On Wednesday night April the 3^rd, Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah and his family received Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and the Sacred Caravan pilgrims into their home. After spending four days in the holy city of Makka, the Sacred Caravan umrah group enjoyed a plentiful and delicious dinner after the maghrib prayer. After the isha prayer, the Shaykh gave a brief lesson to all, translated by Hamza Yusuf.

In his address to the umrah pilgrims, Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah emphasized three major points: the historical and spiritual significance of the wafd or ‘delegation’ in Islam; the importance of taking or renewing one’s ‘ahd or ‘covenant’ with Allah and with one’s own soul; and finally, the imperative to renew oneself with knowledge, action, taqwa and with good character and behavior with others.

Traditionally, a wafd or travelling delegation was given gifts and treated generously by the receiving party. Pilgrims – whether coming for Hajj or Umrah – are a kind of wafd that receives spiritual gifts whereby angels descend upon them, mercy envelops them and a tranquility comes to their hearts. The Shaykh spoke about the significance of Makka as an inviolable sanctuary where one comes to remember Allah and attain an elevated level of consciousness of Him. God brings souls to the haram of Makka to renew them.

With that, the Shaykh said, “You must take a covenant with your souls.” A trip to a sacred place, especially to the holy sanctuaries of Makka and Madina, necessitates that one must continue the work he or she has started: purifying hearts and tongues, doing good works and persisting in righteous action. It should be a meaning that is perpetual, and such a trip should have a transformative effect that takes place in the heart. One of the signs of this is a transformation in the self. Upon having such an experience, one must make a firm resolve to hold to this covenant and maintain good behavior.

Finally, in his closing remarks, the Shaykh mentioned that the Muslim is a universal person. He cited the Hadith wherein the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that the earth has been made a masjid, so pray wherever you find yourself. In elucidating this, he also mentioned a narration transmitted by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Every place is God’s place; and all people on the earth are God’s servants. Likewise, the Shaykh clarified that many scholars arrived at the opinion that “Dar al-Islam” is understood as wherever you feel that you can fulfill your religion. Therefore, he said, “You have a responsibility to be in that place.” For those who live in America, Canada, Great Britain, etc. the key is to live where you can establish prayer, pay zakat, fast in Ramadan, and simply avoid the foulness or evil of any place.

Imam Abu Hanifa said that actions are predicated on knowledge. Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah reiterated this by telling the Sacred Caravan to being this journey of knowledge. He reminded them that security is a blessing and that having taqwa or God-consiousness was the advice and council of all Prophets. He ended the blessed gathering by making du’a for the pilgrims and for the Muslim ummah and for our success in this life and the Hereafter.