Series: A Hajj That Does Not Return as It Began:
By Prof. Dr. Faid Mohammed Said
Secretary General of the European Council for Islamic Centres
Not everyone who reaches Makkah has truly reached Allah. And not everyone who chants the talbiyah has genuinely answered the call.
Every year, millions of hearts and bodies move towards Makkah. Crowded airports, travel bags, white garments of ihram, and tears blending with the talbiyah. It is a majestic scene that shakes the human soul, as though the entire earth is moving in one direction.
Yet amid this immense crowd, there remains a quiet question that no one hears, although it is the most dangerous question of the entire journey: Why did you come?
Before tawaf and sa‘i, before ‘Arafat and Muzdalifah, before exhaustion, crowds, and tears, there is one thing that precedes all rituals: intention. For Hajj is not merely a geographical journey to Makkah, but an inner journey to Allah.
A person may travel thousands of miles while his heart remains distant from the meaning for which he came. When the pilgrim raises his voice saying, “Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk,” he is not merely repeating memorised words, but declaring a complete existential stance: I am here… in response to You, O Allah.
Yet the painful reality is that the talbiyah does not always emerge from the same place within a person. Some come out of longing for Allah, while others come driven by the desire for appearance. Some carry their hearts to the Sacred House, while others carry only their phones.
In an age where life is lived before the camera, worship is no longer distant from the danger of performance and display. Even the most spiritual moments can sometimes become content to be posted, scenes to be documented, or subtle attempts to gain admiration and reciprocal praise. Here the greatness of sincerity becomes manifest… as does its difficulty.
Sincerity is the only act of worship that can never be fully performed for show. You may perfect your tawaf, excel in your sa‘i, and appear humble and devout, yet no one knows the reality of what lies within your heart except Allah. This is why sincerity is among the greatest and most perilous of deeds at the same time. People may admire an action even if it is devoid of truthfulness, but Allah accepts only what is done purely for Him.
At its core, Hajj is not an examination before people, but an honest confrontation with the self. In those moments when status disappears, and colour, nationality, and language melt away, the question of truth remains: Did you come in order to change… or to return exactly as you were, merely carrying the title of “Hajji”?
Many assume that sincerity is simply an intention uttered at the beginning and then completed, but the reality is that sincerity is a continuous journey accompanying the pilgrim in every situation: when he grows tired… why does he remain patient? When he is pushed in the crowds… why does he endure? When he helps others… for whom does he do so?
Sincerity is not a word with which the journey begins, but a spirit that guards the entire journey. Among the most beautiful signs of sincerity is that your presence diminishes in your own eyes, while the presence of Allah grows greater in your heart.
So do not seek praise, nor wait for admiration, nor busy yourself comparing yourself to others, because quite simply, you did not come for them.
This is why the sincere question every pilgrim must confront remains: If no one ever knew that I performed Hajj… would I still have gone?
If the answer is yes, then this is a sign of goodness.
And if the soul hesitates, perhaps this is where the true journey towards sincerity begins.
Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of sincerity is that it does not require a person to be perfect, only truthful. Human hearts are not angelic. The soul weakens, becomes distracted, and sometimes loves praise. But the sincere believer quickly returns to Allah whenever he senses that his heart has drifted away from Him.
In the end, the matter is not merely reaching Makkah… but reaching Allah while you are there. A person may travel thousands of miles to the Sacred House, yet never cross the distance between himself and Allah.
