Hajj and Haajira

When Hazrat Ibraheem ع left Hajira and newborn Hazrat Ismaeel ع in the midst of the desert, there was no logic or wisdom behind it. He handed them some water and a few dates, then he simply left without providing any explanation.

While she was going away, she used to hide her tracks from Sarah. Then all of a sudden she finds herself in the midst of a barren valley where there was no life. There was absolutely nothing! While Hazrat Ibraheem accompanied her, she didn’t question about their destination or the wilderness of the way, she trusted him. She knew that he is taking her to a safe haven, or that he was her safe haven. Her heart was at peace while he was with them, but as soon as he left, she chased him, but he didn’t say anything. She was puzzled, full of confusion because her husband, her everything, was forsaking her and that too in the middle of nowhere. Ibraheem didn’t put up a tent and leave them there, he didn’t provide them provisions and leave, he left them in a valley where there was no sign of life.

This wasn’t meant to end like this. Yes, she was a slave of Ibraheem’s other wife, Sarah. Naturally, she didn’t command the status that Sarah enjoyed, but this is not the way to forsake someone in the middle of nowhere. Slaves don’t have anyone to call their own. In the entire world, Ibraheem was the only one she could call hers. Imagine! And the only person she trusted so dearly is forsaking her and their newborn?

He is not withdrawing in a setting where others could have consoled her, he is withdrawing from her at a place where the only presence is that of hers and Allah’s.

 

Ibraheem’s lips were sealed, he was not answering any of her questions. Imagine what she must have been going through. If Ibraheem didn’t care about her, at least the child was his. What was the fault of this newborn? Why was he being forsaken?

 

 

Then she asked him if Allah had asked him to do so? Yes, nodded. She stopped and said something that will continue to provide us hope until the end of times, She said ‘Izin laa Yadeanaa’ ‘Then HE will not forsake us’.

Immediately, she was at peace, knowing that this is from Allah and Allah never forsakes his slaves. Despite the fact that there was no roof over her head, the waterskin was almost empty, they barely had food, and she is with a newborn!

 

Despite all that, she was at peace, knowing that Allah is watching over them. She knew that if Allah had brought her up to here, he will get her through. And the same happened.

She wasn’t a Prophet to leave Sunnah behind, she was only a slave girl, and yet her running b/w the mountains in search of water is emulated by everyone who goes for pilgrimage. Not just the run, but even the number of times she ran b/w those mountains has to be imitated!

 

When Prophet Musa asked for water for his Ummah, Allah asked him to strike the rock with his staff and springs gushed forth but in case of Hajira Allah send the best of all angels, Jibreel to gush forth a spring for her!

 

Similarly, you might be feeling like in the midst of nowhere, forsaken! Without any explanation or reason. Nothing would be making any sense anymore and like Hajira you must be battling your mirages, but remember HE will not forsake you.

 

The tides will change, you will receive your share of Zamzam. And then you will see a barren in the midst of nowhere developing into the center of the world, you will understand the wisdom behind you being forsaken & necessity of all those mirages. Courtesy: Gowhar's Blog

A Gift for Usman

Once Usman was on his way to pilgrimage to Mecca and attired in the restricted costume (Ehram) of Haj (pilgrimage to Mecca). Meanwhile, a man happened to bring a roasted bird to him as a gift and for his friends.
Usman did not seem to feel any restriction connected therewith, but his companions did not touch the meat. Thereupon, Usman exclaimed:
“Brothers! This meat of the bird is not prohibited for us, because we did of the pilgrimage. Therefore, I don’t see any harm in eating this meat”.
But the people present in his tent said, “You may not, but Hazrat Ali (a.s.) does not like it despite all the explanation you have given in this connection.”
Then Usman called Hazrat Ali (a.s.) through some one.
Hazrat Ali (a.s.) who was marking the camels there seemed a bit annoyed but still he accompanied the man to the tent of Usman. Usman said to him: 
“O Ali (a.s.)! You always seem to go against me in all the religious matters.”
On this Hazrat Ali (a.s.) said to the people present there,
“I ask you to tell on oath whether the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had not once refused the meat of a roasted wild donkey with the excuse that he and his companions were dressed in the restricted clothes of Haj and if the meat was not given to those who were not?”
About twelve persons present there said on oath that it had actually happened what had been described by Hazrat Ali (a.s.).
Then Hazrat Ali (a.s.) asked the people present there again to say on oath as to whether five eggs of the Ostrich were not once brought to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as a gift when he was on his way to Mecca for Haj and also whether had he not refused to eat them on the same place.
About a dozen of people again said on oath that it had happened the same way as was described by Hazrat Ali (a.s.). 
Thereupon, Usman went inside his tent, leaving the gift with those who had brought it.[1]

[1] Musnad Ahmad bin Hambal, vol. 1, pp. 100-104; Manaaqib vol. 2,
p. 194; Naasekhut Tawaarikh, vol. 3, p. 738; Kitabul Um lil Shafai, vol. 7,
p. 257; Sunan-e-Baihaqi, vol. 5, p. 194; Kanzul Ummaal, vol. 3, p. 53, Abu
Turab, vol. 2, pp. 280-281

A Slave Who Claimed to be the Master of his Master

During the ‘Khilafat’ (Caliphate) of Hazrat Ali (a.s.) two men, a slave and his master, were travelling to Kufa after performing Hajj (Pilgrimage). The slave committed some mistake and the master beat him for that. The slave said to his master: 
“You are my slave, but still you are beating me for nothing.” 
Some other people wanted to decide between the two, but the slave did not admit his mistake and went on repeating that he was the master of the man accompanying him till they all entered Kufa. 
The master then said to his slave: 
“Let us go to Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) for judgement”. 
To that the slave agreed and they both went to Hazrat Ali (a.s.), but while giving their statements before him both claimed to be the master of each other.
The one who was actually the master started weeping that he was the real master and that his father had sent him on pilgrimage to Mecca. He had taken his slave with him who committed a mistake on his way back home and he therefore beat him. By saying that he was the master he wanted to take away wrongfully all his possessions. 
But, the slave also repeated the same story on oath. 
Hazrat Ali (a.s.) after hearing both ordered them to present themselves before him the next day. 
Meanwhile, he ordered two holes to be made in a wall, each one quite enough for the head of a man to pass through. 
When the two men came to him the following day he ordered each of them to put his head into the two holes.
This done, he ordered his personal servant “Cut off the head of the slave”. No sooner the slave heard this order he pulled out his head from the hole while the one who was the master did not move even slightly.
Hazrat Ali (a.s.) then reprimanded the slave, who went away with his master hanging his head in shame.

Imam Kadhim (a.s.) at Hajj

He decided to perform Hajj; however, his intention was not to benefit from it, but to show off his power; nevertheless, he was negligent that he had to circumambulate the sanctuary of the Absolute Power. As he entered Masjid al-Haram, the guards started opening the way for him so that he could perform the rituals. In fact, nobody dared to precede Harun al-Rashid (1), the Abbasid Caliph, in the rituals.
Meanwhile, another person who was also circulating around the Kaaba was pushed away by a guard. In return, he shouted with a loud voice that could be heard by Harun, ”Allah has made all his servants equal in this place”, and then he recited the following verse from the Holy Quran with the same stress: “We have made equally for all men, (for) the dwellers therein and (for) the visitors…”(2)
The man continued performing his rituals without any fear from the Caliph, as he was confident in Someone else. He actually preceded the Caliph in all the rituals. When the Caliph noticed the man’s courage and bravery, he sent someone after him. The man responded by saying, ”I have no business with him. If he needs me, he has to come to me”. After hearing this respond, Harun said, ”He is right”, and went to him.
First, Harun greeted him and got the response. Then, he said to the man, ”Woe on to you! You have harmed the Caliph of the Muslims”. Then, he continued, ”I have a question for you. If you can not answer it, I will punish you”. The man replied, ”I am ready to answer”.
Harun asked, “What is your duty to Allah (SWT)?”
The man replied, ”1, 5, 17, 34, 94, 153, 1 out of 12, 1 out of 40, 1 out of 200, 1 in lifetime, and one for one”. Harun laughed mockingly and said, ”I ask you about obligatory deeds and you count numbers for me?” The man answered, ”Do you not know that religion is all about taking accounts, and if it were no accounts in religion, Allah (SWT) would not hold his slaves accountable?” Then he recited the following verse from the Holy Quran:” …And though there be the weight of a grain of mustard seed (of good or bad deeds), (yet) will We bring it, and sufficient are We to take account” (3).
Next, he continued by saying, ”As for the one, it is the religion of Islam; the five refers to the five prayers in a day; the 17 means the number of Rak’ats of prayers per day; thirty four is the number of Sajdahs (prostrations) ninety four refers to the number of Takbirs (glorification) in prayers; and One hundred and fifty three is the number of Tasbihs (sanctification) in the prayers of a day. As for one out of twelve, I referred to the fasting of one month, the month of Ramadan, out of the twelve months in each year; one out of forty specifies the portion of Zakat (alms) each person has to pay; five out of two hundred mentions the portion of money that has to be offered to the poor; once in lifetime refers to the obligatory Hajj each Mustati (one who can afford) person has to perform once in his/her lifetime; and the one for one specifies that whoever kills a person has to be killed, as Allah (SWT) says,” … life for life…”(4)”
At this point, Harun became excited from the man’s answer…After that, as the man exited Masjid al-Haram, a group followed him and asked about his name. It was then revealed that the honorable man was Musa ibn Ja’far, Imam Kadhim (PBUH).
When Harun got the news, he said, ”I swear to God I knew that such a person could be no one but the fruit of the blessed tree (of Prophethood)” (5).
Footnotes:
1. Harun was the most powerful of Abbasid Caliph whose kingdom spread half of the world then. Imam Kadhim (PBUH) was severely poisoned and martyred by this oppressor Caliph
2. The Holy Quran, (22:25)
3. The Holy Quran, (21:47)
4. The Holy Quran, (5:45)
5. Manaaqib of Ibn Shahr Ashub, vol. 4, p. 312

Offers condolences to you upon 25th of Rajab, the anniversary of the martyrdom of the 7th star of Wilayah, the door of requests, Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (PBUH)