Prayer for People on Hajj Pilgrimage, Asking for Forgiveness of Their Sins

Dream – Prayer for people who go on Hajj pilgrimage can be a good practice for those who have just returned from the Hajj worship. The term Hajj pilgrimage may still sound unfamiliar to us. However, we may often witness people who go on Hajj pilgrimage.

Hajj pilgrimage can be understood as the activity of visiting people who have just returned from the Hajj worship. In addition to the tradition of gratitude to welcome Hajj pilgrims who arrive in their hometown, the tradition of Hajj pilgrimage is also important for Muslims to understand so that this tradition does not disappear over time.

The tradition of Hajj pilgrimage certainly does not contradict Islamic teachings. Because the essence of Hajj pilgrimage is to pray, either from the visiting guests or from the Hajj pilgrims who have just returned. Islam teaches its followers to pray for each other, including during the time of Hajj pilgrimage.

People who go on Hajj pilgrimage are allowed to ask for prayers from those who have just returned from the Hajj worship. Meanwhile, guests should also not forget to pray for those who have just returned from the Hajj worship. So it can be understood that there is mutual prayer between guests and hosts.

But how about the prayer recitation for people on Hajj pilgrimage? Let's take a look at the full explanation below!

Tradition of Asking for Prayer during Hajj Pilgrimage

When going on Hajj pilgrimage, people will ask for prayers from those who have just returned from the Hajj worship. The content of the prayer is of course asking for safety, protection, smooth sustenance, and not forgetting to ask for the opportunity to perform the Hajj worship. Guests who go on Hajj pilgrimage are very enthusiastic about asking for prayers because those who have just returned from the Hajj worship are believed to be clean from sins like a newborn baby.

That is why the prayer of those who have just returned from the Hajj worship is called a powerful prayer. This is as mentioned by the Prophet Muhammad SAW in his hadith:

"Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit any obscenity or commit any evil, he returns (from Hajj) as sinless as a newborn child." (Narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasai, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah)

In another narration, it is also mentioned that the prayer of those who perform the Hajj worship is more likely to be accepted by Allah SWT.

"People who fight in the cause of Allah, people who perform the Hajj worship, and people who are performing Umrah are the honored guests of Allah. Allah calls them, and then they respond to that call. So if they ask Allah for something, Allah will grant it to them." (Narrated by Ibn Majah)

According to the book Hasyiyah Qaliyubi by Syihabuddin al-Qaliyubi, one of the scholars of the Shafi'i school of thought, those who perform Hajj are recommended to pray and ask for forgiveness for those who do not perform Hajj even if they do not ask for it.

On the other hand, those who do not perform Hajj are encouraged to ask for prayers from those who perform Hajj to have their sins forgiven. According to Imam Qaliyubi, the time for praying lasts for 40 days, counted from the arrival.

Prayer for People on Hajj Pilgrimage

When Hajj pilgrims arrive in their hometowns, we can immediately ask them to pray for forgiveness for everyone present.

One narration from Imam Ahmad explains the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad SAW regarding this matter:

"From Abdullah bin Umar, he said: 'The Prophet Muhammad SAW said: 'If you meet someone who has just returned from Hajj, then greet him, shake his hand, and ask him to pray for forgiveness for you before he enters his house, because his sins have been forgiven.''' (Narrated by Imam Ahmad)

So it is recommended for us to greet Hajj pilgrims with greetings, shake their hands, and ask for prayers from them. Actually, the most important time is before the pilgrims enter their house. So try to wait for the arrival of the pilgrims, and as soon as they arrive, ask them to pray for forgiveness first.

The prayer that can be recited for Hajj pilgrims who pray for forgiveness for everyone who welcomes them is the wording of the hadith narrated by Imam Al-Baihaqi from the Companion Abu Hurairah ra. This prayer is mentioned in the book Kitab Faidhul Qadir by Sheikh Abdurrauf Al-Munawi. He noted that this prayer should be recited three times.

اَللَّهُمَّغْفِرْ لِلْحَجِّ، وَلِمَنْ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُ الْحَجُّ.

Artinya: "Ya Allah, ampunilah dosa jamaah haji ini dan dosa orang yang dimintakan ampun oleh jamaah haji ini."

That is the prayer recitation for people on Hajj pilgrimage complete with its explanation in Islam. Hopefully, through the prayers of Hajj pilgrims who have just returned from the Holy Land, our sins will be forgiven by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Wallahu a'lam.