The Prescribed Rites of The 10th of Dhul-Hijjah

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Prescribed Rites of The 10th of Dhul-Hijjah (1/2)

Shaikh Abu Haatim Usaamah al-Qoosee



This is now the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, the greatest day of Hajj. On this day there are four prescribed rites:
1.Throwing (pebbles) at the Jamrat-ul-‘Aqabah
2.The Sacrifice (of a hadee)
3.Shaving the head
4.Tawaaf of the Ka'bah (seven times)
The Ramee:
Throw seven pebbles at the Pillar of ‘Aqabah, reciting “Allahu Akbar” each time you throw. You may obtain these pebbles from wherever you find them on the road. Gather seven pebbles, each being the size of a little larger than a chickpea, and a bit smaller than a lima bean. This size of a pebble is known as khadhif, which is a small pebble that can be grasped and thrown by the forefinger and thumb.
These pebbles are to be gathered in your hand and thrown individually, one by one at the Jamrat-ul-‘Aqabah repeating "Allahu Akbar" with each throw, i.e. saying “Allahu Akbar” with the first pebble, “Allahu Akbar” with the second throw and so on. Do not throw all seven pebbles together at once, and do not throw them from a far-away distance. You must stand as close as possible to the Jamrat (pillar) before throwing, to avoid causing harm to the people near the Jamrat ahead of you.
The pillar of stone (jamrat) at which you are throwing the pebbles at is not the Devil! Some people think that it’s the Devil, so they yell and curse at the pillar, and throw their sandals at it. Some even climb up the pillar striking it and cursing it all the while! This is wrong and not correct. The pillar is not the Devil. It is only the “Jamrat-ul-‘Aqabah.” It is one of the prescribed rites of the Hajj. You must perform all the obligatory rites, even if you don’t know why you are doing them.
The Sacrifice:
After completing the seven throws, saying the Takbeer with each one, you return to the place of slaughtering at Minaa.
There you sacrifice your hadee (sacrificial animal). It is preferred to sacrifice the animal with your own hand at the slaughterhouse, or alternatively, you can designate by proxy someone else to slaughter on your behalf (i.e. by purchasing a voucher) at the Rajhi Bank (located there).
There are no special conditions related to the size or age of the hadee (animal to be sacrificed), as is in the case with the udhiyyah (animals sacrificed on ‘Eid by the non-pilgrims away from Makkah). Many scholars have made Qiyaas (comparative judgement) that the hadee is comparable to the standards of the udhiyyah and it is not permissible to be under a certain age or size, etc. What is correct is that you may slaughter an animal of any age, for verily Allah has said:
"...must sacrifice a hadee such as he can afford without difficulty." [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 196]
So Allah did not make the condition that the hadee must be of a particular age, such as "this goat or sheep of 6 months or 1 year of age".
Make the sacrifice of an animal you can easily afford, even if it is a small one – whatever size that you can afford without difficulty. A person with little funds can sacrifice only a small hadee while a rich person may sacrifice a big hadee.
It is the Sunnah to perform the slaughter with your own hands, and to remove the liver, roast it, and then eat from it. If you cannot do this, there is no problem. Even if you delegate someone else to do it by proxy, as that may be easier for you, then you have indeed completed this important obligation of Hajj.
Shaving The Head:
After the sacrifice, you return and have your head shaved.
Tawaaf of The Ka’bah:
Then return to Makkah and perform the Tawaaf at the Haram, seven circuits, just as you did when you first arrived, except in this Tawaaf, which is known as the Tawaaf al-Ifaadah, there is no "walking the first three circuits in quick short steps", nor “wearing your top garment (Ridaa) with your right shoulder exposed.” You perform the entire Tawaaf walking, and it can be done while wearing your regular clothes.
So when do you officially come out of Ihraam? It occurs as soon as you complete the stoning of the Jamrat-ul-‘Aqabah. Afterwards, you may immediately remove the garments of Ihraam and put on your normal clothing. This stage is known as The Lesser Ihraam, whereby everything that was allowable before Ihraam is once again lawful except sexual contact with spouses.
Once you have completed this Tawaaf, your Ihraam is completely lifted, and everything previously lawful is again allowable, including sexual contact with your spouses.
So on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, the following rites are to be performed:
1. The Stoning of Jamrat-ul-‘Aqabah
2. The Sacrifice of a hadee
3. Shaving the head
4. Tawaaf of the House (Ka’bah), seven circuits
These are the rites of Yawm an-Nahr (The Day of Sacrifice).
Is it permissible to change the sequence of these rites and perform one of them before or after another? Yes! Verily the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was asked concerning the one who performed such and such a rite before another, or such and such a rite after another, he (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied: “(Go ahead and) do it, there is no harm. Do it there is no harm.”
It is permissible to supercede one of the rites of Yawm an-Nahr over another, in order to make it easier or more appropriate to your own particular situation. So you may find yourself with people (in your Hajj group) who only may perform the Tawaaf by mid-morning or by the time of Dhuhr. What is important is that you perform the four obligatory rites:
1. The Stoning of the Jamrat ul-‘Aqabah
2. Sacrifice a hadee
3. Shave the head
4. Tawaaf of the House, seven circuits, known as Tawaaf al-Ifaadah (The Tawaaf of Return).
So the Tawaaf is one of the obligations of this day, after which when completed, you are now completely free of your Ihraam restrictions, including sexual contact with your wives. After this stage, you are allowed to have marital relations with your lawful spouses, if they are accompanying you on this Hajj.

(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Prescribed Rites of The 10th of Dhul-Hijjah (2/2)

Shaikh Abu Haatim Usaamah al-Qoosee

The Days of ‘Eid
The only thing that remains for you in the Hajj is to stay at Minaa three days, or three nights. What are the activities to be performed while staying at Minaa?
The days at Minaa are for eating, drinking, and for making remembrance of Allah. Remember Allah the best way that you are able to – there are no prescribed statements to be recited. Eat from your sacrificial animal, if you slaughtered it yourself. If you did it by way of proxy or voucher, then of course, that meat you will not see, and it will be donated in the way of Allah (to the needy). These are the days of Joy and Happiness – the days of 'Eid. These days are intended for eating, drinking and remembering Allah.
During each of these three days, after the sun passes its zenith (noontime), that is, once the time of Dhuhr has entered, you go to the 3 pillars in order to stone each of them.
Each day you are to stone each of the three pillars, using seven pebbles for each pillar, as you did previously with the Jamrat-ul-‘Aqabah. You must first start with the stoning of the “small pillar”, then the “middle pillar” and lastly, the “big pillar.”
For each pillar you are to throw seven pebbles, reciting “Allahu Akbar” with each throw. After completing the throwing of seven pebbles at the:
1. First Pillar: stop and make du'aa for what you wish before leaving for the next pillar.
2. Second Pillar: stop, and make more supplication before leaving.
3. Third Pillar: leave without making any supplication.
You perform these stonings on all three days at Minaa; the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah. These days are known as Ayaam at-Tashreeq (The Days of Drying).
The Days of Tashreeq are named so because the meat that was slaughtered on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah and later used to be laid out in the sun after butchering. This was done in order to dry out the meat for preservation for the return journey home, since there was no refrigeration in those times.
According to the Prophet, these are days of eating, drinking, and for remembering Allah.
When these days are over, the rites of Hajj are now completed, and you may return home to your family. Some people wish to leave early and travel home from the Hajj (a day early). In this regard, Allah has said:
“Remember Allah during the appointed days (i.e. Ayaam at-Tashreeq) and whoever hastens to leave in two days, there is no sin on him. And whoever remains (until the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah), there is no sin on him, providing that his intention was to be dutiful to Allah (and to do good).” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 203]
So it is permissible to leave on the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah, after the second day at Minaa, by combining the stoning of the pillars of the second and third days into one day (i.e. the stoning of the 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah are to be both performed on the same day, the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah, the second day at Minaa).
This is accomplished by going out on the second day of stoning (the 12th of Dhul Hijjah) and throwing seven pebbles at the small pillar for the second day then throwing seven additional pebbles at the same (small) pillar for the third day. You repeat this same process for the following two pillars – the middle and the last Jamraat. Throw seven pebbles first for the second day, then seven more pebbles for the third and final day (in one day).
This allowance is for those who wish to travel early and do not want to remain in Minaa on the 3rd day, as Allah says:
“Remember Allah during the appointed days (i.e. Ayyam at-Tashreeq) and whoever hastens to leave in two days, there is no sin on him. And whoever remains (until the 13th of Dhul Hijjah), there is no sin on him, providing that his intention was to be dutiful to Allah (and to do good).” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 203]
Hence, it is permissible for the people to remain at Minaa for three days, or for those who wish to hurry, two days. Those leaving on the second day, however, must combine the second and third days of the Stoning of Jamrat on one day, which is the second day. Then, they can travel back to their homelands.
It is recommended (mustahabb) that you perform a final Tawaaf when leaving Makkah for the last time. This is known as the Tawaaf al-Widaa’ (The Farewell Tawaaf). The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ordered:
“One should not leave Makkah for the last time except after performing a final Tawaaf of the Sacred House.” This is the last rite to be performed at the Sacred House – the Tawaaf al-Widaa’.
Special Cases: Women And Menstruation During Hajj
If a woman begins her menses cycle before, during, or after the rites of Hajj, she can complete all the ordered sequence of rites of the Hajj except the Tawaaf (circumambulation) around the House in seven circuits, until she becomes clean after the end of the menses.
If a woman commences her menstrual bleeding after completing the first Tawaaf (Tawaaf al-Qudoom), then she must complete all the remaining rites of Hajj (like the other women of Hajj), except that she must wait to become clean at the end of her menses in order to perform the Tawaaf al-Ifaadah (The Tawaaf of Return).
Her Hajj or ‘Umrah are not ruined, as some ignorant people presume; rather her Hajj is valid and her ‘Umrah is valid. Allah has indeed written this for all of the daughters of Aadam; therefore, women will experience menses.
So there is no problem for women experiencing menses to complete all of the rites of Hajj, except the Tawaaf around the House. They must wait until becoming clean and purified after the completion of the menses, before performing the Tawaaf again.
Another case is when a woman commences her menstrual bleeding before performing the Farewell Tawaaf (Tawaaf al-Widaa’). Is it necessary for her to wait until the end of her menses, become purified, and then perform the Tawaaf al-Widaa?
No, in this case, the Tawaaf Al-Ifaadah ("the Tawaaf of return (from Minaa) that was performed earlier will suffice for both the Tawaaf al-Ifaadah as well as the Tawaaf al-Widaa'. These is no need for a woman to wait until becoming purified; she can complete the remaining rites of Hajj during the final days without having to perform the Tawaaf al-Widaa', and depart home with her family.