Download Curtis 1 Mary Curtis Humanities 2300

Curtis 1
Mary Curtis
Humanities 2300-006
Instructor: Shannon Atkinson
25 April 2011
Religious Service Paper #2
The Hajj
An Essential Muslim Pilgrimage
Mecca. Over one million men and women – ranging in age from early teens to upwards of sixty
years old – kneel in a massive courtyard around what appears to be a giant cube covered in an ornate
curtain. They are dressed in plain robes; their reverence is obvious. But what are they doing? And what
does this ritual mean to them? Such a scene would be an archaeologist’s dream. In truth the Muslim rite
of passage known as the Hajj is something that can only be observed and experienced by someone
belonging to the Islamic faith. While many view the practice as something shrouded in mystery, the Hajj
is a life-altering pilgrimage each Muslim is expected to take at least once in their life – provided they
have the means. And indeed, it tends to take one’s entire life savings to travel to the Haram Mosque and
participate in the five to ten day ritual.
What is the Hajj?
According to the website “Ministry of Hajj – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the word Hajj means,
“to set out for a place.” During the ritual a, “divinely written drama is staged in which every pilgrim
participates as an actor and through this participation learns the basic message of Islam” (Shafaat).
The Hajj consists of several ceremonies, meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the
Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of prophet Abraham and his family...Prophet
Muhammad had said that a person who performs Hajj properly 'will return as a newly
born baby [free of all sins].' The pilgrimage also enables Muslims from all around the
Curtis 2
world, of different colors, languages, races, and ethnicities, to come together in a spirit of
universal brotherhood and sisterhood to worship the One God together. (“The Hajj:
Information for teachers,” Council on Islamic Education)
The Hajj is so important to Muslims that it is considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam (the
others include Shahada – a declaration of faith, salat – prayer five times daily, zakat – a required tax given
to the needy, and participation in fasting during the month of Ramadan).
Ali – the Muslim college student I interviewed at the Khadeeja Islamic Center in West Valley –
described the Hajj as a life-changing experience. Though he himself has not had the chance to participate
in Hajj, he told me about his parents’ experiences in Mecca and how they, like many other pilgrims, took
a week after the Hajj to visit the city of Medina – where the prophet Mohammad travelled after his flight
from Mecca, and where he is buried. But the main purpose of the Hajj is for the Muslims to recall and
participate in the journey of the prophets. “Pilgrims participate in rituals that recall the faithful acts of
their father Abraham” (Matthews, 357).
Participation in the pilgrimage to Mecca, for many reasons, is limited to Muslims. With
proper invitations, even men and women who are non-Muslims may participate in
services of a mosque and report what they have experienced. But it is rare for one who is
not a Muslim to participate in the pilgrimage to Mecca; the crowds of Muslims are too
immense. Reports of activities, therefore, depend primarily on accounts from Muslims.
(Matthews, 357, emphasis added)
History of the Hajj
According to Muslim belief, the Hajj was first prepared and performed by the prophet Abraham
himself. “The rites of the Hajj were laid down by Allah to mark historic events in the life of Prophet
Ibrahim, which show his absolute and total submission to the will of Allah. Allah commanded the Prophet
Ibrahim (Abraham), on one of his visits to see Haajar and Ishmael, to build the House of God (the
Curtis 3
Holy Kaaba). With the help of his son Ishmael, Ibrahim built the House of God on the ground where
the Kaaba stands to this day” (Ministry of Hajj). After the death of Abraham, his son Ishmael is also said
to have performed the Hajj every year. I had no idea that the tradition extended back as far as this, and
found it interesting to note.
What are the steps and procedures involved?

Preparation and changing – enter a state of purity. The state of purity kept during the Hajj
(during which time one does not cut their nails or hair, nor participate in sexual relations), is
called ihram, and is concluded at the end of Hajj. “Dressed in clothes that show their unity, the
pilgrims wear two seamless pieces of white cloth sewn together, emphasizing that before God all
believers are equal” (Matthews, 357).

Enter the mosque and circle the Ka’bah seven times. If the opportunity presents itself, the pilgrim
should kiss The Black Stone. Of The Black Stone, Dr. Ahmad Shafaat – in his article “Hajj –
The Pilgrimage to Makkah” – said, “The Black Stone, which is built into two adjacent walls of
the Ka'bah and thus appears in one of the vertical sides of the cubical structure, is probably one of
the stones used in one of the earliest constructions of the shrine.” In the book, World Religions
by Warren Matthews, the author said – regarding the Black Stone – that Muslims believe the
sacred Black Stone “was given to Abraham by the angel Gabriel” (Matthews, 358). In regards to
circling the Ka’bah, Shafaat had this to say, “circumambulation of the Ka'bah symbolizes the first
part of the Islamic message. The notion of going around an axis symbolizes surrender or
commitment.”

Go to the city of Mina. Rest and preparation.

Go to Mount Arafat (where Mohammad delivered his last sermon). Reflect and pray. On the
way back, gather 49 pebbles.
Curtis 4

Stoning of the Devil. This stoning is a ritual symbolic of the “struggle against powers of evil,
both within man's own self and in the society” (Shafaat). In a more literal sense, the three pillars
represent the “devils that tried to persuade Abraham to disobey God and refuse to sacrifice his
son Isaac” (Matthews, 358).

Back to Mina – run back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times. Go to the
Zam Zam well and drink from it. The running and the drinking of the well water, “remembers
Hagar's search for water after her arrival in Makkah with her child Ishmael and husband
Abraham” (Shafaat).

Stone the Devil again. Men shave their heads and women cut their hair as a symbol of sacrifice.

Farewell – circle the mosque. Sacrifice of bull, sheep, or ram (meat is given to the poor). These
sacrifices are performed all over the world on the same day. The purpose of the sacrifice is, “in
commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael and his actual sacrifice of a ram
that God substituted for Ishmael after Abraham passed the test for his love of God” (Shafaat).
Travel Costs and Arrangements for Attending the Hajj
While talking to Ali, I was surprised to discover that there are companies that will arrange your
entire pilgrimage for you – for a fee. I had asked him if one ever purchased Hajj robes early, in
preparation for the pilgrimage. He informed me that the pilgrim simply sends their measurements to the
company through which they are making their arrangements. The company will supply you with robes,
which you are free to keep and take home with you after the ritual is complete. He also told me it cost
around $7,000 to attend the Hajj if travelling from America.
According to the websites www.sarainternationaltravel.com and www.sa.islamfreedomhajj.com,
while someone living close to Mecca – around Saudi Arabia for example – can attend and participate in
the Hajj for the average cost of $2,600 – $3,400, a Muslim travelling to Mecca from America can expect
Curtis 5
to pay $6,799 – $7,599 for the experience, and even more if they decide to spend some time in Medina
afterward, as most pilgrims do.
Who participates in the Hajj?
The purpose of the Hajj is purification and a change to one’s life. Thus, all are invited to
participate. Matthews states that, “having completed the Hajj, the pilgrim is a changed person,
remembering his or her experience and bearing the title hajji (for men) or hajjiyah (for women)” (358).
In addition, “love and brotherhood of people is taught throughout the hajj. The coming together of so
many people (about 1.5 to 2 million) from all nations and races of the world itself makes the point that
human beings belong to a single brotherhood” (Shafaat).
During my interview with Ali, I asked if there was a general or average age at which one attended
Hajj. He stated that it was always best to go earlier in life, but not so early that you would fail to
understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. He told me that although his parents had been
on Hajj in 2005, his sisters were too young to fully appreciate the experience, so all of the children were
left at home until such a time as they were better prepared for the life-changing event. He has plans to
attend Hajj as soon as he can after graduation, however, and is greatly looking forward to the experience.
Conclusion
There are many rituals to be found in every religion available. All can be seen as strange or
mystic in the eyes of someone who does not understand the specific faith involved. Though the
breakdown of the steps involved in the Hajj may seem peculiar at first, it is important to remember that to
those who practice Islam, there is nothing more natural or more important. Ali made clear to me that in
his eyes, Hajj is a sacred and wonderful experience – full of meaning and significance. It is necessary for
the purification of the soul. And in the eyes of those who believe in a higher power or a life beyond this
one, there is arguably nothing more important than the state of your own soul.
Curtis 6
Works Cited
"The Hajj: Information for teachers," Council on Islamic Education. www.cie.org
“Islam Freedom” sa.islamfreedomhajj.com
Matthews, Warren. World Religions – Sixth Edition. Belmont, CA Wadsworth, Cengage Learning,
2010. Print.
“Ministry of Hajj – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” www.hajinformation.com
“Sara International Travel” www.sarainternationaltravel.com/hajj-2011
Shafaat, Ahmad. “Hajj – The Pilgrimage to Makkah.” 1985 www.islamicperspectives.com