THIRD REMINDER. Thursday. 24th day of Dhul Qa'âdah. PERFORMING HAJJ IS OBLIGATORY AND VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD continues. BismilLah. “Whoever works righteousness man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him ALLAH will give a new Life, a life that is good and pure, and ALLAH will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.” (Qur’an 16: 97). Another tremendous reward for performing Hajj is the acceptance of our supplications. If we ask for Allah’s forgiveness, He the Most Forgiving responds to our prayer as narrated in the following Hadith: Abu Hurayrah (r.a., radhiallahu anhu, meaning: may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Those who perform the Hajj and those who perform the umrah are people who have come to visit the universal worshiping site of Allah. If they supplicate Him He will respond to them, and if they ask Him for forgiveness He will forgive them.” (Tirmidhi 2536 and Ibn Majah). Since our Rabb listens to the supplications of those who come to perform Hajj, let us ask enormous blessings from Allah. The best supplication is to ask for success both in this world and in the hereafter or a well-balanced life. We can do this especially when we are doing our tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka’bah) when we are between the Yamani corner and the black stone based on the following Ahâdîth:  ‘Abdullah bin As-Sa’ib narrated: “I heard Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) say between the two corners, ‘O Allah, bring us a blessing in this world and a blessing in the next and guard us from punishment of Hell.’” (Abu Dawud 1887). Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Seventy angels have been put in charge of it (i.e. the Yamani corner), so if anyone says, 'O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well being in this world and the next. Our Rabb, bring us a blessing in this world and a blessing in the next, and guard us from the punishment of Hell’, they will say ‘Ameen.’” (Tirmidhi 2590 and Ibn Majah).   Let us not confine our supplications for our success in this world alone but most of all the eternal world. To ask Allah the Most Merciful of the eternal place in Firdaus is an excellent guidance from the Prophet (s.a.w.). He has encouraged his Companions to ask for the highest place in Paradise, which is the Firdaus. We read in the following authentic Hâdîth:  Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Whoever believes in Allah and His Messenger, offers prayers perfectly and fasts (the month of) Ramadan then it is incumbent upon Allah to admit such person into Paradise, whether he emigrates for Allah’s cause or stays in the land where he was born.” They (the companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Should we not inform the people of that?” He (s.a.w.) said, “There are one-hundred degrees in Paradise which Allah has prepared for those who carry on Jihad in His Cause. The distance between every two degrees is like the distance between the sky and the Earth. So if you ask Allah for anything, ask Him for the Firdaus, for it is the last part of Paradise and the highest part of Paradise, and at its top there is the Throne of Beneficent, and from it gush forth the rivers of Paradise.” (Bukhari 9/519). May Allah grant us the means to be part of this create journey. Aameen.