البقرة
وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ أُحْصِرْتُمْ فَمَا اسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ الْهَدْيِ ۖ وَلَا تَحْلِقُوا رُءُوسَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ الْهَدْيُ مَحِلَّهُ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِّن رَّأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِّن صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ ۚ فَإِذَا أَمِنتُمْ فَمَن تَمَتَّعَ بِالْعُمْرَةِ إِلَى الْحَجِّ فَمَا اسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ الْهَدْيِ ۚ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الْحَجِّ وَسَبْعَةٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ ۗ تِلْكَ عَشَرَةٌ كَامِلَةٌ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن لَّمْ يَكُنْ أَهْلُهُ حَاضِرِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ 196
Through this verse several instructions are given as to the rites of pilgrimage (HAJJ). We are told: 1- Having once undertaken the pilgrimage, we must complete it, and we have to do it only for the sake of God, and as a symbol of our worship; and not for wordly purposes. 2- Then it refers to those who for any reason, after wearing the Pilgrimage Garb cannot, or are prevented to perform the rites of the Lesser Pilgrimage (UMREH). They are told here to give their offering to sacrifice, and then take out their Garb. (IHRÄM) 3- The Sacrifice would have been offered if we had been present personally. Here we may send the sacrifice by a deputy, and leave shaving our heads, (WHICH IS ONE OF THE CHIEF RITES) until we are sure enough that our sacrifice has reached its destination. When so, we could then shave our heads and resume our ordinary dress and avocations. 4- Then an exception is made in the commandment; that, if anyone becomes ill after putting the GARB on, or if he has some trouble such as skin disease, or he suffers from an ailment on the head, or for any rational reason he has to shave his head before the completion of HAJJ, he may redeem that by a fast, or by feeding a poor, or by offering a sacrifice; he has three options. 5- Though the revelation provides for the particular occasion in which Mecca was in hands of the enemies of Islam; the verse also serves for normal conditions too; saying: ``When you are safe and secure, having performed the Lesser Pilgrimage (UMREH), and you want to join it to the Interrupted Pilgrimage, which is the formal Hajj; you have to make an offering to sacrifice, such as you can afford it.'' 6- In cases where the pilgrim cannot afford to pay for, or provide the sacrifice; then he has to fast for three days, during the days of pilgrimage, and another seven days on his return making ten days all together. 7- For the residents of Mecca the problem of UMREH does not arise, and it is for him whose family are not present at the Holy Mosque. This implies that giving a sacrifice, whether a sheep, a cow or a camel is incumbent upon the pilgrims, and without making the sacrifice, he is not to remove out his grab (IHRAM). This verse ends in a warning to those who pay not enough heed to the rites of HAJJ and to the importance of the Pilgrimage in Islam, saying: ``Beware of Allah, and know that Allah is stern in punishment.'' HAJJ, is one of the most important services and worships. Ordainded by Islam. It has countless blessings and shakes the back of the enemies! In every year HAJJ, infuses new blood in the veins of Muslims. The commander of the faithful HAZRAT ALI (AS), has called it the ANNER' and the IMPORTANT SLOGAN' of lslalm. in hes last testament, he said: "Allah - Allah - Beware of Allah; do not leave the house of uoyr God lonely, as far as you can r else you will be given no respite." Our great JURISPRUDENTS, have classified the pilgrimage in three kinds or classes: A- INTERRUPTED PILGRIMAGE, which is called HAJJ-Al-TAMATOA. It is the formal pilgrimage of which the chief rites are during the first ten days of the month of ZUL-HAJJ. It is for those who live at a distance no less than 48 miles from Mecca. B- The COMBINED PILGRIMAGE, known as HAJJ-AL-GHERAN in Arabic. C- And the SINGLE PILGRIMAGE called, HAJJ-ALAFRAD. The latter two are for those who live within a distance less than 48 miles from Mecca. There is also the Lesser Pilgrimage (UMREH), which is a less formal pilgrimage that can be performed at any time of the year; and of course it is performed by those who are far from Mecca. As for the residents of Mecca the question of UMREH does not arise, for they are there in the sacred town all the time. In the Interrupted Pilgrimage, first the rites of UMREH are performed, then the pilgrims come out of their Garbs. After that they perform the chief rites of HAJJ, in the appointed days. But in the Combined and Single pilgrimage, first the rites of HAJJ are performed, and then the rites of UMREH. In the Combined Pilgrimage an animal has to be sacrified but for the Single Pilgrimage the sacrifice is not necessary. SOME IMPORTANT COMMANDMENTS OF PILGRIMAGE
THE IMPORTANCE OF HAJJ IN ISLAM
DIFFERENT KINDS OF PILGRIMAGE