Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon 6th June – 2025
Sermon 1: Allah will forsake Hajj if you have forsaken Gaza in Hajj
Sermon 2: There is no match to even one sentence of Dua e Arafah
Allah has granted many opportunities to man for guidance and acquisition of Taqwa. There is one way in routine life but there are specific occassions and periods also which are beyond the normal routine. One such opportunity for man is Hajj which is for guidance as well as acquisition of Taqwa has been made easy. In Surah Hajj verse 25, 26 Allah presents the reality, history and esteemed purpose of Hajj. We all are acquainted with Hajj though some about Fiqh aspects of Hajj and some know about the purpose and secrets of Hajj. There are millions of people who have received the blessings of Hajj and even this year. Fiqh rituals only presents one dimension of Hajj and only some scholars have presented the secrets of Hajj; one such person is Ayatullah Jawwad e Amouli who has a book on secrets of Hajj. I also made an effort to elaborate this subject in Qom and the first volume seems to be in printing. There is one dimension of Hajj presented by Quran which is neither presented by Fiqh nor spiritual scholars.
The purpose of worship is not just spiritual and for hereafter, these worships are beneficial for this world and man has to achieve the purpose of worship in this world. This dimension of worship has been completely forsaken and Quran has emphasized this a lot that the purpose of worship and specifically for Hajj that its one big purpose is for this world. Hajj is unique form of worship as compared to other ritualistic worship. The purpose of worship known to believers is more spiritual whereby people worship mostly for the sake of obedience. This is correct view that irrespective of whether we know the purpose or not we should deliver the obligations. But Allah has kept a purpose as well behind these acts of worship. These purposes are not meant for Allah because Allah has everything. The purpose of worship is for the sake of man because man is deprived, needy and lacking many things.
The general purpose expressed for worship is that it is spiritual and all benefits will be acquired in the hereafter. The Quran says the opposite whereby the first benefit and purpose of worships are in this worldly life. This dimension is generally ignored whereas Quran emphasizes that the worships have worldly benefits and specifically for Hajj.
Allah (s) ordered Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) to announce (adhan) for Hajj. The architech of Kaaba has made the Kaaba but does not understand whom to announce or call as no one is around me. Allah (s) said you announce and people will come to you on feet, on every kind of weak, fast mounts from far off valleys and places. What would these people do after coming here? They will come and witness (Mushahida) their benefits from their own eyes and then they will remember Allah. The first purpose is to see their benefits and then second purpose is remembrance of Allah for 5 days here. They will sacrifice animals with the name of Allah, then they should themselves eat and give to poor. Then do circumbulate around the Baitul Ateeq.
The benefit in Hajj mentioned is not for hereafter but it is for this world because word “Naff” means the excess gains you get against something. The spiritual side of Hajj has been educated but the benefits of worships in this world are not specified. This word “Manafiat” has been used in the Quran on several occasions that too very beautifully. One occasion Allah tells the polytheists and mislead people that the path you have acquired is one on which there are no benefits. One argument which Quran presents for false paths is that these paths do not have any benefit (Naff). Allah has not asked us to sacrifice worldly gains for the sake of hereafter, instead first we are asked to take materialistic benefits from worship then ony you will get spiritual benefits as well. If we do not get any benefits from Salaat in this world then rest assured that you wont get any benefits in the hereafter as well. The Dua’s which we recite after routine Salaat in which the Prophet (s) seeks refuge from Allah from that supplication, worship, knowledge that does not give any benefit. The scholars minds are influenced by spirituality though their life lacks spirituality because they are after materialistic gains in this world. They do deliver spiritual lectures but at the end expect materialistic fees. The audience are satisifed by Thawaab but scholar is not ready for Thawaab only but wants fees as well. The scholars in this supplication also take the benefits of knowledge into spiritual direction. The word “Naff” wherever it is used specifically for spiritual benefits then only you will consider it spiritual else it would be materialistic benefit only as default. The most esteemed purpose of Salaat is for the world. You should take help from Salaat as Allah says in Quran. It resolves the difficulties of this world.
On one side they declare the purpose of all worship as spiritual which also cannot be comprehended by man. They just trust scholars and traditions that when they say it has spiritual rewards then it would be there. Quran says that the benefit is that what you can witness. Allah says those who come for Hajj should witness the benefits (Manafe) and not that Prophet Ibrahim (A) or scholars should inform them about their benefits that too in hereafter. The benefit of Hajj can be witnessed by every pilgrim and this needs attention. The Hajj now has lot of beneifts but not for Muslims and pilgrims. There are various exhibitions that take place in difference places for presenting various types of products. In these markets, the most beneficial market is Hajj where global products come to Hajj and people buy. The benefit is for China, transport companies, airlines etc. The purpose was for pilgrims to witness the benefits, but isntead they deliver benefits and go. This is not Abrahamic Hajj.
The verse is telling Prophet Ibrahim to call people from far away areas and these people should witness their benefits and not that china, hotels, food companies witness their benefits. This is a big purpose of Hajj though without denial there are spiritual benefits of Hajj. Prior to spiritual benefits there is worldly benefit kept for pilgrims in Hajj to be witnessed. This dimension of Hajj itself is enough for understanding the esteemed status of Hajj and rest others are all bonus. Like when Imam Sajjad (a) asked his companion about certain things related to Hajj, he replied in negative so Imam
(a) said you have not done Hajj. Then Imam (a) said even if you compensate with a mountain of gold it don’t get compensated. This dimension of Hajj for wordly benefits should be elaborated. Imam Sadiq (a) replied to this verse that Hajj has both worldly and spiritual benefits. The spiritual benefits cannot be witnessed but wordly can be seen.
We have left this act of witnessing and consider this as a crime. We have become blind followers what elders have told us. By closing eyes you cannot witness, so first open your eyes, and at least see left and right from the line drawn by the elders. Why we are being told to witness by Allah if this has no importance? We should keep our eyes open. Like if the weather department says that today weather would be pleasant but your own witnessing says it is extremely hot. Whom will you trust here? It will be your witnessing and not weather department. For Hajj we are totally focussed on rituals told to us by elders and not what Allah wants us to witness. The first station kept by Allah is Meeqat which is Johfa if you are going from Jeddah to Meccah. But our elders have told us to put on Ihram from airport. We should witness all these stations of Hajj to se our benefits. Quran is asking us to open our eyes, but we are followign our caravan leader or some elder on what we have to do. There are financial, social, communal, religion and knowledge benefits in Hajj.
The first worldly purpose of Hajj is to become Ummah for the sake of estasblishing the system of Imamat on this earth, that is divine laws. People from all across the world should come and join toether to do this.
The second purpose is that people are coming from various nations , east, west, north and south. Someone asked Imam Sadiq (a) that why Allah has kept this Hajj for people to travel people from thousand of kilometers to travel to one place in Kaaba. Imam (a) replied that if people do eveyrthing in their own lands and do not come out to see other places, then they will destroyed. They will die of hunger, from enemies, calamities if they do not leave their own towns and harmonize with people of other cities and do agreements with them. You can see people have come for Hajj but people of Gaza are dying alone in Gaza, the people in Kashmir are dying there in Kashmir. Millions of Muslims have gone for Hajj but are not able to see their benefits. This is because either the benefits of muslims, believers would be acquired in Hajj or the benefits of Ale Saud, Zionists, China, Japan would be achieved. There is benefit in Hajj but for those whom these benefits were meant for got suppressed and those for whom it was not meant it has been kept for them.
The Muslims do not return with benefits but isntead come back after giving benefits. They think that we will get big beneifts of Hajj in hereafer, which is not true you will get the same benefit in hereafter which you are doing now in Hajj. You have ignored Gaza, Kashmir, Yemen, benefits of Muslims, relgiion of Allah and in hereafter Allah will forsake you despite of Hajj. This Hajj would be of no use for you. This is not Hajj in which the benefits of Muslims, pilgrims are not considered and this type of Hajj would not even give spiritual benefits. This is a detailed chapter which I will elaborate sometime else as to what are the worldly benefits of worship. We are doing purposeless of worships. We do not Salat instead we do “Pooja”. Similarly till the time the benefit for the Muslim Ummah are not acquired in Hajj then this Hajj would not give you any spiritual benefit. This great worship has been kept for a great worship and not just for getting Thawaab (spiritual rewards) for which there are many easy way to achieve and not necessary to take hardships of Hajj.
Whatever benefits are to be received by Ummah it comes from Hajj. The current Hajj is also presented by Quran which I don’t have time to present. Today they will do Hajj and come back without taking the name of Palestine, Gaza and not provide even an iota of benefit to the Muslims instead will provide benefit to enemies. May Allah grant us the opporutinity to do worship delivering its rights.
SERMON 2
One opportunity and means for acquiring Taqwa for believers is Hajj and the pattern of Hajj is very beautiful. Allah has ordered every capable person to visit the house of Allah once in life and moment the person has acquired the abilities they should do immediately without delay. Allah has ordained many rites for Hajj and one such ritual is halt at Arafah. This is on 9th of Zilhajj whereby in the suburbs of Mecca there is a dessert a plain which is named as Arafah. The Hajj starts from this day and station of Arafah. Imams (a) say about Arafah, that if a person has been negligently into sins throughout the life without any forgiveness and if he comes on the day of Arafah and seeks pardon Allah forgives him.
For us we have privilege to be associated with Ahlulbayt (a) and the guidance which they have granted us is not present in any other source. The Hajj rites start from Arafah and they should spend the full day till sunset. Those who are present they have this privilege to be present in that location and the day. But for like us who are not present there Allah has not deprived us from this grace. I have mentioned in my lectures in Mecca that when people come to Mecca, they assume that they have come to automatic carwash, whereby we get washed. This is a workshop and not car wash. In a workshop everything has to be done by worker and there is no labor to wash the believers. . The instructor of this workshop is Ibrahim Khaleel who has been made the architect for the development of personality of human beings. Whatever Ibrahim did is all present in Hajj. The activities of this family of three persons are Hajj which is what we repeat. Ibrahim made the house of Allah and then Allah asked him to go Arafah and after spending half day Gabriel came and asked Ibrahim , did you acquire cognizance of what you have witnessed? Ibrahim (a) replied in positive and then Gabrael said the haling at Arafah as ended and no go to the next valley. Then Ibrahim went on every step and whatever he did was made as Hajj. Any fortunate person who reaches the Haram with cognizance by witnessing with open eyes has acquired all the status. But those who could not go there they are also not deprived. If you want to acquire the same status and cognizance then you also have the opportunity to spend half day from noon to sunset to come in presence of Allah. People have not been told about how Ahlulbayt (a) used to do Hajj and specifically Imam Hussain (A) did multiple Hajj and the supplication which Imam Hussain (a) delivered on the day of Hajj as Dua e Arafah. This is a highly enlightened supplication and we should recite, if possible, in Arabic with translation if not then at least translation so that we can understand. There are practical teaching and treasures left by Ahlulbayt (A) for which there is no match in the world. I am telling this with full certainty and not out of prejudice that if all companions, followers of companions, Jurists could bring just one sentence equivalent to Dua e Arafah. They are unfortunate that due to hatred how much they have been distanced from these teachings. This is an important day and it is not that Arafah comes and we get purified on its own. We have to take benefits from this.
