Here I come O Allah
Rehearsal of Resurrection: Wuquf on the Plain of 'Arafah starts just after the sun slips to the west and lasts until it sets. The (Pilgrims) are told to look deep into their hearts and see whether they would indeed be ready to stand on the Court of Allah on the Plain of Mahshar.Picture: Reuters
Friday, December 14, 2007
'HERE I come O Allah, here I come. Here I come, nothing compares to You, here I come.Verily, all praises and mercies are Yours, and all powers too..
Nothing compares to You."
His face suddenly turned pale. He trembled. The great grandson of Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him), 'Ali ibn Al-Husain, could not bring himself to chant the above talbiyah as required of pilgrims of haj and umrah as soon as they pass the miqat (borders where the haj begins).
When his companions asked, he whispered: "How frightened I am that it would be said to me, 'there's no welcome, there's no happiness for you'."
This is the state of the mind and the heart of many salafi ulama upon embarking on the haj. Large-bodied jets and expensive hotel facilities enjoyed today by many pilgrims including those from Brunei Darussalam should never erase from their hearts and their minds the fear that Allah may not accept their journey and their worship.
This fear, however, can only be born out of a true understanding of the essence of haj. In Arabic, haj means aim, destination or purpose (qasd). It is the ultimate journey of loving submission ('ubudiyah) and conscious surrender to Allah. Its ultimate destination is one's encounter with the House of Allah (Baytullah), the Ka'bah, with both one's physical body and, more importantly, one's heart (qalb).
Ibn al-Jawzi related a story of an old, blind woman who was performing the haj years ago with a caravan. Throughout the journey, she kept asking, "Are we at the house of my Lord?" Time and again, she was told, "No, Mother, we are not there yet." As the caravan neared Mekah, she was informed they were almost there. Finally, they entered Masjidil Haram. She was led to the Ka'bah. Touching it, she cried, "Baytu Rabbi? The House of my Lord?" Weeping, she clung to the cloth of the Ka'bah — and died. The woman realised with her heart the true significance of visiting the House of her Lord.
Every haj season is a great reminder for all mankind (Muslim or non-Muslim, who are on haj as well as those who are not, those who have gone on haj and those who have yet to go) about our creation and where we shall all be returned. Wuquf or standing on the Plain of 'Arafah which marks the peak of haj is a rehearsal of the staging of Allah's Court on Mahshar — the place where no man has been and to which everybody will eventually go.
'Arafah the small Mahshar
After the Day of Qiyamah, every single human being will be assembled on the Plain of Mahshar to give an account of his or her life on earth.
"A Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds?" (translation of Allah's words in the Holy Quran surah Al-Mutaffifin [83]: 6)
"And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them? And when mankind is gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities) will become enemies for them and will deny their worshiping." (surah Al-Ahqaf [46]: 5-6)
Reported by his blessed Companion, Sahl ibn Sa'd, Allah's Messenger said, "The people will be assembled on the Day of Resurrection on a white plain with a reddish tinge like the loaf of white bread with no marks set up for anyone." (Sahih Muslim hadith no. 4998)
Wuquf is rehearsal of the time when all humans, from the first man, Adam 'Alaihis sallam, to the last man born and existing on earth, would be gathered.
Wuquf starts just after the sun slips to the west and lasts until it sets. Throughout those precious hours, the hujaj are requested to only pray and worship.
Here, they are told to look deep into their hearts and see whether they would indeed be ready to stand on the Court of Allah on the Plain of Mahshar.
"At what point do I stand now in my life? How much has Allah given me, how much of those bounties that I have spent to win Allah's blessing and pleasure by helping the poor? How much have I spent only on my pleasures instead?"
"How many violations toward Allah's rulings and those of the Messenger of Allah have I committed all these years? Have I really repented and made efforts to cleanse my sins? How much time do I still have left in this life? Do I still have the chance and opportunity to improve my life?"
The checklist is as long as one wants and needs to have it.
On 'Arafah, we learn two things. As we acknowledge our disobedience, our sins, our rebelliousness, we learn about our unworthiness as the servants of Allah Most High. As we reveal everything to Allah, minor or major, we learn to all-embracing knowledge, the inestimable mercy, the boundless generosity and grace of Allah in forgiving us. Who besides Allah can forgive and does forgive?
Everyday's Wuquf
The Prophet has said that Wuquf is the ultimate representation of haj, which is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for able-bodied Muslims. Observed while in the state of Ihram, the men covering their bodies with two pieces of seamless cloth as a reminder of the shroud that will eventually be their cover upon death, Wuquf in 'Arafah is a rehearsal of death, and a rehearsal for the resurrection of men after the Day of Qiyamah.
Allah, however, has given mankind other forms of 'Wuquf'. We have it one whole month during Ramadan every year. We have every Friday. We have the same opportunity every time we say our solat every day.
Ramadans, Fridays, five obligatory solat every day, they are all our 'Wuquf' to remind us about death, about Mahshar, about having to stand before the most Just of Judge; we may not be standing on the Plain of Arafat for these 'Wuquf' but they should serve as our rehearsals nevertheless.
Our remembering death and resurrection as well as the Court of Allah should be the benefit of those 'Wuquf'.
In summarising Imam Al-Ghazali's Ihya' 'Ulumuddin, Ustadz Said Muhammad Daib Hawwa (Integrated Concept of Soul Purifying, Darussalam) provided a special note about the kind of inner dimension that a person must posses upon standing on the Plain of 'Arafah:
"Remember, from the sight that we see on Arafat, when humans from different voices, different languages, different groups, about the space reserved after the Day of Qiyamah, when all peoples and their Prophets and leaders are to stand in confusion, will be they accepted or will they be repulsed. When you have reminded yourself of that, invite your heart to bow and submit and pray that Allah gather you with those who are answered and upon whom mercy is heaped."
Wuquf in Arafat is the peak of the mystery of haj. Ask Allah for His mercy for all mankind. May the same intense feeling that is experienced on this day be maintained every day. Here I come O Allah, here I come.
Nothing compares to You.
The Brunei Times
Nothing compares to You."
His face suddenly turned pale. He trembled. The great grandson of Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him), 'Ali ibn Al-Husain, could not bring himself to chant the above talbiyah as required of pilgrims of haj and umrah as soon as they pass the miqat (borders where the haj begins).
When his companions asked, he whispered: "How frightened I am that it would be said to me, 'there's no welcome, there's no happiness for you'."
This is the state of the mind and the heart of many salafi ulama upon embarking on the haj. Large-bodied jets and expensive hotel facilities enjoyed today by many pilgrims including those from Brunei Darussalam should never erase from their hearts and their minds the fear that Allah may not accept their journey and their worship.
This fear, however, can only be born out of a true understanding of the essence of haj. In Arabic, haj means aim, destination or purpose (qasd). It is the ultimate journey of loving submission ('ubudiyah) and conscious surrender to Allah. Its ultimate destination is one's encounter with the House of Allah (Baytullah), the Ka'bah, with both one's physical body and, more importantly, one's heart (qalb).
Ibn al-Jawzi related a story of an old, blind woman who was performing the haj years ago with a caravan. Throughout the journey, she kept asking, "Are we at the house of my Lord?" Time and again, she was told, "No, Mother, we are not there yet." As the caravan neared Mekah, she was informed they were almost there. Finally, they entered Masjidil Haram. She was led to the Ka'bah. Touching it, she cried, "Baytu Rabbi? The House of my Lord?" Weeping, she clung to the cloth of the Ka'bah — and died. The woman realised with her heart the true significance of visiting the House of her Lord.
Every haj season is a great reminder for all mankind (Muslim or non-Muslim, who are on haj as well as those who are not, those who have gone on haj and those who have yet to go) about our creation and where we shall all be returned. Wuquf or standing on the Plain of 'Arafah which marks the peak of haj is a rehearsal of the staging of Allah's Court on Mahshar — the place where no man has been and to which everybody will eventually go.
'Arafah the small Mahshar
After the Day of Qiyamah, every single human being will be assembled on the Plain of Mahshar to give an account of his or her life on earth.
"A Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds?" (translation of Allah's words in the Holy Quran surah Al-Mutaffifin [83]: 6)
"And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them? And when mankind is gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities) will become enemies for them and will deny their worshiping." (surah Al-Ahqaf [46]: 5-6)
Reported by his blessed Companion, Sahl ibn Sa'd, Allah's Messenger said, "The people will be assembled on the Day of Resurrection on a white plain with a reddish tinge like the loaf of white bread with no marks set up for anyone." (Sahih Muslim hadith no. 4998)
Wuquf is rehearsal of the time when all humans, from the first man, Adam 'Alaihis sallam, to the last man born and existing on earth, would be gathered.
Wuquf starts just after the sun slips to the west and lasts until it sets. Throughout those precious hours, the hujaj are requested to only pray and worship.
Here, they are told to look deep into their hearts and see whether they would indeed be ready to stand on the Court of Allah on the Plain of Mahshar.
"At what point do I stand now in my life? How much has Allah given me, how much of those bounties that I have spent to win Allah's blessing and pleasure by helping the poor? How much have I spent only on my pleasures instead?"
"How many violations toward Allah's rulings and those of the Messenger of Allah have I committed all these years? Have I really repented and made efforts to cleanse my sins? How much time do I still have left in this life? Do I still have the chance and opportunity to improve my life?"
The checklist is as long as one wants and needs to have it.
On 'Arafah, we learn two things. As we acknowledge our disobedience, our sins, our rebelliousness, we learn about our unworthiness as the servants of Allah Most High. As we reveal everything to Allah, minor or major, we learn to all-embracing knowledge, the inestimable mercy, the boundless generosity and grace of Allah in forgiving us. Who besides Allah can forgive and does forgive?
Everyday's Wuquf
The Prophet has said that Wuquf is the ultimate representation of haj, which is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for able-bodied Muslims. Observed while in the state of Ihram, the men covering their bodies with two pieces of seamless cloth as a reminder of the shroud that will eventually be their cover upon death, Wuquf in 'Arafah is a rehearsal of death, and a rehearsal for the resurrection of men after the Day of Qiyamah.
Allah, however, has given mankind other forms of 'Wuquf'. We have it one whole month during Ramadan every year. We have every Friday. We have the same opportunity every time we say our solat every day.
Ramadans, Fridays, five obligatory solat every day, they are all our 'Wuquf' to remind us about death, about Mahshar, about having to stand before the most Just of Judge; we may not be standing on the Plain of Arafat for these 'Wuquf' but they should serve as our rehearsals nevertheless.
Our remembering death and resurrection as well as the Court of Allah should be the benefit of those 'Wuquf'.
In summarising Imam Al-Ghazali's Ihya' 'Ulumuddin, Ustadz Said Muhammad Daib Hawwa (Integrated Concept of Soul Purifying, Darussalam) provided a special note about the kind of inner dimension that a person must posses upon standing on the Plain of 'Arafah:
"Remember, from the sight that we see on Arafat, when humans from different voices, different languages, different groups, about the space reserved after the Day of Qiyamah, when all peoples and their Prophets and leaders are to stand in confusion, will be they accepted or will they be repulsed. When you have reminded yourself of that, invite your heart to bow and submit and pray that Allah gather you with those who are answered and upon whom mercy is heaped."
Wuquf in Arafat is the peak of the mystery of haj. Ask Allah for His mercy for all mankind. May the same intense feeling that is experienced on this day be maintained every day. Here I come O Allah, here I come.
Nothing compares to You.
The Brunei Times
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