Hajj is defined in language as the intention or direction, but in terminology it is the intention or direction to the Sacred House of Allah to perform specific rituals at a specific time. Hajj also has specific rituals, and among these rituals is jamrat al aqabah hajj, so we will learn in the following paragraphs the jamrat al aqabah hajj.
What is Jamrat al-Aqaba?
jamrat al aqabah hajj is the second obligation of Hajj that scholars have agreed upon;and the meaning of it is explained below:
language
- jamrat al aqabah hajj means a small pebble, and its plural form is jamarat and jamarat, and it is called jamarat for the gathering of pilgrims to throw it during the days of Tashreeq.
Idiomatically
- Pushing the small pebble into the designated goal; So that it enters the basin or goal dish.
Legally
- It is one of the rituals of Hajj. It is the first and largest Jamarat in which the pilgrim throws seven pebbles into the goal designated for throwing. It was called Al-Aqaba because there was an obstacle there in the past – meaning the bumpy road – and it has been removed in our time.
The number of jamrat al aqabah hajj
The number of jamrat al aqabah hajj that the pilgrim throws is three, and these stones are:
- minor; It is called Al-Dunya because it is the closest Jamarat to Mina, near Al-Khaif Mosque.
- Central; It is the Jamarat that lies between the major and minor Jamarat.
- Jamrat al-Aqaba; It is called Al-Kubra, and it is located at the end of Mina, towards Mecca.
Time to throw jamrat al aqabah hajj
The time for stoning the jamrat al aqabah hajj begins at noon on the days of Tashreeq, and the Hanafi school of thought considered it permissible to stone the Jamarat after noon when there is severe crowding. The scholars have several opinions regarding delaying the stoning of each Jamarat on its day; I explain it as follows:
- The Hanafis and Malikis hold that it is obligatory to stone every Jamarat on its specified day and time, and whoever does not adhere to this must be sacrificed.
- The Shafi’is and Hanbalis said in one of their sayings that it is best to throw every Jamarat at its specified time and day. But whoever delays it until the end of the time, which is the sunset of the third day of the days of Tashreeq – according to the more correct opinion – that is permissible, and it is not obligatory for the one who does it to shed blood.
Conditions for the validity of jamrat al aqabah hajj
Scholars have stipulated a number of conditions that must be met when throwing jamrat al aqabah hajj in order for it to be correct, and for the pilgrim to have performed this ritual in the required manner, and among these conditions are:
- Throwing seven pebbles at each Jamarat (small, middle, and large).
- To throw each pebble individually; It is not permissible to throw all seven pebbles at once.
- That the pilgrim throws stones with what is valid for throwing and omitting; It is not permissible to shoot with iron, shoes, or the like, and the Hanafi jurists among the jurists have permitted shooting with anything that comes from the ground, such as clay and stone.
- The pilgrim must aim at the goal when throwing.
- The order between the three Jamarat is according to the majority, but according to the Hanafis, this is not a requirement because according to them, the order is Sunnah.
Some cautions when throwing jamrat al aqabah hajj
Some pilgrims commit a number of violations when throwing the three Jamarat, so it is necessary to be alerted to them in order to avoid them and reduce the hardship caused by them, including:
- It is not necessary to wash before throwing stones.
- The pilgrim does not have to wash the Jamaraat before throwing it.
- It is not necessary for the Jamarat to be from Muzdalifah only.
- It is Sunnah to pronounce takbeer when throwing every Jamarat, as has been proven from the Prophet – may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
- It is not necessary for the pebble or cinder to hit the pole in the middle of the goal; It was made only as a sign.
- Crowding and jostling, causing harm to others, and avoiding kindness and gentleness in dealings; All of this is not true in a holy place like this, and in such a solemn worship.
The wisdom behind throwing jamrat al aqabah hajj
Some scholars have suggested that the wisdom behind stoning the jamrat al aqabah hajj may be to remind the Muslim of his complete hostility to Satan. Which Allah Almighty has commanded us to take as an enemy by saying.
Glory be to Him -: (Indeed, Satan is your enemy, so take him as an enemy), This pillar is a matter of awakening the Islamic nation, and warning them of their old and greatest enemy; Who promised to seduce them and lead them away from the path of guidance
It should be noted that another group of scholars saw that the wisdom behind this great ritual is obedience to Allah Almighty and good following of His Noble Messenger. Every act of worship has its own wisdom, whether we know it or ignore it. What is important is obedience and application.
How to throw jamrat al aqabah hajj during Hajj
The pilgrim begins stoning the jamrat al aqabah hajj by holding the Jamarat in his right hand, raising his arm, and says “Allahu Akbar” when throwing each Jamarat. He stands with Mecca on his left and Mina on his right, then faces the Qiblah after stoning. So he supplicates to Allah, remembers Him, says Allah.
And glorifies Allah, after stoning the small Jamarat and the middle Jamarat, but as for Jamrat al-Aqaba, he does not do that after throwing it. It is permissible for the pilgrim to throw the Jamarat while riding or on foot, according to the majority of Hanafi and Maliki scholars, and the Hanbalis
As for the Shafi’is, they said by throwing it on foot, and it is Sunnah to throw it while riding if the pilgrim is ready to leave after him. It should be noted that the Talbiyah is stopped as soon as he throws the first pebble at Jamrat al-Aqaba according to the majority of Shafi’is, Hanafi, and Hanbali. As for the Malikis, they said that the Talbiyah is stopped at noon on the day of Arafat.
Conclusion
In conclusion, jamrat al aqabah hajj is one of the rituals of Hajj and is divided into three parts. Therefore, we mentioned in our previous paragraphs all the terms and conditions related to jamrat al aqabah hajj and the method of stoning it.
