Islam Guidance

FORSAKER OF HAJJ WILL BE BLIND ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

FORSAKERs OF HAJJ, on the day of judgment, are with
JEWs OR CHRISTIANS
Addressing Imam Ali (a.s), the Holy Prophet (saw) says: يا عليّ ، تارك الحجّ وهو مستطيع كافر ، يقول الله تبارك وتعالى : (وَلِلّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ).
يا عليّ ، مَن سوّف الحجّ حتّى يموت ، بعثه الله يوم القيامة يهوديّاً أو نصرانيّاً.
?O Ali, one who forsakes Hajj while having the means (to perform it) is unbeliever, for Allah Himself has said: 'And pilgrimage to the House (Hajj) is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, upon everyone who is able to undertake the journey to it; and whoever disbelieves then surely Allah is Self-Sufficient above any need of the worlds.' O Ali, anyone who delays Hajj until he dies, Allah will raise him as Jew or Christian on the Day of Judgment.?2

Imam Sadiq (a.s) says: مَن مَاتَ وَلم يحِجَّ حِجَّةَ الإسلامِ؛ لم يمْنَعْهُ مِن ذَلِك حاجَةٌ تُجحِفُ بهِ أَو مَرضٌ لا يُطيقُ فيهِ الحَجَّ أَو سُلطانٌ يمنعُهُ فَلْيمُتْ يَهودِيّاً أو نَصرانِياً.
?He who dies before he performs the obligatory Hajj while he was not too needy, too ill, or too persecuted to perform it will die as non-Muslim (i.e. Jewish or Christian).?3
Ghazali says:
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1 See al-Wafi; vol. 2 Chapter: Hajj section 48
2 See Men la Yahzuruh ul-Faqih; chapter: Miscellaneous matters
3 See al-Kafi; vol. 4 p.268 Hadith 1.

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فَأَعظِمْ بعِبادَةٍ يَعدِمُ الدينُ لِفَقدِها الكمالَ ويُساوي تاركُها اليهودَ والنّصارى في الضلالِ وذلِك هو الجهلُ المبينُ والخِزيُ الفَضيحُ.
?How excellent is the worship (of Hajj) by the lack of which the religion lacks perfection and the neglector of which becomes as same as Jews or Christians in terms of deviation?this is surely the evident ignorance and the scandalous infamy.?1

FORSAKER OF HAJJ WILL BE BLIND ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
... قَال: سَألتُ أبا الحَسنِ ( الإِمامَ الرِّضا) عليه السلام عن قَولِ اللهِ تعَالى "وَمَنْ كَانَ في هَذِهِ أَعْمَى فَهُوَ في الآخِرَةِ أَعْمَى وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً" فقَالَ: نزَلتْ فِيمَن سَوَّفَ الحَجَّ حِجَّةَ الإِسلامِ وعِندَهُ ما يحِجُّ بهِ فقَالَ اَلعَامَ أَحِجُّ، اَلعَامَ أَحِجُّ، حتَّى يمُوتَ قَبلَ أنْ يحِجَّ.
?I asked Imam Reza (a.s) about the Quranic Verse, 'And whoever is blind in this (world), he shall also be blind in the Hereafter; and more erring from the way. (17:71).' The Imam (a.s) said:
This Quranic Verse is about one who delays Hajj despite having the means (to perform it) and keeps on saying, I will go on Hajj this year, but does not do until he dies.'2

HAJJ CONSOLIDATES FAITH
Imam Ali (a.s) says: فَرضَ اللهُ ... والحَجَّ تقوِيةً للدِّينِ.
?Allah has made obligatory upon you? the pilgrimage (Hajj), for it consolidates faith.?3
Evidently, any institution that is weakened by the nature of this world is in need for factors to make up for the weakness and to consolidate. Religion, too, which is the source of happiness for man in this world and the Hereafter, might be weakened as a result of the negative propaganda of the foreigners from outside and excess of lusts from within as well as temptations for committing sins in a way that Muslims' faith will be undermined. The call to Hajj will certainly blow
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1 See al-Mahajjat ul-Baydhaa; vol. 2 p.145
2 See Men la Yahzuruh ul-Faqih; chapter: Negligence of Hajj
3 See Nahj ul-Balagha; saying 244

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a new spirit into the body of the Ummah. Once again, Mecca, the mother of cities, opens her arms embracing the believers coming from the remotest parts of the world and enlivens the good memory of obedience to God and servitude by displaying a scene full of life and activity within a few limited days. It reminds everyone of the worthless worldly life, the horrible stages of purgatory, and Hell as well as all the prophets and the Imams' sufferings for the consolidation or the religion. Mecca removes the veils of ignorance before people's eyes, revealing the light of faith, devotion to God, and the Last Judgment and satiates the believers spiritually. From this cause, it is admitted that the survival of the religion in the Ummah depends on the survival of the Kaaba and revival of the Hajj rites. In this relation, Imam Sadiq (a.s) says: لا يَزالُ الدِّينُ قائِماً ما قَامتِ الكَعبَةُ.
?As long as the Kaaba is upright, the religion will not perish.?1
He (a.s) also says: إِنَّ للهِ حُرُمَاتٍ ثلاثاً لَيسَ مِثْلَهُنَّ شَيٌء؛ كِتابُهُ?وهُو نُورُهُ وحِكْمَتُهُ، وبَيتُهُ الّذِي جُعِل للنّاسِ قِبلَةً لا يقبَلُ اللهُ مِن أَحَدٍ تَوَجُّهاً الى غَيرِهِ، وعِترَةُ نَبيِّكُم محَمَّدٍ صَلّى اللهُ عليهِ وآلهِ.
?Three things are sacred for Allah; His Book that is full of light and wisdom, His House that is the Kiblah towards which people offer their prayers ?and Allah does not accept from him who directs towards any other direction save the House-, and the Household the Holy Prophet (saw).?2

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