What Not To Do During Hajj

In ancient Arabia, people believed that bringing food and supplies for Hajj was a worldly act. They thought that anyone who set out for Hajj without food or goods was very pious and religious. Such people used to say about themselves, “we are the ones who trust only in God” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith No. 1730). But the Quran made it clear that this kind of outward display is not true piety. Genuine piety is in the heart and mind, not in outward appearances. What a person must safeguard is not his food bag but his heart and mind—ensuring they are free from fear of anyone other than God. All India Radio, New Delhi, 14 September 1981.