Significance of Hajj to the Life Muslim Adherents

For the hajj, Mansa Musa had to make two crossings of the Sahara, which was very large and dry. Mansa Musa’s hajj was motivated to some extent by religion, but also by secular reasons such as social motives and most importantly economic purposes. Being one of the five pillars of Islam, the hajj is something that is religious, and

According to the Islamic culture and society, every Muslim must make a trek to Mecca—the hajj—at least once in their lifetime to pay tribute to Allah, the God of the Islam religion. The trek is a mandatory component of being a good Muslim for that is the secular proclamation of being a faithful follower, as according to the Prophet Muhammed who said that a person will journey to Mecca a sinful man and return home afterwards as a newborn baby purified. The ritual itself consists of five steps, each categorized into a day: the purifying ihram in which all men are in unity and peace, and the desperate run from the hills of Safa to Marwa in remembrance of Hagar; the travel to Arafah to repent of their sins and collect seventy pebbles as somewhat totems; the return to Mina to

Khwaja, Asim Ijaz. Kremer, Michael. Estimating The Impact of the Hajj: Religion and Tolerance in Islam’s Global Gathering. Journal. August 2009

Hajj is a once-in-a-life time obligation upon Islamic adherents whose health and means permit it. It is an essential part of Muslim faith and practice as it is the fifth pillar of faith, symbolises central concepts of Islam and commemorates the trials of the Prophet Ibrahim. Hajj provides individuals with the opportunity for spiritual rebirth through developing a closer relationship with Allah as well as fulfilling the five pillars of Islam. The global Islamic community are also united through submission to the will and communal worship of their “one God” Allah.

​First is Shahadah, when one devoutly and sincerely professes their Muslim faith. Next is Salat which is the act of performing the ritual prayers. These ritual prayers take place every day of the week, five times a day, being before dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and evening. Then comesZakat, the giving money to the poor and needy in the form of charity. Following is Sawm, a term meaning the fasting period during the month of Ramadan. Lastly is the Hajj which is a pilgrimage to Mecca. This pilgrimage is an obligation of all able bodied and healthy Muslims to be completed at least once in their lifetime. 2

Islam is a monotheistic religion with over 1.7 billion followers that spans the globe, many of the practices of a Muslim are committed daily. Devout Muslims would reject the statement ‘only those who fear punishment will treat others well.’ Because of the wish, a Muslim has to follow the lead Muhammad left as a model Muslim, as well as the connection a Muslim holds with to their core beliefs, through the Aqida al-Islam, the hadiths, Arkan al-Islam and shari’a.

Central to the Muslim belief is the importance of devotion and total submission to Allah. This is put into practice through the Five Pillars of Islam –the five obligatory duties that must be performed by all practising Muslims. These are the acts of faith, prayer, charity, fasting and pilgrimage. Carrying out these duties creates structure in a Muslim’s life, teaching them to devote their time to Allah and not get caught up in their own secular lives. The effect the Five Pillars of Islam has on not only the individual but the community as a whole is substantial. Constantly

In National Geographic’s “Inside Mecca”, individuals during the Hajj cast off their material self, they trade the pleasures and comforts of the outside world for the benign struggle of ihram. A state in which individuals care only for the ethereal, they wear simple clothing and avoid negative emotion. As Kupperman

The five pillars of Islam are the things the Muslims have to do to live a good and responsible life according to Islam. The Shahada is the pillar where every Muslim sincerely recites their faith. When a Muslim recites their faith, they claim that Allah is the only god, Muhammad is the prophet, and that they will obey all the commitments of Islam. Salat is the prayers that are to be performed five times a day. Muslims are to pray before sunrise, midday, late afternoon, after sunset, and between sunset and midnight. They believe that prayers set the rhythm of the day. Children are encouraged to start praying at age seven. Zakat is paying taxes that will benefit the poor or those who are less fortunate. Zakat as seen as a type of worship and self-purification. Sawm is the fasting during the month of Ramadan (ninth month if the Islamic calendar). During the Ramadan Muslims are to give up during the day; any food or drink, smoking, and any type of sexual activity. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca. Once a year Muslims gather together at Mecca and praise to the Allah together. Mecca is the place that is holy for every Muslim, a non-Muslim cannot

The Hajj is a yearly Islamic journey to Mecca, and a compulsory religious obligation for Muslims that must be done at any rate once in their lifetime by every Muslim who are physically and fiscally equipped for undertaking the voyage, and can bolster their family amid their nonappearance. It is one of the five mainstays of Islam, nearby Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, and

Despite the contrasts between the two authors’ approaches on explaining the basic reasons and ways of each religion’s pilgrimage they both convey that the pilgrimage in either religion will eventually stabilize and strengthen one’s spiritual standing. The Christian pilgrimage lacks hard regulations and requirements on pilgrimage. One can take a pilgrimage to anywhere they wish to in any way and time as long as they are committed spiritually. This method of spiritual journeying, however, still significantly affects a christian’s life because the lack of hard regulations means they must be that much more focused and motivated by their own will. The concentration and motivation behind their journey is what will lead them to a better and tighter relationship with their god. The Muslim pilgrimage, on the other hand, has a much stricter regulation and requires far more abuse on one’s physical body and mind. The constant struggle, however, forces the pilgrims to build instant friendships with strangers from every corner of the world to depend their lives on at several points in their journey. The hajj works because of the good sense and mutual support of the pilgrims. It’s the pilgrims’ mutual dependence and self-control that ties their spirits closer to god. Christians benefit from their pilgrimage because of the freeness while the Muslims benefit exactly because of the extreme difficulty of their required journey. Both authors explain that God will reward everyone for their

One of the Five Pillars keep the people from sinning and actually enforce that you do good for society. Other Pillars include rules such as fasting or praying. One of the Five Pillars is Shahadah, sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith. It is the same as how Christians get baptized. The person going through Shahadah will recite the profession of faith, which, in english, is, “There is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger” (Muslim 1). When one says the Shahadah, he or she is stating that he or she believes the Allah is the only god, Allah never had a son, and that he is indivisible. Then there is the Hajj, another Pillar of Islam. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hajj is an event held from the 8th to the 12th of the last month on the Islamic calendar which is Dhu al-Hijjah. It is considered mandatory for any Islamic adult who is financially stable to participate in the Hajj. If one fulfills those circumstances they are considered mustati. “During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals such as: each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around

If you don't already know what Hajj is, Hajj is a journey that all muslims are required to make at least once in their lives. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam that are included in the reading of the Qur’an. This pillar is very important to Islamic religion and the only way that muslims do not have to partake in Hajj is if they are not financially able to or because of health set backs that make it unsafe for them to travel in their condition. What I found to be the most intriguing fact learned about this journey is that a major part of the trip is for all to be seen as equals in Gods eyes. To ensure the equality of all people during Hajj, Men are required to wear a white sheet set, and all women are required to wear white as well along with only being able to show their hands and feet. Hajj tends to span for approximately 13 days in length. Not many people know what Hajj is but learning about this part of Islamic culture is important to help others

able to travel to Makkah, the Hajj is said to be the peak of their

Performing the Hajj at least one time during a Muslims life is another pillar of Islam. Hajj is the pilgrimage from Medina to Mecca that occurs every year in the last month of the Islamic calendar. Hajj is to be made during the specified months, and while on the hajj a man should not have sexual intercourse, should not swear, or get into disputes while on the pilgrimage (2: 197). If someone is ill or too weak to perform hajj, someone else can make the pilgrimage on their behalf, with the ill person receiving the reward (HB 2: 589). Muhammad also tells women that instead of participating in Jihad, a women’s Jihad is performing the hajj (HB 4: 43, 127).