Make a List of People to Pray For
When departing for Hajj, everyone from family to random strangers will ask you to pray for them. Of course at the time, we all say “of course I will pray for you!” Some of these people ask us to do specific Du\’as for them, and indeed will ask us if we have prayed for them when we return from Hajj! It\’s a good idea to make a list of people to pray for in a small notebook, jotting down what it is they wanted you to pray for them. Sometimes at Hajj when looking at the divine beauty and magnificence of the Holy Ka\’ba or Jannat al-Baqi, we become selfish in asking for only our own desires. As Lady Fatima (peace be upon her) taught Imam Hasan (peace be upon him), it is important to always pray for others before we pray for ourselves.
Hajj Hijab
Women should be extremely careful when selecting their Ihrams. Most single-layered white Hijabs and garments are often slightly transparent. Please ensure that your Ihram is not transparent – perhaps wear it at home in the sun and ask a family member if they can see the length of your ponytail, the shape of your ears, or the outline of your legs. Similarly, thin material white sock which even slightly reveal the toes should not be warn. If you don\’t have any other socks and you realize last minute that your socks are transparent – double up. Wear an extra layer on top and it should do the job.
After completing the seven rounds between the hills of Safa and Marwa, pilgrims usually cut or shave their hair. A little bit of hair is usually snipped for a woman, and this is often done in public around non-Mahrams. Ideally it should be cut in private, or if cut in public, it should be done carefully under the Hijab, ensuring that the Hijab isn\’t taken off or the hair accidently revealed to non-Mahrams.
Even though your Ihram is probably long sleeved and your Hijab comes down to your knees, invest in a few pairs of “sleeves”. There are many times during Hajj when you will need to raise your hands,for example, when starting a new round of Tawaf, one many raise his/her hand towards a corner of the Ka\’ba, when stoning the devil in Mina, when holding on to a taller person in front of you, or even when adjusting your own hijab – we see our shirt sleeves slipping down and our wrists revealed. Wearing “sleeves” will prevent the wrists being exposed, ensuring perfect Hijab during the entire pilgrimage!
Tawaf
While performing Tawaf, be sure to check your Fiqh regarding where Tawaf can be performed in order to be valid, for example, inside Maqam Ibrahim, outside Maqam Ibrahim, or on the roof of the Masjid. Take the time out to research the Ka\’ba and what each side/corner of it represents, so when you go around it, you know the full significance of this Divine house – for example, the miraculous crack from where Imam Ali\’s (peace be upon him) mother entered the Ka\’ba or the Black Stone. Also, there is a huge crowd around all sides of the Ka\’ba, so one should be careful and go with a small group when going to touch the holy walls. However, it is extremely important that women be accompanied by their Mahram men while attempting to touch the holy stone or the door of the Ka\’ba, as this is where the most rush is and there are mainly men surrounding these areas.
Know Your Fiqh!
During Hajj we often perform the rituals in a group without a religious leader at all times. In this case, one must be careful of relying on the advice of Islamic laws of other pilgrims who may be following a different Marja than us. For example, for some men, while in Ihram, they cannot be under shelter, i.e. in a bus. For men following another Islamic Marja, being under shelter is allowed. Followers of Ayatollah Sistani can watch the online Hajj lessons with Shaikh Safdar Razi.
Don\’t Let Exhaustion Overcome You
At some point during Hajj, you are bound to feel extremely exhausted. For most, this feeling comes during the middle of the Hajj trip, when you haven\’t slept a full eight hours for about 10 days now. When this happens, there may be times when you have a chance to go to the Ka\’ba or do ziyarat of other places in Mecca and Medina, but you willingly refuse to go. It is good to rest for a little while, but don\’t let this overcome you. Remember, every time you offer your prayers in the Holy Mosques, the reward is thousands of more times than if you were to pray elsewhere. After Hajj, most people regret offering a single prayer in their hotel rooms when they could have prayed in such sacred places only minutes away.
Never Miss an Opportunity to Worship
In your spare time, go to the holy sites and offer any missed prayers you may have, offer extra prayers, or pray on behalf of a deceased relative or friend. An easy way to make time to engage in as much worship as possible is to leave home for the mosque half an hour or so earlier than usual and stay after prayers, when the crowd disappears. Doing this every day during your stay can get you anything, starting from 10 hours of extra worship time!
Remain Calm
To remain calm sounds so simple that before Hajj, most people don\’t even give “keeping their cool” a second thought. It sounds easy, so we think it is easy. However, when you\’re being pushed and shoved to the extent that breathing becomes difficult and your face is literally pressed against a stranger\’s back, we can\’t help but feel like expressing a little anger and being a tiny bit violent. However, if you ever find yourself in this situation, the best thing to do is remain quiet and not react at all. Force yourself to remain calm, and you will be thankful for your decision later on.
Paying Respects to Holy Personalities