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Rasulullaah (S.A.W) has said, "Whoever walks to perform his Fardh Salaah with Jamaat, it is like (performing) Hajj and whoever walks to perform Nafl Salaah, it is like (performing) Nafl Umrah." (Saheehul Jaamiul Sagheer' 6556) Hadhrat Hasan Basri has said: "Walking to fulfil the need of your Muslim brother is better for you than performing Hajj after Hajj." ('Lataaiful Ma'aarif' 472) Undoubtedly Hajj and Umrah are fundamental and virtuous Ibaadat but it cannot be performed all the time and at any place. Its place and time are both defined. Hajj can only be performed once a year during the days of Hajj and its rites have to be fulfilled at specific places on different days. It is associated with the blessed House of Allaah, which all people of Imaan long and ardently desire to see. At the same time not every person has the ability to reach the sacred city and perform Hajj (which is why Hajj is only compulsory on those who have the means) nor is it possible for those who have the ability to perform Hajj every year and earn it abundant virtues and rewards (which is also why Hajj is only Fardh once in a life time for those who have the means). It is through the grace and sheer kindness of Allaah that He has equated the reward of certain A'amaal and Ibaadat to that of Hajj and Umrah. In this manner those who do not have the ability to perform Hajj or Umrah can carry out those acts which are equal to Hajj and Umrah and thereby earn the reward of performing Hajj and Umrah. In fact they will not only be able to earn the reward of Hajj and Umrah once a year but instead will be able to earn the reward numerous times every day. We will endeavour in the forthcoming pages to highlight all those A'amaal which are equal to Hajj and Umrah in reward so that the virtues of Hajj and Umrah can be complete. This is glad tidings and good news for those who do not have the ability to reach the Baitullaah to perform Hajj and Umrah as well as a path for those who love performing good deeds to adopt. There are also many other virtues of those A'amaal which have been equated to Hajj and Umrah reported in both the Quraan and Hadeeth. Our intention is not to gather every single one of these virtues, as it would be too lengthy and would not keep to the topic of this book, but rather while hinting at the important virtues of those A'amaal we will suffice with those narrations that mention them to have the reward of Hajj and Umrah. Reward for having a desire to do good This Hadeeth is well-known and famous that all actions are based upon its intention. Even the greatest of actions if performed with the wrong intention will have no significance in the sight of Allaah and even the smallest action, if performed with the correct intention will have great merit in the sight of Allaah. Similarly it becomes apparent from the Quraan and Hadeeth that when a person does have the ability to do something and feels grieved that he is unable to carry out such an act, and he sincerely calls out; O Allaah! If I had the ability then I would have carried out this deed, then in such a case he will be granted the reward of carrying out such an act without having performed it.
There are many examples of the enthusiasm the Sahabah had for performing good deeds and the grief that they felt when they were unable to do so. It was mentioned in the virtues of Hajj that one woman begged her husband to take her along for Hajj but since he did not have sufficient transport for her he was unable to fulfil her desire. When they returned from Hajj this woman sent her husband to enquire from Rasulullaah (S.A.W) as to how she could compensate for not having performed Hajj. Rasulullaah (S.A.W) replied, "Performing Umrah in Ramadaan is equal to having performed Hajj with me."
become equal with those who surpassed you and nobody will be able to equal you. You will be the best of all people except those who practice the same act. (The act is) After each Salaah recite 33 times Subhanallaah, 33 times Alhamdulillah and 33 times Allaahu-Akbar."
Walking to the Masjid to perform the Fardh Salaah with Jamaat is equal to Hajj so attending the Jumu'ah Salaah in the Masjid will also be equal to Hajj in reward. It has been reported from the famous Taabie, Hadhrat Sa'eed bin Musayab " , Attending the Jumu'ah Salaah is more beloved to me than performing Nafl Hajj. " separate virtue and reward has been reported for attending the Jumu'ah Salaah early; the first to attend Jumu'ah Salaah is like a person who has sacrificed a camel for Allaah's pleasure. One narration which Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (R.A) narrates from Nabi (S.A.W) in this regard is a follows, "The one who arrives first for Jumu'ah is like the person who has sacrificed a camel (for Allah's pleasure)."[1] The word used to denote sacrifice, "Hadie", does not refer to an ordinary sacrifice but specifically the sacrifice of Hajj or the animal sacrificed in the boundaries of the Haram. In some narrations Nabi (S.A.W) has been reported to have equated the reward of one who arrives early for Jumu'ah to the Haaji who sacrifices an animal during Hajj. This also suggest that performing Jumu'ah Salaah is equal to Hajj in reward and arriving early for Jumu'ah Salaah is equal to sacrificing an animal during Hajj. It is reported from Imaam Awzaai in 'Taareekh Ibn Asaakir' that on one occasion Yunus bin Maysarah passed the graveyard of Baab Tuma, where he addressed the deceased saying, "O people of the graveyard! May you be at peace. You left before us and we will soon follow, May Allaah have mercy on both of us and forgives us."
Allaah Ta'ala then returned the soul to one of the deceased who replied to him, "O people of the world! You have the good fortune of performing Hajj every week." The person replied, "May Allaah have mercy on you! Where do we perform Hajj every week?" The deceased replied, "Performing Jumu'ah Salaah! Do you not know it is equal to an accepted Hajj?"