Only a few days away, many are disappointed for not being able to go to Hajj this year. Many have already put in deposit and obviously not very happy to hear the news that Saudi government will only allow those already in Saudi Arabia to attend the event this year.
The prophet (PBUH) said, and this is the first hadith in Sahih Al Bukhari, Narrated ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab:
I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for.”
حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيُّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنَ وَقَّاصٍ اللَّيْثِيَّ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ “ إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ ”.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1
Here are some things you can do:
- Understand that it was not in your qadr to go for Hajj this year, so accept it and plan for next year. Obviously, there is going to be rush as those who missed this year plus those who were planning next year will all be trying to get a chance.
- Take advantage of the month of Dhul Hijjah. Allah has not made all days equal, some are more blessed than others. 1st ten days of Dhul HijjahDay times are more blessed than Ramadan days. Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَا الْعَمَلُ فِي أَيَّامٍ أَفْضَلَ مِنْهَا فِي هَذِهِ
No good deeds are better than what is done in these first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
- With the extra planning time obtained, make an effort to understand the Deen. So many people go for Hajj who are more concerned about ritual details rather than how Deen fits into their life.
- The Prophet (PBUH) performed only one Hajj in his lifetime in the tenth year after Hijrah.
Allah knows best.
