17/04/2026
TIPS FOR HAJJ PREPARATION
By Imam Yahaya Garba Al-Yolawi
127th KHUTBAH TRANSLATION AT NURUL YAQEEN JUMA’AH MASJID ABUJA, ON 19 MAY 2023, 29 SHAWWAL 1444AH
In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the most Merciful
All thanks and praises are indeed due to Allah who made the city of Makka a secured place by appointing the first House on the earth for mankind to worship Him therein. Glory be unto Him who says: “therefore, let them worship the Lord of this House.” Peace and blessings of Allah be upon His servant, prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who taught his companions how to perform Hajj practically and said: learn your rituals from me, for I do not know whether I would be performing Hajj after this Hajj of mine
Respected brothers and sisters in Islam, our last week’s sermon was on the significance of Hajj and Today’s topic will continue to discuss some essential tips for Hajj preparation.
Hajj is a unique and extra ordinary journey in your life time, it is an invitation from your Lord to visit His House and engage in one of the most famous acts of worship in islam. He selected you out of millions of people to travel across the world and ask for forgiveness in the best place on Earth. Your vision and mission is, should you choose to accept it? Would you work on making your Hajj accepted by Allah (SWT)? This means that you need to fulfill all the requirements and avoid all things that nullifies your Hajj such that you perhaps you may come back home purified from all sins.
TIPS ON HAJJ PREPARATION
Below are some tips recommended to all intended pilgimrs to maintain throughout their Hajj and Umra journey:
1. Piety: Allah says: “And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah. And fear Me, O you of understanding”.Q2:197. This emphasizes the importance of piety as first ingredient of one’s journey to makka which means to maintain good relationship with your Lord by devoting yourself to obey him your and not to committee sins and atrocities.
2. AL-ikhlas (sincerity): the intention behind one’s journey to hajj must be for the sake of Allah alone. Whoever perform any act of worship in order to please people or gain popularity (riya), has spoil his action. “ And they were not commanded except to worship Allah , [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion” Q9:05.
3. Knowledge: An intending pilgrim must know what is expected from him at whatever point in his hajj and visit to madina. The prophets (SAW) says: “:learn your rituals from me, for I do not know whether I would be performing Hajj after this Hajj of mine” (Muslim Hadith no 1297).
4. Lawful earning: for one’s Hajj or Umrah to be accepted by Allah, one must make sure that his sources of finance and other materials things are clean and legitimate for Allah accept only that which is pure.
5. Repentance: one must repent sincerely from all sins and turn to Allah completely Allah by regretting wrong doing or sins committed, stopping and giving up the sin and by taking right or properties back to the owners and seek forgiveness from Allah, ans He says: “ and turn to Allah in repentance all of you, O believers that you might succeed”. ( Q24:31)
6. Settling of debt and wasiyyah: an Intended pilgrims should settle his debs and leave behind him a clear record as well as writing all his wills or what he intend to pass it to to his family as that signifies it may be his final journey.
7. Patience: journey to Hajj requires high level of patience as it accompanied by difficulties, fatigue, physical and social abnormalities, intolerance from other pilgrims etc. one should not allow shaitan (Devil) to hijack him and spoils his hajj out of ignorance or annoyance. Allah says: Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of ihram], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do - Allah knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah . And fear Me, O you of understanding” Q2:197
Others are physical, health and financial preparation which are very crucial in completing one’s hajj or Umra.
ESSENTIAL ACTS OF HAJJ
Hajj has four ( 4) pillars, that are considered very essentials, they are;
1. Ihram,2. Tawaf, 3. As-sa’ y between safa and marwa and4. Arafat.
If one of these pillars is left off, the hajj is nullified and counted invalid.
As Umrah has three (3) essentials acts.
They are: 1. Ihram, 2 Tawaf and 3. As-sa’y between safa and marwa.
Umrah is not complete without these pillars in place.
SUGGESTIONS AND COMMON MISTAKES IN HAJJ AND UMRA THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED:
IN IHRAM
- Do not pass the Miqat without being in the state of Ihram.
- Women may wear anything Islamically permissible for Ihram.
-You came to worship Allah and taking pictures for showing others later may contradict your sincerity of doing this for the sake of Allah.
-Women in their me**es should be in a state of Ihram when they pass the Miqat. They should shower and do Talbiyah like everyone else; Men are not to cover their head
You may change your Ihram towels if they get dirty;You do not enter into Ihram by just wearing the white garment. You must make the intention to begin by saying Labbaikallahumma….
-Do not shave your beard, whether before, during or after Ihram.
-When beginning your Ihram for Hajj, do it from where you are: in your hotel, on the street, etc. You do not have to go to the Ka'bah to start your Ihram for Hajj.
- always pay attention to what you are saying when you are making Talbiyah: Labbaykallahummah.
- When you hear that you are not allowed to wear stitches in Ihram, includes: T-Shirt and or underwear.
IN TAWAF:
You do not have to say your intention out loud to begin Tawaf. Saying intentions out loud is something the Prophet (peace be upon him) never did except after Ihram when he said, (Labbayk Allahumma Umrah wa Hajj).
You do not have to touch the black stone for your Tawaf to be accepted. If it is crowded you may face your hand toward the stone and say Allahu Akbar.
Do not kiss or hang on the Yemeni corner. You may only touch it.
Do not follow those Du'a books that make up Du'a for each time you go around the Ka'bah. Read Quran and make Du'a from your heart and glorify Allah.
Make Du'a by yourself, do not do it in a shouting group around the Ka'bah.
-Do not wipe the walls of the Ka'bah during Tawaf. The prophet of Allah did not touch anything other than the black stone and the rukunul Yameni and do not hurt anyone to kiss the black stone.
-Do not push, set your eyes on women or hurt anyone during Tawaf.
- Ka'bah should be to your left.
-Do not forget your 2 Rak'ah of Tawaf as that nullifies tawaf.
IN SA'I ( BETWEEN SAFA AND MARWAH)
- You do not have to climb to the top of Safa or Marwah.
-You can take breaks in Sa'i to drink water or rest &You can take a break after Tawaf, before Sa'i.
- You do not have to jog the whole way, from Safa to Marwah. Only within the green lights, the valley of Safa and Marwah.-Women do not have to run between the green lights.
Do not say your intention out loud before making Sa'I and When Shaving or Trimming: Shave your complete hear is more preferable and If you shall trim, take from all sides of your head. Do not take off your Ihram until you have shaved or trimmed. You are still in Ihram until you do so. Do not shave your beard.
IN MINA, ARAFAH, AND MUZDALIFAH: .
- Do not reserve a place that is more than your need; singing and dancing are not allowed whatever will be the reason..
-Only in Arafah and Muzdalifah do you shorten and combine prayers. In Mina only shorten your prayers, but pray them at the allotted time.
-Do not waste your Hajj time in vain chatting with people or on smart phone.
Do not push anyone when you are in a crowd. You do not have to go and climb the Mountain of Rahma in Arafah. Many people hurt themselves and others to be there even though it is not a Wajib.
You do not have to pray zuhur and Asr on Arafat day in the Masjid Namira You may pray in your tent with your group; Do not leave Arafah before Maghrib time.
Women should avoid getting into a crushing crowd, like in Masjid Namira; Do not face jabal Rahmah on Arafah day when you make Du'a. You should face the Qiblah.
You should not treat your time in Arafah like any other day. You should realize the significance and pray to Allah in (SWT).
At Maghrib time in Arafah, do not pray Maghrib and Isha until you reach Muzdalifah, even if you reach there at 11:00 at night. But if you see half the night approaching, pray where you are on the road. Make sure you are in Muzdalifah before you stop and rest. Many people think they are in Muzdalifah but they are not. Look for the border signs. If you have not seen one, chances are you are still not in Muzdalifah even if you see others sleeping on the road.
After praying Maghrib and Isha in Muzdalifah, go to sleep immediately, this is what the prophet of Allah did.
IN STONING THE JAMARAT:
The Jamarat are not Devils, and Shaytan is not tied up for the stoning of himself. pilgrims that hold this misconception end up cursing, swearing, throwing sandals, etc. It is a commandment from Allah to glorify Allah by saying (Allahu Akbar) with each pebble. Do not throw sandals or wood or big rocks. This is all against the Sunnah.
Do not hurt/push when at the Jamarat and Say Allahu Akbar with each pebble.
Throw the pebbles separately; Make Du'a after the first and second Jamarat.
Do not throw the Jamarat before it is time.
Throw seven pebbles, not more or less.
The people in these mistakes are three:
Some people are sincerely ignorant of these things and they have little clue that what they are doing is Haram or incorrect. The second group is ignorant, but they have the ability to learn and find out. All that stops them from doing so is their carelessness in studying and asking. For these people, it is feared that they may be sinful for their laziness in learning. Third groups are aware of these mistakes. They perform it however to either follow their culture or to misguide people. This person is sinful and they shall assume the sin of those that they misguide.
We ask Allah the most high, to continue to protect our religion and safe guard our pilgrims as they take-off peacefully, may He accept their Hajj, prayers, grant their supplications and bring them back to us safely and peace fully. Ameen
