The Good Life
Pilgrimage
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PILGRIMAGE
Perform the pilgrimage and visit the Sacred House
for God’s sake. If you are prevented, send such
offerings as you can afford, and do not shave your
heads until the offerings have reached their
destination. But if any of you is ill or suffers from an
ailment of the head, he must pay a ransom, either
by fasting or by alms-giving or by offering a
sacrifice. In peace time if any of you combines the
visit with the pilgrimage, he must make such
offerings as he can afford; but if he lacks the means,
let him fast three days during the pilgrimage and
seven when he has returned; that is, ten days in all.
That is incumbent on one whose family is not
present at the Holy Mosque. Have fear of God:
know that He is stern in retribution. Make the
pilgrimage in the appointed months. Whoever
intends to perform it in those months must abstain
from sexual intercourse, obscene language and
acrimonious disputes while on pilgrimage. God is
aware of whatever good you do. Provide yourselves
well; the best provision is piety. Fear Me, then, you
that are endowed with understanding. It is no
offence for you to seek the bounty of your Lord by
