WHAT TYPE OF HAJ SHOULD I PERFORM?
There are three types of Haj. As an organiser
of Haj Tours ,it is not a matter for us to suggest which type of Haj you
should
perform. Our suggestion is that you consider
all three types and choose, with the help of your nearest religious scholar
(Aalim)
which is best for you given your own particular
circumstances.
I AM PERFORMING A HAJJ-E-BADAL (PROXY HAJ). WHICH TYPE OF HAJ SHOULD I PERFORM?
It depends entirely on how the issue of Hajj-e-Badal has arisen.
(a) Performing Hajj-e-Badal for a living person, or carrying out an express
wish of a deceased person only Hajj Ifrada
is performed. This means putting on Ihram, before
reaching Miqat, and making Niyyat for Haj only on behalf of either of the
above two types of person.
(b) Performing Hajj-e-Badal for a deceased relative out of "goodwill".
In this instant, Hajj-e-Tamattu is best. Whether
the cost is met from the deceased person’s legacy
or not, this Haj is still classified as a "Nifil" despite the fact at the
deceased
never performed his/her "Fardh" Haj. Ihram is
put on before reaching Miqat with Umra in mind first. The Umra can be made
for the person intending the Hajj-e-Badal whilst
the Haj itself will be performed for the intended beneficiary.
WHERE SHOULD I CHANGE INTO IHRAM?
From the prescribed Miqat. However, passengers
on airliners should be in Ihram before their flight and should perform
the
Salat and Niyyat for the Ihram once the Pilot
announces the impending crossing of Miqat.
Where the airliner is a non-muslim one and the
crossing of Miqat is not likely to be announced then you must make Niyyat
for
your Ihram prior to boarding your flight even
though the Miqat may be hours after the takeoff. This is a precautionary
measure
to overcome the likelihood of you being
asleep when the Miqat is crossed and no Niyyat having being made.
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM PERIOD REQUIRED FOR PERFORMING HAJ?
Depends: a) On the type of Haj that you intend to perform
b) Your travel schedule
c) The Saudi Air and Land Traffic Control.
a) Haj-e-Tamattu
requires performing Umra First. Hence you will need to allow sufficient
time to rest upon arriving in
Makka before proceeding with Umra. You will need
to take off the Ihram after Umra and put it on again for Haj on the night
of
7th Zul Haj.
Haj itself takes 6 days. On the night of 7th Zul
Haj you will be transported to Mina for Yom Tarwiah. On the morning of
9th
Zul Haj you will be transferred to Arafat for
the day and to Muzdalifa that night. On the morning of 10th Zul Haj you
will be
transferred to Mina again. You will than spend
that night and the following two nights as a minimum or three nights as
maximum
in Mina. On the 12th/13th Zul Haj you will need
to perform the Tawaf-e-Wida (departure). In all, the total number of days
associated with Haj alone are seven minimum,
and eight maximum.
b) Your travel
schedule is pivotal to the number of days. In addition, you must make allowance
for slippage in that
schedule for un-expected situation to arise such
as delays in flights, delays in Immigration control and internal transportation
and
delays in handling of your passport by the allocated
"Mutawwif" or Moassasa.
You may be planning to visit Madina Munawwara
too which has an impact on your travel plan. Flexibility in the schedule
is
crucial again given the likelihood of delays
as specified above. Travelling to Madina by road and to Jeddah takes three
times as
longer compared to non-Haj season. Hence, an
intended visit to Madina for only "one day” effectively will mean "three
days".
c) The Saudi Government
enforces travel restrictions during Haj Season. There is a last day for
all overseas flights to
land at Jeddah. There is also a last date of
travel to Madina by land and for travel by air. There is a last date for
travel to
Makka by land and the earliest date for pilgrims
to leave Saudi Arabia.
The summary of all the above effectively ties
down the pilgrim to a minimum of ten days to enter Saudi Arabia and to
leave
irrespective of whether you intend to visit Madina
or not.
THE WARNING TO THOSE INTENDING TO ENTER AND LEAVE
WITHIN A SPECIFIC PERIOD IS TO ENSURE
THAT THEIR AIRLINER HAS SCHEDULED ARRIVAL AND
DEPARTURE DATES TO COINCIDE WITH YOUR
TRAVEL PLAN AND THAT YOU HAVE A CONFIRMED SEAT
ON IT.
SO HOW LATE CAN I GO AND HOW SOON CAN I LEAVE?
You can time your arrival into Jeddah to coincide
with the last date for Haj flights to land at Jeddah and the
first date, after
Haj, for flights to leave. Usually about ten
days within which you can perform your Haj but no likelihood of visiting
Madina.
HOW MANY QURBANI (NAHR - DHABIHA - OR SACRIFICES) DO I HAVE TO OFFER?
You must offer one sacrifice as a compensation
of release from your Ihram if performing Hajj-e-Tamattu or Qiran.
IS THIS QURBANI NOT SAME AS ONE OFFERED ON EID-UL-AZHA?
No. This sacrifice, when performing Haj, is for
the release of Ihram and must be carried out immediately after stoning
of the first
Jamaraat on 10th Zul Hajj. You can then cut/shave
your hair and be free from your Ihraam (in that order under the school
of
thought of Imam Abu Hanifa).
SO WHAT ARE THOSE EXTRA SACRIFICES THAT PEOPLE MAKE IN MAKKA?
A number of reasons. The sacrifice may well be
a higher penalty (Damm) being offered in compensation of a major
breach of
the Ihraam or Haj procedures. It could also be
an extra sacrifice for Eid-ul-Azha offered whilst on Hajj instead of at
your own
home country. It could be an extra sacrifice
offered for our Prophet Mohammad (SAW) or on behalf of other relatives
or for
friends who may have made such specific request.
It is crucial to know that your sacrifice-Nahr-Dhabiha whatever you wish
to
call it, is for the release of your Ihraam and
not connected at all to your normal sacrifices you may be offering in
your home
country on Eid-ul-Azha. The meat of such
sacrifice is allowed for your consumption but not that of the penalty
or
Damm-which should be donated to the needy and
poor.
HOW DO I KNOW WHETHER I NEED TO PAY A DAMM (PENALTY)?
Only you know- apart from Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala,
whether or not you have breached one or some of the processes of
Haj that invokes payment of a Damm.
The best way of ensuring that you observe the conditions of Hajj is to
acquaint yourself
with all the "Rukns" or conditions before
leaving home for your Pilgrimage. Be in the company of those who are experienced
or
have performed their Haj before or attend talks
given by travelling Ullamas (scholars) in most of the good Haj groups.
DOES MENSTRUATION AFFECT THE HAJ?
There are some aspects of the Haj that cannot
be performed if a Hajja has her monthly period but can carry on with Haj.
She
must not enter into the Harmein and must not
perform Tawaaf. Consult your Aalim (scholar) on further detail.
WHAT IF THE PERIOD STARTS WHILST INSIDE THE HARMEIN OR PERFORMING TAWAAF?
Stop the Tawaaf and leave the Harmein. Consult
your Aalim (scholars) on further detail. However, if it occurs while performing
Sai than the Sai should be completed after which
the Hajja must leave the Haram.
HOW MUCH MONEY DO I NEED TO TAKE WITH ME?
There is no answer to this question as it can
be compared to “How long is a piece of string?”. If you are travelling
with a group
where all aspects of your pilgrimage is covered
for in terms of expenditures and there is no likelihood of your spending
money
on large scale shopping then there should be
no need for you to carry large amount of money except
for an emergency
contingency such as offering a sacrifice for
breach of hajj condition, loss of your airline ticket resulting in payment
for a new
ticket or for burial if someone dies.
SHOULD I TAKE CASH OR TRAVELLERS CHEQUES?
Both if possible; especially if you intend to
carry a large amount. Depending on your length of stay especially in Makka
and as
your passport is taken away by the Mutawwif,
you may not be issued with an official Identification. Although there are
money
exchangers every few yards and open almost 18
hours a day, they will definitely not cash your traveller cheques Banks
will on
condition that you have your official identification
on you. Therefore, it is prudent to carry cash only if your visit is of
short
duration as your ID will not be issued
in that period.
HOW DO I PROTECT MY PERSONAL POSSESSION/VALUABLES?
Do you need to take such valuables with you in
the first place? If you do, than check with your Haj Group Leader whether
he
can arrange for the safekeeping of your possession.
Most hotels have a safe deposit box or hotel safe which is offered for
you
to keep your valuables. You must find out the
terms and conditions for such safe keeping as the group leaders will not
take any
responsibility for such facility provided by
the hotels.
CAN I PERFORM HAJ IF I AM IN DEBT?
Consult your Aalim; better still a Mufti if he
is available for advice. We take the view that the conditions of
Haj are clear and
that you should clear your debts prior to leaving
home for Haj.
I AM BUYING MY HOUSE THORUGH A MORTGAGE OR A BANK
LOAN. CAN I PERFORM MY HAJ WITH
THAT MORTGAGE OUTSTANDING?
Consult your Aalim or a Mufti for advice. We take
the view that if this is your only financial commitment and that you bought
the house because of compelling reason and that
you also have a small saving which is sufficient for you to cover the expense
of
Haj than you should consider performing the Haj.
Wallah-ul-Aalam.
CAN I TAKE OUT INSURANCE COVER FOR THE JOURNEY?
Consult your Aalim or a Mufti if he is available
for advice. We, as your Haj Tour Organisers, do not accept any form of
liability
for whatever eventuality whilst travelling with
us. Under the new Umra Regulations, the Saudi Government has passed the
responsibility of your welfare and health to
registered contractors. These contractors are insisting that you acquire
sufficient and
satisfactory insurance cover.
THE CONDITIONS OF HAJ APPLY TO ME. HOWEVER, I
HAVE NO MEHRIM WITH WHOM I CAN TRAVEL.
PLEASE ADVISE.
One of the crystal clear condition of Haj, for
you as a woman, is that you must travel in the company of your Mehrim.
The
Saudi Government insists on that condition except
where there is a group of women sufficiently large to provide seclusion
throughout the journey. Some large tour operators
and some “not so honest” operators take individual woman with them. We
reserve our comment on such practise. We actively
discourage such practise and do not take individual woman without a
mehrim in our tour.
IF I AM TAKEN ILL WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF ME?
People do fall ill. Most of the illness is preventable.
However, in case of minor or serious illness, we will do our best to assist
in
seeking medical attention. However, we cannot
and do not provide personal service. In fact no other group does. We will
advise and assist should you be taken seriously
ill and need hospitalisation within the given limits of our ability and
within reason.
We urge you to seriously consider this point
and be prepared to meet such eventuality should it arise. One way to ensure
is to
have another member of your family with you on
the journey. Same applies should there be a death during the journey. We
will
do everything, within our limit, to see through
the process of hospital admission, mortuary, medical and bureaucratic clearance
and the burial within the location of the death.
IF I AM OLD SOMEONE ELSE CAN THROW PEBBLES OVER JAMMRA ON MY BEHALF
yes.someone else perform
this duty hor you.
IF I M DOING HAJ- TAMATU,WETHER THE SAIE IS COMULSORY AFTER TAWAF-E-ZIARA.
yes it is compulsory. in start ,before going to
arfat you had done a saie but i was the saie of umra NOT haj. so
when you come to makkah on 10 ,11 or 12 for compulsory tawaf-e zira
you will have also to do saie .but keep in mind this saier will be done
in ordinary dress NOT in ahram as you know the ahrams restrictions have
been lifted as soon as you sacrify your animal and shave your head off
on 10 th of zilhijah in munna.