There are many people who did not perform Hajj. I ask them, “Why don’t you go on Hajj?” They say, “It is still early; we are waiting, as there is a long time ahead of us!”
What if you die tomorrow? Allah (swt) will ask, “Why did you not do Hajj when you were young and had the power?” Can you say, “I will make Hajj next year”? You may die. Do not postpone any Sharī`ah order as we are responsible to fulfill it. Do not postpone any Sharī`ah order as we are responsible to fulfill it. Allah (swt) will judge us according to Sharī`ah. Only after that will He manifest His mercy on us according to Haqiqah.
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ
Whosoever has done an atom’s weight of good shall see it, and whosoever has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.18
That is the ħukm, judgment of Sharī`ah: this one to Paradise, the other to Hellfire. So, in order to avoid that, you have to must follow Sharī`ah. Sharī`ah. On the other hand, there is judgement through His Mercy: Allah (swt) will forgive you and love you. So, what you do in spirituality is different from what you do in Sharī`ah. You must fulfill the obligations of Sharī`ah, but it is up to you to follow the path of spirituality. If you want to be dressed in heavenly mercy, fulfill both Sharī`ah and Ţarīqah! So, Allah (swt) is inviting us to His House. Do we say, “No, we won’t go”? We go! Everyone who goes there has been invited. Those who are able must visit the House of Allah (swt):
وَلِلَّـهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا
Pilgrimage to the House is a duty men owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey.19
If you are able, do it when you are young and do not delay it, but if you cannot, Allah (swt) will forgive you. As soon as you appear in front of the Holy Ka`bah, your ‘picture’ is taken and on the Day of Judgment you come up with that picture saying, “Yā Rabbīyy! I was invited to Your House. Where are you going to put me, in Hellfire? I came to Your Home.” When someone knocks on your door in dunyā, do you open it or do you lie and say, “Go away, there is no such person here!” Even if you knock at a door, that person feels bad if he doesn’t open his door for you and not only that, he will feed you and send you with what you like to take, and you will take it and go. Allah (swt) made that possible for us, saying, “I put My House in dunyā, as I am Merciful. I want you to visit!”
What is better than visiting Allah’s House? Today people visit Spain, Italy, the Eiffel Tower, the leaning Tower of Pisa. They say, “I am busy, I am busy.” What are you busy with? “I have to go to visit Europe.” Why don’t you say, “I’m busy, I’m going to visit Baytullah, Allah’s House!” What is better, Europe, America, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Sub-continent, Southeast Asia, Africa? No, the direction of every Muslim is to reach the House of Allah (swt)!
Regarding `Umrah, the Prophet (s) said in a Hadith:
الْعُمْرَةُ إِلَى الْعُمْرَةِ كَفَّارَةٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُمَا
The performance of `Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one).20
So, if you do `Umrah today and after one year you do another `Umrah, whatever sins you committed in between them is forgiven! Even if you do an `Umrah today and you do another `Umrah after thirty years, all your sins in between are going to be mukaffarah, waived. So, it is also good to do `Umrah, as Allah (swt) will reward and forgive everything in between two `Umrahs.
وَالْحَجُّ الْمَبْرُورُ لَيْسَ لَهُ جَزَاءٌ إِلاَّ الْجَنَّةُ
And the reward of Hajj Mabroor (a Hajj accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise.21
As for Hajj, no one knows what Allah (swt) will give from His Heavenly Rewards, and not even an angel knows that! “Laysa lahu jazaa” means whatever you think Allah (swt) gives is not enough, He gives more! He keeps giving for the one who is doing Hajj.
Excerpted from Makkan Openings: A Pilgrim’s Guide to Divine Secrets
REFERENCES
18 Sūratu ’l-Zalzalah, 99:7-8.
19 Sūrat Aali-`Imrān, 3:97.
20 Bukhārī and Muslim.
21 Bukhārī.