1.) IMÂN - “The angels carrying the throne as well as those around them, glorify the praises of their Rabb, believe in Him, and seek forgiveness for those who believe. (They make duâ saying) “O our Rabb! Your mercy and knowledge encompasses everything. So forgive those who repent an follow Your path. And save them from the punishment of the Blazing Fire.

O our Rabb, enter then into the gardens of eternity, which You have promised them, as well as the righteous ones from amongst their fathers, their spouses and their progeny. Undoubtedly You are the Mighty, the Wise. And save them from difficulties (evils). You have certainly showered Your mercy on the one whom You have saved from difficulties on that Day (of Judgement). This is indeed the greatest success.” (Mumin verse 7-9)

2.) ZIKRULLÂH - “O you who possess Îmân! Remember Allah Ta'ala in abundance and glorify Him morning and evening. It is He who showers mercy on you, and His angels pray for your forgiveness and supplicate on your behalf, so that He may remove you from a multitude of darkness (disbelief, ignorance and sin) into light (belief, knowledge and good deeds). He is always merciful to the believers.” (Ahzâb verse 41-43)

3.) DUÂ WHEN PROCEEDING FOR SALÂH - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Whoever emerges from his house and proceeds for salâh, reciting the following duâ, then Allâh Ta'ala turns His attention towards him, and seventy thousand angels seek forgiveness on his behalf.” (Ibn Mâjah)

اَللّهُمَّ إنّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ السَّائِلِيْنَ عَلَيْكَ وَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقَّ مَمْشَايَ هَذَا . فَإِنِّيْ لَمْ أَخْرُجْ أَشَرًا وَّ لاَ بَطَرًا وَّ لاَ رِيَاءً وَّ لاَ سُمْعَةً . وَخَرَجْتُ اِتّقَاءَ سَخَطِكَ وَابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِكَ . فَأَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تُعِيْذَنِيْ مِنَ النَّارِ وَأَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِيْ ذُنُوْبِيْ . إِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

4.) FIRST SAFF - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Verily Allâh Ta'ala sends His special mercy and His angels make duâ on behalf of those who perform salâh in the first saff (row).” (Ibn Mâjah) 

5.) JOINING OF SAFFS - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Verily Allâh Ta'ala sends mercy and the angels make duâ for those people who join the saffs (rows). Whoever closes a gap, Allâh Ta'ala will raise him one rank.” (Ibn Mâjah)

6.) SALÂH WITH JAMÂ’AT - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “When the imâm says ‘Amîn’, then say ‘Amîn’. Whoever’s ‘Amîn’ conforms to the Amîn of the angels, all his past sins are forgiven.” (Bukhâri)

When a person recites Sûrah Fâtihah, he asks Allâh Ta'ala for guidance. The angels say ‘Amîn’ which means “O Allâh, accept this duâ.” Muhammad ibn Samâk never missed salâh with Jamâ’at for forty years except when his mother passed away. He says, “Because I know that salâh with jamâ’at is 25 times superior, I repeated a salâh 25 times when I happened to miss my salâh with jamâ’at. I was then told in a dream, “Muhammad! Although you have repeated your salâh 25 times, what about the Âmin that the angels say? (when salâh is performed with jamâ’at)”

7.) SITTING AFTER SALÂH - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Salâh performed in congregation is twenty-five times more superior to performing salâh in one’s home or in the market-place. When one performs wudû properly, fulfilling all its etiquettes, and then proceeds to the Masjid, intending only salâh, then on every step, Allâh Ta'ala raises his rank by one stage, and forgives one sin, until he reaches the Masjid. When he enters the Masjid, he will receive the reward of salâh as long as he is waiting for the salâh. The angels continuously make the following duâ for him, whilst he sits in the place he performed salâh, as long as he does not break his wudû, “O Allâh, forgive him, O Allâh, shower mercy on him.” (Bukhârî)  

8.) IBÂDAT OF LAILATUL QADR - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “During the night of Qadr, Jibraîl u comes with a group of angels and they make duâ of mercy for the one who stands or sits remembering Allah Ta'ala (and is involved in worship).” (Shuabul Imân)

9.) SEHRI - Nabî Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Indeed Allâh Ta'ala sends His special mercy and the angels seek forgiveness and make duâ for those who partake of sehrî.” (Tabrâni, Ibn Hibbân)

10.) DUÂ FOR BROTHER IN ABSENCE - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “When a man makes duâ for his brother in his absence, the angels say, “Amîn, and may you be granted the same.” (Bazzâr)

11.) SPENDING IN CHARITY - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Every morning, two angels descend. One of them says, “O Allâh, grant the one who spends a better return.” The other says, “O Allâh, destroy the wealth of he who keeps back.” (Bukhârî)

12.) FEEDING OTHERS - Hadrat Aishâh Radiallahu Anha narrates, “The angels continue to make duâ for you as long as your table-cloth is laid out.” (i.e. continue to feed people.) (Kanzul Ummâl)

13.) QURÂN - Hadrat Sa’d ibn Abî Waqqâs Radiallahu Anhu narrates, “When a person completes the Qurân in the first portion of the night, the angels make duâ for him till the morning, and if he completes the Qurân in the first portion of the day, the angels make duâ for him till the evening.” (Daramî)

14.) SURAH DUKHÂN –Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Whoever reads Surah Dukhân at night, then seventy thousand angels seek forgiveness for him till the morning.” (Tirmidhi)

15.) DUÂ MORNING AND EVENING- Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Whoever recites thrice in the morning

أَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ السَّمِيْعِ الْعَلِيْمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ

followed by the last three verse of Surah Hashr, then Allâh Ta'ala will appoint seventy thousand angels who will make duâ for him till the evening. If he passes away on that day, he will pass away as a martyr. Whoever recites this duâ in the evening, will attain the same benefits.” (Tirmidhi)

16.) DURÛD - Hadrat Aamir ibne Rabi’ah narrates from his father that he said, “I heard Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam giving a khutbah and he was saying, ‘Whoever sends durûd on me, the angels continue to send salât (make duâ) for him as long as he is engaged in durûd. Therefore, one can read a little or a lot.” (Ahmad, Ibn Mâjah)

Hadrat Abdullah ibn Amr Radiallahu Anhu narrates, “The one who sends one durûd on Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, Allah Ta'ala bestows seventy mercies on him and the angels make duâ for him seventy times.” (Ahmad)

Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Whoever sends durûd upon me in a book (i.e. he writes it), the angels continue seeking forgiveness for him as long as my name remains in that book.” (Tabrânî)

17.) SEEKING KNOWLEDGE - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Whoever traverses a road seeking knowledge, Allâh Ta'ala will make easy for him a path to Jannah. The angels spread their wings out of happiness for a seeker of knowledge. Those in the heavens and those on earth, including the fish in the depths of the ocean seek forgiveness for a learned person. The virtue of a learned person over a worshipper is like the virtue of the full moon over the stars. The Ulamâ are the inheritors of the Ambiyâ. The Ambiyâ did not leave dirhams and dinars (gold and silver coins) as inheritance. Their inheritance is knowledge. Whoever has taken it, has taken great goodness.” (Abû Dawûd)

18.) VISITING THE ILL- Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Whoever visits his sick Muslim brother, then he is walking in the gardens of Jannah until he sits. When he sits, mercy envelopes him. If he goes in the morning, then seventy thousand angels make duâ for him until the evening. If he goes in the evening, then seventy thousand angels make duâ for him until the morning.” (Ibn Mâjah)

19.) SLEEPING WITH WUDHU - Nabî Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “An angel shares the bed of the person who passes the night in a state of purity (i.e. wudû). Whenever he tosses or turns, the angel supplicates, saying, “O Allâh, forgive this servant of yours.” (Ibn Hibbân, Fathul Barî) 

20.) SALÂM - Rasûlullâh Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “As-Salâm is one of the names of Allâh Ta'ala which He Ta'ala has placed on the earth.  Thus spread it amongst yourselves, because when a Muslim person passes a group of people and makes salâm to them to which they reply, then he has one rank of virtue over them due to reminding them of salâm.  If they do not reply, then those who are better than these people (viz. the angels) reply to him.” (Targhîb) Note: In salâm, one is making duâ for the protection of the other.    

HAJ WITHOUT A VISA!

Mufti Mohammed H Abasoomer 

Since Haj is among the most virtuous deeds in Islam, and not everyone can afford it (especially on a continuous basis) Allah Ta'ala has attached the reward of optional Haj to certain other deeds for the benefit of all.

Now that the Hujjaj have departed, those who have been left behind can take consolation from the following narrations which promise of various other deeds yielding Haj rewards:

1. Wudhu at home before proceeding for Salaah with Jamaat.

Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: “One who purifies himself (i.e, makes wudhu) and leaves his home to attend the fardh salaah in congregation receives the reward of a Haji in the state of Ihram. And if he leaves for the salaatu-Dhuhaa (Chaast) he gets the reward of ‘Umrah. (Sunan Abi Dawud)

 2. Salatul Ishraaq.

Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: “Whoever offers his Fajr salaah in congregation, and then remains seated making the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah Ta’ala until (approximately 15 mins after) sunrise after which he offers two rak’aats of salaah (Ishraaq), will receive the reward of one complete Haj and one complete ‘Umrah” (Sunan Tirmidhi). Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam repeated the words: “complete” thrice.

3. Going to the Masjid to acquire or impart Knowledge.

Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: “Whoever goes to the Masjid for the purpose of learning or teaching Knowledge, receives the reward of a Haji whose Haj was perfect. (Tabarani)

4. Umrah in Ramadhan.

Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam passed by Ummu Sinan while on his way to haj. “Why didn’t you accompany me for Haj?” he enquired. She said: “We only have two camels, one my husband has used to be with you in Haj, and the other is needed for transporting water.” Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: “Umrah in Ramadhan equals the reward of Haj with me”. (Sahih Muslim)

5. To recite “Subhaanallah” 100 times in the morning and evening.

Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: “He who recites Subhaanallah 100 times in the morning and another 100 times in the evening is like one who performed Haj 100 times!” (Sunan Tirmidhi) 

6. Serving one’s Parents:

A man came to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam and said: “I wish to participate in Jihaad, but I cannot afford it” Rasulullah r enquired if any of his parents were alive, to which he said: “Yes! My mother is alive” Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: “Show Allah how you serve her. If you do so (duly) you will be like a: Haaji, a Mu’tamir (one doing ‘Umrah) and a Mujaahid (One striving in Allah’s way).”

(Abu Ya’la)

Hafidh Ibn Rajab Hambali Rahmatullah Alaih has quoted other deeds that yield the reward of Haj from various Predecessors (i.e, not necessarily from the hadith). All of the following have been extracted from his priceless work: Lataaiful Ma’aarif, pgs.357-359.

7. Attending the Jumu’ah Salaah.

Sa’eed ibnul Musayyab Radiallahu Anhu said: “Attending the Jumu’ah Salâh is better according to me than a nafl (voluntary) Haj.”

 8. Attending the Eid Salaah.

Some of the Sahabah Radiallahu Anhuma have said: “Attending the Eidul Fitr Salaah equals the reward of ‘Umrah, and the Eidul Adha Salaah equals that of Haj.”

9. Esha Salaah in Congregation.

A reliable Tabi’e, Uqbah ibn ‘Abdil Ghaafir Rahmatullah Alaih said: “Offering the Esha salaah in congregation equals the reward of Haj, and the Fajr in congregation equals ‘Umrah”

10. Fulfilling the need of a fellow Muslim.

Imam Hasan Al-Basri Rahmatullah Alaih said: “Your proceeding to fulfil the need of a fellow muslim is better for you than one Haj after another!” (Also quoted By Zabeedi in Sharhul Ihyaa, vol.6 pg.292)

11. The fulfilment of all obligations.

After citing the above, Hafidh Ibn Rajab Rahmatullah Alaih writes:

“The fulfilling of all obligatory deeds is considered better than Nafl (voluntary) Haj and ‘Umrah. This is due to (the Hadith in Sahih Bukhari which states that) the best way of attaining nearness to Allah Ta’ala is via the obligatory acts. However many people find it easy to carry out nafl Haj and ‘Umrah, but feel it difficult to fulfil the other responsibilities (Wajib acts) like repayment of debts and other such duties.

12. Abstinence from the haraam (forbidden) acts are also more virtuous than Nafl Haj etc.

Some of the Pious predecessors said: “To abstain from an iota of wrong is better than five hundred (Nafl) Haj”. Fudhail ibn ‘Iyadh þ –the great sage of his age- said: “There is no Haj or Jihad that is more important than protecting one’s tongue” i.e, against sin.

13. Any act of Good during the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.

Hafidh Ibn Rajab Rahmatullah Alaih has rightly pointed out:

“If the Hadith has promised that any act of good done in these 10 days supersedes even the reward of Jihad, which is considered better than optional Haj too, that means all good done in these days will also supersede the reward of optional Haj.” (Pg.390)

The following is an addition to what Hafidh Ibn Rajab Rahmatullah Alaih has cited:

14. Spending on a student of Islamic Knowledge.

Once a father came to Imam Muhammad ibn Sahnun Rahmatullah Alaih and said: “I will earn by myself and I will not distract my son from his studies. Imam Ibn Sahnun replied: “Do you know that your reward for doing so will be greater than that of (nafl) Haj, and Jihad!” (Ma’alim Irshadiyyah of Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah, pg.35)

 Note:

1. The promises of “gaining the same reward as Haj” that are mentioned above, are restricted to the reward only. It does not mean that one upon whom Haj is obligatory can merely suffice on these deeds. (Sharh-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim & Fathul Mulhim)

2. Imam Tirmidhi Rahmatullah Alaih has quoted Imaam Is-haq Ibn Rahuyah Rahmatullah Alaih  as saying that this reward should be understood in the light of the Hadith that explains surah ikhlaas to be equal to one third of the Qur’aan. (Sunan Tirmidhi) i.e, one who recites it will receive the reward of reciting one third, but since he hasn’t physically done so the reward will not be multiplied. (Sharh Nawawi) The reward for physically doing an act is multiplied ten times and more in accordance to the sincerity, and sacrifice that accompanies it. Mufti Mahmud Hasan Gangohi Sahib þ has also highlighted this in his Malfuzat. Furthermore, by memorizing/reciting surah ikhlas thrice, one does not become a Hafidh of the entire Quran..!

3. The purpose here is not to discourage one from the actual Haj. Like they say: “There’s nothing like the real thing..”

Mufti Mahmud Hasan Gangohi Rahmatullah Alaih has highlighted this in his Malfuzat.

 Allah Ta’ala knows best, and may He grant us all the tawfeeq (ability) to practice on the above, as well as afford us the opportunity to perform the real Haj repeatedly. Ameen.

www.al-miftah.com