Praise be to Allah.
Is Stoning the Jamarat Part of Hajj?
Stoning the Jamarat is one of the obligatory rituals of Hajj and is prescribed for everyone who intends to do this great pilgrimage. This ritual is mentioned clearly in the Sunnah and its authenticity is agreed upon by the scholars.
It was narrated from Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) seated Al-Fadl behind him on his mount, and Al-Fadl (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he did not stop reciting the Talbiyah until he stoned the Jamrah . (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 1685 and Muslim, 1282)
It was narrated from `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he came to the largest Jamrah and put the House on his left and Mina on his right and stoned it with seven (pebbles), and he said: This is how the one to whom Surat Al-Baqarah was revealed (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stoned it. (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 1748 and Muslim , 1296)
It was narrated from Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he would stone Al-Jamrah Ad-Dunya (the Jamrah near the Khayf mosque) with seven pebbles, saying Takbir after every throw. Then he would go ahead until he reached the level ground where he would stand facing the Qiblah, and he stood for a long time, offering Du`a and raising his hands. Then he would stone the middle pillar, then he would move to the left towards the middle ground, where he would stand facing the Qiblah. He would remain there for a long time offering du’a’ and raising his hands. Then he would stone Jamarat Al-`Aqabah from the middle of the valley, but he did not stand beside it. Then he would leave and say: This is how I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing it. (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 1751)
Ibn Al-Mundhir (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Scholars unanimously agreed that if a person stones the Jamarat during the days of At-Tashriq after the sun has passed the meridian, that is valid.” (Al-Ijma` by Ibn Al-Mundhir, 11)
Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Scholars agreed that the three days after the Day of Sacrifice are the days for stoning the Jamarat, and that the one who stoned them during those days after the meridian, that is valid.” (Maratib Al-Ijma` by Ibn Hazm, 46)
Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“When he reaches Mina, he should start with Jamarat Al-`Aqabah , which is the furthest of the Jamarat from Mina and the closest of them to Makkah, and it is at Al-`Aqabah, hence it is also called Jamarat Al-`Aqabah . He should stone it with seven pebbles, saying Takbir with each throw. He should stand at the middle of the valley and turn to face the Qiblah, then he should leave and should not stay there. This is a summary of the views of those scholars whose views we know.” (Al-Mughni, 3/218)
Why do we throw stones at the Jamarat?
Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“As for the stoning of the Jamarat , the purpose behind it is to follow the command and manifest submission and servitude to Allah, and show complete obedience without rational thought or the ego having any part in it. The aim is also to imitate Ibrahim (peace be upon him), when Shaytan (may Allah curse him) appeared to him in that place to instil confusion in his mind or tempt him to sin, and Allah commanded him to throw stones at him so as to drive him away and dash his hopes. If you ever think that the Shaytan appeared to him and he saw him and that is why he stoned him, but as for me, the Shaytan did not appear to me, it should be noted that this thought is from the Shaytan and that he is the one who is putting it into your mind, so as to slow you down when you are throwing and you will imagine that it is an action in which there is nothing good and that it is like playing, so why should you bother with it? Expel him from your mind with a serious attitude and determination to throw the pebbles despite the Shaytan. Remember that you are outwardly throwing pebbles at Al-`Aqabah, but in fact you are throwing them in the face of the Shaytan and you are breaking his back with them, because nothing annoys him except your obeying the command of Allah out of veneration for Him, simply because of His command, and the soul and mind have nothing to do with it.” (Ihya’ `Ulum Ad-Din, 1/270)
And Allah knows best.
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