Dream Hajj

Even more than a holiday, one should have a dream hajj.

And what would a dream hajj be? Irregardless of package one chooses (I have no qualm with expensive package), one's dream hajj should be the one who follows the hajj that our Prophet s.a.w. did as he clearly said, "Take from me your rites of pilgrimage."

However, not all hajj package organiser or we call it hamlah, are eager to follow the same rite. It is very likely that most would opt to take the very minimal of the rite and would exercise fully any exemption allowed to ease their operation. Even though many of the exemptions do not necessarily be allowed to be carried out on the pilgrims in the group. :(

And thus, needless to say, one really needs to arm oneself with knowledge particularly on how our prophet s.a.w. did his hajj. Compare this to the hamlah's "hajj rites" thus you can plan ahead. Talking to the people who went in the same hamlah previuosly helps. Take note of this if you are going when you are young and strong (relative) particularly man who are going single. Most exemptions are given to woman (and thus the mahram has to follow) and the weak. Single young men generally do not fall n this category.

Reiterating what everyone has already said, young is the time to go. Mainly because you don't know whether you can even get to the old age and also because of the physical requirement needed during hajj.

Having said that, the biggest challenge would be, you'll probably be among the strange one who are crazy to follow strictly on the rites as prescribed by our prophet s.a.w. Thus be ready to be the ghuraba and break from your group. Breaking from the group means you would be deprived from the main transportation. Thus be ready for extra physical exertion throughout hajj. May Allah give us strength and health when we do something for His sake and in obedience to His Messenger s.a.w. And on top of that Allah is the one who can make difficult things easy for you.

Unfortunately also, in the eagerness of doing ibadah, some tend to exert themselves to ibadah which does not follow the sunnah. Thus putting them at risk of wasting time and effort with ibadah that is rejected. And also, I find some doing things not in the sunnah leaving completely the wajib rite.

‘A’isha reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected. Muslim and Bukhari.

In short, a dream hajj should be following all the rites and guidelines as prescribed by Allah in the Quran and also the actions and sayings of Rasulullah s.a.w.. And the ultimate factor is, to whom are we doing all these for.

All said and done, I still know too little. I pray that Allah accept all my ibadah and my deeds. I pray that Allah accept my umrah and hajj. And that it will not be a wasted effort. I pray that Allah accept my dua. And I pray also that Allah grant hajj mabrur to all the pilgrims.