What are the benefits that people see in Hajj?

Praise be to Allah.

The benefits that the Muslims see in Hajj are many and include spiritual benefits, social benefits and worldly benefits.

As for the spiritual benefits, they are what the pilgrims do of performing the rituals, and what they attain of education and guidance from the scholars here and there, as well as what they do of spending on Hajj, because it comes under the heading of spending for the sake of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.

With regard to the social benefits, that includes what happens of people meeting one another, the love that is created between them, learning good manners from one another, and treating one another kindly, as is clear to any smart person who reflects on that.

With regard to the worldly benefits, that includes what happens of earnings for those who own cars and the like that are rented in order to perform Hajj, and the trade in which the pilgrims engage by bringing goods with them and taking goods with them from Makkah, and other great benefits. Hence Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “That they may witness things that are of benefit to them” [al-Hajj 22:28]. But it is extremely regrettable that nowadays for many people, these great benefits are not attained in Hajj; rather it is as if Hajj is mere actions and words in which there is nothing but the outward form only. Therefore hearts do not attain true humility and love is not created between the believers and they do not learn about their religion; rather some of them may dislike hearing any word of exhortation from someone who tries to offer them advice, and some of them may have bad intentions, such as calling people to falsehood, either in their words or by distributing corrupt and misleading pamphlets. This is undoubtedly something regrettable, that puts this Hajj beyond the shar‘i framework for which it was prescribed. Therefore I offer the following advice to my brother pilgrims:

Firstly: they should make their intention to do Hajj sincerely for the sake of Allah, may He be exalted, by not intending anything from their Hajj except to attain the reward of Allah, may He be exalted, and His Paradise.

Secondly: they should strive hard to follow the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in his Hajj, because he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to say: “Learn from me your rituals of Hajj.”

Thirdly: they should strive hard to create an atmosphere of love and harmony among Muslims, and they should inform one another about what they may be faced with of religious, social and other problems.

Fourthly: they should show kindness to other pilgrims in the holy places, when doing tawaaf and sa‘i, when stoning the Jamaraat, and moving on from Muzdalifah and ‘Arafah, and so on.

Fifthly: they should strive to perform the rituals in a calm and dignified manner, and should not act as if they have come to fight an army or hostile warriors. That is seen when stoning the Jamaraat, where you find some people coming to the Jamaraat filled with anger and rage, and uttering angry words that are not appropriate anywhere else, so how about in this place?!

Sixthly: they should keep far away from causing any kind of harm or annoyance, physical or otherwise, which means that they should avoid throwing trash or garbage in the streets, and they should avoid smoking, for example, among people who dislike that. Moreover, smoking is haraam when in ihram and otherwise, but if it happens when in ihram, it detracts from the ihram and from the reward of Hajj and ‘umrah, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein by assuming Ihram), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj”

[al-Baqarah 2:197].

Smoking is haraam, and persisting in it is a major sin.

The point is that during this Hajj, the individual should be on his best behaviour in terms of religious commitment and attitude, so that he may taste the sweetness of this Hajj. End quote.