After finishing the rites of Hajj, a Muslim turns over a new leaf
with Allah, full of hope that Allah has accepted his Hajj and granted
him the grand prize, that is, being absolved of all previous sins.
So,
if you are blessed with performing Hajj this year, try to keep your
record of deeds clean and clear; beware of the following common mistakes
committed by some pilgrims after Hajj:
1- Putting on pilgrimage
attire while returning home: A pilgrim is supposed to put on his regular
clothes after finishing the rituals of the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah.
Insisting on wearing Ihram until returning home is sort of
overburdening oneself with unnecessary difficult acts, which goes
against the Sunnah. Besides, it may lead to falling into the trap of showing off and seeking people’s praise.
2- After performing Hajj, some pilgrims insist that people should call them Hajji (pilgrim). Of course there is nothing wrong in calling pilgrims “hajji“, but insisting on it by a pilgrim may betray a hidden desire to show off.
3-
To act in bad manners and indulge in sins and neglect devotional acts
of worship after Hajj. This, in fact, may be a sign of unacceptable
Hajj.
A perfect Hajj should leave its imprint on the behavior and attitudes of the pilgrim after Hajj.
4- To swear by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after
visiting his tomb, such as saying: “By the Prophet, whose tomb I have
touched with my hand”, because if one swears one is to swear by Allah or
keep silent.
5- Some people wrongly think that they can
commit sins as much as they like, so long as they perform Hajj. Since
Hajj expiates previous sins, they feel safe to do whatever they wish.
Following Hajj with bad deeds may be a sign that Hajj was not accepted since it did not leave any impact on your life.
In
addition, such behavior reveals a misunderstanding of the essence of
Islam which can be summed up in leading a life that complies with
Allah’s commands.
Allah is the Lord every time and everywhere.
Just as you are supposed to revere and obey Him in Makkah during the
sacred month of Dhul-Hijjah, you are required to do so all the time and
in all places.
The seasons of intensive worship such as Ramadan
and Hajj are meant to provide you with the necessary spiritual provision
that enables you to stay on track throughout the year; they never
justify any later indulgence in sins or careless misconduct.