THE PRECINCT OF THE KAABA IS SHOWERED WITH MERCY AND BLESSINGS

Imam Sadiq (a.s) says: �Allah sends down one hundred and twenty blessings in the precinct of the Kaaba; sixty for those who circumambulate, forty for those who worship, and twenty for those who look at it.�1
 
A man came to Imam Kazim (a.s):
'Are going on Hajj?' the Imam asked.
'Yes,' said the man.
'Do you know the rewards of Hajj?' asked the Imam.
'No,' answered the man.
Then the Imam said:
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1 See al-Kafi; Vol. 4

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( 36 )
'Whoever comes to Mecca, circumambulates the Kaaba, and performs two Rak'at1 of prayer, Allah will write seventy thousand rewards for him and write off seventy thousand of his wrongdoings, elevate him seventh thousand scales, accept his intercession for seventy thousand families, fulfill seventy thousand of his needs, and write for him the reward of setting free seventy thousand slaves worth ten thousand dirhams each.
  As we have previously mentioned, the visitation of God's House is a sign of man's thankfulness to his Benefactor, a prerequisite for courtesy, man's human quality, a cause of distinction from animals, and a means to win God's favor and obtain all blessings in the world and the Hereafter. How inhuman it would be then for a man not to consider himself duty-bound to visit his Benefactor and to offer his thanks to Him! What is more inhuman is that God invites man to His House but man ignores such an invitation! Such heedlessness arises from the inner unbelief of one who �disbelieves, then surely Allah is Self-Sufficient above any need of the worlds. (The Holy Quran; 3:97)�
It is worth mentioning that according to the Holy Quran and traditions, unbelief has different stages one of which is disbelief in the secondary precepts. This kind of disbelief does not lead to abiding in Hell forever unless it arises from disbelief in the fundamentals of the religion. Such disbelief is equal to atheism and subject to abiding in Hell forever. قَال: قُلتُ فَمَن لم يَحُجَّ منّا فقدْ كَفَرَ؟ قال: لا، ولَكِنْ مَن قَالَ ليسَ هَذا هَكَذا فَقدْ كَفَرَ.
It is related that Imam Kazim (a.s), as was asked about the forsaker of Hajj, said:
�The forsaker of Hajj is not unbeliever, but if a man denies that Hajj is obligatory, he is then unbeliever.�2
The late Faiz says: �The forsaker of Hajj is not unbeliever, for unbelief is related to ideology and not practice.�
He also says:
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1 Rak'at is unit of a prayer.
2 See al-Wafi; vol. 2 Chapter: Hajj section 17

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( 37 )
وإنمَّا يمُوتُ يهودِياً أَو نصرَانِياً لأنَّهُ لوِ اعتَقَدَها لأتَى بِها مَع عَدَمِ المانِعِ والاستِطاعَةِ وتَوَقُّعِ الفَوتِ بالمَوتِ.
�One who forsakes Hajj without having an excuse will die as a Jew or Christian because he would have performed Hajj had he believed in its obligation taking in consideration that he is able to do it and that he should have expected he might die at any moment before being able to perform it.�1
  Addressing Imam Ali (a.s), the Holy Prophet (saw) says: يا عليّ ، تارك الحجّ وهو مستطيع كافر ، يقول الله تبارك وتعالى : (وَلِلّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ).
يا عليّ ، مَن سوّف الحجّ حتّى يموت ، بعثه الله يوم القيامة يهوديّاً أو نصرانيّاً.
�O Ali, one who forsakes Hajj while having the means (to perform it) is unbeliever, for Allah Himself has said: 'And pilgrimage to the House (Hajj) is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, upon everyone who is able to undertake the journey to it; and whoever disbelieves then surely Allah is Self-Sufficient above any need of the worlds.' O Ali, anyone who delays Hajj until he dies, Allah will raise him as Jew or Christian on the Day of Judgment.�2
Imam Sadiq (a.s) says: مَن مَاتَ وَلم يحِجَّ حِجَّةَ الإسلامِ؛ لم يمْنَعْهُ مِن ذَلِك حاجَةٌ تُجحِفُ بهِ أَو مَرضٌ لا يُطيقُ فيهِ الحَجَّ أَو سُلطانٌ يمنعُهُ فَلْيمُتْ يَهودِيّاً أو نَصرانِياً.
�He who dies before he performs the obligatory Hajj while he was not too needy, too ill, or too persecuted to perform it will die as non-Muslim (i.e. Jewish or Christian).�3
Ghazali says:
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1 See al-Wafi; vol. 2 Chapter: Hajj section 48
2 See Men la Yahzuruh ul-Faqih; chapter: Miscellaneous matters
3 See al-Kafi; vol. 4 p.268 Hadith 1.

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( 38 )
فَأَعظِمْ بعِبادَةٍ يَعدِمُ الدينُ لِفَقدِها الكمالَ ويُساوي تاركُها اليهودَ والنّصارى في الضلالِ وذلِك هو الجهلُ المبينُ والخِزيُ الفَضيحُ.
�How excellent is the worship (of Hajj) by the lack of which the religion lacks perfection and the neglector of which becomes as same as Jews or Christians in terms of deviation�this is surely the evident ignorance and the scandalous infamy.�1
  ... قَال: سَألتُ أبا الحَسنِ ( الإِمامَ الرِّضا) عليه السلام عن قَولِ اللهِ تعَالى "وَمَنْ كَانَ في هَذِهِ أَعْمَى فَهُوَ في الآخِرَةِ أَعْمَى وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً" فقَالَ: نزَلتْ فِيمَن سَوَّفَ الحَجَّ حِجَّةَ الإِسلامِ وعِندَهُ ما يحِجُّ بهِ فقَالَ اَلعَامَ أَحِجُّ، اَلعَامَ أَحِجُّ، حتَّى يمُوتَ قَبلَ أنْ يحِجَّ.
�I asked Imam Reza (a.s) about the Quranic Verse, 'And whoever is blind in this (world), he shall also be blind in the Hereafter; and more erring from the way. (17:71).' The Imam (a.s) said:
This Quranic Verse is about one who delays Hajj despite having the means (to perform it) and keeps on saying, I will go on Hajj this year, but does not do until he dies.'2
  Imam Ali (a.s) says: فَرضَ اللهُ ... والحَجَّ تقوِيةً للدِّينِ.
�Allah has made obligatory upon you� the pilgrimage (Hajj), for it consolidates faith.�3
Evidently, any institution that is weakened by the nature of this world is in need for factors to make up for the weakness and to consolidate. Religion, too, which is the source of happiness for man in this world and the Hereafter, might be weakened as a result of the negative propaganda of the foreigners from outside and excess of lusts from within as well as temptations for committing sins in a way that Muslims' faith will be undermined. The call to Hajj will certainly blow
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1 See al-Mahajjat ul-Baydhaa; vol. 2 p.145
2 See Men la Yahzuruh ul-Faqih; chapter: Negligence of Hajj
3 See Nahj ul-Balagha; saying 244

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( 39 )
a new spirit into the body of the Ummah. Once again, Mecca, the mother of cities, opens her arms embracing the believers coming from the remotest parts of the world and enlivens the good memory of obedience to God and servitude by displaying a scene full of life and activity within a few limited days. It reminds everyone of the worthless worldly life, the horrible stages of purgatory, and Hell as well as all the prophets and the Imams' sufferings for the consolidation or the religion. Mecca removes the veils of ignorance before people's eyes, revealing the light of faith, devotion to God, and the Last Judgment and satiates the believers spiritually. From this cause, it is admitted that the survival of the religion in the Ummah depends on the survival of the Kaaba and revival of the Hajj rites. In this relation, Imam Sadiq (a.s) says: لا يَزالُ الدِّينُ قائِماً ما قَامتِ الكَعبَةُ.
�As long as the Kaaba is upright, the religion will not perish.�1
He (a.s) also says: إِنَّ للهِ حُرُمَاتٍ ثلاثاً لَيسَ مِثْلَهُنَّ شَيٌء؛ كِتابُهُ�وهُو نُورُهُ وحِكْمَتُهُ، وبَيتُهُ الّذِي جُعِل للنّاسِ قِبلَةً لا يقبَلُ اللهُ مِن أَحَدٍ تَوَجُّهاً الى غَيرِهِ، وعِترَةُ نَبيِّكُم محَمَّدٍ صَلّى اللهُ عليهِ وآلهِ.
�Three things are sacred for Allah; His Book that is full of light and wisdom, His House that is the Kiblah towards which people offer their prayers �and Allah does not accept from him who directs towards any other direction save the House-, and the Household the Holy Prophet (saw).�2
  Imam Ali (a.s) says: جَعَلهُ (البيتَ الحرامَ) سُبحانهُ وتعَالى لِلإسْلامِ عَلَماً.
�Allah the Glorified has made it (the Sacred House) an emblem for Islam.�3
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1 See al-Kafi; Vol. 4
2 See Ibn Fettal an-Nishapuri's Eawdhat ul-Waizheen; 320
3 See Nahjul Balagha; sermon I

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( 40 )
In the same way that there are certain marks on the road to guide people, God has made the Kaaba an emblem for Islam so that those who err in recognizing the truth of this religion and its deductive programs reflect on the Hajj rites and its spiritual effects on Muslims and find the true nature of Islam�the religion of pure sincerity, away from polytheism and what is ungodly. Islam is the religion of intellectual development of shedding the childish splendor of the world and of affinity with the Creator of the universe. Moreover, it is the propagator of equality between the poor and the rich, man and woman before the law of truth and justice. It is based on unity of faith, which is the strongest factor among human beings; so, Islam is a dynamic faith and constant movement towards supremacy in cultural, economic, and military fields. And, finally, Islam is the religion of jihad (holy war), of fighting against all satanic powers, of self-sacrifice, of being upright to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, and of reaching perfection. This is the essence of Islam. Hajj pilgrimage represents such an essence and spirit.
  Imam Ali (a.s) says: وحجُّ البيتِ واعتِمارُهُ فإِنّهُما يَنفَيانِ الفَقرَ ويَرخَصانِ الذّنبَ.
�Hajj and Umrah remove poverty and cleanse sins.�1
The words 'poverty' and 'sins' in the above-mentioned sermon indicate that Hajj brings about absolute independence and purification for Ummah in a way that they feel no need for alien nations' help and feel independent in cultural, economic, military, and administrative affairs. We hope that theft, indecency, bribery, hoarding, and injustice will leave the society to change it into a purified, rich one.
  In view of the vital effects of Hajj on the ummah's supremacy, if the Islamic governments ignore this important religious duty, or if Hajj becomes devoid of its content, its spiritual power will diminish in the ummah in view of the propaganda spread by the enemies of Islam. Imam Sadiq (a.s) says:
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1 See Nahjul Balagha; sermon 109

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( 41 )
لو عَطَّلَ النّاسُ الحَجَّ لَوَجَبَ على الإمَامِ أَنْ يُجبِرَهُم عَلى الحَجِّ، إِنْ شاءُوا وإِن أَبَوا، فَإنَّ هذا البَيتَ وُضِعَ لِلحَجِّ.
�If people ignore Hajj, it is incumbent upon the statesmen to encourage people to go on it whether they are willing or unwilling, for the House has been made for pilgrimage.�1 لَو أَنّ النّاسَ تَرَكُوا الحَجَّ لَكانَ علَى الوالِي أَنْ يجبِرَهُم على ذَلك� فَإِنْ لم يكُن لهم أموالٌ أَنفَقَ عليهِم من بيتِ مَالِ الُمسلِمينَ.
�If people neglect Hajj, it becomes obligatory upon the leaders to force them to perform it� and if they need money to go on Hajj, the leaders will be required to supply them with such money from the public treasury.�2 لَو تَركَ النّاسُ الحَجَّ لَما نوظِروا العذابَ (أو قال: أُنزِلَ عليهِمُ العَذابُ).
�If people quit Hajj, they will be given no respite from punishment.�3 Addressing to Imam Hasan and Imam Hussein, Imam Ali (a.s) says: اللهَ اللهَ في بَيتِ ربِّكُم؛ لا تُخَلُّوهُ ما بَقِيتُم فَإِنهُ إِنْ تُرِكَ لم تُناظَروا.
�(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in mind in the matter of your Lord's House; the Kaaba. Do not forsake it so long as you live, because if it is abandoned, you will not be respited.�4 Imam Sadiq (a.s) says: وَإِنَّ اللهَ لَيَدفَعُ بمَنْ يحِجُّ مِن شِيعَتِنا عَمَّن لا يحِجُّ منهُم، ولَو أَجمَعوا عَلى ترْكِ الحَجِّ لهلَكُوا.
�Thanks to our Shiite pilgrims, Allah removes disaster from the Shiites who do not perform it, but if all agree to forsake Hajj, they will perish.�5
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1 See Ilal ush-Shara'ie; vol. 2
2 See al-Kafi; vol. 4 p.272 Hadith 1
3 See al-Kafi; vol. 4 p.271
4 See Nahjul Balagha; Will (Wasiyya) No. 47
5 See Mustadrak ul-Wasail; Vol. 2 Section: Hajj p.4

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( 42 ) Since Hajj plays an important role in safeguarding the religion and being a main pillar of Islam and a factor for reviving the ummah, it must not be abandoned or weakened under any conditions. According to traditions, no charity can replace it. ... قال: قلتُ لأبي عبدِاللهِ عليه السلامُ أنَّ أُناساً مِن هَؤلاءِ القُصّاصِ يقُولونَ إِذا حَجَّ رَجُلٌ ثُم تصَدّقَ ووصَلَ كانَ خَيراً لهُ، فقَال: كَذِبوا، لو فَعَل هذا النّاسُ لَعُطِّلَ هذا البيتُ. إنّ اللهَ عزَّ وجَلَّ جعَلَ هذا البيتَ قِياماً للنّاسِ.
� I said to Imam Sadiq (a.s) that some jurisprudents remark that if a man performs the Hajj rites once, he would better give charity instead of going on Hajj again. The Imam (a.s) commented: �They are lying, for if they do so, the Kaaba will be forsaken whereas Allah has made this House maintenance for people.�1
  لمّا أفاضَ رسُولُ اللهِ صلّى اللهُ عليهِ وآلِهِ تَلَقّاهُ أَعرابيٌّ بالأبطحِ فقال: يا رسولَ اللهِ، إنّي خَرجْتُ أُريدُ الحَجَّ فعَاقَني وأَنا رَجُلٌ مَيِّلٌ (يعني كَثيرَ المَالِ) فَمُرْني أَصنَعْ في مَالي ما أَبلُغُ بهِ ما يبلُغُ به الحَاجُّ. (قال) فَالتَفَتَ رسُولُ اللهِ الى أبي قُبَيسٍ فقال:لو أَنّ أبا قُبَيسٍ لكَ زِنَتُهُ ذَهَبَةٌ حَمراءُ أَنفَقتَهُ في سبيلِ اللهِ ما بَلَغتَ ما بَلَغَ الحَاجُّ.
The Holy Prophet has just completed the Hajj rites when a Bedouin came to him saying, 'O Messenger of Allah, I left home for Hajj but because of an obstacle I failed to perform its rites. I am a wealth man. Kindly give me an instruction by which I get the reward of Hajj.' The Holy Prophet (saw) turned his look at Mount Abu-Qubais and said: 'If you have red gold as much as this mountain and spend it for Allah's sake, the reward of such deed will not be as much as that of the Hajj pilgrimage.�2
  Abu Bassir quoted Imam Sadiq (a.s) as saying:
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1 See Ilal ush-Shara'ie; vol. 2 p.137 Hadith 1
2 See al-Kafi; vol. 4 p. 258 Hadith 25

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( 43 )
دِرهَمٌ في الحَجِّ أَفضَلُ مِن أَلفَيْ أَلفٍ في ما سِوى ذلِكَ من سَبيلِ اللهِ.
�One dirham spent on Hajj is better than two million dirhams to be given for Allah's sake.�1
  Imam Baqir (a.s) says: مَا مِن عَبدٍ يُؤثِرُ عَلى الحَجِّ حاجَةً مِن حَوائِجِ الدّنيا إِلا نَظَرَ الى المحَلَّقِينَ قدِ انصَرَفوا قَبلَ أنْ تُقضَى له تِلكَ الحاجَةُ.
�One who prefers a worldly affair to going on Hajj will realize that all the Hajj pilgrims have returned home with their heads shaven but his needs have not been fulfilled yet.2
Imam Sadiq (a.s) says: لِيَحذَرْ أَحَدُكُم أَنْ يُعَوِّقَ أَخاهُ عَن الحَجِّ فَتُصيبَهُ فِتنَةٌ في دُنياهُ مَعَ ما يُدَّخَرُ لهُ في الآخِرةِ. �Beware of delaying the Hajj of your brother, for not only will you be punished in the Hereafter but also you will be afflicted with tribulation in this world.�3
Is'haq ibn Ammar reported: قُلتُ لأبي عَبدِاللهِ عليهِ السلامُ أنَّ رجُلاً استَشارَ في الحَجِّ وكَانَ ضَعيفَ الحالِ فَأَشَرتُ عَليهِ أَنْ لا يحِجَّ.
فقال (الإمام): ما أَخلَقَكَ أنْ تمْرِضَ سَنَةً.
قال (الراوي): فَمرِضتُ سَنَةً. I said to Imam Sadiq (a.s) that a man consulted me on going on Hajj but since he was needy, I dissuaded him. The Imam (a.s) said: �You will become ill for one year for what you have said.�
Ammar said: �For one year, I became ill.�4
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1 See al-Wafi; vol. 2 Chapter: Hajj p. 47 Section 16
2 See Men la Yahdhuruh ul-Faqih; Chapter: Hajj
3 See Men la Yahdhuruh ul-Faqih; Chapter: Hajj p. 158
4 See Men la Yahdhuruh ul-Faqih; Chapter: Hajj p. 158

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( 44 ) While elaborating on the philosophy of Hajj, Imam Reza (a.s) said:

�The benefits of Hajj cover both east and west; those who perform the Hajj rites and those who do not whether they are businessmen, shopkeepers, or poor. People from all classes of societies are blessed with the benefits of Hajj.�1
During the season of Hajj, the leaders of the Islamic countries converge a forum based on the unity of ideology, compassion, love, purity, and sincerity. So their resolution for implementing laws, dispensing social justice, and safeguarding the human rights, with no aim other than obeying God's instructions and pleasing Him will benefit all. By gaining power and supremacy as a result of unity, the Islamic countries can establish good commercial and cultural ties with other nations and gradually make them familiar with the heavenly teachings of Islam. Because of the universal benefits of Hajj, the Holy Quran and the traditions so emphatically call people to Hajj.
  All the afore-mentioned benefits are some of the life-giving effects of Hajj on the society. Yet this great assembly is held every year but Muslim nations face one another with suspicion, fear one another, and depart without having created any kind of understanding, getting to know one another, and without becoming aware of the treacherous conspiracies hatched for them from outside. It is really surprising that the power of the religion can hold such great assembly in a single time and place of the ummah but the foreigners' negative propaganda and destructive colonialist plots cause such dispersion among the ummah that they are dispersed while being together. Such an outlook saddened the Holy Prophet (saw) fourteen centuries ago so much that he expressed his worries about the future of the ummah in the Sacred House and warned Muslims against it among other bitter events.
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1 See Ilal ush-Shara'ie; vol. 2 p.90 Hadith 5

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( 45 ) Abdullah ibn Abbas is quoted as saying:
I was with the Holy Prophet (saw) in the Farewell Hajj. He took the gate of the Kaaba with the hand and while addressing to people, he spoke of the future events. On Hajj, the Holy Prophet said: The rich will go to Mecca for amusement, the middle-class for business, and the poor for showing off and fame. At that time, people will learn the Holy Quran for purposes other than Allah, recite it as song, and engage in learning (Islamic) jurisprudence for worldly benefits.�1
  We have to confess this bitter fact and admit that the reason of this weakness and decadence among Muslims despite having such sublime program is our failure to understand the spirit and essence of the heavenly teachings of Islam.
  As a matter of fact, we have not understood the essence of Islam, accepted it whole-heartedly, or introduced the attractive image of it to the world. Yes, we have to admit this fact humbly. Perhaps God will forgive us for our confession. We are called Muslims while our individual or social ways of living do not conform to the true essence of Islam. Beyond doubt, the responsibility of us, Muslims, before God, Islam, and the Holy Quran is extremely great. Presenting a distorted image of Islam and introducing Hajj as useless are sins subjected to punishment.
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1 See Tafsir al-Mizan; vol. 5 p.434 (as quoted from Tafsir al-Qummi)