Download The 5th Pillar of Islam

The 5th Pillar of Islam
What is Hajj? Why is it performed?
Every year, millions of Muslims from around the
world make the journey to Mecca, Saudi Arabia,
for the annual pilgrimage. Dressed in the same
simple white clothing to represent human
equality, the pilgrims gather to perform rites
dating back to the time of Abraham.
The Hajj is associated with the life of Islamic
prophet Muhammad from the 7th century, but
the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by
Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the
time of Abraham. 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
The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God.
Kaaba
The Kaaba is a cube-shaped building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the most sacred site
in Islam. The building predates Islam, and, according to Islamic tradition, the first
building at the site was built by Abraham and Ishmael.
When does it take place?
The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and
last month of the Islamic calendar.
In 2010 Hajj was November 14-18. Islamic New Year was December 7th.
Why the end of the
year? It’s an
opportunity to close
out the year by
worshiping God
together with fellow
Muslims from all
over the world. Hajj
unites races,
cultures, people of
all ages, and both
genders.
Hajj Rituals
Well of Zamzam
Umrah
Tawaf
After Tawaf on the same day , the pilgrims perform sa`i, running or walking seven times between the hills of
Safa and Marwah. This is a re-enactment of the frantic search for water for her son Ishmael by Abraham's
wife Hagar. As she searched, the Zamzam Well was revealed to her by an angel, who hit the ground with his
heel (or brushed the ground with the tip of his wing), upon which the water of the Zamzam Well started
gushing from the ground. Pilgrims are served water from this well at the end of the walking.
Sa’i
Kissing the Black Stone
Arafat
At Mt. Arafat pilgrims stand in
contemplative vigil and pray and
recite the Qur'an, near a hill
from which the Prophet
Muhammad gave his last
sermon, this hill is called Jabal Al
Rahmah (The Hill of Forgiveness,
Mount Arafat). This is known as
Wuquf, considered the highlight
of the Hajj. Pilgrims must spend
the afternoon within a defined
area on the plain of Arafat until
after sunset. No specific rituals
or prayers are required during
the stay at Arafat, although
many pilgrims spend time
praying, and thinking about the
course of their lives. A pilgrim's
Hajj is considered invalid if they
do not spend the afternoon on
Arafat.
Muzdalifah
As soon as the sun sets, the
pilgrims leave Arafat for
Muzdalifah, an area between
Arafat and Mina, where they
gather pebbles for the next
day's ritual of the stoning of the
Devil. Many pilgrims spend the
night sleeping on the ground or
back in their tents at
Muzdalifah before returning to
Mina.
Ramy al-Jamarat
At Mina the pilgrims perform Ramy
al-Jamarat, throwing stones to signify
their defiance of the Devil. This
symbolizes the trials experienced by
Abraham while he was going to
sacrifice his son as demanded by
God. The Devil challenged him three
times, and three times Abraham
refused. Each pillar marks the
location of one of these refusals. On
the first occasion when Ramy alJamarat is performed, pilgrims stone
the largest pillar known as
Jamrat'al'Aqabah. Pilgrims climb
ramps to the multi-levelled Jamaraat
Bridge, from which they can throw
their pebbles at the jamarat. On the
second occasion, the other pillars are
stoned. The stoning consists of
throwing seven pebbles. Because of
the crowds, in 2004 the pillars were
replaced by long walls, with catch
basins below to collect the pebbles.
Eid al-Adha
After the Stoning of the Devil, pilgrims typically shave their heads and perform animal
sacrifices, to symbolize God having mercy on Abraham and replacing his son with a ram,
which Abraham then sacrificed. Traditionally the pilgrims slaughtered the animal
themselves, or oversaw the slaughtering. Today many pilgrims buy a sacrifice voucher in
Mecca before the greater Hajj begins, which allows an animal to be slaughtered in their
name on the 10th, without the pilgrim being physically present. The meat is then
packaged and given to charity and shipped to poor people around the world. At the
same time as the sacrifices occur at Mecca, Muslims worldwide perform similar
sacrifices, in a four day global festival called Eid al-Adha.