Allah The Almighty says (what means): {That they may witness benefits for themselves.} [Quran 22:28]
This statement, with what it contains of Divine Instructions, includes the following points:
· First: When Allah The Almighty enjoined Hajj as shown in His statement (which means): {That they may witness benefits for themselves} [Quran 22:28] there arose difference in its intended meaning. It was construed, by some, to refer to the worldly benefits, i.e. to trade during the days of Hajj; and by others, to refer to the Hereafter benefits, i.e. pardon and forgiveness; and by a third group, to refer to both, and that is the more suitable interpretation.
· Second: The word “benefits” referred to here is indefinite, because what is intended, and Allah knows best, is benefits unique to that act of worship, be they religious or worldly, that have no like in the other acts of worship.
Ibn Al-Jawzi says in his Zaad Al-Maseer, “The sounder opinion is to be construed to refer to the benefits of both abodes (of the World and Hereafter), for trade therein is not intended in particular, but it is Hajj that is intended, and trade is subsequent to it.”
‘Abdul-Kareem Al-Khateeb says in his At-Tafseer Al-Qur’aani, “Many and various are the benefits witnessed by the visitors of the Sacred House of Allah, and the people’s shares from them are different. There are spiritual benefits springing from the place’s glory, wonder and blessing. The soul indeed is covered up by that magnificent assembly in which the people are gathered together in the same appearance, wearing the same clothes of Ihraam, deprived of all enjoyments of life, and of what they used to put on therein of majesty and authority.”
An-Nasafi did well in his illustration of that obligatory duty as he likened it to the life of the Hereafter, saying, “If the pilgrim enters the desert, he never relies but on his belongings, and never eats but of his provision. The same is true of the man when he comes out of the shore of life, and sails aboard the ocean of death. Nothing benefits his solitude other than his endeavor in his living for the sake of his place of return, and nothing removes his loneliness other than his devotional Wirds (a fix-size portion of the Quran to be recited regularly) he used to entertain himself with.”
Hady (sacrificial animal): A problem and solution
The Hady is the animal which the pilgrim drives with him as an offering to the inhabitants of the Sanctuary without a binding reason. It also means the sacrificial animal a pilgrim is required to slaughter for leaving an obligatory act, doing a forbidden act or being prevented (from completing Hajj) or performing Hajj At-Tamattu’ (or Al-Qiraan). That is the significance of His statement (which means): {And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the Symbols of Allah; for you therein is good.} [Quran 22:36] Al-Qurtubi said, “It is called Hady (offering), for from among them, there is such as offered to the House of Allah, and its inhabitants of the poor and needy.”
Buying Hady and coming close therewith to Allah The Almighty are among the clearest evidences for sacrifice with property, and a true example of association of spiritual values of worship with material economic values in the rite of Hajj.
The accumulation of the meat of Hady in Mina during the three days of Nahr (sacrifice) was a problem in the past for which a solution was needed, since it was exposed to putrefaction and decomposition, and, consequently, thrown to wild animals, or disposed off without benefiting from it, which would not benefit the Muslims, in so much as harm them and their poor and needy, and those eligible for receiving it.
For this reason, some solutions were proposed to get rid of that problem to help benefit from the meat of Hady. In this regard, many recommendations and proposals have been presented to solve the problem:
· To establish an economic Islamic institution to take care of, process and preserve that meat in cans, and send it to those Muslims who are eligible for receiving it across the countries of the Islamic world, given that the Islamic Bank of Development is now in the process of establishing big refrigerators to preserve that meat after cleaning it and then exporting it to the poor, needy and those eligible for it.
· To teach pilgrims the rulings of Hady, including, for instance, that no Hady is due on the one who performs of Hajj Al-Ifraad, and that Hady is due only on the one who performs of Hajj Al-Qiraan and Hajj At-Tamattu’.
· To form an Islamic charity organization to supervise the process of gathering, distributing and exporting the meat of Hady among the poor, indigent and needy.
Economic implications of Hajj
Hajj has great economic implications and is an opportunity to increase one's earnings according to the method prescribed in the Sharee'ah in this world and the Hereafter. It is indeed a financial and physical act of worship, whose reward is well known to all people.
Hajj is a season in which scholars and those endowed with practical Islamic experience meet together, including manufacturers, merchants, craftsmen of different specialties. Thus, the opportunity offered by Hajj should be seized, since it is a good opportunity for Islamic institutions and Muslims to encourage the growth of economic relations between Muslims, discuss the problems of food safety and the economic problems in general, which has the potential to bring extensive benefit to individuals and groups.