Hajj: Where the Scholars Met

Hajj: Where the Scholars Met

I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. And all those that follow them in goodness till the end of times.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Qur'an, in Surah Al-Hajj, where He commands Ibrahim عليه السلام to call and proclaim out to the people to come for Hajj:

That they will come on foot and they will come on the backs of animals from very far distant lands. Why?

So that they may witness what benefits them. مَنَافِع — my dear brothers and sisters — is جَمْعُ كَثْرَة, meaning it is many in number. What the Hujjaj go and benefit from is not one or two things.

Yes, of course they are benefiting for their Akhirah, where they are fulfilling the Rukun of Hajj. Yes, of course they are getting the benefit — inshallah, if Allah grants them an accepted Hajj —

That they will return with no sins like the days their mother gave birth to them. Of course there are many مَنَافِعُ أُخْرَوِيَّة, and there are also مَنَافِعُ دُنْيَوِيَّة, where people get to experience different cultures and go across the land, and for people even رِزْق. But there are other مَنَافِع as well that are part of Hajj.

And that is — from the time of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم — where the Sahaba رضي الله عنهم had that as an opportunity to literally see Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. And through the generations after, Hajj became the meeting place for the Ummah. Hajj became the meeting place for the great scholars of Islam, the great أَئِمَّة of Islam. It became مَلْتَقَى الْعُلَمَاء — the place where the greatest minds would get together and share knowledge, exchange ideas, and despite coming from different backgrounds, see the unity and beauty of Islam. Hajj was the مَلْتَقَى, the place where the عُلَمَاء would meet.

One of my teachers would say that Makkah al-Mukarramah, as Allah سبحانه وتعالى says of it:

That Makkah al-Mukarramah is where all of the fruits come — but it is not just talking about apples, oranges, and watermelon — though in these hot days that is what we are thinking about! The ثَمَرَات here are beyond that. And what greater fruit than the fruit of knowledge? Makkah al-Mukarramah is where ideas were spread, where عُلَمَاء would gather.

And so in today's خُطْبَة, I will mention a few stories and lessons from these stories of when عُلَمَاء would meet in Makkah al-Mukarramah, in Al-Hajj.

'Ata ibn Abi Rabah: The Mufti of the Haram

From amongst those great scholars was the Tabi'i 'Ata ibn Abi Rabah رحمه الله. He was a Tabi'i who was a slave, then freed. He was a Black man. He had a limp رحمه الله, and he even had a defect in his eye رحمه الله. 'Ata gave his life to serving the Muslims. 'Ata was known and titled by Imam al-Dhahabi as مُفْتِي الْحَرَم — literally the Mufti of the Haram. He met with 200 of the companions of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, may Allah be pleased with all of them. He was titled شَيْخُ الْمَنَاسِك — he was the Sheikh of Hajj — to the point where the Khalifa even said that nobody is allowed to give fatwa during Hajj if 'Ata is present. 'Ata is the only one that is going to give fatwa for Hajj.

Because, as you all know, Hajj is very confusing. In fact, when you look at the books of fiqh that were written by scholars who never went for Hajj, there are mistakes in them, because it is very experiential. 'Ata رحمه الله performed over 70 Hajj in his lifetime.

Imam Abu Hanifa and the Barber

Imam Abu Hanifa, who was from the later generations of the Tabi'een, met him when he was younger رحمه الله. This story is narrated by Ibn al-Jawzi, and later Ibn Hajar says of it that it is مَشْهُور — very well known.

Imam Abu Hanifa رحمه الله himself performed 55 Hajj in his lifetime — 55 Hajj. May Allah invite us, يا رب العالمين. May Allah invite us, يا رب العالمين.

Early in his life, when he was younger, he went for Hajj. As you all know, when you are there, you have to fulfill مُحَلِّقِينَ رُؤُوسَكُمْ وَمُقَصِّرِينَ — after fulfilling your Umrah or your Hajj, you have to shave your head. And so he went to a barber and asked him how much the payment was.

The barber said: "No, no, no — sit. You don't argue and you don't bargain when it comes to عِبَادَة. This is not a market — you can give what you wish, but we are not going to bargain over something that is an عِبَادَة."

And so Imam Abu Hanifa, in his early youth, sat down and the barber began to shave. But then he told him: "No, no — before we start, why aren't you facing the Qibla? This is نُسُك — face the Qibla." And so he started to face the Qibla. Then he offered his left cheek. The barber said: "No, begin from the right." Again reminding him that this is عِبَادَة — when you shave your head in Hajj, when you trim your hair in Hajj or in Umrah, this is an عِبَادَة. You are fulfilling an obligation of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. It is nothing small.

Then he began to shave his head from the right, and sat there in silence. The barber said: "No — do ذِكْر of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. Do the تَكْبِيرَات, do the تَلْبِيَة, do your ذِكْر of Allah سبحانه وتعالى." And so he began to do it until he finished. Then when he got up to leave, the barber said: "Where are you going? After you finish an عِبَادَة, you are supposed to make دُعَاء."

Imam Abu Hanifa رحمه الله, in his early age, was surprised. Is this man a scholar? And he is working as a barber? What is going on? And so he asked him: "Where did you learn all of this? Where did you get all of this?" He said:

"I saw 'Ata ibn Abi Rabah do this — and so that is why I am doing it."

SubhanAllah. Look at how a simple barber — a man who trims and shaves the heads of the حُجَّاج — knows all of these detailed rulings. Why? Because of a scholar within his midst. That is why the عُلَمَاء would say:

(A well-known statement of the scholars)

"Wherever you go, be next to a scholar." Because the scholar — through his actions and through his guidance — can guide you. And الحمد لله, we are living in a city where there are so many عُلَمَاء. May Allah allow us to benefit from them, يا رب العالمين.

The Khalifa Humbled Before the Former Slave

'Ata ibn Abi Rabah, the Sheikh of Hajj — one time the Umayyid Khalifa Sulayman ibn 'Abd al-Malik came for Hajj. And you can imagine — أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِين, the Khalifa, coming with his full entourage. But in Hajj, whether you are a surgeon, whether you are a janitor, whether you are a big CEO in corporate America or a simple driver — it does not matter. Because over there, we are all on the same playing field. We are all fulfilling the same عِبَادَة. They are all wearing the same إِحْرَام. Yes, he was the Khalifa, but he was wearing the same إِحْرَام as everyone else.

'Ata had nothing to do with the dunya — he did not want the dunya, he wanted Allah عز وجل. He was literally just in Masjid al-Haram; he would sleep in Masjid al-Haram رحمه الله. Sulayman, the Khalifa, came with his two sons to ask 'Ata questions related to Hajj — to take a fatwa. 'Ata had gathered all of the people around him and there was a line to ask him questions. The Khalifa came and he expected to bypass the line because he is the Khalifa, he is the leader. And so 'Ata asked him: "Is this related to matters of state? If not — if you are coming to ask questions — then you need to stand in line like everyone else, because over here it is an even playing field."

So Sulayman ibn 'Abd al-Malik had to stand with all of the regular people and then ask his question. Imagine a Khalifa being humbled in front of a man who was once a slave — why? Because Allah elevated him with knowledge. Ya Allah, elevate us with knowledge, يا رب العالمين, and make it a proof for us and not against us, يا رب العالمين.

When Sulayman ibn 'Abd al-Malik left with his two sons, he told them:

"Do not be negligent regarding knowledge. Do not be lazy regarding studying knowledge. Because, wallahi, I will never forget how humbled we were — how humiliated we became — in front of a man who was once a slave."

Look at how Allah elevated 'Ata through knowledge, and how people would benefit from being in Makkah al-Mukarramah and from its scholars.

Imam Ahmed and the Journey for Knowledge

Imam Ahmed رحمه الله — that great scholar of the four Imams — would travel from city to city, from place to place, taking knowledge of hadith. In one of his journeys, he sought to go to Sana'a to 'Abd al-Razzaq al-San'ani, because his chain of narration was very short to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. And since he was in Iraq and Yemen is in between — and Makkah lies on that route — they planned their journey at the time of Hajj so that they could stop for Hajj and then continue to 'Abd al-Razzaq.

He was with his companion in knowledge, 'Ali ibn al-Madini. When they were doing the طَوَاف, 'Ali ibn al-Madini told Imam Ahmed: "I give you good news — we do not have to go anymore, because 'Abd al-Razzaq is here for Hajj! The very one we were going to travel all the way to Sana'a for — he is already here."

Imam Ahmed said: "No. I am not going to change my intention. We made the intention to go out to Yemen to take knowledge from him — so we are going to go to Yemen and seek knowledge from him."

Imam Ahmed, even at the point of his travels to Yemen after Hajj, had no means of money to continue the journey. So he worked on a farm — a مَزْرَعَة — for a short while so that he could continue his journey. When he returned, his students looked at him — so skinny and so weak — and they said: "All of this? You made yourself so weak and so tired — for what?"

He said: "It is nothing. When I say عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنِ الْمَعْمَر، عَنِ الزُّهْرِي — all of those narrations, those أَحَادِيث that are connecting me to Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم — it was worth it."

SubhanAllah. Look at these great Imams.

Imam Ahmed Meets Imam al-Shafi'i

Imam Ahmed رحمه الله also performed several Hajj himself. On one of those occasions, he was with his companion Muhammad ibn al-Fadl. Muhammad ibn al-Fadl was in the gathering of Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna, taking a hadith from him with a short chain of narration to Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. He did not see Imam Ahmed around, so he went to look for him — and he found him in another gathering of scholars.

He went to him and said: "You are missing out! Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna is giving hadith — you are missing out!" And Imam Ahmed told him: "Be quiet. If you miss a hadith from a high chain of narration, you can get it later with a lower chain of narration. But the knowledge of this person — if you miss it now, I am afraid you will not get it until the Day of Judgment. Because I have never seen someone more knowledgeable in the Book of Allah than him."

It was none other than Imam al-Shafi'i. SubhanAllah — all of these great Imams, our great scholars, our great predecessors, they would meet in Hajj. This is the بَرَكَة of Hajj.

Imam al-Bukhari and the Fruits of Makkah

Imam al-Bukhari رحمه الله — after taking the knowledge of the people of his town in Uzbekistan — traveled at the age of 16 with his mother and his brother. He traveled and arrived at the time of Hajj, and he chose to remain in Makkah al-Mukarramah. Why? So that he could continue to benefit from the عُلَمَاء there and continue to take hadith from them. He would make his rounds — his جَوْلَات — and then he would go to Madinah, where he wrote al-Tarikh al-Kabir, which contains over a thousand narrators reviewed through the lens of the مُحَدِّثِين. He wrote it in the moonlit nights of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, because Allah had given him such strong eyesight — when his mother had prayed for him after he became blind in his youth, Allah returned his eyesight and gave him so much strength in it رحمه الله.

Look at all of these benefits of Hajj. I ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى to invite us, يا رب العالمين. And it is a reminder for you and I: sit in the gatherings of the righteous, and wherever you find them, go and give salams to them.

أقول ما تسمعون، أستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين، فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرحيم.

Second Khutbah: The Legacy Continues — Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani

الحمد لله رب العالمين، والصلاة والسلام على سيدنا ونبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين.

My dear brothers and sisters, this legacy of عُلَمَاء and great minds and thinkers meeting at Hajj is not just something of the past — it is something that exists even now.

From the Shaykh of our Mashaykh — Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani رحمه الله — who was of Indonesian roots but was from Makkah al-Mukarramah. An Indonesian scholar, but from Makkah al-Mukarramah. He was the scholar of isnad of his time — مُسْنِدُ زَمَانِهِ وَعَصْرِهِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ. Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani رحمه الله was in Makkah al-Mukarramah, and he had an ijazah from over 700 Mashaykh. This was none other than the fruits of Makkah al-Mukarramah:

Every time scholars would come for Hajj, they would go and meet the Shaykh at his home. He was able to meet the great minds of scholars from Africa, from the subcontinent, from South Asia, from مَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْر, and from all over the globe. They would come to him, he would take ijazah from them, and they would take ijazah from him رحمه الله.

The Musalsal of the Multazam

There is one beautiful سَنَد — one beautiful ijazah — that I will end this khutbah with. It is a مُسَلْسَل — a chain of narration where every narrator mentions the same quality, the same thing: بِاسْتِجَابَةِ الدُّعَاءِ عِنْدَ الْمُلْتَزَم — that each narrator mentions that they made du'a at the Multazam, between the door of the Ka'bah and Hajar al-Aswad.

Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani — reporting this hadith from all of the narrators — made du'a to Allah at the Multazam, and each narrator mentions a du'a that Allah accepted for them. He asked Allah at the Multazam to give him the knowledge of isnad. And there was no Shaykh of his time that competed with him رحمه الله in having more ijazah from the عُلَمَاء. Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani — مُسْنِدُ عَصْرِهِ رحمه الله.

And I heard this same du'a from my Shaykh — and I am telling you this du'a as well. How lucky are the حُجَّاج that they can stand exactly where Rasulullah ﷺ stood, where he put his cheek to the Ka'bah and made du'a ﷺ. How lucky are the حُجَّاج that they get to walk where Rasulullah ﷺ walked. How lucky are the حُجَّاج that they are walking in the footsteps and the legacy of Rasulullah ﷺ, and before him, his father Ibrahim عليه السلام.

Du'a

I ask Allah to accept their Hajj, يا رب العالمين. To return them safely to their families, يا رب العالمين. To forgive them of all of their sins like the day their mother gave them birth, يا رب العالمين. And ya Allah, invite us as well, يا رب — invite us sooner rather than later, يا رب العالمين — عَاجِلًا لَا آجِلًا يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِين.

Ya Allah, as You have united all of the حُجَّاج at Makkah al-Mukarramah, ya Allah, unite the hearts of the Muslim Ummah, يا رب العالمين. Ya Allah, give strength to the Muslim Ummah, يا رب العالمين. Ya Allah, ease the situation of Muslims worldwide, يا رب العالمين. Help and ease the situation of the Muslims in Gaza, يا رب العالمين, and Sudan, and China, and everywhere where Muslims are suffering, يا رب العالمين.

اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ، وَاشْكُرُوهُ عَلَى نِعَمِهِ يَزِدْكُمْ، وَاتَّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا — وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ.