Some Commands For Pilgrimage And Umrah

LESSON # 217 FROM HOLY QUR’AN

Some Commands For Pilgrimage And Umrah

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

Verse –196b of 286, Section – 24 (Part  - 2)

And perform the Visit (Umrah) for Allah. And if ye are prevented, then send such offering as can be obtained with ease,

Wal-‘umrata  lillaah.  Fa-‘in  ‘uh-sir-tum  famas-taysara  minal-hady.

Lesson

‘Al-‘umrata – (Umrah) it is also named as little Pilgrimage. Instructions for performing the Umrah are just like the Pilgrimage also. However there is no restriction of the days of Pilgrimage for performing the Umrah. It can be performed any time. Secondly its rituals and traditions also are less than the Pilgrimage.

Lillaah – (for Allah, for God Almighty) perform the Pilgrimage (Hajj) and Umrah (Visit) for the sake of Allah Almighty, keep your intention pure and take care honestly those customs and orders which have been prescribed by God Almighty, escape yourself from the matters which are prohibited, otherwise sake of God will remain no more.

In reality all the deeds and intentions should be for the pleasure of Allah Almighty but it has been emphasized here particularly that the journey involves with the Pilgrimage and the Visit (Hajj and Umrah) in which a lot of good and bad objects, Cruises and Entertainment can join easily. So it is necessary that your first object should not be any other except to delight the God Almighty. Travel and entertainment will become automatically. Trade is permitted; you can get advantage of it. But you can neither make the trade – the purpose of Pilgrimage (Hajj) nor can deal with dishonestly and theft, these are not allowed.    

‘uh-sir-tum – (if you are prevented) this word is derived from Ihsaar, whose literal meanings are to be surrounded or encaged. Whether this surrounding would be due to any reason, here it means ‘the person who intends to perform the Pilgrimage but can’t reach the designation because of either any illness or enemy would have blocked his way or any seasonal or other stoppage would have intervened.

 Hady – (sacrifice) the literal meanings are ‘the offer’ which would be sent for the Khana Ka’ba, here its meaning is the animals required to be sacrificed during the Pilgrimage.

In this verse Allah Almighty has ordered the Muslims that there should be only one object to be intended i.e. the worship along with the Pilgrimage and Visit (Hajj and Umrah) that is for pleasure and willingness of Allah Almighty. Neither the play nor show should be intended from this journey, nor travel and entertainment. But the Rules which Allah Almighty has explained, those should be acted upon. Allah almighty has kept some exemption too in this order for excusable people. May be a person wears ‘Ih-raam (Determination Dress) for Hajj and Umrah but unfortunately he would either become ill in the way or any other difficulty or problem happens. For example either he doesn’t find the way or doesn’t remain the provision for his journey etc. In all these situations he has been commanded that he should send the animal to sacrifice to the BaitUllah by anyone else according to his submission.

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation of Holy Qur’an written by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)