1) Offering Prayers in the Mosque of Quba
Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) used to go there, riding or on foot, every Saturday and offer a two rak'ah prayer. He advised others to do the same, saying,
"Whoever makes ablutions at home and then goes and prays in the Mosque of Quba, he will have a reward like that of an 'Umrah."This was reported by Ahmad, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and Al-Hakim, who says it has a sound chain of narration.
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2) Umrah
Narrated by Jabir(Radhiallaho anho):
Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam)was once asked about 'Umrah, and whether it was obligatory (wajib), to which he replied,
'No, it is not, but it is better if you perform it."'This was reported by Ahmad and Tirmidhi who consider this a sound hadith.
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3) On Performing Hajj and 'Umrah: A Brief Summary
On approaching the miqat (the place fixed for taking on ihram), a
pilgrim should trim his moustache, cut short his hair, clip his
finger nails, and take a bath or make ablution, wear some perfume,
and then don the ihram. He should offer a two rak'ah prayer, and then declare his or her intention to perform Hajj, or Hajj and 'Umrah, or 'Umrah only, as the case may be.
Wearing ihram and declaring intention for Hajj or 'Umrah is an
essential part of both, and neither will be correct without these.
Specifying the kind of Hajj, whether it is if rad (Hajj only),
tamattu ' (Hajj and 'Umrah combined with a break in between), or
qiran (Hajj and 'Umrah without a break), is not essential. If someone
makes an intention of performing Hajj without specifying the kind,
his ihram will still be valid, and he may perform any of the three
kinds of Hajj.
As soon as he enters the state of ihram a pilgrim must utter talbiyah
loudly, whenever he climbs a hill or goes down a valley, meets a
group or a person, early in the morning, and after every prescribed
prayer.
When in a state of ihram, a person must avoid sexual intercourse and
all things that lead to it; he must avoid wrangling and useless
bickering, nor must he marry or join others in marriage.
A muhrim must not wear any sewn clothes or shoes that cover his feet
above his ankles. He must not cover his head, nor use any perfume,
nor cut his hair or nails, nor engage in hunting any game, nor cut
trees or grass within the Sacred Precincts of Haram.
When entering Makkah it is desirable that a pilgrim enter from its
high iide. if possible. atter taking a bath at the Dhi Tawa well in
Zahir. Then he should go to the Ka bah and enter the Sacred Mosque
from the gate called Bab As-Salam, while uttering supplications of
entry into the mosques and observing otheretiquette of entry with
humility, fear, and talbiyah on his tongue.
On seeing the Ka'bah, he should raise his hands and supplicate to
Allah for His bounties. Then he should directly proceed to the Black
Stone, kiss it quietly or touch it with his hand and kiss the hand.
If this is not possible and one cannot reach the Black Stone, one may
just point toward it from a distance.
After this one should begin his tawaf around the Ka'bah supplicating
in words transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him).
In the first three rounds it is liked that the (male) pilgrim uncover
his right shoulder and jog at a slow pace. In the remaining rounds he
may walk at a normal pace. It is sunnah to touch in every round the
Yemeni Corner and to kiss the Black Stone. Atter completing (seven
rounds of) the tawafthe pilgrim should go to the Station of Ibrahim
in compliance with the command of Allah "And take the Station of
Ibrahim as a place of prayer." (Qur'an 2.125) There he should pray
two rak'ahs of tawaf.
Now he should go to the well of Zamzam and drink of its water as much
as possible. Thereafter the pilgrim goes to Al-Multazim and stands
there and supplicates for himself to Allah for whatever good he may
wish for in this world and the hereafter. After this he should (if
possible) go to the Black Stone, and kiss it.
Then he should approach the (hill of) Safa through the As-Safa gate
to begin his Sa'i in compliance with Allah's words "Behold! Safa and
Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So if those who visit the
House in the season or at other times. should compass them, it is no
sin." (Qur'an 2.158) He should climb the Safa, look towards Ka'bah.
and then make supplication to Allah, using one transmitted from the
Prophet (peace be upon him). After this he should climb down and
start walking toward the (hill of) Al-Marwah as a start of his seven
round walk between the two hills, while remembering Allah and
supplicating to Him.
On approaching one of the two green markers, he should jog to the
second green marker. And after that he should resume his normal
walking speed toward Al-Marwah. Upon reaching Al-Marwah he should
climb it, turn toward Ka'bah, and make supplications and glorify
Allah. This will complete his one round. Then he should make the
remaining six rounds in like manner, completing all seven rounds.
This Sa'i is an essential (wajib) ritual of Hajj, and any pilgrim
failing to perform it or a part of it must slaughter an animal to
atone for this omission. Finally, if he is performing a Hajj Tamattu'
(Hajj with an 'Umrah with a break between the two), he should either
shave olf his head or trim his hair short. This would release him of
all the restrictions of the state of ihram, and all things that were
prohibited to him in that state become permissible for him, including
sexual intercourse with his wife.
Those who intend to perform a Hajj Ifrad (Hajj only) or Hajj Qiran
(Hajj and 'Umrah together without a break) they must continue in the
state of ihram. On the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah those intending to perform
Hajj Tamattu' will once more resume ihram from their residences and
proceed to Mina, along with those who had continued in a state of
ihram, and spend the night there.
At sunrise of the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah the pilgrims leave for Arafah,
and (if possible) stay by the Mosque of Namira. There they take a
bath and offer Zuhr and 'Asr prayers, making Qasr (shortening the
prayers) and combining them at the earliest time behind an imam. If
this is not possible then one may pray alone, as best as one can,
combining and shortening the two prayers.
Pilgrims' stay at Arafah begins only atter the sun has passed its
zenith. During this time one should stand by the rocks (of Arafah) or
as close as possible, because this is where the Prophet (peace be
upon him) used to take his stand. Staying at Arafah is the principal
rite of Hajj, but climbing the Mount of Mercy is neither a sunnah nor
should it be attempted.
During this stay one should face the direction of Qiblah, glorify
Allah and remember Him, and supplicate to Him as much as possible
until nightfall.
After nightfall the pilgrims must leave for Muzdalifah, and reaching
there, offer Maghrib and 'Isha prayers, combining them and offering
them toward the the end of the usual time, and then spend the night
there.
At dawn the pilgrims stand by Al-Mash'ar al Haram (the Sacred
Monument), and remember and glorify Allah until it is broad daylight.
Thereafter they should return to Mina after picking up their pebbles
from Muzdalifah.
Standing by the Sacred Monument is essential (wajib), and anyone
failing to do so is required to offer a sacrifice in atonement.
After the sunrise, a pilgrim must throw seven pebbles at Jamarah Al-
Aqabah. Then he should slaughter his sacrificial animal, if possible,
shave off or cut his hair short. This will release him frolll the
restrictions of ihram. and he may engage in any normal activity
except sexual intercourse with his wite.
He must then return to Makkah to perform Tawaf Al-Itadah an essential
part of Hajj, and also known as Tawaf Az-Ziyarah. He should perform
it in the same manner as he had earlier performed Tawaf Al-Qudum. If
the pilgrim is performing Hajj Tamattu', he must perform a Sa'i after
this Tawaf Al-Ifadah. For a pilgrim performing Hajj Qiran or Ifrad,
this second Sa'i is not essential, if on arriving in Makkah he had
performed a Tawaf Al-Qudum.
After this tawaf - Tawaf-Al-Ifadah - a pilgrim may engage in all
normal lawful activities including sexual intercourse with his wife.
The pilgrim must now return to Mina and stay overnight there. This
overnight stay at Mina is essential and for abandoning it one must
atone by offering a sacrifice.
After midday on the 11th of Dhul-Hijjah, the pilgrim must throw
pebbles at the three Jamarahs, starting with the one nearest to Mina,
then the middle one, and stand for a while invoking and supplicating
to Allah. Then he should go to the last Jamarah, throw pebbles at it,
and leave without stopping there. A pilgrim should finish throwing
pebbles at the three Jamarahs well before the sunset. On the 12th of
Dhul-Hijjah he should repeat the rites of the previous day.
Having thrown the pebbles a pilgrim is free either to return to
Makkah before the sunset of the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah, or spend the
13th of Dhul-Hijjah as well in Mina, and throw pebbles at the
Jamarahs.
Throwing pebbles is an essential rite of Hajj and for failing to do
so one must offer a sacrifice.
After returning to Makkah if the pilgrim desires to return to his
home country he must perform TawafAI-Wida' or Farewell Tawaf, which
is also an essential rite of Hajj. In case he is unable to perform
it, and if he has not crossed the miqat, he should return to Makkah
and perform it, or else sacrifice a sheep.
In short, the essential rites of Hajj and 'Umrah are: declaring ihram
from miqat, tawaf, Sa'i, halq (shaving one' s hair) or qasr (or
cutting one' s hair short). With these the rituals of 'Umrah are
completed.
In the case of Hajj one has to perform certain additional rites. The
essential rites of Hajj are spending a Day at Arafah, throwing
pebbles at Jamarahs, Tawaf Al-lfadah, staying in Mina, slaughtering an animal, shaving or cutting one's hair short.
This is a brief summary of all the rites of Hajj and 'Umrah.
