Nurturing the Blessed Hajj (Hajj Mabrur)
By Ahmad Tholabi Kharlie
Professor at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
The Hajj season of 1446 H has just passed. The guests of Allah, dhuyuf al-Rahman, have one by one returned to their homelands. They have not only come back with souvenirs and beautiful stories from the Holy Land, but more than that, they have returned with deep spiritual footprints. Behind the tears shed during wuquf (standing) in Arafah, the weary steps in tawaf (circumambulation) and sa'i (striding), and the roar of takbir (exclamations of Allahu Akbar) during the jamarat (stoning ritual), lies a great hope: to become a Hajj Mabrur (an accepted and blessed Hajj).
So, how does one maintain and nurture the blessed Hajj? Or how can the spirit of a blessed Hajj be instilled in daily life? And what about those who have not yet had the opportunity to perform Hajj?
In Islamic tradition, the Hajj pilgrimage is one of the pinnacles of a Muslim's spiritual journey. It is not merely a series of physical rituals performed in Mecca and Medina, but a spiritual training deeply rooted in the values of sincerity, sacrifice, and submission. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, asserted, "Al-Hajju al-mabruru laysa lahu jaza'un illa al-jannah" (A blessed Hajj has no reward but Paradise) (HR. Bukhari and Muslim). Thus, maintaining and nurturing its blessedness is a most noble endeavor.
The Mirror of Blessedness (Mabrur)
Blessedness is not solely judged by the completion of Hajj rituals. It is, in fact, tested after the pilgrims return home. Here, we understand the wise saying of the scholars, "Madha hajju al-bayti wa baqiya Rabb al-bayt" (The Hajj may have ended, but the Lord of the House remains, is still near, even closer than our jugular vein) (Khumays al-Naqib, 2023). The Hajj pilgrimage teaches that the essence of taqarrub ila Allah (drawing closer to Allah) knows no geographical boundaries. So, one does not have to be in the Holy Land to be a servant close to God.
The ihram cloth, always worn during Hajj or Umrah, has now been removed. However, the meaning of ihram—such as simplicity, purity, humility, and lowliness before Allah—must continue to be worn in daily life. It must not be cast off.
The tawaf around the Kaaba has also concluded. Circulating the Kaaba while reciting prayers and other noble invocations certainly felt very sensational. This is a spiritual experience difficult to forget. Now is the time to perform tawaf around us, around the needy and orphans who require our extended hand.
Similarly, the sa'i procession between Safa and Marwah has also been completed. The reflection of the struggle to find life—like the heroic portrait of Mother Hagar and Ishmael—is now over. But the struggle to help others, to fight for justice, and to reject evil are other forms of sa'i that truly never end.
There is no longer a Black Stone (Hajar Aswad) to kiss upon returning home. The sensation of kissing or touching the heavenly stone, the Black Stone, is clearly impossible to experience here in our country. Yet, there are the wrinkled hands of parents and the aging forehead of a mother, which, if kissed with love and devotion, will be far more valuable in the sight of Allah SWT. So, continue to kiss the 'Black Stone' through the noble hands and identity of parents, teachers, and righteous people beloved by Allah SWT.
We have also completed the jamarat (stoning) ritual. However, the true devil is the whisper of the heart that invites to arrogance, hypocrisy, and hidden sins. So, the real stoning of the jamarat is when we say "no" to immorality, refuse to return to familiar sins, and begin to tread the path of goodness with earnestness.
Likewise, for those who have not yet performed Hajj, never despair, because the spirit of mabrur can still be enlivened. Never think that the Hajj pilgrimage is a monopoly of the materially capable. Every Muslim can learn from its meaning and spiritual messages. Learn from the sincerity of those who perform Hajj, from the prayers offered, and from the willingness to leave worldly comforts to embark on the path to God.
Nurturing Blessedness
Mabrur is nothing but a reflection of the soul's condition. Imam al-Hasan al-Bashri, as quoted by al-Qurthubi in his tafsir, states that the sign of a blessed Hajj is a tangible change in one's life. One becomes more ascetic towards the world, more longing for the hereafter, more diligent in worship, and their morals become nobler towards others.
Imam Ahmad Zarruq al-Fasi also affirmed in Syarh Matn al-Risalah that a blessed Hajj is a Hajj performed by its practitioner without disobeying Allah from the beginning of its performance until its completion.
Imam al-Nawawi, in al-Idhah fi Manasik al-Hajj, says that among the signs of an accepted Hajj, as a blessed Hajj, is that a person returns in a better state than before and does not repeat the acts of disobedience previously committed before performing the Hajj.
If so, then maintaining blessedness is truly about maintaining the momentum for change. The key lies in muraqabah, which is the awareness that life is always under the watchful eye of Allah SWT. This is the true form of heart-felt piety, as Allah SWT states, "Wa man yu‘azhzhim sha‘a’ir Allah fa innaha min taqwa al-qulub" (And whoever honors the symbols of Allah - indeed, it is from the piety of hearts) (QS. Al-Hajj: 32).
Maintaining blessedness also means upholding the mission of Hajj as a moment of self-improvement. This means we must continue to learn to control desires, cultivate honesty, and spread mercy in social life. Amidst the strong currents of life that often distract, the spirit of blessedness becomes a spiritual brake so that we do not fall into the deceptions of the world.
From this perspective, the spiritual journey to the Holy Land is not the final destination, but the beginning of a long journey towards Allah. The ihram cloth that covered the body during Hajj should also envelop our identity, with simplicity, humility, and sincerity in giving.
In conclusion, let us make Hajj not merely an annual ritual or a prestigious achievement, but a spirit that drives goodness. For those who have performed it, it is certainly hoped that they will further strengthen their steps in realizing true righteousness. As for those who have not yet performed Hajj, may Allah SWT open the way and grant them inner and outer readiness to follow to the Baitullah (House of Allah). Amin ya Rabb al-‘Alamin.
Summarized from the Friday Sermon by Prof. Dr. Ahmad Tholabi Kharlie, June 20, 2025. This article was published in the Dakwah column of detik.com (Friday, June 20, 2025).