be conscious of me those who have reason.
Which means Allah
now directing us to be smart in the
way we planned our lives.
Make sure that you use your mind
always.
Don't just make things become automatic and go
on autopilot in your life jama'ah. Again, if
you want to grow, you're gonna have to
have that deliberate practice of what you do.
You want to make better, hamdulillah,
effort in giving charity,
you have to budget.
You would like to have
good way of reading the Quran until the
next Ramadan, then you're gonna have to plan
it from now, that deliberate practice.
You would like to improve on your fast,
especially when Ramadan comes or becomes much easier
in the heat of the summer, then you
start from now, deliberate practice.
Whatever that you need to do, you need
to improve. And my dear brothers and sisters,
when Allah
is asking us to have this litigipid lifestyle
in hajj, It's a symbolic thing,
so that when you come back, don't forget
about what you learned from Hajj.
Don't forget about this,
To guard your tongue
and guard your actions and avoid
arguing with the ignorant and making sure to
have a disciplined lifestyle,
watching your heart and the piety of the
heart, all in the piety of the heart,
all these things, they don't just stop.
This is a lifelong journey.
You are already on a Hajj journey, you're
already returning back to Allah
Almost everything you do in this dunya
should be a proclamation of Hajj for you
because you're already in a journey to Allah
Everything you do should be pronouncing on your
behalf
even if you're not going to Makkah for
Hajj.
Because your life is all about
You Allah, here I am in your service.
Whatever you want from me, my lord, I'm
here in your service.
That's the meaning of these words.
So the
they keep repeating that when they went in
their haram
and they keep saying in your service, you're
O my Lord. But you're already supposed to
be in the service of the Lord for
your entire lifetime.
Hajj, my dear brothers and sisters, doesn't just
teach us these things for those few days
and then we come back, we go back
again to old ways. No. Just like Ramadan,
Ramadan comes to interrupt your routine, to teach
you a principle that you can do better
than this.
And you proved it to yourself in Ramadan.
And Hajj is one of those examples as
well too, but now on a massive level.
For many people, when it comes to Hajj,
it tests their patience beyond
what they once considered their norms.
And indeed, there are many events in Hajj
that will probably test your patience way beyond
what you think you can handle.
And that's why there's so much required about
good manners and good akhlaq and good character.
You're going to be dealing with people like
this outside of Hajj as well too. So
that is the real message we need to
have. If each and every one of us
start behaving in the akhlaq, of the hujjud,
as Allah requested in the Quran, and if
you all follow this example as a lifestyle
for all of us, my dear brothers and
sisters, it doesn't matter where you come from,
it doesn't matter what culture
you belong to, it doesn't matter the color
of your skin, the tongue, the mother tongue
of your language, it doesn't matter any of
these things. Once you go to Mecca, we
will all behave in the same way.
We will all be we will have that
courtesy towards one another, patience with one another,
love for one another, and compassion for others
and so forth. But when we when we
deviate away from the purpose of Hajj and
it becomes a matter of just doing a
task and come back again, we lose it.
That's when unfortunately we don't enjoy being there.
But if that's the message of Hajj, I
want to give it to you because the
majority of us say they're not going to
be going to Hajj. I don't want you
to feel left out.
I don't want you to feel left out,
make sure, make sure you have that commitment
insha Allahu Ta'ala
to recite this ayah again and again and
again in Surat Al Baqarah. That is chapter
number 2, the ayah 197.
Recite that ayah, review it, and see if
you can make this a morrow for your
life, at least during the time of Hajj,
Even if you're not personally going there, but
you live the life of the Hajj inshaAllah.
May Allah
make us some of those who listen to
these beads and follow the best of it
And make us some
of those who will go to Hajj Sunni,
You Rabbi Al Amin.
My dear brothers and sisters,
as we see the Ummah's world is very
divided really, because we're not following one path,
one lifestyle,
one example.
And if
we all follow the example that was mentioned
for us in the Quran and the sun
of the prophet
we'll find us stronger and united, and that's
when really the situation that we see today
will never exist.
The Ummah will be behind their brothers and
sisters and ghazza and Palestinians everywhere in the
world.
They will be supported. We will support those
who are oppressed. We'll defend those who are
weaker in the society no matter where they
are and who they are. But because unfortunately
we are very divided, we don't have one
lifestyle.
We have different ways of living instead of
living by the Quran and teachers of the
Quran, and the examples and reminders of Hajj.
It's because of that that unfortunately we lose
sometimes our strength and our power in this
world. Brothers and sisters, that the final message
from this ayah, we learn a few things.
That number 1 hajj is all about transformation,
which is why the prophet
says if you do hajj perfectly the way
Allah described it in the Quran, no bad
words, no bad action, you come back very
clean. Pure, your sins are forgiven. That is
transformation.
It's all about that.
Can you make your life all based on
transformation? Every single time you can get an
opportunity for transformation
between the 5 daily prayers, Friday to Friday,
Ramadan to Ramadan, umrah to umrah. All these
are opportunities to experience your sins and start
fresh and clean.
You are going on a Hajj almost every
day, you could say.
The second thing we learn from this example
is Hajj is about growth.
Really, you go there and you change yourself.
You start learning that you can do better
than this and more than that, and you
put yourself on hand to the test. You
start
performing
tasks way out of your comfort zone.
And that's growth.
And that requires what from us? Requires always,
alhamdulillah, in the face of adversities and ignorance
that you see around you in this life
and also in Hajj season and sun, you
have to be optimistic connecting with Allah
and that requires a lot of resilience.
That is a true message of Hajj. And
I ask that we all think about it
insha'allah
as the best season of the year is
coming up insha'allah
in the next few days. The prophet spoke
about the first 10 days of the hija
No days of the year, a good deed
is more rewarding
of the whole year than these 10 days
of the hija.
Not even fighting for the cause of Allah,
he goes not even that. Unless someone goes
out with their wealth and their life, they
come back with nothing.
Like basically,
so much
you can handle or earn from observing
a badad and the first 10 days of
the Hijjah.
Make sure to mark them on your calendar.
Do as many fasts as you can, do
as much charity as you can, and observe
these etiquettes of the hujjad from this ayah
at least in these 10 days. And may
Allah give you that transformation
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