Haj and its significance

Here's a look at what you need to know about Haj, an annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Over two million Muslims perform the pilgrimage annually.

October 1-6, - Haj will take place (dates may vary slightly for different countries depending on the sighting of the moon)

Performing Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Islam requires every Muslim who is physically and financially able to make the journey to the holy city of Mecca at least once in his/her life.

Haj occurs two months and ten days after Ramadan ends, during the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah.

The height of Haj corresponds with the major Islamic holy day Eid al-Adha and commemorates Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son on Divine orders.

The pilgrimage, conducted over five days, includes numerous detailed rituals including wearing a special garment that symbolises human equality and unity before God, a circular, counter-clockwise procession around the Kaaba, and the symbolic stoning of evil.

Kaaba (Ka'bah), a cube-shaped structure draped in black silk, is the most sacred shrine of Islam and the chief goal of the pilgrimage.

There is a black stone enclosed in a silver ring in the eastern corner of the Kaaba. Muslims believe that the stone was given to Abraham by the angel Gabriel. Participants touch or kiss the stone to end the ceremony around the Kaaba.

A person who has completed the pilgrimage can add the phrase al-Haj or hajji (pilgrim) to their name.

In addition to denoting the completion of the haj, Eid-ul-Adha honours the monumental sacrifice that was to be made by Prophet Abraham. Abraham was ordered by Allah to sacrifice his dearly-beloved son, Ismail, as a test of obedience. Abraham willingly submitted to Allah's command, wherein Allah, by His Mercy, replaced Ismail at the moment of sacrifice with a lamb.

Abraham's selfless act of obedience is commemorated by the sacrifice of a domestic animal such as a lamb, sheep, cow, or goat, the meat of which is then distributed to relatives, neighbours and the poor. In parts of the world that preclude Muslims from personally sacrificing an animal, Muslims donate money to charitable organisations, which then

sacrifice the animal on their behalf and distribute the meat to the poor. In keeping with the following injunction of the Quran (22:27), "...and pronounce the name of Allah over the cattle which we have provided for them on the appointed days, then eat the meat themselves and feed the indigent and needy," Eid-ul-Adha exemplifies the charitable instincts of Muslims in their communal effort to see that no one is left deprived of the

sacrificial meat. It further embodies the values of discipline and self-denial, and submitting to the will of Allah.

Eid-ul-Adha is a joyous occasion marked with family traditions and celebrations. The festivities begin in the morning after Fajr prayer, where Muslims, dressed in their finest clothes, attend the congregational prayer followed by a sermon. Upon completion of the services, people greet each other with the blessings of Eid: "Eid Mubarak." Afterwards, Muslims often visit the homes of relatives and friends, partaking in delicious feasts customary to their native cultures and often exchanging gifts, and many eagerly anticipate the return of those friends and relatives who have made the journey for Haj.

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all trace their roots back to Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic), who is thus known as the father of the three monotheistic religions. Islam relates that Abraham had two wives, Sarah and Hajar, each of whom bore a son, Isaac and Ismail, respectively. Although Hajar was initially Sarah's maid, according to Islam, Hajar later married Prophet Abraham and bore him a son, Ismail. The lineage of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is traced to Ismail, whereas Christianity and Judaism trace their roots back to prophet Isaac, the son of Sarah. The sacrifice made by Abraham is of importance in all three monotheistic religions, although it is not commemorated by Jews and Christians in the same manner as in Islam. Christianity and Judaism, however, maintain that Isaac, rather than Ismail, was the promised son whom Allah had ordered to be sacrificed. Whether it is Islam, Christianity, or Judaism, the sacrifice of the son of Prophet Abraham has historical significance. Muslims celebrate the event through the festivities of Eid-ul-Adha as customary to their native cultures. Eid-ul-Adha is a time of remembrance of the trials of Prophet Abraham, a time to celebrate the end of the Haj, and a time that men, women, and children of all ages greatly anticipate. Eid Mubarak!

- Compiled by Ruzaik Farook