People’s rights, if financial like religious tax, atonement, and personal debts must be fully paid, and for adventitious rights like backbiting, slander, dishonor, and nuisance, one must beg pardon for every right that people have to him would be like a debtor who asks him: Are you going to God’s House while you have ignored His instructions at home? He must seek the pleasure of his parents, relatives, and neighbors, too.
He must also repent for the faults he has had so as to enter into the company of the purified: إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ المُتَطَهِّرِينَ. “Surely, Allah loves those who turn much to Him, and He love those purify themselves. (The Holy Qur’an; 2:222)” It is appropriate for him to do repentance according to the instructions reportedly coming from the Holy Prophet (saw) as mentioned in the book titled Mafateeh ul-Jinan .
Stage Three: Detachment From What Is Not Godly ووَدِّعِ الدّنيا والرّاحَةَ والخَلْقَ. “Say farewell to the world, comfort, and people.”[^3]81 One of the requirements of Hajj being a journey towards God is the detachment from what is non-godly. It must be assumed that one will never return from this journey. It is unwise for a pilgrim who wishes to visit God’s House to be preoccupied with his business, home, wife, and children.
He must write his last will and testament so that if he passes away during the journey, his financial affairs will be clear and trouble no one. In the same way that he takes with him a provision for the journey and a means of transportation to Mecca, in the journey of death, too, he needs provision and means of transportation to the grave. آهٍ آهٍ مِن قِلَّةِ الزّاد وطُولِ الطّريقِ وبُعدِ السّفَر “Alas!
The provision is little, the way is long, the journey is far and the goal is hard to reach.”[^4]82 Then he entrusts his family to the true Guardian. فَاللهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظاً وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ “But Allah is the best Keeper, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones. (The Holy Qur’an; 12:64)” Imam Sajjad (as) used to say: مَا أُبالِي إِذا قُلتُ هذهِ الكلِماتِ لَو اجتَمَعَ عَلَيَّ الإنسُ والجِنُّ.
“When I recite these words (of supplication), I am not afraid of anything even if jinn and men are banded together against me.”[^5]83 These words are: “In the Name of Allah, with Allah, from Allah, to Allah, and for the sake of Allah.