# A Code of Practice for Muslims in the West

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## PDF PAGE 73

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..……………………………………………… ٣٧A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Introduction
The pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) is one of the fundmental
obligations in Islamic laws. The holy Qur’an has clearly
mentioned this obligation. Almighty Allah says in His holy
Book: “And it is for the sake of Allah [a duty] upon the people
to do the pilgrimage of the House—whosoever has the ability
[to travel] to it. And whosoever is ungrateful, then surely Allah
is free from need of the universe.” ( )٦٩١:٢The Almighty has
compared the negligence of hajj to ingratitude because of its
importance.
Hajj is one of the five pillars on which Islam is based. In a
noble hadith, Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) said, “Islam is based on five
pillars: on prayer (salat), alms (zakat), pilgrimage (hajj),
fasting (sawm), and devotion [to the Ahlul Bayt] (wilaya)."   )١(١
Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) advised about hajj by saying,
“Do not neglect the pilgrimage to the House of your Lord;
otherwise you will perish."  )٢(٢Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) said, “If
the people neglect the pilgrimage to the House, the
chastisement will overwhelm them and they would not be
warned [about it].” )٣( ٣This is so because neglecting hajj while
the person is in a position to fulfill all its conditions is a great
sin. A hadith says, “When a person is capable of doing the
 ١Tafsilu Wasa'ili 'sh-Shi'a, vol.  ,١p.  .٠٢
 ٢Ibid, vol.  ,١١p.  .٣٢
 ٣Ibid, p.  .٢٢
```

## PDF PAGE 74

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..……………………………………………… ٤٧A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
pilgrimage but does not do it, he has indeed flouted a law from
the laws of Islam.”  )٤(١Another noble hadith says, “One who
keeps postponing hajj until he dies, Allah will resurrect him on
the Day of Judgement as a Jew or a Christian.”   )٥(٢
 ١Ibid, p.  .٨٢
 ٢Shaykh as-Sadûq, Muhammad bin 'Ali Ibn Babwayh, Man La
Yahdhuruhu 'l-Faqih, vol.  ,٤p.  .٦٦٢
```

## PDF PAGE 75

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..……………………………………………… ٥٧A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca
When a Muslim becomes capable, hajj becomes obligatory
upon him. By “capability” we mean the following:
Availability of enough time to travel to the holy places and stay
there for performing the obligatory rites.
Physical health and strength, observing to travel to the holy
places, and staying there for the obligatory rituals.
The road through which one has to pass for performing the
rituals be open and secure, in the sense that it does not place
the life or property or honour of the pilgrim in undue danger.
Financial ability: One should be able to get whatever is
necessary for the pilgrim in his journey; e.g., food, drink,
clothes, including the means of transportation according to his
status by which he can cover the distance for hajj.
The financial position of the person should be such that by
travelling for hajj or by spending from his wealth for it, he
would not be putting himself and his dependents in need and
poverty.
Hajj Tamattu‘: This is a kind of pilgrimage that is obligatory
upon those who live in other countries i.e. far away from
Mecca. Hajj Tamattu‘ consists of two rituals: the first is known
as ‘umrah, and the second hajj.
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## PDF PAGE 76

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..……………………………………………… ٦٧A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
In ‘umrah, five things are obligatory:
(a) Putting on the pilgrim’s dress (ihram) from one of the
miqats. Mawaqit (plural of miqat) are locations [around the
holy territory of Mecca] that shari‘a has specifically fixed for
putting on the ihram.
Circumambulating (tawaf) around the Ka‘ba seven times.
The salat of tawaf.
Sa‘i (i.e., brisk walking) between the hills of Safa and Marwa
seven times.
Taqsir: cutting off a little bit of your hair or cutting the nail.
The obligatory acts of hajj tamattu‘ are thirteen as follows:
Putting on the ihram from Mecca.
Staying in ‘Arafat on the ٩th of Dhu ’l-Hijja.
Staying a part of the night (eve of ٠١th Dhu ’l-Hijja) until
sunrise in Muzdalifa.
Stoning the smaller pillar in Mina on the day of ‘Eid (i.e., ٠١th
of Dhu ’l-Hijja).
Sacrificing an animal in Mina on the day of ‘Eid or during the
days of tashriq [i.e., ١١th to ٣١th of Dhu ’l-Hijja].
```

## PDF PAGE 77

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..……………………………………………… ٧٧A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Shaving one’s head or doing taqsir in Mina. By doing this, the
pilgrim is free from the restrictions of ihram, except the use of
perfume and sexual contact with women. Based on obligatory
precaution, the restriction of hunting continues even after
shaving or taqsir.
Tawaf of Ziyarat seven times after returning to Mecca.
Salat of Tawaf.
Sa‘i between Safa and Marwa seven times. With this, the
restriction of using perfume is also lifted.
Tawaf of Nisa’ seven times.
Salat of Tawat of Nisa’. With this, sexual contact with women
becomes permissible.
Staying during over night in Mina on the eve of ١١th and ٢١th
Dhu ’l-hijja. And also, under some circumstance, the eve of
٣١th Dhu ’l-hijja.
Stoning the three pillars in Mina on the ١١th and the ٢١th of
Dhu ’l-hijja. And also, under some circumstance, on the day of
٣١th Dhu ’l-hijja.
```

## PDF PAGE 78

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..……………………………………………… ٨٧A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Questions and Answers
Question: Is it permissible to put on the ihram for hajj from
the city of Jeddah? If it is not permissible, what should one do
since the plane lands in Jeddah?
Answer: Jeddah is neither a miqat nor parallel to any of the
miqats; therefore, it is not in order to put on the ihram from
there for ‘umrah or hajj. However, if one knows that between
Jeddah and the Haram [the holy territory around Mecca], there
is a place which is parallel to one of the miqats —this is not
improbable, if one looks for a parallel of Juhfah— he can put
on the ihram from there by offering nadhr. [Nadhr means
making a vow in the name of Allah that he will put on the
ihram from place x.]
Question: While shaving the head in Mina, if the pilgrim’s
head is injured and blood flows out, what should he do in that
case? And what are the implications [as far as penalty is
concerned]?
Answer: If the injury was not intentional, there is nothing upon
him.
Question: It is recommended to perform hajj every year.
However, there are many poor Muslims who are in dire need of
food and clothing in various Muslim countries. If it comes to
making a choice between spending the money for hajj
repeatedly or ziyarat (pilgrimage to the shrine of one of the
```

## PDF PAGE 79

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..……………………………………………… ٩٧A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Infallibles [a.s.]) and between giving in charity for those
believers—which is more meritorious?
Answer: In principle, helping those needy Muslims is better
than a recommended hajj or ziyarat of the holy shrines.
However, at times the hajj or the ziyarat is associated with
certain other issues that can elevate them to the same or even
higher status of virtue.
Question: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia assigns the places for
pilgrims in ‘Arafat and Mina. We do not know whether or not
those appointed places are within the boundaries required by
the shari‘a? Are we obliged to inquire and ask about the
matter?
Answer: If it is within the known boundaries and the signs that
are normally known for religious rites from generation to
generation, it is not necessary to inquire about it.
Question: It has been said that some parts or the entire area of
slaughtering in Mina is outside the boundary. Is it therefore
obligatory upon us to ascertains the fact before the
slaughtering? Knowing that ascertaining about one area and
then going towards the other and again ascertaining about it is
a difficult task, especially on the day of Eid, as you yourself
know, where the time is also a factor. So what is the solution?
Answer: It is obligatory to ascertain in order to do the
slaughtering inside Mina. If it is not possible because of
overcrowding in Mina, it is permissible to do it in the valley of
```

## PDF PAGE 80

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..……………………………………………… ٠٨A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Muhassar. Moreover, the timing of slaughtering is not
restricted to the day of Eid; it can be done till the last day of the
days of tashriq [i.e., till the ٣١th of Dhu ’l-Hijja].
Question: Pilgrims are faced with one more problem regarding
slaughtering, which poses more of a mental anguish: the
animals slaughtered [in Mina] are wasted in spite of the fact
that there are many poor people amongst us spread all over the
Muslim countries who go without tasting meat for days! So is
it acceptable for us to do the slaughtering in our own cities; or
is there a religious solution that you can suggest for the people?
Answer: It is necessary to fulfill the religious duty by doing
the slaughtering in Mina. As for the sin of wasting the meat of
the animals slaughtered, if it actually happens, it is on the
shoulders of the authorities in charge.
Question: If the exam schedule for a student conflicts with the
timing of the hajj, is it permissible for him to postpone the hajj
that year especially if the exam was very important for him?
Answer: If he is sure that he will be able to perform hajj in the
following year, it is permissible for him to postpone it;
otherwise, it is not permissible. However, if postponing the
exam will cause difficulty to such an extent that it is normally
unbearable, it is not obligatory on him to perform hajj that
year.
Question: A person on whom hajj had become obligatory but
he has not yet fulfilled it—is such a person allowed to go for
```

## PDF PAGE 81

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..……………………………………………… ١٨A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
‘umrah in the month of Rajab? What if hajj became obligatory
on him in Ramadhan, can he go for ‘umrah [before performing
hajj]?
Answer: The ‘umrah mufrada (minor pilgrimage done off-
season) is permissible for him. However, if going to ‘umrah
would financially prevent him from going for hajj, then it is
not permissible for him to do ‘umrah.
Question: A single young man has become capable to perform
hajj; he is also thinking about marriage. Now if he goes for
hajj, his marriage ceremony will be delayed for a while. Which
of the two is preferable [marriage or pilgrimage]?
Answer: He should perform the hajj and postpone the
marriage unless postponing the marriage entails difficulty to
the extent that it be comes unbearable. And Allah knows the
best.
```

## PDF PAGE 82

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..……………………………………………… ٢٨A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Introduction
Almighty Allah says in the Qur’an: “Every person is
going to taste death, and you shall only be paid fully
your reward on the resurrection day; then whoever is
removed far away from the fire and is made to enter
the garden, he indeed has attained the object; and the
life of this world is nothing but a provision of vanities.”
( .)٥٨١:٣He also said, “And no one knows what he
shall earn on the morrow; and no one knows in what
land he shall die; surely Allah is Knowing, Aware.”
( .)٤٣:١٣
```

## PDF PAGE 83

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..……………………………………………… ٣٨A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
General Rules
Here are some rules in brief concerning the dying person,
washing of the corpse and its shrouding, and burial procedure. ١
  )١(
Before Death
It’s a matter of obligatory precaution that one should move the
dying person in the direction of the qiblah during the last
moments of his life. This is to be done by placing him on his
back with his feet pointing towards the qiblah as though if he
sits up, his face would be facing in that direction.
It is recommended to read and ask the dying person to repeat
the testament of belief (shahada) concerning the Oneness of
God and the faith in Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and the
Imams (a.s.).
It is recommended to close the eyes of the dead person, their
mouth, stretch their arms along their sides, straighten their legs,
cover the body with a sheet of cloth, recite the Qur’an, and
light up the room in which they lived. It is disliked to leave the
corpse alone.
 ١For further details, see Sayyid as-Sistani, Minhaju 's-Saliheen,
vol.  ,١p.  ٥٩ff.; as-Sistani, al-Masa'ilu 'l-Muntakhaba, p.  ٠٥ff.
```

## PDF PAGE 84

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..……………………………………………… ٤٨A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West
Ablution (Ghusl) for the Corpse
After getting rid of the impure (najis) elements that are on the
body of the dead person (e.g., blood, semen, etc.), the corpse
has to be given three ablutions as follows:
First wash it with sidr water. That is, water to which a little of
sidr has been added.  )٢( ١
The second wash is with camphour water. That is, water to
which a little bit of camphour has been added.
The third wash is with pure water.
If sidr is not available, then it is precautionarily obligatory to
wash the corpse with pure water instead. Similarly, if
camphour is not available, it is precautionarily obligatory to
wash it with pure water instead. Then it should be washed the
third time with pure water. In such a case, after the three
washings, one tayammum should be performed on the corpse.
It is necessary that the ablution given to the corpse be of the
tartibi kind: that is, the body should be washed in proper
 ١Translator's Note: The age of discerning right and wrong
(tamyiz) is different from the age of maturity (bulûgh). The
latter is  ٩for girls and  ٥١for boys but the former could be at
five or six.
```