The Deeds Equivalent to the Reward of Hajj (with British Sign Language) - Shaykh Zakaullah Saleem

Khutbah Opening

The Season of Hajj Has Passed — But the Reward Remains Open

Alhamdulillah, by the grace of Allah, millions of Muslims completed Hajj just a few days ago when they gathered in Mecca, in Mina, in Arafat, in Muzdalifah, chanting the glorification of Allah, saying لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ, saying اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ — and then gathering in the plain of Arafat and spending their day making du'a to Allah Dhul Jalal Al-Ikram. May Allah accept everyone's Hajj. May Allah allow those who had the intention to go for Hajj but could not do so — may Allah make it easy for them for next year.

Although the season of Hajj — the time of Hajj — is over, the reward for Hajj is still open. This is the beauty of the religion of Allah. Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam has informed us about certain good deeds that if we were to perform, we can get the reward similar to the reward of Hajj.

Deeds Equivalent to the Reward of Hajj

1. The Sincere Intention for Hajj

One of them — the most important I should say — is the sincere intention. The intention for going for Hajj. Those who had the intention to go for Hajj this year but could not do so because of a legitimate reason — Allah is not going to deprive them from the reward. Rather, they will get the reward, as it is mentioned in the hadith of Jabir radiyallahu ta'ala.

(Sahih Muslim, Book 33, Hadith 4425 — narrated by Jabir ibn 'Abdillah radiyallahu 'anhu, referring to the Battle of Tabuk)

He said, when we were with the Messenger of Allah during the Battle of Tabuk and we were walking and travelling with him, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said to his companions: "In Medina, back in Medina, there are some people who could not walk with you and they could not travel with you, they could not cross the valleys along with you — but they are with you in reward. Their sickness has prevented them from joining you."

And Imam An-Nawawi, explaining this hadith, said that this is the case with all good deeds — that if a person has a sincere intention to perform a good deed, and he has planned and is ready, and he has sought all the means within his capacity and utilised all those means, yet he could not do so, Allah will not deprive him from the reward. And the same applies to Hajj. Those who could not go for Hajj because of a legitimate reason but have a sincere intention are going to get the reward of Hajj, insha'Allah.

2. Performing 'Umrah — Al-Hajjul Asghar

Another good deed is 'Umrah, which is called Al-Hajjul Asghar — the minor Hajj — which is open throughout the year. Those who have the ability and the means to go for 'Umrah, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam has encouraged us to perform 'Umrah frequently. He said: "'Umrah after 'Umrah" — by this good deed Allah expiates the sins of the person between the two 'Umrahs.

3. Making Wudu at Home and Walking to the Masjid for Congregational Prayer

Another good deed that the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam has informed us about — by which the reward of the deed is equal to the reward of Hajj — is when you make wudu at home and you leave your home and head towards the Masjid, the house of Allah, with the intention of offering your Salah in congregational prayer. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 558 — narrated by Abu Umama radiyallahu 'anhu)

"Whoever performs wudu at home and then goes out and heads towards the Masjid with the intention of joining the congregational prayer — he gets the reward of the person who is performing Hajj and is in the state of Ihram." A great reward. And it applies to every single congregational prayer — Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha — anytime and every time you leave home and come to the Masjid with the intention of performing the Salah in congregation, you get the reward of Hajj. SubhanAllah — just imagine if you were to make efforts to attend the Masjid five times a day, it means every single day you have performed five Hajj. Great reward.

4. Salatul Fajr in Congregation, Followed by Dhikr Until Sunrise, Then Salatul Ishraq

Another good deed that the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam has informed us about the reward of Hajj — he sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:

(Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Hadith 586 — narrated by Anas ibn Malik radiyallahu 'anhu)

"Whoever performs Salatul Fajr in congregation — in jama'ah — and then after completing his Salah stays in his place where he offered the Salah in jama'ah, and keeps himself busy with the Dhikr of Allah until the sun rises, and then after the sun rises gets up and offers two raka'at — known as Salatul Ishraq — such a person gets the reward of a complete Hajj." Not only Hajj — complete Hajj and 'Umrah. The narrator of this hadith, Anas radiyallahu ta'ala, used to emphasise by saying the hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam means the person will get the reward of complete Hajj and complete 'Umrah.

Great reward for those who make efforts to attend the Masjid for Salatul Fajr. If they don't have to leave the Masjid straight after Salatul Fajr, if they have time, they should try to stay in the Masjid until sunrise and then offer two raka'at after sunrise with the intention of Salatul Ishraq — they will get the reward of complete Hajj and complete 'Umrah.

5. Performing 'Umrah in the Month of Ramadan

Another great good deed that we can do in order to get the reward equal to the reward of Hajj is performing 'Umrah in the month of Ramadan. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam once said to a female companion known as Umm Sinan radiyallahu ta'ala — when he was preparing for Hajj, he said to her: "Why don't you travel with us for Hajj?" She said: "O Messenger of Allah, my husband and my son have already set off for Hajj and I have to stay behind." Then the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam gave her comfort and said:

"If you make the intention and perform 'Umrah in the month of Ramadan, you will get the reward of performing complete Hajj." Another version of the hadith says: "If you were to perform 'Umrah in the month of Ramadan it is as if you have performed Hajj with me" — along with the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam. And the scholars have said it means that the spirituality you experience, and the ruhaniyya that you feel by performing 'Umrah in the month of Ramadan, is far greater than performing 'Umrah outside the month of Ramadan.

6. Reciting Dhikr After the Fard Prayer

Another good deed by which we can gain the reward of Hajj is keeping ourselves busy with the Dhikr of Allah after the Fard prayer. Unfortunately, many of us have the habit of getting up straight after the Salam — although we are not in a rush — but some of us, the moment the Imam says Salam, we get up and leave the Masjid. We deprive ourselves of great reward.

There are multiple rewards in staying. One of them: as long as you stay in the place where you offered the congregational prayer, the angels will be appointed by Allah to make du'a for you. And when you get up, the angels stop making du'a for you. So you deprive yourself of the du'a of the angels. The angels make du'a for you — for the time you spend there, five minutes, ten minutes — they continuously make du'a, asking Allah: "O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, shower Your mercy upon him." So we should try to stay in that place.

But in addition to this, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam has informed us about the reward of Hajj through the following — when some poor companions came to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam and said: "O Messenger of Allah, we are poor. We don't have much wealth. And the people of wealth have taken all the rewards — they offer the Salah the way we offer, they fast the way we fast in the month of Ramadan — but they have the additional merit of wealth. We don't have wealth, and by that wealth they go for Hajj and 'Umrah and give in charity. This is something we cannot do because we are poor." Then the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: "Shall I not inform you about something that if you were to do, you will get the reward similar to theirs — which includes the efforts of making Hajj by spending their money?" Then the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 843; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 595 — narrated by Abu Hurayrah radiyallahu 'anhu)

"Say Alhamdulillah, SubhanAllah, and Allahu Akbar — each 33 times — after every Fard prayer." If you were to do this, you will get the reward of offering Hajj. SubhanAllah.

7. Going to the Masjid to Learn or Teach the Deen

Another great good deed by which we can get the reward of complete Hajj is what is mentioned in the hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam, reported by Imam At-Tabarani, and authenticated by Imam Al-Albani:

(Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir of Imam At-Tabarani — authenticated by Imam Al-Albani in Sahih At-Targhib wat-Tarhib, Hadith 86)

"Whoever goes to the Masjid with the sole intention of seeking Islamic knowledge — with the sole intention of learning something about the Quran and the Sunnah of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam — or with the intention of teaching the Deen of Allah — both — whoever goes to the Masjid with the intention of learning or teaching the Deen of Allah, he gets the reward of the person who has performed Hajj."

The Obligation of Hajj Is Not Lifted

With all these good deeds we can have great hope in the mercy of Allah that Allah Dhul Jalal Al-Ikram rewards us with the reward of Hajj. But it does not mean that the obligation of Hajj is lifted from you. If you are obliged to perform Hajj, you have to make every effort to go for Hajj. And those who have the means, the ability, and the istita'ah — they must try their best to go for Hajj and they should not delay it.

Many of us who are obliged to perform Hajj have the means and the ability — physically they are fit, they have enough wealth — but they simply miss it because of delaying, year after year. We should not do so. Because Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam and one of the greatest obligations to Allah Dhul Jalal Al-Ikram. May Allah give us tawfiq and ability to fulfil our obligations to Him Dhul Jalal Al-Ikram. And may Allah allow us to continue performing good deeds by which we can gain the mercy of Allah.

Closing Du'as