Al-Hajj Al-Mabroor

Among the rituals Allah prescribed in Hajj and ‘Umrah are matters
connected with issues governing the entire universe. After Tawâf
[The devotional act of circumambulating (i.e. walking around) the
Ka‘bah seven times while reciting prayers and supplications. Tawâf
should begin and end at the Black Stone] you perform Sa‘y [The
devotional act of walking seven times between the knolls of As-Safâ
and Al-Marwah, which are located some distance from the Ka‘bah
inside Al-Masjidul-Haram; starting at As-Safâ and ending at Al-
Marwa]. Sa‘y is done between As-Safâ and Al-Marwah, the two
knolls between which you walk for seven ashwaat [One complete
circuit around the Kabah constitutes a shawt (pl. ashwaat), and seven
ashwaat complete one Tawaf], as in Tawâf.
Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, wants us during the
performance of this ritual to summon in our minds an issue of
faith, namely that Allah has created this universe and made it
work through causes. Whoever adopts the causes of living –
whether a believer or a nonbeliever – and masters them, causes
will give him. But at the same time The Almighty wants to invite
our attention that The Originator of causes, glory be to Him, is
above all causes. Allah gives (of His Bounties, Blessings, Favors,
Honors, etc.) to whomever He wills without end. He, glory be to
Him, guides you to the causes and means of obtaining provision; if
you succeed in adopting them, they will give you and if you do
not, they will not. But never believe that causes alone are the
givers. You adopt the causes and if Allah wills they will give you,
meanwhile your heart should wholly be with the Creator of the
causes.
There is a difference between the Bounties Allah gives through
causes and those directly bestowed. In Hajj Allah draws our
attention to that.
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