Every year millions of Muslims from different countries gather in Makkah (Saudi Arabia) to perform Hajj, which is the fifth pillar of Islam. Hajj is obligatory once in lifetime on every Muslim who can afford financially. The pilgrimage takes place in the month of Dhul Hijjah, which is twelfth month in Islamic Calendar.
Before the arrival of Dhul Hijjah, people from across all over the world start their journey for Saudi Arabia. They stay at Makkah before starting the rituals of Hajj.
The first ritual starts with wearing ihram along with intention to perform Hajj. The ihram, worn by men, is a white unstitched garment made up of two pieces of cloth or towelling; one covers the body from waist down past the knees, and the other is thrown over the shoulder. Men’s heads must be uncovered. Women dress as they usually do. The ihram is a symbol of purity and also indicates the equality of all people in the eyes of God. When the pilgrims wear their white apparel, they enter into a state of purity that prohibits quarrelling, committing violence to man or animal and having conjugal relations. Once he puts on his Hajj clothes, the pilgrim cannot shave, cut his nails and cannot use perfume also. A person might be a millionaire or billionaire, it is obligatory for pilgrims to wear ihram, without which Hajj will not complete.
On the first day of the Hajj (8th of Dhu al-Hijjah) pilgrims sweep out of Makkah towards Mina, a small village east of the city. More than 2 million people gather at one place at the same time. The pilgrims generally spend their time meditating and praying, as the Prophet performed on his pilgrimage.
During the second day, the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, pilgrims leave Mina for the place Arafat; it is obligatory for every pilgrim to stay there on the second day from Zuhr till the sunset. Without doing this ritual one’s Hajj will be not valid. This is the central rite of the Hajj. As they congregate there, the pilgrims’ stance and gathering remind them of the Day of Judgment. Some of them gather at the Mount of Mercy, where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) delivered his farewell sermon. These are emotionally charged hours, which the pilgrims spend in worship and supplication. Many shed tears as they ask God to forgive them. On this sacred spot, they reach the high point of their religious lives as they feel the presence and closeness of a merciful Allah. The Prophet is reported to have asked Allah to pardon the sins of pilgrims who gathered at Arafat, and was granted his wish. Thus, the hopeful pilgrims prepare to leave this plain joyfully, feeling reborn without sin and intending to turn over a new life. Those who are not performing Hajj can fast on the day of Arafat.
It was narrated from Abu Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah and he said: “It expiates for the past and coming years.” According to another report: “I ask Allah that it may expiate for (the sins of) the year that comes before it and the year that comes after it.”
It is voluntary to fast on the day of Arafah for the one who is not in Arafat. As for the pilgrims who are present in Arafat, it is forbidden for them to fast.
Just after the sunset, the mass of pilgrims proceeds to Muzdalifah, an open plain about halfway between Arafat and Mina. They should move quietly and with tranquillity, and when the road is wide, they should move somewhat quickly provided that they do not harm anyone. This is the Sunnah (tradition) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him). There they first pray and then collect a fixed number of small sized pebbles to use on the following days. Spending the night of the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah in Muzdalifah is one of the Hajj obligations.
After offering dawn prayer, pilgrims leave for Mina to follow the remaining rituals. Next ritual is followed by Jamarat. The Jamarat are three stone pillars which are pelted as a compulsory ritual of Hajj in emulation of the Prophet Ibrahim. They represent the three locations where Ibrahim pelted the Shaitan (Satan) with stones when he tried to dissuade him from sacrificing his son Ismail. The pillars are called ‘Jamarat-al-Ula’, ‘Jamarat-al-Wusta’ and ‘Jamarat-al-Aqaba’. As part of this Hajj ritual, the pilgrims throw small pebbles at those three structures in Jamarat. While stoning the devils, pilgrims recall their sin which was whispered by Satan in their lifetime. These stoning procedures shall be followed by next two days. Before that pilgrims can take off their ihram, shave their heads and sacrifice the goat. In the rest of the world, Muslims celebrate Eid ul Adha which is done in remembrance of Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in accordance with Allah’s will, though in the end Allah provides him with a sheep to sacrifice instead. Pilgrims spend the next two or three days in Mina. On each day, they will stone the satan. The pilgrims then return to Makkah to perform the final circumambulation of Ka’aba.
Circumambulating the Ka’aba (Tawaf e Ifada) is compulsory to every pilgrim. It is important without which Hajj will not be completed.
PURPOSE OF HAJJ
One of the purposes of the Hajj is to recall the history, while in Mina, how an old father brought his eight-year old son for sacrifice. Prophet Ibrahim had first left his wife and new-born son, Ismail in the desert upon Allah’s command. Then while returning after eight years to them he saw a dream wherein a man told him that Allah wanted him to sacrifice his son. He saw the same dream for three consecutive nights and as he was a Prophet, his dreams were a form of revelation. He realised that Allah wanted him to sacrifice his son for whom his heart was overfilled with love and emotions. Pilgrims recall all the sacrifices of Prophet Ibrahim which he had done for the pleasure of Allah.
Another purpose of Hajj is purification of soul and refinement of faith. The rites of Hajj are particularly unappealing to human mood – staying in the open, walking bare-foot, throwing of stones at Satan, facing the sun and cold of night, and many other such rites which would not appeal so much to us in other situations. But the purpose behind all such rites is to make man humble and submissive in entirety before Allah.
Hajj demonstrates the concept of equality among mankind, which allows no superiority on the basis of race, colour, country, language, gender or social status. It shows equality as well as simplicity among people. The dress code for Hajj is a simple two-piece unstitched white cloth. So when a person performs Hajj, he is unaware whether the person standing next to him is a millionaire or poor. With this uniform gathering Islam wants to show that everyone is equal before God.
Here is a lesson in equality, liberation and training that One day we have to stand before Allah on the Day of Judgment and account for our deeds.