I have already performed Fardh Hajj. I am yearning to go for a Nafl Hajj.

Answer

Hajj is an important act of Ibaadat of high merit. However, Hajj is no longer compulsory on you. We shall therefore narrate to you the advice of Hadhrat Bishr Haafi (rahmatullah alayh) who was among the greatest Auliya in the early ages of Islam. The advice of such an illustrious authority of the Shariah who held an exceptionally elevated pedestal in the spiritual sphere, is infinitely superior to the advice which non-entities like us could proffer.

A man came to Hadhrat Bishr Haafi (rahmatullah alayh) and said: "Hadhrat. I have saved 2,000 dinars (gold coins/krugerrands). I yearn to go for (Nafl) Hajj."

Hadhrat Bishr: "Do you wish to go for Hajj on a sight-seeing tour or to gain thawaab (reward) from Allah Ta'ala."

The Man: "Most certainly to gain thawaab."

Hadhrat Bishr: "Distribute the 2,000 dinars to 10 faqeers or to 10 orphans or to ten such men who are struggling to maintain their families. You will then receive the reward of 100 Hajj."

The Man: "Hadhrat, the desire to go for Hajj is intense in me." Hadhrat Bishr: "Now I am convinced that the money which you have earned is not halaal. You will therefore not rest until you

spend it in a haraam way."

The faculty of Baseerat (spiritual wisdom and insight) of the Auliya is perfect. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Beware of the Firaasat (intuitional wisdom and insight) of the Mu'min (i.e. the Wali of Allah), for verily, he looks with the Noor of Allah." The man's insistence to go for Hajj despite having been made aware that contributing the money to the needy and destitute would entitle him to the rewards of a hundred Hajj, was evidence of the insincerity of his intention. Although he had claimed that he desired thawaab, he rejected the thawaab of 100 Hajj. Now why would a man reject the thawaab of a 100 Hajj acquired so easily without the difficulties and dangers of a journey, and settle for the thawaab of one Hajj which could only be attained after much difficulty and even danger, and the commission of many sins from the time one departs until the time one returns? It was clear to Hadhrat Bishr that the man's intention was hollow and insincere. He simply wanted to go for a holiday as most of the prospective hujjaaj do in this age.

From this episode you will or you should understand that it is infinitely better to contribute your R45,000 to Sadqah to aid Muslims in distress. You will then, Insha'Allah, receive the thawaab of a 100 Hajj. Do not allow the nafs and shaitaan to dupe you and to deprive you of greater thawaab. Nowadays, the door of sin is thrown wide open from the very time one departs from home, and the sins go on multiplying even in the Holy Cities, and the sinning continues right until the time one reaches home. At every step of the journey there is sin – sins of the eyes, sins of the ears, sins of the heart, sins of the limbs, mushtabah and haraam food, intermingling of sexes, the fisq and fujoor of airports and planes, and many more, are all ingredients of the journey nowadays. It is unwise and not at all advisable to undertake Nafl Hajj and Umrah in this age.

Muslims in every country are squandering hundreds of millions of dollars on Nafl Hajj and Umrah at a time when the Ummah is

lying prostrate in misery. The ignorance and destitution of the Ummah do not justify such massive wastage of funds which could be put to better use in the interests of the Ummah.

Once there was a woman whose generosity was her outstanding characteristic. A poor lady with an infant in her arms came to her door begging for a garment to clothe her naked baby. The generous lady of the house also had a small baby, and she too was poor. She removed her own baby's dress and handed it to the beggar. The beggar supplicated: "May Allah Ta'ala clothe your baby with the garment of his mercy and grace." After the beggar departed, a beautiful garment miraculously appeared from above and fitted itself on the baby. This garment remained on the baby for many years. It increased in size with the growth of the baby. In winter it was warm, and in summer cool.

It is mentioned in the Hadith that Allah Ta'ala fulfils the needs of one who fulfils the needs of others.

"Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days. This is a

promise that cannot be falsified."

(Aayat 65, Surah Hood)

Once Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) with a group of Sahaabah passed by a grave. He said: "Do you know whose grave this is?" The Sahaabah said: "Allah and His Nabi know best." Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "This is the grave of Abu Righaal. He was from the nation of Thamud. At the time of

the punishment which destroyed the entire nation, he was in the Haram of Makkah. He was therefore saved. However, when he left the precincts of the Haram, the same punishment seized him. He was buried with a gold walking stick." The Sahaabah later dug open the grave and retrieved the gold walking stick.

When the nation of Nabi Saalih (alayhis salaam) rejected his Call of Tauheed and taunted him to bring the punishment he was warning them of, then Allah Ta'ala ordered him to tell his people that the punishment they were demanding would overtake them in three days time. The evil people continued taunting and jeering Nabi Saalih (alayhis salaam), and they plotted to murder him. After a respite of three days, their faces turned yellow on the first day. On the second day, their faces became intensely red, and on the third day black. Then from above came the Mighty Scream – the screech of an Angel. From the earth came a massive earthquake. The entire nation perished. Mentioning their terrible fate, the Qur'aan Majeed says:

"The mighty quake apprehended them, and by the morning they lay prostrate on their faces in their homes (which had been utterly destroyed)."

In our age too there are communities lined up for similar punishment. When the appointed time arrives, the Mighty Scream will suddenly and swiftly eliminate them. In this regard the Qur'aan Majeed states: "And, when We intend to destroy a city, We command its opulent inhabitants; then they commit evil in it. Then the decree (punishment) becomes justified for them. Thus do We then utterly annihilate them." (Surah Al-Israa', Aayat 16) Allah Ta'ala grants them respite to enjoy themselves in their drunken stupor of opulence. They madly indulge in unbridled fisq and fujoor. Then suddenly the Athaab arrives and uproots and destroys them.

Allaamah Abdul Wahhaab Sha'raani (rahmatullah alayh) said: "It is mentioned in the Hadith that in the later age (aakhiruz zamaan) there will be such people who will be strategists."

Commenting on this Hadith, he said: "With deeds of the Aakhirah they will earn the dunya (the wealth and fame of the world). They will don garments of the Deen; their talk will be sweeter than honey, but they will have the hearts of wolves." The curse of stratagems (hiyal) employed by the worldly Ulama of our age has made 'halaal' the entire Riba system of the capitalists. The current system of 'Islamic banking' comes fully within the glare of this Hadith, and so do its ulama propounders. The same applies to the halaalizers of carrion. In Allah's Name they halaalize diseased rotten carrion to feed the Ummah. And all of this – 'Islamic banking' and halaalized carrion chickens, etc. is the accursed perpetration of the 'strategist' ulama-e-soo'.