One of the verses about Hajj in the Quran states:
“The Hajj is (in) the well-known months. So whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein (by entering the state of Ihram), there is (to be for him) no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do—God knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of God. So fear Me, O you of understanding.” (Quran 2:197).
Before Islam, Hajj was practised during the era of ignorance (Jahiliyyah), but for those people, it was more of a national festival than the worship of the One God. Hence, during the days of Hajj, all the things that generally happened at national fairs used to occur. Islam abolished all these practices.
One of the commands given in this regard was to refrain from rafath, fusooq, and jidal during the days of Hajj. “Rafath” refers to indecent or obscene talk, “Fusooq” broadly refers to sinful behavior, disobedience, or transgression against God’s commands, and “Jidal” refers to disputes, or argumentation, or quarrels. These things are prohibited even under normal circumstances, but during Hajj, they are particularly emphasized. This is because the journey and gathering during Hajj present more opportunities for such behaviours. If a person’s consciousness is not fully aware of these prohibitions, there is a risk that they may fall into these behaviours knowingly or unknowingly.
A true believer lives for a purpose, not for desires. Such a person strives to avoid disobedience to God in all matters and refrain from disputes in social life. These qualities should always be present in a believer, but during Hajj, they become a special indicator of whether one has truly become a pilgrim. If a person is truly affected by the state of piety that should accompany the journey of Hajj, they cannot engage in these prohibited behaviours. These acts negate piety, and where these acts are present, piety cannot exist. Conversely, where piety is present, these acts will naturally be absent.
Further Emphasis
The actions prohibited during the days of Hajj are the same as those forbidden on other days. However, during Hajj, these prohibitions serve as a form of special spiritual training. During Hajj, one is made to strictly adhere to these prohibitions so that one’s awareness of them becomes sharper, and a special capability to avoid them in the future is developed.
When a person is at home or work, they are often entangled in their personal matters, forgetting the greater realities. Therefore, people are brought to the mosque daily for prayer so they can separate themselves from their environment for a while and focus their minds solely on God. The journey of Hajj serves a similar purpose. During the days of Hajj, a person is taken out of their limited environment for a longer period and brought to various places in Hijaz (Arabia). Hajj is essentially a complete separation from one’s worldly environment so that one can focus entirely on one’s God.
The land of Arabia is associated with many great religious traditions. For this reason, the geography of Arabia is the most appropriate for performing the rituals of Hajj. Here lies the Ka‘bah, which has been revered for thousands of years. Here are the stories of the sacrifices of the prophets. Here are the memorials of God’s rewards bestowed upon His righteous believers. This is the land where the life of God’s final Messenger and his Companions left their marks.
These historical associations have enveloped the places of Hajj with an extraordinary atmosphere of sanctity and respect. As soon as a person arrives in this environment, an entire religious history comes alive in their mind. It is quite natural for one’s religious sensitivity to increase here, leading them to fulfil God’s prescribed duties with greater seriousness and devotion. Due to this special historical significance, this area has been chosen by God as the place for a symbolic rehearsal of Islamic life, after which one returns to their previous environment, better equipped to lead a life devoted to God.
During the days of Hajj, pilgrims are required to observe specific prohibitions, with the following being among the most notable:
1. Avoid Harmful Speech: Refrain from causing harm to anyone through words, including arguments, insults, or any form of offensive language.
2. Do Not Harm Living Creatures: Killing or harming animals is strictly prohibited, preserving the sanctity of life during this sacred journey.
3. Embrace Simplicity: Pilgrims must uphold simplicity and abstain from luxuries or adornments. This includes avoiding actions such as trimming nails, grooming hair, wearing stitched clothing (for men), applying perfume, engaging in marital relations, and similar acts that contradict the spirit of humility and submission.
Caution in Speech
In communal living, the most frequent interaction between people involves speech. It is through language that one person often causes the greatest harm to another. During the time of Hajj, when a large number of people are together simultaneously, there is a repeated risk of losing control over one’s tongue, leading to one Muslim causing distress to another. Therefore, the season of Hajj has been particularly designated as an opportunity to train in caution when speaking. In ordinary times, causing harm through speech is considered a part of Islamic ethics. However, during the days of Hajj, it has been made an essential part of Isl amic worship so that people take extra care to protect themselves from this social vice. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that whoever performs Hajj in such a way that human beings are safe from his tongue and his hands, all of his past sins will be forgiven. (Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir, vol 29, p. 362).
In the Qur’an, it is stated: “Hajj is in well-known months (Shawwal, Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah). Whoever undertakes Hajj during these months, there should be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor argument, nor quarrelling during Hajj.” (2:197)
The pilgrimage is in the appointed months. Whoever intends to perform it during them must abstain from indecent speech, from all wicked conduct, and from quarrelling while on the pilgrimage. Whatever good you may do, God is aware of it. Make provision for yourselves—but surely, the best of all provision is God-consciousness. Always be mindful of Me, you that are endowed with understanding. (2:197)
These are the three main forms of causing harm through speech. A person may utter obscene words that distress others. They may refer to another person using derogatory language and attempt to disgrace them with inappropriate words. They may resort to arguments and harsh speech during conversations. All of these behaviours are strictly forbidden during Hajj so that one’s sensitivity to these issues is heightened. The aim is that when a person returns from the sacred journey of Hajj, the impact of this experience will ensure that their tongue is forever safeguarded against such behaviours.
Avoiding Aggression
Once the pilgrim dons the Ihram for Hajj, it becomes prohibited for them to hunt land animals. This prohibition extends to accepting the meat of hunted animals as a gift, plucking the feathers of a bird, assisting in hunting, or even providing a knife to slaughter the hunted animal—all these actions are forbidden for the pilgrim.
During Hajj, a pilgrim is permitted to kill a harmful animal, such as a snake, or to slaughter a sacrificial animal, which is part of the Hajj rituals. However, beyond these exceptions, it is forbidden for the pilgrim to kill or harm any animal. While hunting animals is generally permissible in ordinary circumstances, it is not allowed during Hajj.
This is essentially about emphasizing and ensuring the implementation of a Shari’ah command. It is an obligation upon a person not to kill another human being nor to harm any living creature. This is a general directive of Shariah, expected of every individual in all situations. However, during Hajj, this command is extended to include even the hunting of animals, thereby sharpening the individual’s awareness of this duty. The intention is that, after returning from Hajj, the pilgrim will be more conscientious in upholding this command and will continue to live among others without being aggressive for the rest of their days.
A Disciplined Life
The essence of an Islamic life can be summarized in one word: living with self-control. The journey of Hajj has been specifically designed as a training ground for this disciplined way of life. The significance of Hajj in this regard is expressed in a Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), where he said: “Whoever performs the rituals of Hajj in such a way that human beings are safe from his tongue and his hands, all of his past sins will be forgiven” (Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir, vol 29, p. 362).
This implies that while fulfilling the obligation of Hajj, a pilgrim must be especially mindful to avoid causing harm to others through their words or actions. The Hajj that wipes out all sins is one from which a person returns with a tongue that has not hurt others and hands that have not caused harm.
Self-Forgotten
During Hajj, indulgence in luxuries and adornments is prohibited. The pilgrimage begins with entering the state of ihram, a simple attire comprising a white lower garment (izar) and a white upper sheet (rida), which becomes obligatory for every pilgrim upon crossing into the sacred boundaries (haram). The ihram symbolizes an ascetic dress, reflecting humility and detachment from worldly pleasures, worn specifically for the sacred visit to the Ka‘bah.
This is the first symbolic measure through which God reminds His believers that all human beings are equal. The external attributes that people use to boast over one another or to consider someone superior or inferior are utterly meaningless in the eyes of God. God views everyone equally, just as during Hajj, millions of pilgrims appear the same due to wearing identical garments. The Ihram of Hajj is thus a practical demonstration of Islam’s principle that all human beings are equal. Those who wish to become true believers in God must remove all other “garments” from themselves and be clothed in a divine garment—the Ihram.
When asked who the true pilgrim is, the Prophet Muhammad replied, “The one with dishevelled hair and a dust-covered body” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 3243). These words describe the true pilgrim. Dishevelled hair and a body covered in dust signify a person devoted to a purpose. When someone wholeheartedly dedicates themselves to a specific task, they have no time for adornment and embellishment. The directive in Hajj to intentionally adopt this appearance is essentially a strong lesson in leading a purposeful life. It means that a person should be so absorbed in fulfilling God’s purpose that they forget about their appearance and luxuries. They should forget temporary pleasures and become so engrossed in pursuing the higher purpose that their personal needs fade from their consciousness.
Regarding the command to perform Hajj, the Quran states: “And take provision with you for the journey, but the best provision is piety. So fear Me, O people of understanding.” (2:197)
The pilgrimage is in the appointed months. Whoever intends to perform it during them must abstain from indecent speech, from all wicked conduct, and from quarrelling while on the pilgrimage. Whatever good you may do, God is aware of it. Make provision for yourselves—but surely, the best of all provision is God-consciousness. Always be mindful of Me, you that are endowed with understanding. (Quran 2:197)
In ancient Arabia, it was believed that taking provisions for the Hajj journey was a worldly act. A person who set out for Hajj without carrying any worldly goods was considered pious and devout. Such people would say about themselves, “We are those who rely solely on God” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1523). This meant that they claimed to rely on nothing but God. However, the Quran clarified that such external displays do not constitute piety.
Religiosity is rooted in the heart and mind, not in outward displays. What truly matters is that a person’s heart and mind remain free from strong attachment with anything other than God (Quran 2:165), rather than whether they appear to lack food or provisions.
