Following the completion of sacrifice, a pilgrim’s duty is Halq and Taqsir. Halq means to shave one’s head, and Taqsir is to shorten the nail or hair. Women must clip their nails and cut some locks of their hair while men have the choice to shave their heads or shorten. According to certain religious decrees, Halq is obligatory for men. The Quranic Verse on this religious duty is, “Then let them accomplish their needful acts of shaving and cleansing. (22:29)”
Imam Reza says:
التَّفَثُ تَقليمُ الأظافِرِ وطَرحُ الوسَخِ وطَرحُ الإحرامِ عنه
“The Arabic word ‘tafath –mentioned in the Holy Quran-’ means to clip the nails, to remove dirt, and to come out of the state of Ihram.”[162]
Evidently, this is the surface meaning, but the in-depth meaning is purification of soul from filth of vices.
Imam Sadiq (a.s) says:
واحلِقِ العُيوبَ الظّاهِرةَ والباطِنةَ بحَلقِ شَعرِكَ
“By shaving your head, remove all inward and outward flaws.”[163]
Imam Sajjad (a.s) posed the following questions to a man who had returned from Mecca:
فَعِندَما حَلقْتَ رَأسَكَ، نَوَيتَ أنكَ تَطَهّرتَ مِن الأدناسِ ومِن تَبِعَةِ بني آدمَ وخَرَجتَ مِن الذّنوبِ كما وَلدتكَ أُمُّكَ
“Did you have the intention to cleanse yourself from all pollutions and violations of rights of people and do without wrongdoings as if you were born of your mother when shaving your head in Mina?”[164]
According to other hadiths, the word ‘tafath’ means to meet the Imam.
Thareeh asked Imam Sadiq (a.s) about the meaning of the above-mentioned Quranic Verse to which the Imam said:
التّفَثُ لِقاءُ الإمامِ
“’tafath’ means to meet the Imam.”[165]
By meeting Imam Mahdi (a.s), darkness of ignorance turns into light of knowledge, virtues replace vices, and an inner purification comes about. About such people the Holy Quran says:
اَلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الْصَّاِلحَاتِ طُوبَى لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ
“(As for) those who believe and do good, a good final state shall be theirs and a goodly return. (The Holy Quran; 13:29)”
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحاً مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَو أُنْثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طّيَِبَةً
“Whoever does good whether male or female and he is a believer, We will most certainly make him live a happy life. (The Holy Quran; 16:97)”
Hence, the Imam (a.s) drew people’s attention to their duties by saying:
اِبدَؤوا بمَكَّةَ واخْتِموا بِنا
“Begin your Hajj from Mecca and complete it with our visitation.”[166]
By visitation, it is meant to renew one’s pledge with the Imam and to follow him. Failing to feel the presence of the Imam, they will look like a flock without shepherd, dispersed and exposed to wolves’ attack. Hence, the only benefit to Halq and Taqsir in Mina is a physical purification and nothing more. Even their Eid will lost its true meaning and the sorrows of men of understanding will increase. In this relation, Abdullah ibn Dinar quotes Imam Baqir (a.s) as saying:
ما مِنْ عيدٍ للمُسلمِينَ أضحى ولا فِطْرٍ إلاّ وهُو يَتَجدّدُ فيهِ لآلِ محَمَّدٍ صلّى الله عليهِ وآلهِ حُزنٌ... لأِنّهم يَرَونَ حَقَّهم في يدِ غيرِهِم.
“There is no single Eid ul-Fitr or Eid ul-Adha in which Muslims do not renew their sorrows for the household of the Holy Prophet —the Ahl ul-Bayt (a.s)… because they see their rights in the hands of others.”[167]
On the Eid days when Muslims congregate, the Imam (a.s) as an ‘axis’ round whom all should turn must be present. The worshippers must perform prayer under his leadership, sermons have to be delivered, and the boundaries of the religion have to be defended by him. Nevertheless, regrettably, they miss the Imam in all these positions. To whatever direction they go, they do not see any sign of their guardian. When they go for Ramy al-Jamarat, they do not have a commander; when they go to the place of sacrifice, they have no leader; when they perform Halq and Taqsir, there is no sign of the true Reformer and Purifier. The Imam, too, is sad about the disorderly situation of his followers. The Shiite Muslims who miss their master start lamenting. It is for this reason that one of the recommended duties or Shiite Muslims on Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Eid ul-Ghadir, and Fridays is to read Duaa an-Nudba. ‘Nudba’ means lamenting in separation from an endeared one, relating a beloved’s description, and shedding tears for his absence. Hence, as long as the Shiites are separate from their Imam, they keep on lamenting especially on the said occasions when their sorrows are renewed. A part of Duaa un-Nudba says:
فَعَلى الأطائِبِ مِن أهلِ بيتِ محمَّدٍوعَلِيٍّ (صَلى اللهُ عَليهِما وآلهِما) فَليَبْكِ الباكونَ، وإيّاهُم فَلينْدِبِ النّادِبونَ، ولِمِثلِهِم فَلتُذرَفِ الدّموعُ ولْيصْرَخِ الصّارِخونَ ويضِجَّ الضّاجُّونَ ويعِجَّ العاجّونَ. أينَ الحسنُ أينَ الحُسينِ، أين أبناءُ الحُسينِ صالحٌ بعدَ صالحٍ وصادِقٌ بعدَ صادِقٍ. أينَ السبيلُ بعدَ السبيل،ِ أين الخِيَرَةُ بعدَ الخِيَرَةِ، أين الشّموسُ الطّالِعَةُ، أين الأقمارُ المُنيرةُ، أين الأنجُمُ الزّاهِرةُ، أين أعلامُ الدّينِ وقَواعِدُ العلمِ، أين بقِيّة ُاللهِ التي لا تخَلو مِن العترة الهادية.
For the purified ones of the progeny of Mohammad and Ali (may peace be upon both of them and their progeny); the bewailers should cry and the wailers should wail. And for their likes tears should be shed and clamorers should clamor and mourners should mourn in a heart-rending manner: where is Hasan? Where is Hussein? Where are the children of Hussein— the whole righteous and whole truthful? Where is the path after the path of righteousness? Where are the virtuous people after virtuous people? Where are the rising suns? Where are the luminous moons? Where are the emblems of faith and basis of knowledge? Where is Baqiyyatullah that the world cannot be devoid from the presence of guided progeny?”
The Eid of Shiite Muslims will come a day when they see on their heads the shade of the Imam (a.s) who will hoist the banner of monotheism, will put the world on the path of God under the light of his guidance, and will fill the world with security.
اَللّهُمَ أرِني الطّلعَةَ الرّشيدَةَ والغِرَّةَ الحَميدَةَ وأَكْحِل ناظِري بِنظرَةٍ مِني إلَيهِ وعَجِّلْ فَرَجَهُ وَسَهِّلْ مَخْرَجَهُ وَأَوْسِعْ مَنْهَجَهُ وَاسْلُكْ بي مَحَجَّتَهُ وأَنفِذْ أَمْرَهُ وَاشْدُدْ أَزْرَهُ
“O Allah, show me that illustrious countenance, and that illuminated forehead, enlighten my eyes with his visit, hasten his reappearance, facilitate his exit, widen his path, take me on his path, make his influence pervasive, and support him.”[168]
Both Halq and Taqsir in Mina have hygienic as well as spiritual benefits, a symbol of moral purification from arrogance, jealousy, avarice, and egotism. They have social implications; that is, the meeting of the ummah with their Imam and leader. Unity is the outcome of such meeting, which in its turn leads to the removal of vices and corruption from the society.
Staying overnight in Mina is obligatory upon pilgrims. Staying in Mina on the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhu’l-Hijja is also obligatory upon those pilgrims who, in the state of Ihram, have not abstained from hunting or having intercourse with women and for those who have delayed their departure from Mina in the afternoon of the 12th of Dhu’l-Hijja until night. During Tashriq period—the three days following Eid ul-Adha, Ramy ul-Jamarat is obligatory. This topic has been mentioned in the Holy Quran:
وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللهَ في أَيَّامٍ مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ َتأَخَّرَ فَلا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى
“And laud Allah during the numbered days; then whoever hastens off in two days, there is no blame on him and whoever remains behind, there is no blame on him, this is for him who guards against evil. (2:203)”
Imam Sadiq (a.s) is quoted as saying that the ‘numbered days’ are the same as Tashriq period. During these days, pilgrims who have performed the major parts of the Hajj acts have more free time for becoming familiar with Muslims from other countries.
UNDERSTANDING AMONG THE UMMAH IN MINA
One of the important duties of pilgrims in Mina is to create understanding with brethren in faith from other Islamic sects and to remove any misunderstanding, which has been created among Muslims as a result of negative propaganda by the aliens.
يُخْرِبُونَ بُيُوتَهُمْ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ فَاعْتَبِرُوا يَا أُولِي الأَبْصَارِ
“They demolished their houses with their own hands. (The Holy Quran; 58:2)”
The enemy is looking for every chance to create division among Muslims and by using the policy of ‘divide to rule’ strengthens its own power. The enemy knows that a nation that says ‘there is no god but Allah and Mohammad is His Messenger’, that is neither attracted by the ornaments of the world nor fears death (martyrdom), that, according to the Holy Quran, is “ranks as if they were a firm and compact wall,”[169] will foil the enemy’s plot with its individuals’ unity and solidarity.
Unfortunately, one billion Muslims believing in One God, one prophet, one Book, and Kiblah and standing side by side in congregational prayer and Hajj ranks are poled apart. This is the same danger the Holy Prophet (saw) expressed in his Farewell Hajj:
فلا تَرجِعُنَّ بعدي كُفّاراً يضرِبُ بَعضُكُم رِقابَ بعضٍ، فإنّي قد تَركتُ فيكُم ما إنْ أخَذتم بهِ لن تَضِلوا: كتابَ اللهِ وعِترتي أهلَ بَيتي. ألا هَل بلّغتُ؟ اللّهُمَّ فَاشْهَدْ.
“O Muslims, do not convert to atheism after me by killing each other, for I have left with you two things—if you resort to them you will never go astray; the Book of Allah and my household. Have I conveyed? O Allah, be the witness.”[170]
To sum it up, Islam has set the grounds for gathering of Muslims under various situations so as to bring their hearts together in a bid to foil the aliens’ conspiracies. Staying in Mina makes Muslims from all over the world get to know one another, to feel that they are brethren:
وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللهِ جَمِيعاً وَلا تَفَرَّقُوا، وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنْتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُمْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَاناً وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا، كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ.
“And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it, thus does Allah make clear to you His communications that you may follow the right way. (The Holy Quran; 3:103)”
وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ، لَو أَنْفَقْتَ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعاً مَا أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
“…And united their hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them; surely He is Mighty, Wise.(The Holy Quran; 8:63)”
Perhaps, the philosophy of staying overnight in Mina and engaging in Ramy al-Jamarat during the day is that the hands of the Islamic states should consult and exchange views and struggle against the agents of Satan.
