Uthman Abubakar
5 November 2009
Abuja — The impact of Hajj on the conduct of pilgrims in their post-pilgrimage life was the major talking point of a 2-day seminar organized by the Bauchi State Agency for Societal Reorientation, Gyara Kayanka, for this year's intending pilgrims from the state, Saturday and Sunday, October 31 and November 1 respectively.
The aim of the seminar, according to the state's Special Adviser for Education and Societal Reorientation, Dr. Salisu Shehu, was to ensure that the spiritual refinement and righteous behavioral reorientation acquired by the pilgrims from the various acts of worship, as well as their general dispositions and conducts throughout the sacred period, had lasting impact on their entire post-pilgrimage life as righteous Muslims.
Dr. Salisu expressed concern at the situation whereby most Muslims revert to their life of depravities and un-Islamic conducts after their return home from the Holy Land.
According to him: "Most Muslims revert to their most disgustful conducts, many even doing worse, after their return from Hajj as if they never intended to perform it as one of the five pillars and main obligatory acts of worship, each of which refines the conducts of the Muslim in his or her life. In fact, some Muslims, most unfortunately, go on the pilgrimage, either as an act of ostentation or for site-seeing and tourism, which is why it doesn't impact on their lives as good Muslims."
Ustaz Aliyu Sa'id Gamawa spoke on the lessons of Hajj with regard to prohibitions against the misconducts of the tongue and the genitals."To secure the tongue against all unlawful utterances throughout the sacred period of Hajj constitutes the main reason why most acts of worship during the period are akin to Salat, whereby the tongue of the pilgrim is most times engaged in Du'a and Dhikr to Allah (SWT), right from the declaration of the intention and the Talbiyyah. Therefore, to guard the tongue of the pilgrim against misdemeanors, a set of injunctions was lined out with regard to utterances for the sacred period. This should have a lasting impact and guidance on the entire life of the pilgrim as a righteous Muslim," he exhorted.
"We must always remember that before, during or after Hajj, Allah (SWT) said in the Holy Quran that every utterance emanating from the tongue of man is recorded by two Angels. The Holy Prophet (SAW) said in one of his traditions that whoever believes in Allah and the hereafter should speak good or remain quiet. The Holy Prophet again said in another tradition that whoever guards his or her tongue and genitals against misconducts (speaking evil and fornication) Allah has promised him Aljannah. All such verses of the Holy Quran and tradition of the Holy Prophet are meant to guide the Muslim before, during and after hajj to cultivate the righteousness of the tongue. The virtuous discipline of the individual Muslim begins from the tongue, and this is confirmed by the fact that for an unbeliever to become a Muslim he, first, uses his or her tongue to utter the Kalimah as declaration," Ustaz Aliyu preached.
"So, the entire pilgrimage is our teacher and discipliner on righteous conducts, disciplining our tongue with prayers and laudable supplications, disciplining us against mixing and mingling with women, let alone going near fornication and disciplining us against unlawful utterances at informal discussion circles. So, we return home with a righteous tongue and genitals which should guide our conducts throughout our entire lives," he exhorted.
"Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA) said that the Holy Prophet (SAW) once told a man to shelve going for the Jihad and accompany his wife to the pilgrimage to guard her against mixing with other men should she find herself in any situation necessitating her seeking help or any interaction with any man. Allah, in the Holy Quran, has prohibited the mixing of men and women, even if by the married couple; and misdemeanor by any part of Muslim's entire body. Abu Hurairah reported in a tradition related by both Bukhari and Muslim that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said that whoever performs the free of fornication and virtuous immoralities, he or she would be cleansed of all his or her sins as though he or she had just been born. The pilgrim should take lesson from these prohibitions and be guided in his or her entire post-pilgrimage life," he posited.
Ustaz Ahmad Tijjani Sa'id spoke on the lessons of the sermon of the Holy Prophet (SAW) during his farewell pilgrimage, picking out 25 lessons from the Hajj component of the sermon to guide the conduct of the Muslim during and after pilgrimage.
Ustaz Ahmad listed these lessons to include: The intention of the Muslim to concentrate his thoughts and actions entirely on Hajj while in the Holy Land; settling debts and returning all properties in his custody to their owners; leaving admonishments on official or family duties; cultivate the feeling of absolute abstinence from misdeeds and devotion to good deeds in absolute humility (during the Hajj, no king, no subject; no rich' no poor); cultivating the resolution to worship in search of Allah's pleasure only; resolving to be patient and tolerant in worship and interaction with all others; resolving to always forgive whoever offends him or her; always feeling that he or she is doing less good deeds than others and, therefore, striving to do more good deeds; and resolving to devote entire person and personality to devotion to the service of Allah for His pleasure.
With this spiritual purification,, according to Ustaz Ahmad, the pilgrim begins to resolve to serve humanity in strict accordance with his discipline as a righteous Muslim, either in the Holy Land or at home during his entire life.
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