The Urgency of Hajj excerpted from The Discourses by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed

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THE URGENCY OF HAJJ
By Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed


The Blessed House
Hajj is a blessed pillar from among the noble pillars of
Islam. Allah u honored a specific place on Earth by
choosing it for His special blessings and ordered His House
to be built there. To the naked eye this place in Makkah in
Arabia is just a cube of rock and stone, but is the focal point
for Allahs u special tajalliyat (blessings and mercy). The
important concentration and descent of Allahs u
blessings on this place is what earn it the name Bait Ullah,
the House of Allah u.
Bait Ullah is not the name of just that cube in the desert
but the holy location that is the target of Allahs u
blessings. The location would still be termed Bait Ullah
regardless of whether the brick structure that is known as
the Kaaba was there or not.
All mankind is commanded to face this location in
prayer to Allah u. Every believer is attracted to this place
because it is an absorption point for Allahs u love and
blessings. People from all walks of life come here for homage
out of love because Bait Ullah is a magnet for peoples
hearts. The poorest of the poor who do not have enough to
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eat or to clothe themselves will surely have a desire to see the
House of Allah u. This is a fascinating attraction that is
not limited to the rich but applies to all people, regardless of
whether they have the means or not. This attraction does
not fade when someone just reaches the Haram (the Grand
Mosque) but gets stronger until it pulls people to the Kaaba
itself so that they hug its draped cloth just like iron hugs its
magnet.

Tests for the Claimants
Lovers who boast claims of love are usually tested by their
beloved to test the strength of their claim. Allah u tests us
in the same way to determine our worthiness. The first test
is one of wealth that Allah u takes from us in the months
of Rajab and Shaban. Believers are commanded to give zakat
(alms) out of their earnings in the Name of Allah u
because parting with ones hard-earned wealth is always
trying.
Once successful in this test Allah u tests our resolve by
ordering us to fast from dawn to dusk in the holy month of
Ramadan. Believers are ordered to refrain from food and
drink and other necessities in the daylight hours of this
month. Once successful in these two tests believers prove
that they are willing to do anything to prove their love for
Allah u and now they are rewarded with an invitation to
the House of Allah u.
Muslims ready themselves and are pulled to this House
from all corners of the globe in their intense love for Allah
u, and this is why Hajj is a journey not of obligation but
of love. These are fortunate people who have been allowed
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to come to Bait Ullah after countless days and nights of
prayer and supplication. All the lovers of Allah u converge
upon His House for the blessed pilgrimage in the first days
of Zulhijja.

The First Hajj
Hajj became obligatory upon the Muslims in the ninth year
of the Migration, and the Messenger a of Allah appointed
Hadrat Abu Bakr g as the leader of the first Hajj group.
The verses of Sura al Baraa were revealed after this caravan
of three hundred left for Hajj, and the Prophet a
dispatched Hadrat Ali g after the group with a special
message. This message included the Divine proclamation
that no unbeliever would be allowed into Makkah after the
revelation because the honor of Hajj was only for those with
the light of faith in their breasts.

Greatness of Hadrat Abu Bakr g
Prayer and Hajj are two of the four commanded acts of
worship that are congregational, while fasting and zakat are
both individual acts. A noteworthy point here is that Hadrat
Abu Bakr g was appointed the leadership of both
congregational acts in the lifetime of RasulAllah a, further
illustrating that he was the natural leader after the Prophet
a.
Hadrat Abu Bakr g was always present alongside the
Messenger a of Allah - he was present among the ranks of
Badr; among the wounded of Uhud; among the defenders
of the Battle of the Ditch, and was the Prophets a
companion in the Cave of Thaur. He was foremost in giving
his wealth for the cause of Islam and foremost in sacrificing
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all for the Messenger a of Allah, such that he is buried
alongside the Prophet a in Madinah. He is known as
Thani Athnain (the second of the two) because he would
always be the second behind the Prophet a in every
situation.

A Journey of Trial
Hajj is not a luxury tour or vacation, and Allah u has made
hardship a necessary factor in Hajj. Those who depart with
the mindset that Hajj is supposed to be easy get impatient
and start complaining at the slightest inconvenience. Hence
pilgrims need to begin their journey with the knowledge
and intention that Hajj is a journey of trials and not one of
luxury. We are lovers and not the beloved but yet we expect
our every need to be catered to just like we were the
beloved. This is a journey only for lovers, and whoever
wants to travel as if he is the beloved will find that he will
never get the opportunity for this grand journey.
Hadrat Ghulam Habib i used to say that he and the
pilgrims would depart for Hajj by ship and reach Arabia
after a grueling months journey. Once reaching Jeddah the
ship would remain at port for three days while immigration
and immunization status would be verified. Today this same
process does not even take a full three hours let alone three
days. Advances in technology such as the aircraft have
nullified the trials and tribulations that existed in those
times and made travel easy for us but people still complain.
Today the luxury exists for us to complete the entire Hajj
trip in twenty days or less. The pilgrim should not be
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desirous of hardship but nevertheless be steadfast and
prepared for it.

Correcting our Outlook
The lifestyle that we have become accustomed to has spoiled
us and we except a limousine to be waiting at the airport to
whisk us away and drop us right outside the Haram. There
is a system to everything that we must realize and we must
be prepared to allow it to run its own course. We need to
realize that we are servants whom the Master is allowing to
come visit His House and not the other way around.
Presidents and kings of this worthless and temporary
world make their visitors wait for hours without explanation
and we expect the Master of the universe to cater to our
every need. To be allowed to come to Hajj is indeed a
blessing for which we should be ready to bear double if not
triple the usual burden.
Hajj is a journey and act of worship and there is always
trial in worship no matter what form. If people desire luxury
and comfort they are welcome to stay in their beds because
no one is forcing them to go to Hajj. However, people must
be prepared for hardship if they have already taken the first
steps toward anything.

Invaluable Advice
Pilgrims must make sure that they are never verbally critical
of anything on this sacred journey. Hadrat Ghulam Habib
i once told a story about a pilgrim who was shopping in
the market in Madinah for groceries. A vendor suggested
that he also buy some yogurt but the man declined saying
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that the yogurt in Madinah is sour. He proceeded about his
day and that night the Messenger a of Allah appeared to
him in a dream. The Prophet a was angry and said, You
say the yogurt in my town is sour? Get out of Madinah!
This pilgrim woke up very distressed and approached the
local scholars (ulama) as to what he might do. Some of the
ulama advised him to go to the noble burial site of Hadrat
Hamza g and pray to Allah u for mercy and a possible
solution. This man did exactly this and presented himself at
Hadrat Hamzas g tomb where he cried and begged
forgiveness for his reckless speech.
That night Hadrat Hamza g appeared in this pilgrims
dream and acknowledged the latters profuse supplications
but put them aside. Hadrat Hamza g said sternly, Once
the beloved of Allah u has told you to leave you no longer
have permission to stay. Leave now or you will be in danger
of losing your faith. Hence this person had no avenue but
to leave.

Correcting our Intention
The above is a very poignant reason for keeping our
complaining tongue in check for the few days that we are at
Hajj. Wherever there is great benefit there will undoubtedly
be shortcomings of many kinds because Hajj demands a
monumental task of preparation in every field from
transportation to sleeping arrangements for the pilgrims.
We need to keep focused on the purpose of this sacred
journey and consider every shortcoming and trial as a
blessing for us. Allah u is allowing filthy sinners like us to
come to His House and so there is no need to make any
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comments about anything. There have been countless
people much more pious than us who have not been
fortunate enough to see Bait Ullah. This is a journey of
trials and not the luxury that we have unfortunately become
accustomed to.
For a sincere and pious worshipper these complaints are
only for not seeing the House of Allah u and disappear
immediately once he or she looks upon the Kaaba. The
House of Allah u has such a brilliant magnetism and awe
that one does not consider a hardship as a hardship anymore
because a believer realizes true peace and security in the
House of Allah u just as a child finds security and love in
its mothers arms. Furthermore, Hadrat Ashraf Ali Thanvi
i writes that the righteous find peace upon seeing Bait
Ullah just as the believers will find peace when they enter
Paradise. Here they forget all past worries and trials.

Sincerity and Sacrifice
The next important thing that pilgrims need to evaluate is
sincerity. Undoubtedly sincerity is an essential requirement
of every act of worship, but this requirement is given more
emphasis here for the auspicious worship of Hajj. The
simple reasoning for this is that Hajj is an act that is
required only once a lifetime. A worship such as prayer is
observed five times a day so if one prayer was offered
without sincerity the person can try harder for the next
prayer, but Hajj is a special occasion that only comes once a
lifetime for most. Hence people need to be extra careful
about what might seem to be the smallest issues.

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Disputes and arguments are a very normal part of life,
which may intensify because Hajj is a long journey that
people have to undertake together. Arguments may increase
between friends or between family and relatives because
unfortunately people do not want to listen but want to lead.
We need to keep in mind that this journey is sacred and
cannot easily be repeated and so there is no need for any
kind of argument or dispute whatsoever.
We are Muslims and only temporary travelers in this life,
so it is not always necessary that we absolutely have to have
the best seat on the bus or the best room in the hotel. We
should try and make sure that others in our party are more
comfortable than we are rather than inconveniencing them
so that we are more at ease. This is a journey of trials and we
need to learn to compromise.

Purity of Means
The most important thing that pilgrims need to be
absolutely sure of is the purity of the finances that are spent
for Hajj. There should be no doubt whatsoever that the
money for every aspect of the journey from travel to lodging
arrangements is legally permissible (halal), with not the
slightest hint of being prohibited (haram). Hajj will only be
accepted if the means used for it are halal.
A hadith in relation to this states that a man was crying
to Allah u as he clutched the draperies of the Kaaba but
his supplication was not accepted. This was because his
earning was haram, which made his food and clothing
haram. Supplication (dua) will never be accepted here
because the very means used to come there are haram, and
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hence the finances used for Hajj need to be absolutely pure.
Someone in doubt about the lawfulness of his earnings
should discuss the issue with the local ulama in his city.
The great ulama of Islam have dedicated their whole lives
to the Holy Quran and sunnah and therefore have the
knowledge to solve every potential situation. For example in
this case of doubt regarding earnings, they have said that
such an individual is permitted to complete his Hajj with a
loan. Hajj would thus be completed with halal finances and
whatever means he uses to pay back the loan is another
matter.

Points to Ponder
The Messenger a of Allah said that among the signs of the
Endtime would be that the wealthy among the Muslims will
go to Hajj for vacation; the poor will go to beg; and the
ulama will go to boast of their superiority over the other
Muslims.
In light of this hadith the hujjaj (pilgrims) must make it
a point to never boast of their Hajj to others. They not only
risk having it invalidated but Allah u may never give them
another chance because of their arrogance.
On the other hand others may try to justify not going or
make the excuse of limited financial resources. These people
should keep in mind that the Messenger a of Allah said
that Allah u increases the livelihood and economic means
(rizq) of those who perform Hajj and Umra. Allah u will
also increase His blessings for those who have little but save
methodically with the sincere intentions and desire of
performing Hajj.
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The Lovers Destination
Every journey has a destination and the destination of Hajj
is the pleasure of Allah u. There are two kinds of hujjaj:
those who are fortunate to see (ziyarah) Bait Ullah and those
still more fortunate who are able to see the Creator of Bait
Ullah.
This is why the tawaf (circumambulation) that is
performed after the gathering of Arafat is called Tawaf-e-
Ziyarah. Those who have worked hard against their evil
desires and lower self (nafs) are able to see the bounties of
Allah u in all their glory, and those who have not
obviously cannot partake in this experience. Thus it is
essential to have a righteous alim or shaykh in ones
company so that he may guide at every point.
Hajj is a journey of love and desire, and upon close
examination love is found to be the paramount force in
every action within Hajj. As a general rule lovers whose
purpose is a specific beloved pursue their quest single
mindedly and ignore all else. They make no attempt to
beautify themselves like a wife might do for a husband
because the one purpose of getting to the beloved
overpowers all other desires or concerns.
The rites and rituals of Hajj personify this intense desire
of the lover. From the beginning of the journey the lover is
told to shed all outer dcor and don the ihram, two simple
and unstitched sheets of white cloth. For the duration of the
journey and Hajj itself this lover is not allowed to apply any
sort of scent, nor is the lover allowed to trim the hair or
nails.
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Lovers maddened with love and desire usually not only
speak of their love but publicize it loudly in chants or
poetry. Hence when the lover of Allah u starts on this
quest he is also commanded to raise his voice and shout that
he is coming to his beloved: Labbaik Allahumma labbaik!
Our elders who have gone before us understood and
practiced the meaning of this cry, and hundreds would
receive guidance because of their efforts. Today we go
physically but fail to effect any change within ourselves and
return exactly as we were and return to our same heedless
lives.
A lovesick boy stands outside the window or door of his
beloved hoping for a sign of recognition. The lover of Allah
u circles the House of Allah u with the same maddened
desire like a moth circles a flame.

Moths to A Flame
Tawaf is the only ritual within Islam that men and women
are commanded to perform in the same vicinity, whereas
there is separation in all other situations. Men and women
are separated in prayer with a partition to cite just one
example. This may seem strange because Islam is very strict
in terms of male and female interaction but the ulama have
written a fascinating explanation for this:
The lovers of Allah u journey tirelessly for the chance
of worshipping at Bait Ullah, and once they reach this
magnificent shrine men lose all sense of their masculinity
and women likewise lose heed of their femininity, and in
maddened desire they focus only on Bait Ullah. Allah u
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wanted to establish for all mankind that His lovers lose all
sense of themselves and relinquish all other loves when
coming to worship Him.
Allah u wanted to further establish the reality that His
love is paramount and superior to all other loves that may
exist. This is truly the case because even husbands and wives
focus only on Allah u instead of themselves. It is the only
occasion when men and women worship and cry in the
same vicinity with no thought to one another.

Recognizing the Enemy
The lover would hate anyone who tried to keep him away
from his beloved or hindered his quest to attain nearness to
the same. Satan tries to create a rift between mankind and
Allah u and so the hujjaj stone the devil at the stone
throwing ritual at the Jumurat.
Lovers always shower their beloved with gifts as an
outpouring of their love and labor hard to be noticed.
Likewise the pilgrims also present a sacrifice to Allah u at
the conclusion of Hajj.

Most Generous of Hosts
The hujjaj are guests of Allah u at Hajj, as He commanded
Hadrat Ibrahim e to announce an open invitation to all to
come worship at His House. Allah u is the Supreme Host,
and takes great care of His guests even more than we honor
someone who may come to our house.
The Messenger a of Allah said that even the person
who sits and looks upon Bait Ullah is a recipient of Allahs
u countless blessings. We are unfortunate in that we do
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not recognize His supreme hospitality, otherwise we would
be in Paradise on Earth.
Being such an understanding and kind host, Allah u
has not put any insurmountable difficulty in Hajj. Hajj is
not a short prayer that old people would miss because they
are slower in performing their ablution or slower to form
ranks. Moreover, if this were the case the majority of ladies
might miss out on this grand occasion, having spent
hundreds to reach there and only to be in their menses and
unable to pray at the assigned time.
This reasoning is why the only requirement for the
pilgrim on the plain of Arafat between the Dhuhr and Isha
prayers is just to stay focused and attentive to Allah u
(wuquf). In wuquf the person may offer prayers or supplicate
to Allah u for anything and for as long as he wants, for
Allah u has placed no limitations on this wuquf. In this
and countless other ways Allah u has made Hajj very easy
upon the people by allowing for different circumstances and
needs rather than restricting their worship to one or few
specific acts.

Mercy of Allah u
The Messenger a of Allah said there is a special and blessed
location between Rukn-e-Yamani and Hajr-e-Aswad where
seventy thousand angels stay constantly attentive and say
Ameen in unison to the supplications of the pilgrims
performing tawaf. Such people are tremendously fortunate
to have Allahs u angels saying ameen to their desires
and needs.
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This is a journey of intense desire and love in which the
beloved gives much more than the lover deserves, for this
Beloved has infinite treasures. We might pay a worker in
our home his earned wages and nothing more, but Allah u
listens to our every need and desire and gives us even more
than the wages that we may have earned. In this journey of
love and desire the individual will receive what he had
yearned and worked for. The devotee runs out of requests
but the Beloveds treasures never diminish for His treasures
are infinite. This is a stream from which everyone can drink
from because it never dries.

Vast Knowledge of Our Elders
Hadrat Ghulam Habib i once related that at one Hajj he
would read the Holy Quran and supplicate to Allah u at
the completion of every verse depending on whether the
verse inspired love or fear. He completed the entire Holy
Quran in this fashion, having offered more than a hundred
supplications. These people were indeed fortunate because
they understood the realities of Allahs u infinite bounties.
It is obvious that we are the losers because we do not
understand such things because we do not even know how
to ask.

Acceptance of Dua
We may not know the exact times at which duas are
accepted, but hadith has told us that there are seventeen key
locations at Hajj where duas are accepted. Hujjaj should
make a point of learning these key locations so they may be
able to offer prayers here and beg from Allah u. No one
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knows the blessed moment when Allah u may accept a
particular dua or prostration from his servant.
The difference between the Hajj of the righteous beings
of Allah u and that of common people is that of night and
day.

Various Conveyances
Hadrat Ibrahim bin Adham i was on his way to Hajj on
foot when someone asked him his destination. He answered
that he was going to Hajj and so the man was surprised
because on foot this would be an insurmountable journey
and said, But you need transportation for Hajj. Hadrat
Ibrahim bin Adham i replied that he not only had a means
of transportation but also had many such means.
The man was perplexed by this reply because he could
not see any such mode of transport and asked Hadrat to
show him. Hadrat Ibrahim bin Adham i said:
When in difficulty I will rely on patience as my
transportation, and when I am blessed I will use gratitude as
my transport. During sorrow I will rely on inna lillahi wa
inna ilayhi rajioon to carry me, and on La hawla wa la
quwatta illa billa to carry me whenever combating nafs and
Satan. If I encounter any circumstances of sin I have the
vehicle of tawba to see me through. If someone bigger
confronts me I will use the vehicle of Allahu Akbar, and I
shall complete my Hajj using these different means at every
point.



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The Insight of a Believer
A seeker studying under Hadrat Shibli i appeared at a
gathering after being absent for some time. Hadrat Shibli i
asked where he had been and so this young man answered
that he had just returned from Hajj. The following is the
conversation that ensued.

Hadrat Shibli : When you took off your clothes in order to
don the ihram, did you also make intention of stripping the
clothes of sin from your body?

Student : No I did not make such an intention.

Hadrat Shibli : Did you make intention to present your
whole body and soul in front of Allah u when you said
Labbaik?

Student: No I did not make such an intention.

Hadrat Shibli: During tawaf did you realize that you were
touching the Right Hand of Allah u when you greeted
Hajr-e-Aswad with your salams?

Student: No I did not realize any such thing.

Hadrat Shibli : Did you feel that you were hugging the
Messenger a of Allah when you hugged the draperies of
the Kaaba?

Student: No I did not feel that.
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Hadrat Shibli : When you passed by the door of the Kaaba
did you beseech your Lord like a beggar beseeches a king?

Student: No I did not beseech Him like that.

Hadrat Shibli: Did you make intention for total and
sincere repentance from all your sins no matter how small
when you were at Arafat?

Student: No I did not make such a strong intention.

Hadrat Shibli : Did you make firm intention to make
Satan your mortal enemy when you stoned the devils?

Student: No I did not make an intention like that.

Hadrat Shibli : Did you make intention to sacrifice your
nafs and desires for the sake of Allah u when you
performed the animal sacrifice?

Student: No I did not make an intention like that. I only
sacrificed the animal.

Hadrat Shibli : Did you see the Beloved when you
performed the Tawaf-e-Ziyarah?

Student: No I did not see anything like that.

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Closing this discussion Hadrat Shibli said to the young
man, My dear child, you have not performed Hajj. You
should don the ihram anew next year as if you are going for
the first time and perform Hajj exactly as I have taught
you.

These are just some examples of the vast difference between
the Hajj of the common man and that of the auliyaa
(Friends of Allah u). We should all learn lessons from the
lives of these magnanimous people and try to implement
these ways in our lives.

Signs of the Acceptance of Hajj
The mashaikh have written that there are many signs that
Allah u has accepted the pilgrims Hajj. Hadrat Ashraf Ali
Thanvi i writes that the first of these signs is that upon
leaving this sacred land the pilgrim has an intense desire in
his heart to return for another Hajj. Such people are
fortunate because Allah u accepts their deed and ignites a
flame of desire in their hearts that will keep them yearning
for Makkah.
In contrast there are those unfortunate wretches who
leave with nothing but complaints and vow not to return
because they had such a bad experience. Such people return
empty handed because their Hajj is not accepted.

The Inner Self Revealed
Bait Ullah has such an incredible effect on people that a
persons true inner condition becomes exposed whenever he
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comes in front of it and sends his greetings upon Hajr-e-
Aswad.
A person might be a habitual backbiter and slanderer.
Hence when he appears before Bait Ullah his heart will
burst open exposing his true nature for all to see. Thus such
a person will become obsessed with slandering others despite
being in the blessed House of Allah u. He will not be able
to stop himself from slandering others even in this sacred
location because the power of Bait Ullah will have exposed
him for what he truly is.
Consequently the same applies to the righteous servants
of Allah u whose condition is purified even more because
they are righteous and grateful. Such people will tolerate all
difficulties presented at Hajj for the sake of Allah u and
count them as blessings.
This is the reason why some people return cleansed of
their sins and rectified whereas others return worse than
they were before. The difference is that the Hajj of the
former party is accepted whilst the Hajj of the others is not,
and so the latter continue down the path of wretchedness.
Acceptance of our Hajj is the biggest reason why we
must cry and beg to Allah u on this sacred journey. We
must cry so much that Allah u accepts us if only out of
pity. Our righteous elders would weep and beg for years so
Allah u would accept their Hajj and turn their lives
around.

Acceptance through Humility
A righteous man had completed seventy Hajj, and was now
leaving for his last Hajj together with his son. Both of them
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donned the ihram but when they proclaimed Labbaik!
they heard a voice that said La Labbaik! meaning that
their Labbaik was not accepted.
Hearing this voice the son said to his father, What is the
use of continuing if our Labbaik is not accepted? Take off
the ihram.
The father turned to his son and said, My son, I heard
the same voice when I performed my first Hajj and now am
hearing it again on my seventieth Hajj. Tell me if there is
anywhere else we can go or any other door where we can
beg from other than that of Allah u? I have to come here
again and again whether He accepts or not because there is
no other door at which I can ask.
Allah u accepted these words from his servant and
inspired him thus: We have accepted all your past Hajj
because of your humility today.

Love and Desire
Hajj is truly a fascinating journey of love. Some people
become deluded and think that it is only about finances and
that only sufficient money can take them there. There are
countless wealthy people who have left this world without
being able to see Bait Ullah, and consequently there are
countless people who cannot afford clothes on their back
but they find themselves at Bait Ullah. This is a journey of
desire.
Keeping this in mind Hadrat Ghulam Habib i related a
very compelling story. He said that he performed Hajj once
during the 1930s when oil had not yet been discovered in
Arabia. The land was gripped in so much poverty that
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children in the street would fight over the melon rinds that
the pilgrims would discard.
Hadrat related that an old man approached their caravan
one day and motioned to his stomach indicating that he was
very hungry. Hadrat requested his wife to bake some bread
for him and so his wife took out some flour and water to
prepare the bread.
The old man stepped forward as she was about to light
the stove and helped himself to some of the uncooked flour
in a glass. He then mixed some water and ate his
concoction. He turned to Hadrat and said that he was so
hungry that his stomach was aching terribly but now he
could wait because he had eaten some of the uncooked
flour. This was the height of poverty and hunger in Arabia
at that time.
Soon after Hadrat and his wife reached Bait Ullah. Here
they would occasionally encounter a poor little boy whom
they would feed and give money to. Hadrats wife developed
a fondness for the boy and invited him to return with them.
She highlighted all the advantages of living in comfort in his
new home with a new family whereas he had nothing but
poverty and loneliness to look forward to in his current
condition.
The little boy listened with keen interest and beaming
eyes as Hadrats wife finished telling him everything he
would have in their home. He thought for a moment and
then pointed to Bait Ullah and said, Will this also be
there? When Hadrats wife apologetically said no then the
boy said that he had no reason to go because Bait Ullah was
not there.
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Bait Ullahs amazing attraction even in the depths of
poverty baffles the mind. In this example this little boy is
not willing to leave his poverty and hunger stricken life
despite all the advantages a new family life would bring
because it would mean parting with Bait Ullah.
This proves the fascinating fact that this journey is not
reserved just for the wealthy. The poor have nothing but
their intense love for the House of Allah u and so the
mercy of Allah u pulls them to this sacred place. They
complete this fantastic journey because their intense loves
writes it in their destiny.

A Fascinating Account of Love
Hadrat Mufti Jamil Ahmed i of Jamia Ashrafia Lahore
used to relate a story about a cowhand outside of Lahore
whose only work was raising and milking cows. He
developed an intense desire to see Bait Ullah but naturally
was very poor and had no means.
After continuously asking people how he could go to
Hajj someone finally told him that he could not go from
Lahore but that pilgrims leave on ships from Karachi.
Hence this cowhand boarded a train and reached Karachi.
He asked the same questions of people at the station and
was told that pilgrims left after gathering at the Haji Camp
at the seaport.
The Haji Camp was far but fortunately some people who
were going by that way offered him a ride and left him at
the camp. Now this cowhand observed pilgrims boarding
and leaving on ships for many days and wondered what he
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could do since he neither had proper documentation nor
any money for the journey.
He observed porters boarding and leaving the ships after
helping the pilgrims with their luggage and was determined
to somehow board one of the ships. One of the porters told
him that he could only board the ship if he was wearing a
porter uniform, and so he talked the porter into lending
him a jacket which he would send back with some of the
luggage being brought off the ship. This porter agreed and
so this cowhand managed to smuggle himself onboard one
of the ships bound for Jeddah.
The ship got underway and he asked a pilgrim named
Abdullah to let him know when Jeddah was near. The ship
neared Jeddah at nightfall and so this person let the
cowhand know that Jeddahs lights were visible and the
captain had announced they would be docking soon. This
cowhand mounted the ships railing and dived off the edge
into the sea. Abdullah was shocked and ran to the edge to
see if he would come up but it was dark and so Abdullah
feared that the cowhand must surely have drowned.
As Abdullah performed Hajj and was leaving after the
Tawaf-e-Ziyarah he noticed the same cowhand he had met
on the ship dressed in fine white robes. They met
enthusiastically and Abdullah asked what had happened to
him. His friend invited him to his house so they could talk
at leisure.
Once outside the Haram, Abdullah saw the cowhand get
into a brand new limousine with a driver in front. He was
perplexed and asked what was going on. The cowhand said
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that the car and driver were his and he would explain
everything at home.
Abdullah was even more at a loss when the limousine
pulled up in front of a beautiful mansion and so asked his
friend to tell him everything that had happened. Thus the
cowhand started explaining.
He explained to Abdullah that he neither had paperwork
nor money but a desperate desire to perform Hajj so he had
jumped overboard. He did not know how to swim but half-
drowned he reached the shores of Jeddah.
He laid half-conscious until dawn when he searched of a
way out of the port and noticed a house. There he saw that
two men were trying to milk a cow but the cow was not
cooperating because the men obviously did not know the
technique required.
After observing their unsuccessful efforts for some time,
he motioned to these men that he could milk the cow if
they would let him. The men agreed and so the cowhand
situated himself next to the cow. Being a specialist at
handling cows he was able to milk enough to fill not only
one but two pails for the men.
By the grace of Allah u the owner of this house was the
superintendent in charge of the port, and his wife wanted
milk for her children. They had been very unsuccessful at
handling their cow and so their children would remain
hungry. The wife was so glad at having so much milk for
the children that her husband said they would hire the
cowhand permanently to milk their cow.
The cowhand explained his situation and the
superintendent forgave him for not having his paperwork
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and would arrange everything if only he would stay and
milk the cow. This cowhand was a simple man and insisted
that he only wanted to perform Hajj. The superintendent
said he would arrange this too.
It so happened that the superintendents father-in-law
had a dairy farm on which he kept one to two hundred
cows, and he too was having difficulty finding a specialist at
milking his cows. The wife was so impressed that she called
her father and boasted about their new cowhand and how
beneficial he could be for the diary farm.
They sent their new employee to the dairy farm where he
very easily and efficiently milked many cows. The owner
was very impressed and saw the solution to his problems.
He offered the cowhand a job at the dairy farm but all the
cowhand said he wanted to do was perform Hajj after which
he had to return to his family.
The dairy farm owner was naturally very rich and was
not about to see his new discovery get away. Hence he said
that he would not only provide the cowhand a house and
car by which he could go to Hajj and also Umra every day if
he wanted to, but would also arrange the necessary
paperwork to have the cowhands family brought over to
live on the farm.
The cowhand concluded his story saying that everything
was now his whereas all he had set out to accomplish was see
the House of Allah u.

Within Everyones Grasp
Hadrat Mufti Jamil Ahmed i said upon relating this story
that such a story proves that everyone can perform Hajj if a
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poor cowhand with no means can do it. Hajj is a
tremendous journey that demands money, but this story
proves that love and desire are much more a factor in that
journeys completion.
The only shortcoming preventing us from this fabulous
journey is the desire that is evident from this story. We as
Muslims need to not only develop this love and desire
within us but supplicate tirelessly to Allah u to grant us
this so that we may get the ability to see His House again
and again.

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