What does Al-hajj mean?

Islam > Glossary > Al-hajj

Discover the meaning of the term Al-hajj (حج) in Islamic vocabulary.

Definition Al-hajj

Al-hajj according to Kitab at-Ta'rifat (Al-Jurjani)

Heading towards the greatly honoured thing; and in the Law: setting out to the House of Allah, the Most High, in a specific manner, at a specific time, with specific conditions.

Al-hajj according to Dustur al-'Ulama (Al-Ahmadnagari)

With fatha and kasra; it is said the kasra is the dialect of Najd and the fatha that of others; it is said the fatha is the noun and the kasra the masdar, and the reverse is also said, as in Fath al-Bari. In language: heading towards the greatly honoured thing. In the Law: visiting the Sacred House of Allah in a specific manner, at a specific time, which are the months of hajj, by specific acts, which are the tawaf and the sa'y, with specific conditions such as the ihram and what accompanies it, as set out in fiqh. In Fath al-Qadir, hajj denotes the specific acts of circumambulation and standing, at their time, in a state of ihram, with the intention of hajj beforehand. Hajj is of two kinds: the greater hajj, which is the hajj of islam, and the lesser hajj, which is the 'umra. Hajj is an obligation by decisive proofs, such that whoever denies it disbelieves; and it is due only once in a lifetime; it is an immediate obligation, not one to be deferred, and this is the soundest view: it is therefore not permitted to delay it once capability and conditions are met in the second year, nor later; if he delays and then performs it, the performance is valid. According to Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, it is due in a deferrable way, and haste is preferable; but only when one generally expects safety; if one expects death, whether from old age or illness, the obligation tightens upon him by consensus, as in al-Jawahir an-Nayyira. The point of divergence appears concerning the sinner until he is declared fasiq and his testimony rejected, according to those who hold immediacy; if he performs hajj at the end of his life, he incurs no sin by consensus; and if he dies without performing it, he is at fault by consensus, as in at-Tabyin.

Al-hajj according to Al-Qamus al-Fiqhi

Towards it: hajja: he set out to it. The place: he visited it. The Sacred House: he set out to it for the rites. A wound: he probed it with a probe, to know its depth and treat it. A person: he struck his two eyes, depriving him of sight.

Al-hajj according to Maqalid al-'Ulum (As-Suyuti)

Circumambulating the Kaaba at a determined time, by specific acts.

Al-hajj according to At-Tawqif (Al-Munawi)

Repeating the heading towards what one wills its good and virtue, or it is heading towards the greatly honoured; and in the Law: setting out to the Kaaba in a specific manner at a specific time.

Al-hajj according to At-Ta'rifat al-Fiqhiyya (Al-Barkati)

In language: the heading towards.

Al-hajj In the Quran

فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ وَلَن تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِى وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ ۖ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ [Surah البقرة : 24]

۞ وَإِذِ ٱسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ فَقُلْنَا ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ ۖ فَٱنفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًۭا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍۢ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ۖ كُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ [Surah البقرة : 60]

ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِىَ كَٱلْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةًۭ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنَ ٱلْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ ٱلْمَآءُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ [Surah البقرة : 74]

۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْأَهِلَّةِ ۖ قُلْ هِىَ مَوَٰقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَلَيْسَ ٱلْبِرُّ بِأَن تَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِن ظُهُورِهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ ۗ وَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبِهَا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ [Surah البقرة : 189]

وَأَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلْحَجَّ وَٱلْعُمْرَةَ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنْ أُحْصِرْتُمْ فَمَا ٱسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ ٱلْهَدْىِ ۖ وَلَا تَحْلِقُوا۟ رُءُوسَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ ٱلْهَدْىُ مَحِلَّهُۥ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِۦٓ أَذًۭى مِّن رَّأْسِهِۦ فَفِدْيَةٌۭ مِّن صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍۢ ۚ فَإِذَآ أَمِنتُمْ فَمَن تَمَتَّعَ بِٱلْعُمْرَةِ إِلَى ٱلْحَجِّ فَمَا ٱسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ ٱلْهَدْىِ ۚ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَـٰثَةِ أَيَّامٍۢ فِى ٱلْحَجِّ وَسَبْعَةٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ ۗ تِلْكَ عَشَرَةٌۭ كَامِلَةٌۭ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن لَّمْ يَكُنْ أَهْلُهُۥ حَاضِرِى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ [Surah البقرة : 196]

ٱلْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌۭ مَّعْلُومَـٰتٌۭ ۚ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ ٱلْحَجَّ فَلَا رَفَثَ وَلَا فُسُوقَ وَلَا جِدَالَ فِى ٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ يَعْلَمْهُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَتَزَوَّدُوا۟ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ ٱلزَّادِ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ وَٱتَّقُونِ يَـٰٓأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ [Surah البقرة : 197]

This term appears in 14 verses of the Quran.