Chapter VII: Secrets of Pilgrimage
(4) Give up indecent actions, evil actions, quarrels and disputes. This is the injunction of the Quran. Indecent actions mean indecent and useless talks including such talks with females, talks of intercourse with them as they increase desire of intercourse. All things which give encouragement to do prohibited things are also prohibited. Evil actions mean such actions which take away from the religion of God. Quarrels and disputes give rise to hatred and envy. Sufiyan said : He who talks indecent words destroys his Haj. Quarrel is opposed to good words and the Prophet termed good words as good deeds of Haj.
Don't inflict trouble on anybody and adopt good conduct. As journey discloses the character and conduct of a man, it is therefore named Safa.
(5) It is better to perform Haj by walking on foot.
Abdullah-b- Abbas instructed his sons at the time of his death : O my children, perform Haj by walking on foot, as for each step of such a pilgrim there is written 700 rewards out of the rewards of Haram. He was questioned : What are the rewards of Haram ? He said : One good deed brings one lac rewards. It is better to walk from Mecca to Arafat and from Arafat to Mina. A perfect Haj is one in which niyat is taken when one comes out of his house for Ihram and to walk on foot. God says : Make Haj and Umrah perfect for God. Hazrats Omar, Ali and Ibn Masud explained His verse in the above way.
(6) Don't ride without keeping the balance of burden behind and keep the things separate if possible. This gives relief to the camel. The Prophet made pilgrimage riding on conveyance and even he made Tawaf riding, so that the people might follow him in his action. The Prophet said : Learn your institutions from me.
(7) Keep your countenance unsmooth, hairs dishevelled, body laden with dust, indifferent to pride and attachment for the world, as the Prophet enjoined his followers to remain then without beauty and with dishevelled hairs. The Prophet said : A
202 SECRETS OF PILGRIMAGE Vol-I
pilgrim is dressed dishevelled and his body is dust laden. God says : Look to the visitors of My house. They have come to Me with hairs dishevelled and with body dust-landen from every distant part of hills. God says : Then perform the institutions of Haj.' This means to shave hairs, to clip mustaches and to manicure nails. Hazrat Omar sent instructions to his generals :
Put on old clothes and habituate yourselves to bear hardships.
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