Hajj: A Complete Act of Worship

Devin Halim Wijaya11 July 2024

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Hajj is one of the fifth pillars of Islam and is a complete act of worship as it combines material, physical, and spiritual deeds in one act of worship.

Dalil on Hajj can be found in the Quran and Hadith. In the Quran, Allah ﷻ says:

وَأَتِمُّوا الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ أُحْصِرْتُمْ فَمَا اسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ الْهَدْيِ ۖ وَلَا تَحْلِقُوا رُءُوسَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ الْهَدْيُ ۖ وَلَا تَحْلِقُوا رُءُوسَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ الْهَدْيُ مَحِلَّهُ ۚ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ ۚ فَإِذَا أَمِنْتُمْ فَمَنْ تَمَتَّعَ بِالْعُمْرَةِ إِلَى الْحَجِّ فَمَا اسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ الْهَدْيِ ۚ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الْحَجِّ وَسْعَةٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ ۗ تِلْكَ عََشَرَةٌ كَامِلَةٌ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ أَهْلُهُ حَاضِرِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ.

And complete the Hajj and ‘Umrah for the sake of Allah. If you are besieged (by enemies or sickness), then slaughter a sacrifice that is easily available, and do not shave your heads before the sacrifice reaches the place of slaughter. If any of you is sick or has a problem with his head (and shaves it), then he must make an expiation, fasting or giving charity or making a sacrifice. When you are secure, then whoever wishes to perform ‘Umrah before Hajj (during the month of Hajj), (he must offer) a sacrifice that is easily available. But if he does not find (a sacrifice or is unable to afford it), then it is obligatory to fast three days during the pilgrimage and seven days (more) when you return. These are the ten perfect days. Such is the case for those whose families are not in the neighborhood of the Sacred Mosque (those who are not residents of Makkah). And fear Allah and know that Allah is very severe in punishment.’ (Al-Baqarah:196)

This indicates that Hajj is an act of worship that must be completed by every Muslim who is able.

In a Hadith, The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

من حج فلم يرفث ولم يفسق رجع من ذنوبه كيوم ولدته أمه

Whoever performs Hajj and does not speak badly or do wrong, his sins will come out of him like the day he was born from his mother (HR. Bukhari and Muslim).

Hajj is an intense journey. In this journey, a Muslim spends their wealth to travel to the holy land of Mecca, showing material sacrifice. A regular Hajj journey in Indonesia has a cost start from 49-60 million rupiah depending on the commencement of the regular Hajj registration, while a Hajj plus journey in Indonesia alone has cost over 150 million rupiah. This shows that Hajj is a form of worship that requires financial readiness and sacrifice to perform.

During Hajj, pilgrims perform a series of physical rituals. These physical rituals include Tawaf (circumambulating the Kaaba seven times), which can take up to 7 kilometres if we do it from the 3rd floor of the Grand Mosque, Sa’i (running seven times between Safa and Marwah hills) which takes up 2.8 kilometres per lap, stoning the jumrah where the distance between the jumrah stoning site and the overnight tent in Mina ranges between 3-5 kilometres for regular pilgrims, and so on. This shows that Hajj is an act of worship that requires good physical readiness.

However, Hajj is a spiritual journey. In this act of worship, a Muslim draws closer to Allah ﷻ by praying, dhikr, and reflecting on the meaning of life and their purpose. This is supported by the recommended prayers when performing wuquf in Arafat, multiplying talbiyah when entering Mecca, praying Eid al-Adha at the Grand Mosque, and other acts of worship recommended to be performed when performing Hajj rituals.

Infographic – Hajj: Complete Worship & Important Points in Hajj

Hajj is a perfect example of how worship in Islam involves material, physical and spiritual sacrifices. It is a journey that changes lives and brings us closer to Allah ﷻ. May Allah ﷻ help us to earn the call to His house in the holy land and make those of us who have performed Hajj a mabrur Hajj.

Wallahu a’lam