Chapter VII: Secrets of Pilgrimage
TALBIAH AT MIQAT: Know that Talbiah means to respond to the call of God. Remember Him between hope and fear and depend on the mercy of God. Imam Sufiyan Saori said that Imam Jainal Abedin son of Hazrat Hussain made pilgrimage. When he made Ihram, his face became changed and he had no strength to say Labbaik. He was asked : Why are you not uttering Labbaik ?
He said : I fear lest I may be said : You have no Labbaik and fortune, When he uttered Labbaik, he suddenly fell in swoon and remained long in that condition. As a result, he could not wait at Arafat. Abu Solaiman Darani did not utter Labbaik even after walking a mile. Then he fell down senseles. When he recoverd from his swoon, he said : O Ahmad, woe to you, i fear lest I may be said : There is no Labbaik and fortune for you. Remember at the time when you utter Labbaik the condition of the people on the day of congregation.
ENTRY INTO MECCA: Remember at the time when you enter Mecca that you have reached safely in the sacred place of God and hope from God that you will be safe from punishment on account of your entry into Mecca. When you look at the Ka'ba remember its glory and hope to meet its Owner. Tawaf of Ka'ba 's like prayer. Remember then that your Tawaf is like the Tawaf of the near angles who are making round the Throne. Don't think that the object of your Tawaf is the Tawaf of your body round the House but its object is the Tawaf of your mind with the rememberance of God. Know that an honourable Tawaf is the Tawaf of mind before God. The Ka'ba is the outward darbar of a king. He who is not seen by external eye appears there. Soul is a thing of the spiritual world as body is of the material world. God is in the unseen world. This visible world leads to the world unseen. This is for those for whom God opened this door. Think that the Ka'ba is the exact prototype of the Baitul Mamur in
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heaven. The angles make Tawaf of Baitul Mamur and the people oftheKa'ba.
KISSING: When you kiss the Black Stone, think that it is a sign of allegiance and kiss His hand. Be firm in your will that you are fulfilling your promise. The Prophet said : The Black stone is the right hand of God in the World. As a man handshakes with his brother, so God also handshakes with the people by means of the Black Stone.