Hajj is among the five pillars of Islam. Being the last pillar, it is not compulsory on all, but only on those who can afford it.
The Glorious Quran (3:97) says: “Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah – those who can afford the means”.
In fact, most Islamic practices revolve around unity and brotherhood. The prayer (Salat) for instance is in essence the coming together of the believers to worship Allah together in a mosque. Every small group of Muslims gathers five times a day for that purpose. Then this extends to weekly Friday prayers of a larger Muslim community to come together and pray.
The spirit of coming together to pray extends further to two annual Eid prayers. The first is called Eid-ul-Fitr (the festival of fast breaking). It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Muslim year, following the month of Ramadan in which the Quran was revealed and which is the month of fasting.
The second is called Eid-ul-Adha (the festival of Sacrifice). It falls on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the Muslim year, following completion of the rites of Hajj/pilgrimage to Makkah.
Each Eid is a thanks-giving Day when Muslims assemble in a brotherly and joyful atmosphere to offer their gratitude to Allah for helping them to fulfill their spiritual obligations. This form of thanks-giving is not only confined to spiritual devotion and verbal expression; it goes far beyond that to manifest itself in a good social and humanitarian spirit. Muslims who have completed their fasting of Ramadan express their thanks to Allah by means of distributing alms among the poor and needy on the first day of Eid. Similarly, those who have completed the holy pilgrimage at Makkah, as well as those who are at home, offer their sacrifice by slaughtering rams and giving out alms to the poor and needy. The distribution of alms constitutes a major part of the two Eids. This Islamic form of thanks-giving is a wholesome combination of spiritual devotion and humanitarian
benevolence. Each Eid is a day of peace. Once a person is at peace with Allah, he is at peace with himself and consequently with the rest of mankind.
The largest place where Muslims worship annually in this world is Ka’abah during the Hajj. Here Muslims from all over the world meet every year. Over two million people gather together in one particular place to offer prayers. The mammoth crowd could be similarly likened to the crowd in the day of judgment (reckoning) when all mankind, jinns and angels will gather in one particular place before the Almighty Allah. There, each and every individual will account for his or her actions during his or her sojourn on earth.
The origin of Ka’abah can be traced to Prophet Ibrahim (AS) who laid the foundation stone for a community in a deserted place by the order of Almighty Allah. Thereafter, he settled his wife, Hajara, (Hagar), and his son, Ismail (Ishmael). The place was arid land and without water. The thirsty child, Ismail in desperation for water rubbed his heels on the ground, suddenly and unexpectedly, water started spouting and gushing out. Allah made provision for water at that place called “ZamZam”. Slowly the place became populated and was called Bakkah or Makkah. This was the place where Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) found lost signs of the first House of Allah that was built for his worship (i.e. before the earth was flooded). He rebuilt it with the help of his son, Ismael. Prophet Ibrahim (AS) fervently prayed to Allah (Q. 14:37) to make the house a “place for Humanity” and to raise from the progeny of Ismail living in the area the greatest Prophet (Muhammad PBUH) who would be mercy for all mankind.
Before the advent of Islam, there were 360 idols inside Ka’abah, each idol representing a particular Arab tribe. Annually they converged in the place to appease their gods and goddesses in form of pilgrimage. When Islam came (after the conquest of Makkah), all the idols were destroyed and the jahiliyyah pilgrimage was discarded and replaced with the Islamic Holy Pilgrimage.
The focus of the pilgrimage is Ka’abah, which was built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son, Prophet Ismail (peace be upon them) some 4,000 years ago. Today Ka’abah stands in the middle of a large courtyard of masjid al haram or the sacred mosque. Ka’abah is the first house that was built for the worship of one and only God, Allah. It is also called “Baitul-llah” (House of Allah), “al-Bait al-Ateeq” (the ancient house) and al “Bait al-Ma amoor” (inhabited House). This house and the places around it have several signs that have manifested the wonders of Allah. For instance, the courtyard of Masjid al-Haram contains besides Ka’abah, the Maqam Ibrahim (station of Ibrahim), the fountain of ZamZam, the Hateem, which is inside the Tawaf and a prayer in these areas is as good as that offered inside the Ka’abah itself. Multazam is the southern part of the wall between the door of the Ka’abah and the Black Stone. Another one is the Rukn-al-Yamani. This place lies in the northern corner of the Ka’abah which faces towards Yemen and this is why it is called Rukn-al-Yamani (Yemen’s pillar). Others include, Mataaf, the marbled open space around the Ka’abah. This is a place where the circuit of the Holy Ka’abah is performed during the pilgrimage. Masjid al-Haram is also a mosque that has a rectangular shape with rounded corners. Pilgrims also offer prayers in these mosques which can accommodate about two million people. The last but not the least is Safa and Marwa, two hillocks located to the north of Masjid al-Haram. Hajara, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), is believed to have run seven times between these two hills in desperate search of water for her child, Ismail. Pilgrims are also ordained to emulate this action of hers.
Muslims all over the world face towards Ka’abah to offer prayers. Allah the exalted says in the Holy Quran: “Surely, the first House appointed for mankind is that at Bakkah (ancient name for Makkah) abounding in blessings and a guidance for all peoples. In it are signs: it is the place of Abraham: and whosoever enters it, attains peace” (3:96-97).
Another important aspect of Hajj is the stay in the plain field of Mina for two or three days. During this period, a Pilgrim is expected to compose himself or herself to the meditation of Allah. It is a period for sober reflections. While in the second day of Mina ie on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, the pilgrims would move to another field called Arafat and stay there from sunrise to sunset, afterwhich all the Pilgrims would again move to the field of Muzdalifa and spend the night of 9th Dhul-Hijjah to the morning of 10th Dhul-Hijjah, leading to the Ka’abah for circumambulation and sa’y.
On the same day after sa’y, pilgrims also observe the throwing of pebbles at Satan (Jamarat). The genesis of this exercise emanated from the time Allah (SAW) ordered Prophet Ibrahim (AS) in a dream to sacrifice his only son, Ismail. As the Prophet (AS) proceeded to execute the order of the Almighty, Satan appeared to him and urge him not to sacrifice his son. The Prophet casted a pebble of stone on him and also cursed him. That is where the first Jamarat was positioned, and is called Jamrat al-Aqaba.
When Prophet Ibrahim moved further, Satan again appeared to him urging him to go against the command of Allah (SWA). The Prophet again threw another pebble of stone on him and cursed him. This is where the second Jamrat still lies. He proceeded, but again Satan approached him for the third time, and the Prophet repeated the same action by casting and cursing him. And that is where the third Jamrat is situated.
Pilgrims are also enjoined to emulate the throwing of pebbles on these three points just to curse and keep away from Satan in the same way Prophet Ibrahim (AS) did when
he was confronted with the Satan.
The throwing on the first day is on the first point of Jamrat called al- Aqaba with seven small pebbles, put on the second and third days, all the three Jamrat are thrown with seven pebbles on each, amounting to twenty one pebbles for each day.
Pilgrims are strongly warned to desist from observing the exercise of throwing Jamrat while carrying luggage of any size. They should also strictly follow the wave of the direction of crowd and never in the opposite direction. This exercise can be performed in proxy, that is a strong and healthy person can perform it on behalf of a weak or sick relative or friend.
During the three-day stay in Mina, the concept of unity, equality and brotherhood come to play again. All the male pilgrims put on the same white garment (Ihram) regardless of their status in the society.
The female pilgrims are also expected to dress decently in whichever dress regardless to colour. The stay in Mina, the standing at Mount Arafat and spending the rest of night at Muzdalifah are the basic essentials of Hajj performance.
The intending pilgrims are also requested to visit the Prophet’s mosque in Madina, even though the visit is not part of Hajj essentials. The visit could be either before or after Hajj, depending on the time an intending pilgrim arrives the Saudi Kingdom.
The number of days to stay in Madina is not specified. This is against the wrong notion that a pilgrim must stay in Madina for eight days.
Apart from the prayers in the Prophet’s mosque, a pilgrim could also visit some places of historic importance in Islam, such as the tombs of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the four rightly guided caliphs, Abubakar, Umar, Uthman and Ali (RA).
There is also the site of graveyard for mujahideen within the vicinity of the Prophet’s mosque. A pilgrim is expected to offer some prayers for the repose of their souls during the visit.
Lastly, there are the battle fields of Uhud and Badr, where the Prophet, (SAW) fought with pagans, and the graveyard of some Companions like Sayyidina Hamza, who were killed and buried in these fields.
Kaoje is a staff o the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), he wrote in from Abuja
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