The goals and effects of Hajj: Difference between revisions

Prophet Ibrahim (AS) in the verse (وَ أَذِّنْ فِی النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ یأْتُوک… ){{enote|and proclaim among men the Pilgrimage, and they shall come unto thee on foot and upon every lean beast, they shall come from every deep ravine(Quran: 22:27)}}was divinely commissioned to call humanity to Hajj, symbolizing an invitation to embark on a journey towards divine proximity. This call underscores the profound purpose of Hajj, which is to fortify the spiritual bond with divine leaders. Strengthening this sacred connection is recognized as a fundamental goal of Hajj.<ref>Pazhūhishkada-yi ḥajj wa ziyārat, ''Dānishnāmah-yi ḥajj wa ḥaramayn sharīfayn'', vol. 6, p. 328.</ref> In another verse, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) beseeches Allah to incline the hearts of the Hajj pilgrims towards his descendants in Mecca.{{enote|رَّبَّنَآ إِنِّيٓ أَسۡكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيۡرِ ذِي زَرۡعٍ عِندَ بَيۡتِكَ ٱلۡمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱجۡعَلۡ أَفۡـِٔدَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ تَهۡوِيٓ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَٱرۡزُقۡهُم مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَشۡكُرُونَ (Our Lord, I have made some of my seed to dwell in a valley where is no sown land by Thy Holy House; Our Lord, let them perform the prayer, and make hearts of men yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits; haply they will be thankful) (Quran: 14:37)}} Interpretations suggest that "My offspring" (ذُرِّیَّتِی) refers to the Ahlul Bayt (AS), thereby linking the pilgrimage with devotion to the Prophet's family.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p. 392; Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 27, p. 74.</ref> A narration further elucidates Allah's intention in "completing Hajj" as encompassing a spiritual encounter with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) {{enote| وَأَتِمُّواْ ٱلۡحَجَّ وَٱلۡعُمۡرَةَ لِلَّهِ﴾Fulfil the Pilgrimage and the Visitation unto God. Quran: 2: 196.)}} as meeting with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 97, p. 139.</ref> and the Imams (AS).<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 549.</ref> This sacred encounter is emphasized across various traditions, highlighting the integral role of divine leadership in the Hajj pilgrimage.<ref>Ṣadūq, ''ʿIlal al-sharāʾiʿ'', vol. 2, p. 459; Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 96, p. 374.</ref> The Imam (AS) is regarded as the spiritual quintessence of the Ka'ba and the focal point of all Hajj rituals, ensuring the realization of the deeper spiritual objectives of this sacred journey.<ref>Jawādī Āmulī, ''Ṣahbāy-i ḥajj'', p. 99-100.</ref> The titles of Imam Hasan (AS)<ref>Ṣadūq, ''Al-Amālī'', p. 245; Ibn Shuʿba al-Ḥarrānī, ''Tuḥaf al-ʿuqūl'', p. 233.</ref> and Imam Sajjad (AS)<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 45, p. 138; ʿĀmilī, ''Al-Ṣaḥīḥ min sīrat al-nabīyy al-aʿẓam'', vol. 29, p. 54.</ref> as the Sons of [[Mecca]], [[Mina]], [[Mash'ar]], and [[Arafat]], further illuminate this profound connection.<ref>Pazhūhishkada-yi ḥajj wa ziyārat, ''Dānishnāmah-yi ḥajj wa ḥaramayn sharīfayn'', vol. 6, p. 330.</ref>

The most significant symbol of repudiating both jinn and human devils during Hajj is the ritual of [[Ramy al-Jamarat]] (stoning the pillars).<ref>Shahīd al-Thānī, ''Al-Rawḍa al-bahiyya'', vol. 2, p. 281-282.</ref> This act serves as a powerful physical and spiritual rejection of evil influences.Some traditions interpret the "casting out impurity" mentioned in the verse ﴿ثُمَّ لۡیَقۡضُواْ تَفَثَهُمۡ وَلۡیُوفُواْ نُذُورَهُمۡ وَلۡیَطَّوَّفُواْ بِٱلۡبَیۡتِ ٱلۡعَتِیقِ﴾ {{enote|Let them then finish with their self¡neglect and let them fulfil their vows, and go about the Ancient House}}as an allegory for the ritual of [[Ramy al-Jamarat]], emphasizing the purification of the soul by casting away sinful and impure elements. In the initial verses of Surah At-Tawba, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was instructed to sever ties with polytheists during Hajj,{{enote|وَأَذَٰنٞ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡحَجِّ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَرِيٓءٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَۙ وَرَسُولُهُۥۚ فَإِن تُبۡتُمۡ فَهُوَ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّيۡتُمۡ فَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّكُمۡ غَيۡرُ مُعۡجِزِي ٱللَّهِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ(A proclamation, from God and His Messenger, unto mankind on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage: God is quit, and His Messenger, of the idolaters So if you repent, that will be better for you but if you turn your backs, know that you cannot frustrate the Will of God And give thou good tidings to the unbelievers of a painful chastisement. Quran: 9:3)}} which symbolizes the renunciation of human devils.<ref>Pazhūhishkada-yi ḥajj wa ziyārat, ''Dānishnāmah-yi ḥajj wa ḥaramayn sharīfayn'', vol. 6, p. 330.</ref>

The Quran, in the verse "جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الْکعْبَةَ الْبَیتَ الْحَرامَ قِیاماً لِلنَّاسِ" {{enote|Allah has made the Kaaba, the Sacred House, a means of maintaining the people's safety(Quran: 5:97)}}, emphasizes that [[Ka'ba]] is a source of stability for humanity. Some interpreters believe it implies the preservation and protection of humans from dangers,<ref>Ṭūsī, ''Al-Tibyān'', vol. 4, p. 31.</ref> suggesting that people will face destruction by abandoning Hajj.<ref>Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 3, p. 424; Ālūsī, ''Rūḥ al-maʿānī'', vol. 7, p. 35.</ref> This point is also mentioned in the narrations of the Ahlul Bayt (AS).<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 271; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 11, p. 21.</ref>In a narration, Imam Sadiq (AS) considers Hajj-Pilgrimages the cause of prolonging the lives of those who abandon Hajj.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 2, p. 451; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 1, p. 28.</ref> In other traditions, the intention to perform [[Hajj]] repeatedly is said to add to one's lifespan and the frequent performance of Hajj is considered a deterrent against sudden death.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 261; Ṣadūq, ''Man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh'', vol. 2, p. 220.</ref>

==Learning Religious Knowledge and Spreading Hadith==

Imam Reza (AS) considers one of the goals of Hajj to be learning religious knowledge, conveying the words of the Imams (AS), and disseminating them in both Islamic and non-Islamic lands.<ref>Ṣadūq, ''ʿIlal al-sharāʾiʿ'', vol. 1, p. 273; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 11, p. 13.</ref> In another hadith, becoming familiar with the works and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is counted among the objectives of Hajj.<ref>Ṣadūq, ''ʿIlal al-sharāʾiʿ'', vol. 2, p. 406; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 11, p. 15.</ref>

==Testing the Servants==

According to a hadith from Imam Ali (AS), the rituals of Hajj are considered a challenging test. By placing the Kaaba in a harsh and difficult land, the pilgrims face numerous hardships.<ref>''Nahj al-balāgha'', kh, 192; Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 199.</ref> Imam Sadiq (AS) sees the purpose of testing Hajj pilgrims as revealing the extent of their obedience to Allah.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 198;  Ṣadūq, ''Man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh'', vol. 2, p. 250.</ref>

Based on hadiths, the term "منافع" (benefits) in the verse "وَ أَذِّن فی النَّاسِ بِالحْجّ… لِّّیشْهَدُواْ مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ" encompasses not only spiritual but also material benefits,<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 422; Ṭūsī, ''Tahdhīb al-aḥkām'', vol. 5, p. 122.</ref> such as the financial gains of transportation providers<ref>Ṣadūq, ''ʿIlal al-sharāʾiʿ'', vol. 2, p. 406; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 11, p. 14.</ref> and sellers of goods, pilgrims or others.<ref>Ṣadūq, ''ʿIlal al-sharāʾiʿ'', vol. 1, p. 273; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 11, p. 13.</ref> Among these material benefits is the distribution of sacrificial meat to Hajj pilgrims and the poor.<ref>Quran: 22: 28; 36.</ref> According to narrations, Hajj leads to the financial well-being of pilgrims,<ref>Ṣadūq, ''Man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh'', vol. 2, p. 265; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 11, p. 12.</ref> meeting the needs of their families,<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 252; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 11, p. 9.</ref> Eliminate poverty,<ref>Ṣadūq, ''Man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh'', vol. 2, p. 222; Ṭūsī, ''Tahdhīb al-aḥkām'', vol. 5, p. 21.</ref> bankruptcy<ref>Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 11, p. 108; Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 96, p. 12.</ref> and maintaining health.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 252; Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, ''Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa'', vol. 11, p. 252.</ref>

In a hadith, Imam Sadiq (AS) regards one of the examples of "منافع" (benefits) in the verse "وَ أَذِّن فی النَّاسِ بِالحْجّ… لِّّیشْهَدُواْ مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ" as rewards in the hereafter.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 422; Ṭūsī, ''Tahdhīb al-aḥkām'', vol. 5, p. 122.</ref> Imam Ali (AS) attributes the location of the [[Ka'ba]] in a difficult and arid land to the opening of the gates of divine grace and generosity to the pilgrims.<ref>''Nahj al-balāgha'', kh, 192; Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 199.</ref> In other traditions, the magnitude of the hereafter reward for the Hajj pilgrim is emphasized, even for every step taken during the hajj journey.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 253; Ṭūsī, ''Tahdhīb al-aḥkām'', vol. 5, p. 24.</ref>

*Al-mansūb ilā l-Imām al-Sādiq. ''Miṣbāḥ al-sharī'a''. Beirut:Muʾassisat al-Aʿlamī li-l-Maṭbūʿāt, 1400 AH.

*Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir al-. ''Biḥār al-anwār''. Beirut: Muʾassisat al-Wafāʾ, 1403 AH.

*Nūrī, Mīrzā Ḥusayn al-. ''Mustadrak al-wasāʾil wa musṭanbit al-wasā'il''. Qom: Muʾassisat Āl al-Bayt, 1408 AH.

*Ṣadūq, Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-. ''Al-Amālī''. Qom: Muʾassisat al-Biʿtha, 1417 AH.