Representative of Supreme Leader for Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs at Friday Prayers in Tehran: Which Groups Share Rewards of Pilgrims?

According to the Hajj Information Base, Hojjat al-Islam Navvab, in a speech before Friday prayer sermons in Tehran this week, said about this year's Hajj Tamattu's slogan: Every year, a slogan is chosen for the Hajj, and the slogan for this year's Hajj has been chosen as "Quranic behavior, Islamic convergence, and support for oppressed Palestine."

The head of the Iranian pilgrims continued: Imam Ali (AS) said in the first sermon of Nahj al-Balagha: "God Almighty made the Kaaba a symbol of the humbleness of His servants before His greatness and a sign of their confession of His greatness and power, and He chose listeners among mankind who would respond to His call for Hajj, acknowledge His words, and stand in the place of the divine prophets. Like the angels who circumambulate the divine throne, and gain abundant benefits in this place of worship and place of business for pilgrims, and hasten towards the promised place of divine forgiveness."

Hojjat al-Islam Navvab said: "We also read in the Holy Quran that God has placed the Kaaba for the stability and permanence of human and divine society. The stability and permanence of society is one of the results of the correct utilization of God's engineering and the role of Hajj. If Hajj is performed correctly, there will be no place left for the enemies of Islam."

Stating that Hajj should be placed in its proper place and conditions, that is, in the way that God has intended in the engineering of creation, the representative of the Supreme Leader for Hajj and pilgrimages noted: If "Islamic convergence" were performed correctly, there would be no place left for the enemies of Islam to infiltrate the ranks of Islamic society.

Stating that Hajj has lessons that if these lessons spread to society, the Islamic society will also take a different form, Hojjat al-Islam Navvab said: "Coexistence is one of the lessons of Hajj. Sometimes you are sitting in the Grand Mosque and on one side of you are Muslims from East Asian countries and on the other side are Muslims from West Asian and African countries like Morocco. They are from all over the world there with different colors, but they all have the same goal and despite different languages ​​and colors, they have a peaceful coexistence and all are praying in a simple Ihram garment."

He considered avoiding sins to be another practice and achievement of Hajj and said, "As stated in the Quran, there is no obscenity, no wickedness, no disputing during Hajj." "If the same thing is implemented in society and done correctly, society will take on a different form. The stability of society lies in learning lessons from Hajj."

The head of the Iranian pilgrims continued: "Some friends ask, we who cannot go to Hajj for various reasons, including heavy expenses, are there any actions that can replace the reward of Hajj? Imam Sajjad (AS) says in this regard that if someone serves the family of a pilgrim or protects his property and assets, the reward that God gives to the pilgrim will also be given to this person; as if this person has also touched upon the Black Stone."

Hojjat al-Islam Navvab also referred to a hadith from Imam Sadeq (AS) and said: "In a hadith from Imam Sadeq (AS) it is said that three people receive the reward of Hajj: the pilgrim, the one who performs Umrah, and the fighter for the sake of Allah. So see how you can help and serve the families of these people so that the reward they receive will also be yours. “Meeting a pilgrim” is another action that leads a person to the reward of Hajj; When pilgrims return from Hajj, if you meet them to pay respect, God will grant the reward of the pilgrim."

He also emphasized that "according to the narrations, solving people's problems and taking care of vulnerable people, such as the work done by the Relief and Welfare Committee in the community, also has the reward of Hajj", and added: The fifth group of those who receive the reward of Hajj are those who participate in Friday prayers, and according to the narrations, the reward of Hajj is given to these worshippers. The last group is those who pray the Nafela prayers of these nights in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and benefit from the reward of Hajj.

Continuing his speech, the representative of the Supreme Leader for Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs said in an advice to those who will participate in this year's Hajj: "You dear ones who are preparing for this journey after 20 years of waiting and spending heavy expenses, you should know that if your pure intentions are disrupted, all your efforts will be wasted. Therefore, sincerity in action is important, which you should pay attention to."

He continued: "Imam Khomeini (RA) also said in his statements that it is important for the pilgrim to know where he is going, whose invitation he is accepting, who is the guest, what are the etiquettes of this party? He should also know that selfishness and self-centeredness are incompatible with seeking God and cause the spirituality of Hajj to be undermined. The Supreme Leader of the Revolution has also said that this journey should be made with the intention of drawing closer and that every moment of the journey should be used."

The head of Iranian pilgrims, condemning market-going instead of worship during Hajj, pointed out: "A person should understand the journey of the hereafter during Hajj and Umrah; Hajj and Umrah, Mecca and Medina are the markets of the hereafter. A person should gather provisions for the hereafter and not spend his time in market-going."

According to the Hajj Information Base, the prayer of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, which Hojjat al-Islam Navvab mentioned in his speech, is two rak'ahs, like other recommended prayers. In each rak'ah, after reciting Surah Hamd and Surah Tawheed, the following verse is read: 

"And We appointed for Moses thirty nights, and We completed them with ten, so he completed the appointed time of his Lord for forty nights. And Moses said to his brother Aaron, “Put me in peace.” Arise and make amends, and do not follow the path of the corruptors."

According to a narration, whoever consistently recites this prayer during the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah will share in the reward and reward of the pilgrims to the Sacred House.