Prof Quraish Shihab Explains Hajj Mabrur

The peak of Hajj 1447H/2026M has concluded, with pilgrims completing the main rituals at Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina. What exactly is Hajj Mabrur, and what are the signs of someone achieving this status? Quranic exegete Prof Quraish Shihab explains in his book ‘1001’ that the term ‘Hajj Mabrur’ does not appear in the Quran. However, several hadiths mention it, with the popular saying: ‘There is no reward for Hajj Mabrur except Paradise.’ The full hadith in Sunan at-Tirmidzi states: ‘Perform Hajj and Umrah consecutively, as they remove sins like a file removes rust from iron, gold, and silver. There is no reward for an accepted Hajj except Paradise. No Muslim remains in a state of ihram throughout the day without their sins being buried with the sunset.’ (Reported by Tirmidzi through Ibn Mas’ud). According to Prof Quraish, linguistically, ‘Mabrur’ derives from the root ‘Barra’, meaning ‘paradise, truth, acceptance, gift, and abundance in virtue’. Scholars hold differing views on its precise interpretation.