Hajj

About 5000 years ago the Prophet Abraham was ordered by God to lay the foundations of the Kabah—the House of God in Mecca—and to call people to make a pilgrimage to this House: “Exhort all people to make the Pilgrimage. They shall come to you on foot and on the backs of swift camels; they shall come from every deep ravine…” (Qur’an, 22:27)

Today, still responding to that original call of Abraham and following in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad, over two million people from every corner of the globe gather at Mecca to perform their Hajj.

Along with the profession of faith, daily prayers, a month-long annual fast and charity to the poor, Hajj is one of the five tenets of Islam. Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim, male or female, provided he or she is healthy enough to travel and has the means to undertake the pilgrimage.

The Hajj period lasts from the 8th to the 13th of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, and, as the pilgrims arrive in Mecca, they are lodged in hotels and houses.

One very important obligation during Hajj is the wearing of unstitched clothing comprised of two sheets (women wear normal clothes with a scarf to cover the head). All hajis, rich and poor, black and white, are dressed in this way, so that all men of all countries look alike in identical, simple garments, and no pilgrim may then feel tempted to take pride of place over another.

The Sacred Mosque of Mecca, due to continuous expansion, can accommodate about one million pilgrims at one time. Here the pilgrims encircle the holy Kabah seven times, which symbolically represents how man’s life must revolve around God. Near the Kabah, are two small hills called Safa and Marwah—”Signs of God” as they are described by the Qur’an. The hills, which were previously outside the precincts of the Sacred Mosque, have now been enclosed within its boundaries. The pilgrims walk briskly back and forth seven times between these hills, a distance of about 394 metres. This rite is performed in memory of Abraham’s wife, Hagar, who ran helplessly between the two hills seven times in search of water for her baby, Ishmael, who was suffering from thirst. God was pleased and a miracle took place—a spring gushed forth from which the baby could drink water. The well, known as Zamzam, still quenches pilgrims’ thirst.

On the first day of Hajj, the pilgrims set out for Mina, a small town about 3 miles from Mecca. Here the pilgrims stay three nights and three days. The town, which normally has no more than a few hundred inhabitants, bursts into life on the days of Hajj, when over two million people pour in to settle in tents to perform the rites of stoning the pillars that represent the Devil. It is the place where, in obedience to God’s commandment, Abraham took his son Ishmael to sacrifice him. At that very moment, Satan appeared here to tempt Abraham to disobey God’s command. But he threw pebbles at Satan to drive him away. So did young Ishmael and his mother. God was pleased with Abraham’s response and sent an angel with a ram to be sacrificed instead of Ishmael. In commemoration of this act, Muslims sacrifice an animal on the Eidul Azha. Today three pillars stand on the very spot where the incident took place. As one of the rites of Hajj, the pilgrims also throw small pebbles at these stone pillars, which symbolize the Devil within ourselves. This is meant to kill the soul’s desires and the ego.

From Mina, the pilgrims go on to Arafat, where the climax of the pilgrimage—”the Standing of Arafat” takes place. For this reason the Prophet said, “Arafat is Hajj.” The center of attention is the 200 feet high Mount of Mercy from which the Prophet Muhammad preached his last sermon in 632 AD. Seated on a camel, he addressed a crowd of 100,000 laying emphasis on the importance Islam attaches to human equality, regardless of social distinctions, the equal sharing of rights and duties by husband and wife, and the prohibition of usury, etc. Again, speaking with equal emphasis, the Prophet said: “No Arab is superior to a non-Arab and no non-Arab is superior to an Arab. No black man is superior to a red man and no red man is superior to a black, except through taqwa (fear of God). Indeed the noblest among you is the one who is deeply conscious of God.”

Here the pilgrims stand “before God,” praying and listening to sermons. Everyone invokes God in his own way: standing or sitting, motionless, going on foot, or mounted. After a short stay here the pilgrims return to Mina via Muzdalifa. After staying again in Mina for two nights, they return to Mecca for the last encircling of the Kabah, which ends the Hajj. Medina, where the Prophet Muhammad’s mosque and grave are situated, also attracts pilgrims in great numbers. Though it is not part of Hajj, the pilgrims, out of their great reverence for the Prophet, stay there for a few days also, praying in the Prophet’s Mosque and visiting historical sites.

To go on Hajj is to meet God. When the pilgrim performs the Hajj, he is filled with awe of his Creator: he feels that he is leaving his own world, and entering God’s. Now he is touching the Lord, revolving around Him, running towards Him, journeying on His behalf, making a sacrifice in His name, throwing pebbles at His enemies, praying to the Almighty and seeing his prayer answered.

Hajj: The Journey of Lifetime

About 5000 years ago the Prophet Abraham was ordered by God to lay the foundations of the Kabah—the House of God in Mecca—and to call people to make a pilgrimage to this House: “Exhort all men to make the Pilgrimage. They shall come to you on foot and on the backs of swift camels; they shall come from every deep ravine…” (Qur’an, 22:27)Today, responding to the call of Abraham and following in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad, over two million people from every corner of the globe gather at Mecca to perform their Hajj.

Along with the profession of faith, daily prayers, a month-long annual fast and charity to the poor, Hajj is one of the five tenets of Islam. Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim, male or female, provided he or she is healthy enough to travel and has the means to undertake the pilgrimage.

The Hajj period lasts from the 8th to the 13th of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, and as the pilgrims arrive in Mecca they are lodged in hotels and houses.

One very important obligation during Hajj is the wearing of unstitched clothing comprised of two sheets (women wear normal clothes with a scarf to cover the head). All hajis, rich and poor, black and white, are dressed in this way, so that all men of all countries look alike in identical, simple garments, and no pilgrim may then feel tempted to take pride of place over another.

The Sacred Mosque of Mecca, due to continuous expansion, can accommodate as many as 7 lakh pilgrims at one time. Here the pilgrims encircle the holy Kabah seven times, which symbolically represents how man’s life must revolve around God. Near the Kabah, are two small hills called Safa and Marwah—”Signs of God” as they are described by the Qur’an. The hills, which were previously outside the precincts of the Sacred Mosque, have now been enclosed within its boundaries. The pilgrims walk briskly back and forth seven times between these hills, a distance of about 394 metres. This rite is performed in memory of Abraham’s wife, Hagar, who ran helplessly between the two hills seven times in search of water for her baby, Ishmael, who was suffering from thirst. God was pleased and sent an angel to dig a well from which the baby could drink water. The well, known as Zamzam, still quenches pilgrims’ thirst.

On the first day of Hajj, the pilgrims set out for Mina, which is a small town about 3 miles from Mecca. Here the pilgrims stay three nights and three days. The town, which normally has no more than a few hundred inhabitants, bursts into life on the days of Hajj, when over two million people pour in to settle in tents to perform the rites of stoning the pillars that represent the Devil. It is the place where, in obedience to God’s commandment, Abraham took his son Ishmael to sacrifice him. At that very moment, Satan appeared here to tempt Abraham to disobey God’s command. But he threw pebbles at Satan to drive him away. So did young Ishmael and his mother. God was pleased with Abraham’s response and sent an angel with a ram to be sacrificed instead of Ishmael. In commemoration of this act, Muslims sacrifice an animal on the Eidul Azha. Today three pillars stand on the very spot where the incident took place. As one of the rites of Hajj, the pilgrims also throw small pebbles at these stone pillars, which symbolize the Devil within ourselves. This is meant to kill the soul’s desires and the ego.

From Mina, the pilgrims go on to Arafat, where the climax of the pilgrimage—”the Standing of Arafat” takes place. For this reason the Prophet said, “Arafat is Hajj.” The center of attention is the 200 feet high Mount of Mercy from which the Prophet Muhammad preached his last sermon in 632 AD. Seated on a camel, he addressed a crowd of 100,000 laying emphasis on the importance Islam attaches to human equality, regardless of social distinctions, the equal sharing of rights and duties by husband and wife, and the prohibition of usury, etc. Again, speaking with equal emphasis, the Prophet said: “No Arab is superior to a non-Arab and no non-Arab is superior to an Arab. No black man is superior to a red man and no red man is superior to a black, except through taqwa (fear of God). Indeed the noblest among you is the one who is deeply conscious of God.”

Here the pilgrims stand “before God,” praying and listening to sermons. Everyone invokes God in his own way: standing or sitting, motionless, going on foot, or mounted. After a short stay here the pilgrims returns to Mina via Muzdalifa. After staying again in Mina for two nights, they return to Mecca for the last encircling of the Kabah, which ends the Hajj. Medina, where the Prophet Muhammad’s mosque and grave are situated, also attracts pilgrims in great numbers. Though it is not part of Hajj, the pilgrims, out of their great reverence for the Prophet, stay there for a few days also, praying in the Prophet’s Mosque and visiting historical sites.

In the present century the number of people performing the Hajj in any given year before World War II might have been as low as 10,000, but this figure has steadily increased, at present exceeding the two million mark—an increase which today is the cause of a major problem.The unfortunate tragedy of an outbreak of fire in Mina this year, causing over 300 casualties, has given the Islamic world a jolt and made us rethink the planning of the Hajj. The authorities in Saudi Arabia are sparing no effort to see that pilgrims are offered all comforts. However, many pilgrims, especially the elderly pilgrims from the Indian subcontinent, also contribute to the confusion because of their lack of experience. The system of giving private contracts to local people to supervise groups of pilgrims needs a total overhaul, as this results in the provision of poor facilities, particularly the arrangement of tents at Mina and Arafat.

On the days of Mina and Arafat, when everyone lives in tents, all safety precautions should be taken, in particular, the placing of a strict ban on the cooking of food. Pilgrims should not be allowed to carry gas stoves, and should be asked to rely on packed food and fresh fruits. But the real answer to fire casualties would appear to be the use of fire proof tents.

As far as possible, elderly pilgrims should now avoid going on pilgrimages and should opt rather for a hajj-e-badal (i.e. hajj performed by someone else on behalf of the pilgrim). The example of countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand is worth emulating as most of their pilgrims are young people. There is also the excellent practice in their countries for couples to go on the Hajj just after getting married. Moreover, as the Hajj is compulsory only once in a lifetime, people should limit themselves to performing it only once. This would to some extent reduce the pressure on the available facilities.

Strenuous and unflagging efforts are a must if the Hajj is to be made 100 percent safe for the ever-increasing annual influx of pilgrims from all over the world.

Everything Created in Pairs

Nothing is complete without its pair.So this world must also have a pair.

Many of the basic teachings of the Qur’an can be well understood in the light of modern knowledge. The Qur’an says, for example, that this world is not the final one; after it will come another world. At present, that world is invisible to us, but it is present nonetheless; it exists in real and absolute form. Early theologians resorted to speculation in support of this claim. But the proof that the Qur’an has given is one that can be better understood when put to the test of scientific investigation.

The Qur’an says: And all things We made in pairs, so that you may give thought. (51:49)

Everything is in accordance with this law of nature. Nothing is complete without its pair. So this world must also have a pair, for only then will it be complete. It is this pair of the present world that is called the hereafter.

It was known in ancient times that there were pairs in the human and animal worlds. Later on man learnt of pairs in trees and plants. In 1928, however, it was discovered that solid matter also had a pair. In that year the British physicist Paul Dirac demonstrated the possibility of other, invisible particles existing alongside those of matter. Then, in 1932, K. Anderson discovered, while studying cosmic rays, that with electrons there were other particles with an opposite electric charge. These particles were called anti-electrons. This research was pursued further and finally it was learnt that all particles in the universe existed in the form of pair-particles: particle and anti-particle, atom and anti-atom, matter and anti-matter; there was even, as Dirac showed in 1933, an anti-world.

Many present-day scientists are of the opinion that this anti-world is an entity apart from us, having a parallel existence of its own. This world is made up of matter; according to the law of opposites there should be another world made up of anti-matter. It is estimated that 20 million years ago, when the Big Bang explosion occurred, photon-matter and anti-matter came together in two separate forms. The two then started to form the world and the anti-world.

The first people to work on this theory were a Swedish pair, physicist Osker Klein and astrophysicist Hannes Alven. The results of their research were published in 1963. The Soviet mathematician, Dr Gustav Naan, further consolidated the theory. According to him, the anti-world cannot be fully explained by known theories and laws of physics, yet he is convinced that the anti-world exists, even now. It is, however, independent of us, existing on its own, parallel to this world. In the present world all anti-particles are in an unstable condition; but in the anti-world they will all be stable, for the nuclei of atoms have a negative electric charge, while electrons are positively charged.Since this world is ephemeral, it follows that the anti-world, or to use its religious term, the hereafter, must be an eternal world. The discoveries of modern science, then, have given us a picture of the next world which accords with that of the Qur’an.

Islam in the Modern World

The Prophet of Islam made a number of notable predictions which have been recorded in the books of hadith. One of these being that, in the final phase of human life on earth, the word of Islam will reach all human beings inhabiting this world. In other words, future times will see the intellectual ascendancy of Islam.

However, if the word of God is to be brought into every home, conditions must exist which will favor the success of such a mission. Without such conditions no such goal can be reached. Fortunately, recent studies show that as a result of revolutions occurring over the last several years, conditions now prevail which are more conducive than ever to the communication of the Islamic message. That process having been set in motion, individuals from different communities have begun embracing Islam in countries all over the world. Now, the need of the hour is for servants of God to arise and, by fully availing of new opportunities, play a decisive role in the last and most significant chapter of Islamic da‘wah.

Da‘wah is the real strength of Islam. It is through da‘wah that Islam makes continuous progress. That is why, in every age, believers have seen fit to engage themselves in this task. Today, there are greater opportunities than hitherto to make Islamic da‘wah a success. The communication of the message of God has certainly been going on in every age. But now modern circumstances have made it possible for this task to be performed with a greater degree of efficacy than ever before, and on a truly universal scale.

Today, opportunities to carry out da‘wah work are legion. But I shall cite only a few examples to illustrate my point.

Proof of the Existence of God

Rationalists have habitually attempted to deny the existence of God by asking, “If God created the universe, who created God?” Now, as we are nearing the end of the 20th century, it has become possible to answer this question on a purely rational level. This new possibility arises out of the big bang theory, which has now gained general acceptance among cosmologists. With the big bang theory, we have necessarily to accept a first cause underlying the creation of the universe. That is, if there were no cause, the universe would not have existed. It has made it possible for us to tell the rationalists that all along they have been giving their attention to a wrong set of options. In their view, a choice had to be made between a universe with God and a universe without God, whereas the real choice was between a universe with God and no universe at all. Since we cannot opt for a non-existent universe, we are compelled to choose the universe with God.

Validity of Inferential Argument

To prove Islamic belief in the unseen world, our religious scholars have so far used inferential argument. That is, they suppose an unknown reality on the basis of a known reality. The rationalists’ view of this argument was that its method was academically invalid, as it was based on the principle of indirect argument. They demanded to be given an argument of a direct nature. Only then would they accept it.

In this matter—as in material matters—the river of science has been flowing in favor of Islam. The above objection had apparently carried weight in the days when the study of science was macro-cosmic in scope. But as soon as scientific research began to delve into the micro-cosmic world, the balance tipped in favor of inferential argument. For it was revealed that the deeper realities of nature itself were those which did not come under the sphere of direct argument. For instance, the establishment of the existence of oxygen or X-rays is arrived at by indirect or inferential argument. Modern philosophers, such as Bertrand Russell, have demonstrated that inferential argument is as valid as indirect argument.

That is why, in science itself, inferential argument is held to be valid. Without it, scientific study could not be continued in the microcosmic world. In this way, a new chapter on unseen realities has been opened for the da‘is.

I was once asked by a non-believer by what set of criteria I establish the existence of God. I replied that it was the self-same criteria on which he himself relied. He remained silent at this. For he knew full well that his own scientific concepts were proved by means of inferential argument. So when inferential argument is valid in non-religious fields, it will certainly be valid in the field of religion.Historical Credibility of the Qur’an

In the present time, all manner of things, including religious scriptures, are being subjected to investigation in the spirit of free inquiry. A permanent discipline has been set up for this special study, called historical criticism, or higher criticism. Under this general heading, all great religious scriptures, including the Qur’an and the Bible, have been subjected to historical inquiry.

The results of these studies are entirely in favor of the Qur’an. They show that the Qur’an is the only religious scripture which is a historically accredited work. The rest of the books, having been shown to be dogmatic rather than historical, have lost their formal status as purveyors of eternal truth. Such research has provided a new and powerful argument in favor of Quranic veracity. That is to say, it is only the Qur’an which enjoys historical credibility. No other religious scripture is of similar merit.

This scientific discovery has brought Islam to the position of undisputed victory, for no other religion is capable of facing this academic test.

Scientific Verification

In ancient times, superstitious notions about every object of nature were given great credence, as is evident from the literature of those days. Now in modern times, when nature has been scientifically studied, many ancient concepts have been discredited. Books written in the pre-scientific age are now suspect—as belonging to the age of superstition. Even religious scriptures have not emerged unscathed, for the periodic interpolation of superstitious notions has reduced them to the level of non-sacred literature.

The Qur’an, on the contrary, being a preserved book, is exceptionally free from such apocryphal additions. There are numerous references to nature in the Qur’an, but none of these descriptions clashes with facts discovered by science. After making a study of several such statements enshrined in the Qur’an, Dr Maurice Bucaille concludes:

“In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad’s day,

it is inconceivable that many of the statements in

the Qur’an which are connected with science could

have been the work of a man. It is, moreover, perfectly

legitimate, not only to regard the Qur’an as the

expression of a Revelation, but also to award it a

very special place, on account of the guarantee of

authenticity it provides and the presence in it of

scientific statements which, when studied today,

appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms.”

Passing Modern Tests

New methods to determine the antiquity of ancient objects have been evolved in modern times. One of these, called carbon-14 dating or radio-carbon dating, was developed just after the second world war. It gave the stamp of credibility to many facts which had hitherto remained unauthenticated. It was applied in one famous instance to a mummified body, believed to be that of Merneptah, a contemporary of Moses. The mummy, discovered by Professor Loret in one of Egypt’s pyramids, did amazingly prove to date back to the time of Moses, when subjected to this new technique of dating.

This same method of carbon dating was applied to the Shroud of Turin, an old linen cloth bearing the imprint of a human face—always thought to be the covering in which Christ was wrapped after his crucifixion. According to this belief, the cloth had to be two thousand years old. But carbon dating revealed that it dated back no further than the middle of the fourteenth century.

There are so many examples of this nature, that it is not possible to deal with all of them. Suffice it to say that they are symbolic of how modern sciences, on the one hand, discredit ancient religions while, on the other hand, they strengthen the credibility of Islam.

The Last Word

In modern times, great new opportunities have arisen for Islamic da‘wah. This has made it possible for the first time to fulfill the prediction of the word of God being brought into each and every home. They point the way to Islam gaining the position of an ideological super power on a universal scale. But there is one necessary condition which is indispensable to the achievement of this goal. We shall have to adopt the same strategy in modern times as that adopted by the Prophet of Islam in the 19th year of his prophethood.

This historical strategy has come to be called the Hudaybiyya principle. This entails putting an end to the kind of controversies which create tensions between the da‘i and the mad‘u. Without a normal atmosphere, free of friction, no da‘wah action can be set in motion. Today the same controversial situation has come to exist between da‘i and mad‘u as was found between the Prophet and his hearers after the emigration. We must, therefore, follow the same Hudaybiyya principle as the Prophet did. This is the demand of the times, and in this lies the secret of all Muslim success.

The Obligation (Fard) of Hajj

Hajj is one of the five institutions of Islam. The performance of Hajj as an enjoined duty and its superiority and the statement of Allah Taala:

“Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (Kabah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the journey.

And whoever disbelieves (i.e. desires Hajj) then he is a disbeliever of Allah and Allah stands not in need of any of His Creature.” (Surah Al Imran 3:197)

Pilgrimage is a duty to be performed at least once in a lifetime by every adult Muslim, man or woman, who is free of sound mind and able to undertake it. It is highly important that every Muslim who has fulfilled the conditions which make him “able” to perform pilgrimage should do so as soon as possible. If he postpones offering this duty from one year to another he may die before he has fulfilled his duty. He then meets his Lord having neglected a main pillar of Islam. It may happen that a person who slackens reaches old age, when pilgrimage becomes doubly difficult, before he has fulfilled his duty.

He who denies that pilgrimage is a duty of Muslims is not a Muslim but a Kafir, for, he denies a part of the religion of Islam which is necessarily known to every Muslim.

Conditions for Hajj to become obligatory (Fard) on any personThere are several conditions which must be met before pilgrimage becomes a duty for any particular person. If any of these conditions is not met, the person concerned is not necessarily required to offer pilgrimage. These conditions are as follows:

1. To be an adult. A person is an adult if he or she has attained puberty. If a child offers pilgrimage, it is valid and both the child and his parents are rewarded for it. Pilgrimage in childhood, however, cannot be a substitute for pilgrimage after one becomes an adult.
2. To be of sound mind.
3. To be free. A slave is not required to offer pilgrimage. If he does and he is subsequently set free, that pilgrimage does not relieve him of the duty to offer pilgrimage after he has gained his freedom.
4. To be aware that pilgrimage is a duty. This applies particularly to those people who are brought up in non-Muslim countries.
5. A woman who intends to offer pilgrimage must be accompanied by either her husband or one of her mahrams (those of her relatives whom she cannot marry). If she cannot find such company she is not required to offer pilgrimage. If such a companion is available but refuses to accompany her unless she pays his expenses, she is required to pay his expenses, if she is able to do so. If a woman takes the pilgrimage journey on her own, her pilgrimage is valid but she is not relieved of the sin of violating Islamic restrictions regarding travel by women. No husband may prevent his wife from offering her first pilgrimage if she wants to do so. If he tries to prevent her, she may undertake the journey without his permission.
6. To be able to offer pilgrimage. This ability is fulfilled if the following conditions are met:

1. 1. Physical ability. Any intending pilgrim must have sufficient physical strength to do all the requirements of pilgrimage.
   2. He must not be too weak to travel and fulfill the duties of pilgrimage because of old age.
   3. His route should be safe. If he fears for his life or money this condition is not met.
   4. He should have sufficient money to meet his necessary expenses until he comes back.
   5. There should be no physical impediment which prevents him from undertaking the journey, such as imprisonment, torture or punishment inflicted by a tyrannical ruler.If someone who does not fulfil the conditions of ability offers pilgrimage, in spite of his inability, his pilgrimage is valid.

Things to do before one embarks on his journey

If a Muslim determines to go for pilgrimage or Umrah (mini-pilgrimage) he should do the following before he embarks on his journey:

1. Urge his family, friends and relatives to observe the Islamic teachings and to abide by Allah’s commandments.
2. Write down any loans he owes to others or he has given to others, so that everybody’s right is documented.
3. Write is will. He is recommended to leave a part of his money, not exceeding one-third, for the poor.
4. Repent of his past sins and mistakes and pay back to others whatever is due to them.
5. Select the best of his money for the expenses of his journey. By “the best of his money,” we mean that which he knows to have been earned from perfectly pure sources The best of this is that which is earned by personal effort or for service which was done to the best of his ability. Pilgrimage is done for Allah and Allah accepts only what is pure.
6. Resolve to undertake his pilgrimage or umrah purely for Allah’s sake Allah accepts only such actions as are undertaken for the sole purpose of earning His pleasure. It is sufficient for a believer to feel that from the moment he begins his journey he is a guest of his Lord, enjoying His blessings, and sharing with that large number of believers a trip of total devotion, purity, brotherhood and mutual love.

Essentials of pilgrimage

There are four essentials of pilgrimage which must be dome for it to be valid. Omitting anyone of these will invalidate one’s pilgrimage. These are:

1. Ihram
2. Attendance at Arafat at the specified time
3. The Tawaf of ifaadah and
4. Sa’i between Safah and Marwah
5. A fifth essential is added by al-Shafie school of thought, which is to shave one’s head (for men only) or to shorten one’s hair.Talbiyyah

Pilgrims are also recommended to repeat the traditional phrase declaring that they are responding to Allah’s call for them to offer the pilgrimage and complete it. They repeat these phrases as they go into Ihram.

Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik.Labbaik Laa Shareeka Laka LabbaikInnal Hamda Wannimata lak walmulk Laa Shareeka Lak

“I respond to Your call my LordI respond to You, there is no deity save You.All praise, grace and dominion belong to You.You have no partners.”

Men should utter this aloud while women should say it silently.Repeat this Talbiyyah frequently, and engage in the praise of Allah, in supplication for forgiveness, and in the enjoining of what is good and the forbidding of what is evil.