Islam Guidance

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

HALTING PLACES

HALTING PLACE I: MIQAT
The Miqat is the place of getting into the state of Ihram in Umrah and Tamattu'. The following five places serve as Miqat:
1. Masjid ash-Shajarah (also known as Thu'l-Hulayfah) is the Miqat for people of Medina who intend to go to Mecca.
2. Juhafah is the Miqat for those who head for Mecca through Damascus and Egypt.
3. Al-Aqiq is the Miqat for those who go to Mecca from Najd and Iraq.
4. Yalamlam is the Miqat for those who go to Mecca from Yemen.
5. Qarn al-Manaazil is the Miqat for people who go on Hajj through Ta'if.

All those who head for God's House have to stop in the Miqat, take off their ordinary clothes, put on Ihram, and go to the Sacred Mosque while saying, 'Labbayk'.
The Miqat is a station where a pilgrim waits for permission to enter God's House and purification from all pollutions. Hence, performing Ghusl (ritual washing of the body) before putting on Ihram is a praiseworthy act for a pilgrim. After performing Ghusl, men wrap themselves with two pieces of unstitched white clothes instead of elegant clothes, which make people distinct from one another. They look like dead people in shroud, detached from the world and entering the realm of submission. A pilgrim takes off the robe of disobedience and puts on the garment of piety, prepared for saying:

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لَبَّيْكَ اللّهُمَّ لَبّيكَ، لَبّيكَ لا شريكَ لكَ لبّيكَ، إنّ الحَمدَ والنّعمَةَ لكَ والمُلكَ، لا شَريكَ لكَ لَبّيكَ.

Yes, here I am, O Lord, here I am. Here I am, there is no partner for You, here I am. Surely, praise, grace, and kingship are Yours. There is no partner for you. Here I am.?
When a pilgrim gets into the state of Ihram, he enters into a sanctuary and is entitled to a special position, which he should really appreciate. For this reason, the prophets and Imams (a.s) looked pale, trembled, and in some cases became unconscious in the state of Ihram and in saying Labbayk.
Talbiyah (saying Labbayk) is the special words pronounced by the pilgrims of God's House. It is a song of love chanted by the bird of Paradise in response to a heavenly and invisible call. Repetition of Talbiyah is a praiseworthy act of Ihram and a motto for Muhrim (one in state of Ihram). إنّ رسولَ اللهِ صَلّى اللهُ عليهِ وآلِهِ لمّا أَحرَمَ أتاهُ جِبرئِيلُ عليهِ السلامُ فقالَ لهُ: مُرْ أصحَابَكَ بالعَجِّ والثَّجِّ ? والعجُّ رفعُ الصّوتِ بالتّلبِيةِ، والثجُّ نحرُ البُدنِ.
?When the Messenger of Allah became Muhrim, Archangel Gabriel came to him saying: Tell your companions to say 'Labbayk' and sacrifice a camel.?1 The Holy Prophet (saw) is quoted by Imam Baqir (a.s) as saying: مَن لَبَّى في إِحرامِهِ سَبعِينَ مَرَّةً إِيماناً واحْتِساباً أَشْهَدَ اللهُ ألْفَ ألفِ مَلَكٍ بِبرائَةٍ مَن النّارِ وبَرائَةٍ مِن النّفاقِ
?Whoever says Labbayk for seventy times out of faith and devotion, Allah will assign thousands of angels to witness him immunity from the Fire (of Hell) and schism.?2
The Talbiyah of Imam Sadiq (a.s) was as follows:
لَبَّيْكَ اللّهُمَّ لَبّيكَ، لَبّيكَ لا شريكَ لكَ لبّيكَ، إنّ الحَمدَ والنّعمَةَ لكَ والمُلكَ، لا شَريكَ لكَ لَبّيكَ، ذا المَعارِجِ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ، داعِياً إلى دارِ السّلامِ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ، غَفَّارَ الذّنوبِ لَبَّيْكَ

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1 See al-Kafi; Vol. 4 p.336 hadith 5
2 See al-Kafi; Vol. 4 p.337 hadith 8

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لَبَّيْكَ، أهلَ التّلبِيةِ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ، ذا الجَلالِ والإكْرامِ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ، مرهوباً ومرغوباً إليك لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ، تُبدئُ والمَعادُ إليكَ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ، كَشّافَ الكُرَبِ العِظامِ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ، عبدُكَ وابن عَبدَيكَ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ

Yes, here I am, O Lord, here I am. Here I am, there is no partner for You, here I am. Surely, praise and blessings belong to You and the kingdom, too. There is no partner for You, here I am. The Lord of the ways of Ascent, her I am, here I am. You call to the dwelling of peace, here I am, here I am. O Forgiver of sins, here I am, here I am. You are the worthiest of being answered, here I am, here I am. Lord of Glory and Honor, here I am, her I am. I am coming towards You fearfully and willingly, here I am, here I am. You are the Beginner and all the returns are towards You, here I am, here I am. Remover of all sorrows, here I am, here I am. I am Your servant and the son of Your two servants, here I am, her I am. O Generous One, here I am.?1

HOLDING OF TONGUE IMPORTANT IN STATE OF IHRAM
A pilgrim has to hold his tongue, for a great number of man's sins results from his tongue. A man's deeds can be ruined as a result of a slip of tongue. The Holy Prophet (saw) says: وهَل يَكُبُّ الناسَ عَلى مَناخِرِهِم في النّارِ إلاّ حصائِدُ ألسِنَتِهِم؟ لا يَستَقيمُ اِيمانُ عَبدٍ حتّى يَستَقيمَ قَلبُهُ، ولا يَستَقيمُ قَلبُهُ حتّى يَستَقيمَ لِسانُهُ. رَحِمَ اللهُ عَبداً تَكَلّم خَيراً فَغَنِمَ أو سَكتَ عن سوءٍ فَسَلِم.مَن كانَ يؤمِنُ باللهِ واليَومِ الآخَرِ فليقُلْ خَيراً أو لِيسكُتْ.
?Has the people's being thrown into the Fire (of hell) on their faces been for any reason other than their tongues? The faith of a servant of Allah will not become straight unless his heart is straight and his heart is not straight unless his tongue is straight. Allah may have mercy upon a servant who speaks good words and enjoys its blessings, refrains from speaking indecent words and is safe from its sinister consequence. He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must say good wording or keep silent.?2
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1 See al-Kafi; Vol. 4 p.335 hadith 3
2 See Jami'us-Sa'aadat; Vol. 2

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Therefore, it is incumbent on the pilgrims to be careful about what they say and not to invalidate their great acts. They must refrain from telling lies, backbiting, swearing, taking oaths, self-praising, finding faults with others, mocking, joking, and vexing others. اَلْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَعْلُومَاتٌ فَمَنْ فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الحَجَّ فَلا رَفَثَ وَلا فُسُوقَ وَلا جِدَالَ فِي الْحَجِّ.
?The pilgrimage is (performed in) the well-known months; so whoever determines the performance of the pilgrimage therein, there shall be no intercourse nor fornication nor quarreling amongst one another. (The Holy Quran; 2:197)?
The Holy Prophet (saw) says: إنَّ الرّجُلَ لَيَتكلّمُ بكَلِمةٍ فَيُضحِكُ بها جُلُسائَهُ يَهوِي بِها أَبعَدَ مِن الثُّـرَيّا.
?On many occasions, a man may say something to make his companions laugh but as a result of the same words he will go far from Allah's mercy as much as the distance between the earth and the heavens.?1 مَن صَمَتَ نَجا
?Whoever keeps silent will be delivered.?2
Jesus Christ (a.s) is quoted as saying: لا تُكثِروا الكَلامَ في غَيرِ ذِكْرِ اللهِ فإنّ الذِينَ يُكثِرونَ الكَلامَ في غَيرِ ذِكرِ اللهِ قاسِيةٌ قُلوبُهُم ولكِن لا يَعلَمونَ.
?Do not speak too much save in remembering Allah, for those who speak too much but do not remember Allah are hardhearted but they do not know.?3
Therefore, a pilgrim should keep on remembering God and pronouncing His Names. To be reckless in a state of Ihram, to let eyes, ears, and tongues free to do what they wish, to insult the cook, the courier, and the co-travelers means to dishonor the Host in His House. We seek refuge to God from ignorance.
O brethren of sincerity and God's confidants, let us say Labbayk from the bottom of our hearts in unison: Yes, here I am, O Lord, here I am. Here I am, there is no partner for You, here I am.
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1 See Jami'us-Sa'aadat; Vol. 2 p.285
2 See Jami'us-Sa'aadat; Vol. 2 p.339
3 See Jami'us-Sa'aadat; Vol. 2 p. 340

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