HAVE YOU REALLY PERFORMED HAJJ??

       A man came to visit Hadrat Junaid Baghdaadii, whose life bore no impress even after having performed Hajj. Hadrat Junaid asked him:

"Where are you coming from?"

"Sir, I have returned after performing Hajj of the House of Allaah.", said the man.

"So, have you actually performed the Hajj?"

"Yes, Sir, I have performed the Hajj" said the man.

"Did you pledge that you would give up sins when you left your home for Hajj?" asked Hadrat Junaid.

"No, Sir, I never thought of that", said the man.

"Then, in fact, you did not even step out for Hajj. While you were on the sacred journey and making halts at all the places during the nights, did you ever think of attaining nearness to Allaah?"

"Sir, I had no such idea."

"Then you did not at all travel to the Ka'aba, nor did you ever visit it. When you put on the Ihraam garments, and discarded your ordinary dress, did you make up your mind to abandon your evil ways and attitudes in life as well?"

"No, Sir, I had no idea of that."

"Then you did not even don the Ihraam garments" said Hadrat Junaid ruefully. Then he asked: "When you stood in the Plain of Arafaah and were imploring Almighty Allaah, did you have the feeling that you were standing in Divine Presence and having a vision of Him?"

"No, Sir, I had no such experience."

"Then you did not visit Arafaah" Hadrat Junaid then became a little upset and asked:

"Well, when you came to Muzdalifah, did you promise that you would give up your vain desires of the flesh?"

"Sir, I paid no heed to this."

"You did not then come to Muzdalifah at all". The he asked:

"Tell me, did you happen to have the glimpses of Divine Beauty when you moved round the House of Allaah?"

"No, Sir, I had no such glimpses."

"Then you did not move round the Ka'aba at all."

Then he said:

"When you made Sa'i (running) between Safaa and the Marwa, did you realise the wisdom, significance and objective of your effort?"

"Sir, I was not at all conscious of this."

"Then you did not make any Sa'i!"

Then he asked:

"When you slaughtered an animal at the place of sacrifice, did you sacrifice your selfish desires as well in the way of Allaah?"

"Sir I failed to give any attention to that!"

"Then, in fact you offered no sacrifice whatever."

"Then, when you cast stones at the Jamrahs, did you make a resolve to get ride of your evil companions and friends and desires?"

"No, Sir, I didn't do that."

"Then you didn't cast stones at all" remarked Hadrat Junaid regretfully, and said:

"Go back and perform Hajj once again, giving due thought and attention to all the requirements, so that your Hajj may bear some resemblance with Prophet's Abraham's Hajj, whose faith and sincerity has been confirmed by the Qur'aan thus-"

"... and Abraham who carried out most faithfully the Commands (of his Lord)." (Ch 53 V 37)

~ End ~