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| Sunday, 8 January 2006 |
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Spiritual
journey of Hajj has begun
by Rikaza Hassan The Islamic festival of Eid-Ul-Adha, the culmination of a five day pilgrimage of Mecca in Saudi Arabia will be celebrated on January 11 this year. Already millions of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia and all corners of the world (last year alone saw over 2 million Muslims) have descended in Mecca through air, land and sea to begin their pilgrimage. The Hajj has been performed every year in the 12th month of Dhul-Hijja for the past fourteen centuries. In olden times it was a journey of a lifetime, a life-long dream for which a person saved up in his entire life. It saw the would-be pilgrim make an arduous journey on horseback and foot, through parchy desert and mountain terrain, ever on the lookout for bandits who attack the routes to Mecca. "And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men. They will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways..." (Qur'an 22:27). Nowadays, however, pilgrims are taken care of and provided with amply, the hardships of the early times unknown. They travel in comfort to and within Saudi Arabia. The rites of pilgrimage itself are made more comfortable with air-conditioned walkways, escalators to the roof of the mosque and cool marble floors to pray on. According to IslamOnline.net, a three-pronged plan has been launched to provide Zamzam water to the pilgrims through 950 workers in Mecca and Madinah. The pilgrims will further be presented with a 5.1 litre plastic container of Zamzam water as they leave after the pilgrimage. The pilgrims are expected to drink more than 1,641 cubic litres of water everyday. The Saudi government has spent nearly $25 million for renovation and expanding of facilities for pilgrims, yet the number of pilgrims increase annually, even with quotas imposed for each country. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the number of pilgrims increased from less than 100,000 in 1950 to double the number in 1955 to over one million in 1983. Then again, it is perhaps because the hardship of the olden days- travelling by foot in the desert heat, has been replaced by a modern one- being patient and safe in the throng of people. Yet one thing that has not changed is the unity, the sense of brotherhood among the pilgrims. The Hajj is a time when one sees people of all race, colour, status, gender and nationalities, unite under the banner of belief in the oneness of Allah and bow down in prayer together to their one God. For those who perform the Hajj, it is a unique experience indeed, a feeling that needs to be experienced to be known. The spiritual journey that is the annual pilgrimage of Hajj - the fulfilling of the fifth pillar of Islam, after testifying that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger, to perform the daily prayers, to pay the zakat and to fast in the holy month of Ramadhan - is mandatory to all muslims who have attained the age of maturity, are mentally, physically and financially capable of it and have enough for this maintenance of any dependants. The Prophet Muhammed (sal) emphasised the brevity of not performing Hajj by someone who is able to do so thus: "Let a person die as a Jew or a Christian if he doesn't perform Hajj having all the facilities." (Thirmidi, Baihaki). The pilgrimage begins with the keeping of Niyyah (intention) and Ihram - a state of consecration in which Muslims substitute their normal clothing with the simple white attire of the Hajj pilgrim, signifying a state of purity and equalness in the eyes of God. The pilgrim also cannot quarrel, commit violence or engage in sexual intercourse signifying his mastering of discipline. The first day of pilgrimage (the 8th of Dhul-Hijja) begins with the pilgrims travelling from Mecca to Mina, a small village east of the city where they spend the day and night in large tents praying and reciting the Qur'an. The 9th of Dhul-Hijja sees the pilgrims leave to the plain of Arafat, after sunrise. Known as the 'Day of Arafat', the pilgrims spend the entire day near the Mount of Mercy (Arafat) asking God for forgiveness and entreating Him. The rest of the Muslims all over the world join the pilgrims in spirit by fasting that day. After sunset the pilgrims travel to the nearby open plain of Muzdalifah where they spend the night praying and collecting medium sized pebbles in preparation for the next day. On the third day of the pilgrimage, the pilgrims move before sunrise to Mina, where they throw the stone pebbles collected the day before at pillars representing the temptations that Satan holds before man. They will throw stones at one of the three pillars- the Jamrathul Aqaba; the stones represent Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham) rejection of Satan. This is the 10th of Dhul-Hijja, the day of the festival of Hajj which is in commemoration of the response of Prophet Ibrahim who in answeringGod's command was willing to sacrifice his first born son Ishmail. In celebration of his foremost love for God, the pilgrims slaughter an animal in symbolism to their willingness to part with something precious to them. Muslims also celebrate the second holiday in the Islamic calendar with special prayers, new clothes and the exchange of gifts. In the subsequent days, the pilgrims return to Mecca and perform seven tawaf, or turns around the Ka'bah, the cubic house of worship built by the Prophet Ibrahim and his son. They also walk seven times between the two hills of Safah and Marwah in commemoration of the lady Hajara, wife of the Prophet Ibrahim who ran the distance in the arid region in desperate search of water for her child. God made a spring well up in the desert near the feet of the crying child which is 35 metres deep and known as the Zamzam well. They also return to Mina where they throw stones at all the three pillars and then perform the farewell tawaf - tawaful wida, before leaving for home. Most muslims however visit the Masjidun Nabavi before packing for home. A person who has performed Hajj, (a Hajji) is said to be cleansed of his sins, spiritually refreshed and begins life anew on a clean slate. He or she is welcomed home with joy and family members usually prepare a small celebration to congratulate the Hajjis on the completion of a laborious journey and the fulfilling of a honourable wish. The pilgrims also usually distribute Zamzam water that they have brought among family and friends - the water is said to have healing properties. |
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