USA Hajj Guide

TIPS DURING THE HAJJ DAYS

1. During the peak Hajj period, DO NOT attempt to kiss The Black Stone. The risk to your body is just too high. Pushing and tugging is not from a Muslim’s adhab.

2. Look out for water spills along the way especially near the spots where the Zam Zam water tanks are placed. You can slip and fall. A serious back injury can permanently damage your pilgrimage.

3. Avoid areas where wheelchairs are used even if that area or parts of it are not being fully used. Maintain your discipline at all times.

4. Do not perform sa'ee in a group as the continued effort to maintain the group formation will hinder the movement of others.

5. Do not follow or recite behind a leader when performing the sa'ee. The sa'ee is not an exercise in class recitation! A continuous chorus of voices reciting behind a leader will disturb the worship of others. Remembrance of the Almighty in a dignified manner on your own is the right worship.

6. Do not run all the way from As-Safa to Al-Marwah. It is not a Sunnah.

Transport is without doubt the most talked about subject during the Hajj. Almost every pilgrim has his own ideas about how transport services could be improved. The origin of these ideas is the pain endured by most pilgrims due to inadequacies in transport services. If Haj is "a struggle", then enduring these inadequacies is an important component of this "struggle." When a 7 mile journey takes 4 hours by bus, you can easily imagine the agony you would have to endure.

This site is not the appropriate place to discuss the macro aspects of the transport problem. Instead some tips are given below to help the intending pilgrim to cope with this pain.

1. Due to long bus lines, the air-condition may fail in the buses. Be patient.

2. Some buses may break down. Wait for instructions from group leaders and be patient.

3. You will see a lot of things along the way that worsens the traffic situation. These include indiscriminate parking, improperly maintained buses that have broken down, accidents and the quarrels that follow, inadequate traffic enforcement personnel in some stretches, drivers who disregard traffic rules to make as many trips as possible, etc.
Do not let all these break your concentration. Remain calm. Remain focused on the big picture. Think about your pleas to Almighty Allah (Most Compassionate, Most Merciful) at Arafat and the specific things you should be doing from now to make you a better servant of The Almighty.

During the days of Hajj "this is where the trial is”. For example:- sleeping in a part of the tent, long lines at the bathrooms and sleeping on the sand are just some of the conditions that you may have to put up with during your 5-6 day stay in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.

Some survival tips are listed below:

a. plan your diet so that you don't have to go to the toilet frequently;

b. avoid idle talk which may interfere with your good deeds.

c. Concentrate in various types of worship ~ like reading The Qur'an, performing Dhikr, and making lots of d’ua. While these are not only the right things to do in Hajj, they will also help to keep your mind from being distracted by the undesired actions.

d. Communicate with your Shaikh or Spiritual Leader and get more knowledge. Ask questions and seek clarifications about matters that are not clear.

e. Take water bottles during movements on the days of Hajj. You may need it at certain points for wudu, etc.


	TIPS DURING THE HAJJ DAYS 1. During the peak Hajj period, DO NOT attempt to kiss The Black Stone. The risk to your body is just too high. Pushing and tugging is not from a Muslim’s adhab. 2. Look out for water spills along the way especially near the spots where the Zam Zam water tanks are placed. You can slip and fall. A serious back injury can permanently damage your pilgrimage. 3. Avoid areas where wheelchairs are used even if that area or parts of it are not being fully used. Maintain your discipline at all times. 4. Do not perform sa'ee in a group as the continued effort to maintain the group formation will hinder the movement of others. 5. Do not follow or recite behind a leader when performing the sa'ee. The sa'ee is not an exercise in class recitation! A continuous chorus of voices reciting behind a leader will disturb the worship of others. Remembrance of the Almighty in a dignified manner on your own is the right worship. 6. Do not run all the way from As-Safa to Al-Marwah. It is not a Sunnah. Transport is without doubt the most talked about subject during the Hajj. Almost every pilgrim has his own ideas about how transport services could be improved. The origin of these ideas is the pain endured by most pilgrims due to inadequacies in transport services. If Haj is "a struggle", then enduring these inadequacies is an important component of this "struggle." When a 7 mile journey takes 4 hours by bus, you can easily imagine the agony you would have to endure. This site is not the appropriate place to discuss the macro aspects of the transport problem. Instead *some tips are given below* to help the intending pilgrim to cope with this pain. 1. Due to long bus lines, the air-condition may fail in the buses. Be patient. 2. Some buses may break down. Wait for instructions from group leaders and be patient. 3. You will see a lot of things along the way that worsens the traffic situation. These include indiscriminate parking, improperly maintained buses that have broken down, accidents and the quarrels that follow, inadequate traffic enforcement personnel in some stretches, drivers who disregard traffic rules to make as many trips as possible, etc. Do not let all these break your concentration. Remain calm. Remain focused on the big picture. Think about your pleas to Almighty Allah (Most Compassionate, Most Merciful) at Arafat and the specific things you should be doing from now to make you a better servant of The Almighty. During the days of Hajj "this is where the trial is”. For example:- sleeping in a part of the tent, long lines at the bathrooms and sleeping on the sand are just some of the conditions that you may have to put up with during your 5-6 day stay in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. Some survival tips are listed below: a. plan your diet so that you don't have to go to the toilet frequently; b. avoid idle talk which may interfere with your good deeds. c. Concentrate in various types of worship ~ like reading The Qur'an, performing Dhikr, and making lots of d’ua. While these are not only the right things to do in Hajj, they will also help to keep your mind from being distracted by the undesired actions. d. Communicate with your Shaikh or Spiritual Leader and get more knowledge. Ask questions and seek clarifications about matters that are not clear. e. Take water bottles during movements on the days of Hajj. You may need it at certain points for wudu, etc.