Hajj and the Muslims’ Unity | Qibla travel
Unity
and agreement lead to strength and victory, while disunity and
disagreement lead to weakness and defeat. Powerful nations only
succeeded because of unity among its members and integration of its
efforts. History is the best witness to this rule. Hence, we find
several texts in the Quran and the Sunnah stressing this great principle
and warning against disagreement and dispute. Allah The Almighty Says
(what means): {And obey Allah and His
Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your
strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah Is with the
patient.} [Quran 8:46]
Abu Mas‘ood, May Allah Be Pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allah 
used to place his hand upon our shoulders at prayer time (when we
would form rows for the prayer) and say, ‘Stand in straight rows and do
not differ among yourselves, or else your hearts will differ (due to
disaccord).’”[Muslim]
Hajj
is a great occasion where the Muslims’ unity appears in its most
beautiful forms. All differences disappear, all barriers melt and
Muslims gather in this imposing scene, which delights the souls and
hearts.
Muslims
from all over the world gather around this Ancient House, towards which
they turn to perform the prayers five times a day, the House towards
which they turn their souls and hearts during prayers in their faraway
lands. Now, they gather around it to see, consult, love, and shake hands
with each other. They took off those different and distinguishing
clothes to wear a white uniform indicating the whiteness of their
hearts, as well as the purity of their appearance and souls.
Indeed,
these are magnificent moments when all pilgrims move from Mina to stand
this great standing in ‘Arafah confirming the unity of place, time,
clothes and destination.
There are unanimous manifestations of unity in Hajj, including:
Unity of place and time: Hajj is performed in a specific time and place
and it is impermissible to be performed at any other time or in any
other place. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Hajj
is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon
himself therein [by entering the state of Ihraam], there is [to be for
him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing
duringHajj.} [Quran 2:197]
The Prophet said: “Hajj is the standing at ‘Arafah.”[At-Tirmithi]
Unity of rituals: All pilgrims are required to perform the rituals of
Hajj including Ihraam, Tawaaf, Sa‘y between the Safa and Marwah,
standing at ‘Arafah, spending the night at Mina, stoning the Jamraat and
so on.
All pilgrims perform the same rituals, the thing that embodies and deepens brotherhood and love among them.
Unity of aim and feeling: All pilgrims come from every distant pass
hoping for the Mercy of Allah The Almighty, fearing His punishment and
raising their hands to implore Him and ask for His forgiveness, bounty
and satisfaction.
They
have one Qiblah, one Lord, similar feelings and similar clothes. These
manifestations of unity that take place in this blessed occasion
maintain the feeling of unity and reinforce the feeling of brotherhood
among Muslims. They also strengthen mutual sympathy and sharing in joy
in addition to religious and worldly cooperation among Muslims.
This
was a brief overview of this important issue that occupy the minds of
all Muslims, who aspire to a time when the Muslim nation will reunite to
achieve superiority over the other nations and restore its leadership
that the Muslims lost because of disunity and disagreement. Allah The
Almighty Says (what means):
{Allah Has
Promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that
He Will surely Grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just
as He Granted it to those before them and that He Will surely Establish
for them [therein] their religion which He Has Preferred for them and
that He Will surely Substitute for them, after their fear, security,
[for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever
disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient.} [Quran 24:55]
source: islamweb.net
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