Pilgrimage: Hajj Akbar or the “Grand” pilgrimage Q431 :Is there any special pilgrimage described as “grand” or “hajj akbar”? If so, when does it fall? A431 : No, there is nothing called grand pilgrimage. There is a mistaken notion that if the day of Arafat happens to be on Friday, then that pilgrimage is grand…
Pilgrimage: Fulfillment of duty & reward are two separate things Q430 :In my last pilgrimage, I met a person who came from Asia to perform the pilgrimage, sponsored by a non-Muslim film actor. How far is this acceptable from the Islamic point of view? A430 : We have a couple of points to consider it.…
Pilgrimage: Father’s pilgrimage Q429 :You have mentioned that a Muslim is not obliged by duty to take his wife to pilgrimage. Does the same apply to one’s father? A friend of mine says that he has sent money to his father to help him offer the pilgrimage. Need he not have done so? A429 :…
Pilgrimage: Conditions making it due Q428 :Are there any conditions which make the duty of pilgrimage due? A428 : In order that pilgrimage becomes due, a person must be sane and must have attained puberty. Moreover, he must be able to afford and undertake it. This means that an insane person is not required to…
Pilgrimage: At other’s expense Q427 :Some government and private institutions and companies sponsor what they call ” poor men’s pilgrimage.” Some of these companies and institutions may pressure their employees to go on such free pilgrimage. Some of these employees may have some other urgent needs, such as serious sickness in the family, the payment…
Pilgrimage: Alongwith a child Q426 :If a child offers the pilgrimage, should his parent who has taken him to pilgrimate offer a sacrifice on his behalf in the same way as adults do, should he peform all the rituals of pilgrimage. A426 : When a child is taken to pilgrimage, the pilgrimage should be complete.…
Pilgrimage: A pillar of Islam Q425 :Is pilgrimage the fifth pillar of Islam, even for people living in Saudi Arabia? A425 : Pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of Islam. This applies to all Muslims wherever they live. It is needless to say that pilgrimage is easiest for people of Makkah and surrounding areas. Still, when…
Pilgrimage: A duty owed to Allah; an outstanding debt Q424 :Why is the pilgrimage made a duty owed to Allah. Why do we not say the same of prayers or of fasting? A424 : Allah gives His message in the clearest of terms. Here, pilgrimage is stated in a way which makes it similar to…
Photography: Reliability of our views Q423 :You carried a long piece on “photography as mentioned in Hadith” in response to a reader seeking a ruling on whether photography is permissible or not. On a previous occasion, a friend mentioned that he did not hang pictures of family members on his wall at home, as it…
Photography: Is it permitted in Islam? Q422 :I am often dismayed to see people wearing shirts and blouses which display images of birds, animals and even human beings. They even go inside a mosque to offer prayers. The other day, I felt greatly annoyed to see a man wearing a shirt with an advert of…
