HAJJ V.2.1

8/6/2019 HAJJ V.2.1

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Amir Haghighatpars

Hajj: The Greatest Journey

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HAJJ

The Greatest Journey

Amir Haghighatpars

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Amir Haghighatpars


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Introduction

As the majority of people who use Arabic as their first language are Muslims, Religion could be a

kind of common issue between Arabic nations to focus, in order to get more familiar with Arabic

culture as well as some of Arabic or in other word Islamic world customs.

Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, is one the five pillars of Islam religion which every

Muslim religiously supposed to do it at least once in his own lifetime; Hajj to Mecca is obligatory

for every male and female who are physically able to do it and on the other hand could financially

afford it.

According to Islam beliefs Prerequisites for performing Hajj are variable such as: The person who

wants to perform Hajj must be a Muslim, He or she should be free, He or she should be an adult

or mature enough, to be of sound mind in another Prerequisite for performing Hajj, and at last

the performer of Hajj should be able to afford the journey and maintain ones dependents back

home for the duration of the journey (Hathout, 1972).

Once a Muslim has done the Hajj; men may add Al-Hajji and female may add the title of

Hajjiyah to their name. Once a Hajji or a Hajjiyah return to their country, in order to show that

they have done the hajj they may use some signs. These signs could be different in every Islamic

country for example in some country they might put some painting of Kabah on their homes

wall or in some other country they might wear a green hat to indicate they have performed the

Hajj.

This report is going to focus on this issue by reviewing of its origins, location, related religious

beliefs and current status, this piece of work is aiming to briefly explore this important Arabic

cultural phenomenon.

Mecca and Kabah

Mecca is a city located in the Sirat Mountains in central Saudi Arabia. Mecca is the centre of the

Islamic world which the prophet Mohammad was born in it. Mecca also is the city which Islam

was founded in. Ancient Mecca was a kind of crossroads for old traders, linked the

Mediterranean world with south Arabia, Africa and south Asia and now it is developed to an

significant religious and trade centre. Mecca is the most important and holy city for Muslims,

Each year only during the month of Dhu-Alhijjah (the month of pilgrimage) more than two million

Muslims visit Mecca. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter to Mecca.

Kabah is a cube shaped building made of granite with about 15 meters high and 12 meters wide in

Mecca covered by a black silk fabric called Kiswah, Some verses from Quran are written with

golden strings on it. The Kiswah is replaced in a special ceremony each year. Kabah is the most

sacred place for Muslims which also indicates Qiblah, the direction which every Muslim around

the world should face when they perform their daily praying and address God.

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The Origins

What was done at Mecca in the name of religion dates back to the era of Abraham and his son

Ishmael the prophets. Relating to what Quran mentions The religion of Abraham [2:130] it is

believed that what is known today as Hajj in Islam is rooted in Abrahams life.

When Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. [Allah] said,

Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." [2:124]

During those era God had been selected Abraham to convert from his fathers paganism to obey

Gods commands and trials (Peters, 1994).

When Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael,

[saying], "Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed you are the Hearing, the Knowing.

[2:127]

Based on the history and what Muslims believe, Abraham and his son Ishmael were ordered by

God to migrate to Mecca in order to build the city and what is later called Kabah, the house of

God on Earth. This is why in every single move of pilgrims in Hajj, every rule, every tradition, and

every duty a trace of what Abraham experienced is evident.

Islamic Pilgrimage, the Hajj

And Hajj to the House (Kabah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford

the expenses (for ones conveyance, provision and residence). [3:97]

This verse of Quran which was inspired to Prophet Mohammad made Hajj an Obligatory duty for

every Muslim. During this spiritual journey every pilgrim should follow the certain rituals and

perform a task (the rituals of Hajj). The main tasks are: Ihram, Tawaf, Staying in Arafat Mount,

Sacrifice, and stoning the Devils walls.

Ihram Represent a situation which a Muslim should go into in order to pass the boundary of

Haram and perform the Hajj. It encompasses wearing specific attire; the simple white clothing of

Ihram which should not be stitched basically indented to show that in Gods eyes every mankind

is same apart from his skin colour, wealth, education and etc.

Tawaf or circumambulation of Kabah is an obligatory action which every Hajji should perform

first he visits the place. It includes seven round circumference of the Kabah in anticlockwise

direction with Ihram clothing. The harmony which this action provides by action of thousands

Muslim at the same time would clearly shows their brotherhood and unity.

Arafat is referred to a mount which is located in east suburb of Mecca. It is believed that it was

on this mountain which Adam and Eve found themselves after their eviction from Heaven to the

Earth, and were forgiven by God for their disobedience. Every Hajji should stay an afternoon in

the state of Ihram.

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One of the main rituals of Hajj is Adha, scarifying a ram or sheep. This is to commemorate what

Abraham was prepared to make, sacrifice of his son, to prove his faithfulness and believe to God.

Stoning the Devils walls in Mina , which now is known as the city of tents , is the place where

Muslim Pilgrims should dwell during three days to do stoning of JAMARAT, referring to the place

which Devil appeared to Abraham and tempted him to not scarify his son, Ishmael (Peters, 1994).

The Modernised Hajj

Like any other concept which changes over a course of time, Hajj is more evolved during last fifty

years than all thirteen centuries. The major transformation is took place under governing of Saudi

Arabia (Long, 1979). The main changes are: infrastructures, length of Haji visit, and government

economic revenue.

Dates back transportation in Hajj was a great issue, since every Muslim from West Africa to East

Asia should travel by camel, horse and even walk to come to Mecca and to do Hajj; a journey

which took at least months. Replacement of all those primitive transportation means by luxury

buses, new cars, and modern jets makes doing Hajj more secure and accessible. This decreases

the journey lengths from months or even years to several days or weeks.

Years ago the Hajj was the main revenue stream of Arab dwells in Mecca and even Saudi Arabia

which during last fifty-years was swapped by dramatic oil revenue. Nowadays the huge gain of

selling oil, makes the Saudi Arabia government to use more fund to rebuild and modify the hajj

premises to make it easier to Muslims to perform Hajj at least once in their lives.

Despite all these issues and modernization of Hajj, the interesting point is that even though

nowadays Hajj differs in practice, but its form is still the same and not changing.

Conclusion

There are evident studies indicates that Hajjis coming back from the journey would not the samewho went for it (Khwajah et al. 2008); Hajj could have long lasting effects on its performer bycombining both the physical and monetary phases of worship in Islam (Mission Islam, nd).

This journey could reduces the importance of materialistic world for its performers as well as

increasing their generosity by encouraging them to spend their wealth in the way which Godasked them to do i.e. in order to help dervish (poor) people, or to spend for performing the Hajj.

The Hajjis should avoid using perfumes, oil, scent etc; they should wear just two pieces ofunsown white clothes which make all the people similar. It could teach the performers that apartfrom their different worldly life or their race and skin colours, they are all equal humans whichshould try to help each other in any possible way and should keep their relationship friendly andtry to develop peace in the whole world.

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By obeying what Quran, the greatest Arabic text which is sent by God to mankind, orders everyyear millions of pilgrims practicing Hajj developing themselves spiritually, have been affected bytheir journey, and will affect others after coming back to their hometown, this is why Hajjdeserves to be called the most magnificent journey of the mankind.

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Bibliography

Hathout, H. (1972). Hajj pilgrimage: form and essence. Scientific Research House

Khwaja, A. (2008). Estimating the Impact of the Hajj: Religion and Tolerance in Islam's Global

Gathering.Working Paper Harvard University - John F. Kennedy School of Government

Long, D. (1979). The Hajj Today. State university of New York

Peters, F. (1994). The Hajj: The Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca and the Holy Places.Princeton

University Press

Hajj the Magnificent Journey, Available at

http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/hajjjourney.htm Accessed on 29 March 2010

The Ka'aba Available at http://islam.about.com/od/mecca/p/kaaba.htm Accessed on 28 March

2010

Mecca, Saudi Arabia Available at

http://www.sacredsites.com/middle_east/saudi_arabia/mecca.html Accessed on 29 March 2010

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