Meeqat: The Point Where It All Starts
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Subject: hajj
Title: Meeqat: The Point Where It All Starts
Created on: Thu Nov 08 09:38:26 -0500 2007
Updated on: Thu Nov 08 09:38:26 -0500 2007
Version: 1
Abstract: ... prayers when He knows that our repentance is true, serious and sincere. We cannot, however, be absolutely certain of being forgiven because there will always remain the element of doubt in our repentance. We may not be truly sincere or truly serious. We can always relapse into our bad habits. We can never be certain that should temptation offer itself again tomorrow we would be able to resist it. Hence, we need something tangible to assure us of our forgiveness. God has given us several ways to ensure such forgiveness. Most prominent among these is the pilgrimage. The Prophet says: “He who offers the pilgrimage purely for the sake of God, without committing any indecency or evil deed, returns as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Related by Al-Bukhari). What earns this reward is the fact that the pilgrimage is an act of worship which requires us to make our submission to God a reality by totally disregarding all values and considerations that may be in conflict with that submission. We put aside all values in our lives, and come forward as ordinary individuals, without position or rank, except that of being obedient servants of God. God’s compassion is far greater than the compassion we feel toward our own children. He never turns away anyone who stands at His doorstep, seeking His forgiveness. He only requires us to be serious and sincere in our repentance. Once we are, He is certain to forgive us. Nothing shows our seriousness better than the pilgrimage. Therefore, it is only natural that the Prophet explains the qualifications which make a pilgrimage pure and appropriate in order to earn the desired reward. In the above quoted Hadith we have two conditions: that no indecency or evil deed may be committed during the pilgrimage. ‘Indecency’ refers to sex. Sexual intercourse with one’s wife is absolutely forbidden during the time when one is in the state of consecration, or ihraam. The prohibition, however, includes speaking about sex or hinting at it. ‘Evil deeds’ refer to every action that represents disobedience to God. It is only natural that during the period when we are demonstrating our repentance from past sins, and declaring our total submission to God, we should be required not to commit any new sinful action. If we meet these two conditions, namely, no indecency and no fresh sins, we merit the great reward of forgiveness of all our past sins. Our slate is wiped clean. We are re-born. We are as free of sin as a baby just born. God has made the pilgrimage full of tangible evidence that reminds us of our submission to Him. He knows what is in our hearts. He knows whether our repentance is sincere and serious or not. It is we who need to have the tangible evidence. The restrictions during the pilgrimage are part of that evidence. We spoke last time of the restrictions of ihraam. These restrictions begin when we arrive at the point of meeqat, on our journey to Makkah. We change our clothes, and wear the garments of ihraam, and observe all the restrictions of that state. Since people come from various parts of the world, the Prophet defined for us the points where we enter into the state of consecration or ihraam. Al-Bukhari relates: “The Prophet has named as a starting point for the people of Madinah the place called Thul-Hulayfah, and for the people of Syria, Al-Juhfah, and for those coming from Najd, Qarn Al-Manazil, and for the people of Yemen, Yalamlam.” He also said: “They (the starting points) are for the them (i.e. the people of these areas) and for anyone who comes through them of people of other places who intend to do the pilgrimage or the Umrah. Those who are nearer (to Makkah) than these places start their consecration where they begin their journey, so much so that ... [Full Article...]
