After fulfilling the obligation of Hajj and visiting the Holy cities the returning Haji brings with him the promise of accepted supplication. With this in mind many of our pious predecessors would make their way to greet the returning pilgrim before he reaches his home.
This act in modern day seems to have left our life’s and instead been replaced with gatherings, often at the Haji’s residence, full of expense.
In his book ‘Teacher of the Pilgrims’ Mufti Qari Saeed Ahmed warns of the dangers of over doing the reception:
‘There are some unpleasant things in our reception these days.
‘The pilgrim himself is very mindful of the reception he expects and care is taken to inform as many people of his arrival.
‘He sends urgent messages home and gives detailed instructions for his reception. This is showing off and a sign of arrogance.’
Mufti Saeed also warns on the issue of conversations with the visitors:
‘They talk of the expenses they incurred during the journey or the amount doled out, forgetting that these things disclose virtue.’
However Mufti Saeed also say’s there is no harm in describing ones experience if they are asked about it and so long as the reply is true and without a hint of self-praise or showing off.
In the book, Mufti Saeed also mentions the returning Haji should talk of his Hajj in a manner that creates a desire in the heart of his visitor, particularly those who have not yet been and therefore not experienced it.
When it comes to hardships born during the journey, care should be taken in explaining them lest the listener is put off from making the pilgrimage in future. In some cases the hardships may well have been very genuine and serious, in which case channels exist for the traveller to address this.
But where minor hardships or difficulties arose, patience should be practiced in the same way after Hajj as was done during. An exception to the rule is where the Haji genuinely feels mentioning a hardship would help a future pilgrim, in which case it should be carefully explained in a manner that does not discourage someone from the journey.
Teacher of the Pilgrims concludes:
‘After the pilgrimage it is more important to adopt righteousness. One of the signs of Hajj having been accepted is that the pilgrim is more inclined than before towards righteousness and affairs of the hereafter.’
