Tawaf
Perform as many ṭawāf as you can because it is one of the most beloved acts to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said that for each ṭawāf, a person is rewarded as if they had freed a slave. With every step taken, ten sins are erased, ten good deeds are recorded, and the person is raised by ten levels. (Aḥmad)
Holding onto the Multazam
The Multazam is the area between the Black Stone and the door of the Kaʿbah. The Prophet ﷺ would lean forward against the Multazam, pressing his face and chest against it. Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) used to say, “No one clings to this place and asks Allah for anything, except that Allah grants it to them” (Bayhaqī).
As you hold on to the Multazam, think of the following:
- You are seeking nearness to Allah, out of love and longing for the House and the Lord of the House.
- Clinging to the covering of the Kaʿbah should be an urgent request for forgiveness and a plea for safety, just as a sinner clings to the garments of the one to whom he has sinned. You are desperate for His mercy, knowing that you will only be released when He forgives and pardons you. When al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (raḥimahullāh) saw someone clinging to the Multazam, he would say to those with him, “Move aside, so I can confess my sins to my Lord.”
Salah
Don’t miss out on the immense rewards of praying in the ḥaram. Praying in the ḥaram earns you the reward of 100,000 prayers, and praying in al-Masjid al-Nabawī grants you the reward of 1,000 prayers (Ibn Mājah).
Prioritise performing the five farḍ prayers in congregation along with all the additional sunnah prayers. Perform them with full concentration, calmness and tranquillity (i.e. with full khushūʿ). Use this opportunity to also perform the voluntary prayers e.g. ṣalāh alḍuḥā and tahajjud.
Janazah Salah
After nearly every ṣalāh in Makkah and Madinah, you will have the opportunity to perform the janāzah prayer. Take advantage of this, especially if you are normally unable to attend the janāzah ṣalāh. The reward is immense. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever attends a funeral until the ṣalāh is offered will have (the reward of ) one qīrāṭ. And whoever stays until the burial will have two qīrāṭs.” It was asked, “What are the two qīrāṭs?” He replied, “Like two great mountains” (Bukhārī). Let each janāzah be a reminder of death and of the fleeting nature of this life.
Tip: Use this opportunity to memorise additional duʿās for the janāzah ṣalāh, as you will find that there is ample time for duʿā’ after the third takbīr. Refer to the Dhikr&Dua App by Life With Allah for the duʿās.
Reflect: Imagine yourself alone in the darkness of the grave: stripped of your clothing and wealth, with no family to comfort you and no friends to help you.
Act: During your journey, take some out to think about death. Reflect on the changes you need to make in your life so that you are prepared for the inevitable reality: death.
Even if the Kaʿbah had no other honour besides the fact that Allah attributed it to Himself — saying, “Purify My House” — that alone would have been enough to grant it immense nobility and status. It is this very attribution that draws the hearts of the entire world towards it, capturing their hearts with love and longing to see it. It is the sanctuary for the lovers; they return to it again and again, never feeling satisfied. The more they visit it, the more their love grows and their yearning deepens. Neither proximity nor distance from it soothes their longing – Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh)
7. Shaving the Head
