8. MUZDELIFA, MINA, AND THE GOING-FORTH CIRCUMAMBULATION MUZDELIFA
MUZDELIFA, MINA, AND THE GOING-FORTH CIRCUMAMBULATION MUZDELIFA
When the sun sets on 9 Dhul Hijjah, those on hajj go forth to Muzdelifa, occupied with invocation (dhikr), chanting “Labbayk,” proceeding with tranquility and dignity, not jostling or injuring others (though if the way is clear it is desirable to hurry), and they join the sunset and nightfall prayers in the time of the nightfall prayer (isha) at Muzdelifa. (It is necessary to have made the intention to join the prayers while in the time of the sunset prayer.)
When they reach Muzdelifa, they stop, pray, and spend the night there (which is best, and optimal. If one cannot spend the night, then the obligation to be present at Muzdelifa can be met by coming there, even for a brief moment, during the second half of the night, for spending the night merely means to be present there during the second half of the night, not actually staying overnight, as opposed to spending the night at Mina, which must be for the greater part of the night. If someone misses spending the night at Muzdelifa in the above-mentioned sense, does not return there before dawn, and has no excuse (of those given below), then he is obliged to slaughter as one does for an ‘umra first (tamattu’) hajj. But if he misses spending the night there for one of the same reasons which justify not spending the night at Mina, then he is not obliged to slaughter. Other valid excuses for not spending the night at Muzdelifa include:
1. being occupied with standing at ‘Arafa because of not having arrived there until after sunset, since it is more important than Muzdelifa;
2. or going forth from ‘Arafa after the middle of the night to Mecca in order to perform the (obligatory) going-forth circumambulation (tawaf al-ifada), missing Muzdelifa because of being occupied with it, since it too is more important than Muzdelifa.
In either of these two cases, one does not have to slaughter (for having missed Muzdelifa).
In the morning, the pilgrims pray the dawn prayer at the first of its time. They also pick up seven pebbles, not one stone broken into seven (which is offensive), to throw at the stoning site (Al-jamra, the enclosed round space with a pillar in the middle of it) at Mina, and it is best that these be the size of a broad bean (N: i.e. about the size of a thumbprint).
STOPPING AT AL-MASH’AR AL-HARAM
After the dawn prayer, it is sunnah to stop by a hill at the last of Muzdelifa (in the direction of Mina) called al-Mash’ar al-Haram (lit. “the Sanctuary Landmark”), which it is recommended to climb if possible. (A: Others hold that aI-Mash’ar aI-Haram refers to all of Muzdelifa.) It is desirable to face the direction of prayer (qibla), to do much of chanting “Labbayk,” supplication, and invocation (dhikr), and to say, “0 Allah, as You have brought us to stand in it and shown us to it, so too, give us success in Your remembrance, as You have guided us. Forgive us, and show us the mercy You have promised us by saying (and Your word is the truth):
” ‘And when you move on from ‘Arafa, remember Allah at al-Mash’ar al-Haram. Remember Him, for He has guided you though you were astray. And then go forth from where the people go forth, and seek Allah’s forgiveness. Truly Allah is Oft-relenting and Most Compassionate’ (Quran 2:198-99).
“Our Lord, give us what is good in this world and the next, and keep us from the torment of hell. ”
When the day lightens considerably, the pilgrims proceed to Mina with gravity and tranquility before the sun rises.
RELEASE FROM IHRAM: THE INITIAL STONING AT MINA
When the pilgrims reach the valley of Muhassir near Mina, it is sunnah to quicken their step for a distance of a stone’s throw. Then they take the middle way which leads to (one of the three stoning sites called) Jamrat al-‘Aqaba. They stone it as they are when they arrive (i.e. if mounted, they stone it mounted, and if on foot, they stone it on foot) with the seven stones picked up from Muzdelifa. These may be picked up from anywhere, not necessarily Muzdelifa, though it is offensive to take them from the stoning sites themselves, latrines (or other unclean places), or around mosques (0: which is not merely offensive but rather unlawful if they are taken from grounds included in the endowment (waqf, def: k30) for the mosque).
When one begins to stone Jamrat al- ‘Aqaba, one ceases chanting “Labbayk,” and does not resume it thereafter (as its time is over, which was the period of ihram, and stoning Jamrat al-‘Aqaba is the first step to release from ihram).
The (optimal) way to stone lamrat al- ‘Aqaba is to stand in the middle of the valley after the sun is up so that ‘Arafa lies to the right, Mecca to the left, and the stoning-site before one, and to throw the pebbles one by one (as throwing them two at a time or all at once counts as having thrown one pebble) with the right hand, saying “Allahu akbar” with each pebble, lifting the arms high enough when throwing (if male, though not if female) that the underarm shows, and to actually throw the pebbles (meaning hard enough to be considered throwing), not merely flick them off the thumb with the forefinger. (The minimal conditions for the validity of stoning are given.)
When finished stoning (Jamrat al-‘Aqaba), one slaughters a voluntary sacrifice animal (hady) driven to hajj or one due by reason of hajj; or other sacrifice animal (udhiya).
RELEASE FROM IHRAM: CUTTING THE HAIR
Then men have their entire head shaved, which is optimal, though one may confine oneself to (removing (by any means» three hairs thereof (i.e. from the head, not something else such as the beard or mustache), or may merely shorten it, for which the optimal is to dip a little less than two centimeters from all the hair. . As for women, it is optimal for them to shorten their hair in the latter way (it being offensive for a woman to shave her head).
While having one’s hair cut it is best:
1. to face the direction of prayer (qibla);
2. to say “Allahu akbar” (0: that is, “Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillahi l-hamd”);
3. for the person shaving to start from the right;
4. and to bury the hair afterwards (a measure recommended for any parts separated from a living being).
Cutting the hair is an integral without which the hajj remains unfinished (and which may not be compensated for by merely slaughtering), and a person remains in ihram until it is done. Someone without hair can simply pass a razor over his head (which is recommended, not obligatory, because it is a rite whose condition is the existence of a particular site, as is also the case with washing a hand (for ablution) when the hand has been amputated (i.e. it need not be done if the site does not exist).
After one’s hair, has been cut, it is sunnah to say, “0 Allah, for each hair reckon for me a good deed, annul a bad one, and raise me a degree. Forgive me, those who shave their hair, those who shorten it, and all the Muslims”).
RELEASE FROM IHRAM: THE GOING-FORTH CIRCUMAMBULATION (TAWAF AL-IFADA)
On the same day (10 Dhul Hijjah) one enters Mecca and performs the going-forth circumambulation (tawaf al-ifada), which is an integral without which the hajj remains unfinished (the author’s expression “without which the hajj remains unfinished” meaning that it may not be compensated for by merely slaughtering, though the time it may be performed is anytime thereafter, according to our school. The Hanafis hold it must be done by sunset On 12 Dhul Hijjah, and if the sun sets and oile has not performed it, this obliges one to slaughter), and one remains in ihram until one does it. Its obligatory features are as described above. After it, one prays two rak’as (intending the sunnah of circumambulation).
Then, if one has already gone between Safa and Marwah after the arrival circumambulation, one does not repeat it, though if one has not yet done it, one must do so, since going between Safa and Marwah is also an integral without which the hajj is unfinished, and one remains in ihram (legally, regarding one’s relations with women until it is performed.
RELEASE FROM IHRAM: GENERAL PROVISIONS
The best order in which to perform:
1. stoning Jamrat al-‘ Aqaba;
2. cutting the hair;
3. and the going-forth circumambulation (tawaf al-ifada);
is (1), (2), and (3) (and the sunnah is to do all three on this day), though it is valid to do them in some other order.
The time for these three begins at the middle of the night (between sunset of 9 Dhul Hijjah and dawn of the tenth) on ‘Eid al-Adha (though it is best for the stoning to take place after sunrise). The (preferred) time for stoning Jamrat al-‘Aqaba ends at the end of the day of the ‘Eid (at sunset. As for the permissible time, it lasts until the end of the three days after the ‘Eid. The best time to stone on ‘Eid al-Adha finishes at noon. Thus, the stoning has three times: the best, the preferred, .and the merely permissible), while the time for cutting one’s hair and the going-forth circumambulation lasts indefinitely, even if years.
The release from ihram in hajj is in two stages, partial (lit. “first”) and full (“second”).
Partial release from ihram occurs when any two of the three rites of stoning, cutting the hair, and the going-forth circumambulation are performed, whether cutting the hair and stoning, cutting the hair and circumambulation, or stoning and circumambulation. Doing any two of them accomplishes partial release from ihram, rendering permissible all the things that were made unlawful by ihram except those relating to women, such as sexual intercourse, getting married, or touching with desire.
Full release from ihram occurs when all three rites have been performed, and it renders permissible everything made unlawful by ihram (though one still has to stone at the three stoning sites and stay overnight at Mina during the days following the ‘Eid (Ayam al-Tashriq».
(Source: The reliance of the traveller, revised edition, Edited and Translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller)
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