I wrote once in this column that our daily actions may be considered as acts of worship, depending on our intention that leads to a particular action. When we do our normal work through which we earn our living, intending to ensure that we earn it through lawful means, and aiming to protect ourselves and our families from trying to gain anything through means which are unacceptable to God and His messenger, then our work acquires a status akin to an act of worship. When we help a fellow human being facing a problem, whether it is related to his work, family or personal feelings, and have no interest in the matter other than providing help or reducing pain felt by another person, that work earns us a reward from God as though it is an act of worship.
Such actions may encompass all spheres of life, as my reader, Mr. M.I. Khan of Jeddah, writes. He goes on to say: “Doing business in a fair and just manner, dealing equitably and generously with everyone, looking after poor relatives, neighbors, friends and even strangers, doing all the good we can to human beings and other creatures, etc. all acquire a status of worship when it is done purely to earn God’s pleasure, and for no personal or material gain. This does not apply only to actions, but also to good thoughts, free of prejudice, malice, greed, exploitation and so on.”
I fully agree with Mr. Khan. Directing our thoughts, intentions and actions toward what pleases God and away from personal material gain makes them pure, dedicated and worthy of God’s reward, which is always rich and generous. However, people may say this is very difficult. Personal interest may be part of our aim behind most of what we do in our life. That is true, because self-interest and survival are instinctive to man. Yet when we try hard to have a good motive for what we are doing to ourselves, families and other human beings, and to steer ourselves away from what God has forbidden then we begin to make our actions pure. When the standard we apply to evaluate our actions before we take them is that which approves only what is permissible and beneficial, we set ourselves on the right track. There is no element of self-negation in Islam, but there is a keen motivation to bring our self-interest in line with what God has permitted and away from what He has forbidden. That is how we begin to make our daily actions akin to acts of worship.
Pilgrimage and crossing the meeqat
Mr. A. Lodi of Alkhobar wants to know if he and his wife had violated the rules of ihraam, or consecration when they traveled to Jeddah for pilgrimage. The point that arises in many situations is whether a person may cross the point of meeqat on his way to Makkah without entering into consecration. The answer depends on the intention behind the action, or the purpose of the trip. The rule specifies that when a person enters the Hil area, which is formed by making an imaginary line linking the points of meeqat, in order to do the pilgrimage or the Umrah, then that person, man or woman, should enter into the state of consecration at the point of meeqat. It follows that if he enters this area for a purpose other than doing the pilgrimage or the Umrah, then he or she need not enter into the state of consecration.
Mr. Lodi and his wife traveled by car from Alkhobar to Jeddah, without entering Makkah, in order to leave their young children with their relatives. They stayed in Jeddah for a couple of days before traveling to Madinah where they stayed for one day and came back to Jeddah. They stayed there for about 36 hours and traveled on the night of Dhul-Hijjah 7 to Mina. They went to Makkah shortly after that for their tawaf and sa’ie. That is how they began their pilgrimage.
There is no question about the first leg of their trip. It is true they crossed the point of meeqat, but they had no intention at the time of going to Makkah or starting their Umrah. Their intention, which was clear in their minds, was to go to their relatives and stay with them for a couple of days so that the children may get used to the relatives and accept staying with them during the absence of their parents. Moreover, they traveled on to Madinah, leaving the Hil area altogether. Hence, they violated no rule. This is an ordinary trip, not connected with their pilgrimage, although they have had the intention of doing the pilgrimage later on when they have completed their arrangements.
The second trip to Jeddah needs a more careful consideration, because it was the one preceding their pilgrimage. However, that trip must have been intended to look after their children and ensure that they have settled well with their relatives. It was not part of the trip to pilgrimage. They did not know at the time when exactly they may travel to Makkah because that depended on how the children were doing. Although Mr. Lodi has not said so, but I feel that had he found that the children were finding it difficult to settle, he and his wife would have stayed another day in Jeddah. Again, I would consider that this trip to Jeddah was not part of the journey to pilgrimage.
In the circumstances, Mr. Lodi and his wife started their pilgrimage when they felt that it was safe for them to leave their children. They initiated their pilgrimage journey in Jeddah and that was their meeqat, like the residents of Jeddah themselves. Hence, they have violated no rules and their pilgrimage is valid. They have no compensation to offer.
A habit going out of control
A man who signs as SMA tells me that he has tried hard to control a habit which he started in his adolescence, but he finds himself failing all the time. Now that he is married, he feels that he is doing a grave sin.
The fact that this reader is attending to his religious duties and tries to maintain a good Islamic life should be of much more help to him than it has been so far. He should look at his problem from a religious point of view, and consider that there is really no need for him to continue with this habit. He then should adopt strategies to overcome the problem, trying not to be alone at any time when he could go back to his habit. He should seek his wife’s help without necessarily telling her of his problem. She could play a part in diverting him from his habit into a more pleasurable way of satisfying his desire. This only needs a bit of imagination and excitement on her part. Moreover, when he feels the urge to go back to his habit, he should go to his wife. Gradually he will be able to forget his habit. He must not forget to pray God to help him with his problem.
