HAJJ
Once a year, Muslims of every ethnic group, color, social status, and culture gather together in Mecca and stand before the Kaaba praising God together. It is a ritual that is designed to promote the bonds of Islamic brotherhood and sisterhood by showing that everyone is equal in the eyes of God.The Hajj makes Muslims feel real importance of life here on earth, and the afterlife, by stripping away all markers of social status, wealth, and pride. In the Hajj all are truly equal.
The Hajjis or pilgrims wear simple white clothes called Ihram. During the Hajj the Pilgrims perform acts of worship and they renew their sense of purpose in the world.
For Muslims, the Hajj is the fifth and final pillar of faith or worship practice. It occurs in the month of Dhul Hijjah which is the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is the journey that every adult Muslim must undertake at least once in their lives if they can afford it and are physically able.
History of Hajj
Approximately four thousand years ago the valley of Mecca was a dry and uninhabited place. Muslims believe the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was instructed to bring his wife, Hajira (Hagar) and their child Is'mail to Arabia from Palestine.
God told the Prophet Ibrahim to leave them on their own, and he did so, with some supplies of food and water. However the supplies quickly ran out and within a few days Hajira and Is'mail were suffering from hunger and dehydration. In her desperation Hajira ran up and down two hills called Safa and Marwa trying to see if she could spot any help in the distance. Finally she collapsed beside Is'mail and prayed to God for deliverance.
Is'mail struck his foot on the ground and this caused a spring of water to gush forth from the earth. Hajira and Is'mail were saved. Now they had a secure water supply they were able to trade water with passing nomads for food and supplies.
After a while the Prophet Ibrahim returned from Palestine to check on his family and was amazed to see them running a profitable well.
The Prophet Ibrahim was told by God to build a place of worship dedicated to Him. Ibrahim and Is'mail constructed a small stone structure - the Kaaba or Cube - which was to be the gathering place for all who wished to strengthen their faith in God.
As the years passed Is'mail was blessed with Prophethood and he gave the nomads of the desert the message of surrender to the will of the One God.
After many centuries, Mecca became a thriving city thanks to its reliable water source, the well of Zam Zam.
Gradually, the people began to adopt polytheistic ideas, and worship spirits and many different gods. The shrine of the Prophet Ibrahim was used to store idols.
After many years, God told the Prophet Muhammad that he should restore the Kaaba to the worship of the One God only.
In the year 628 the Prophet Muhammed set out on a journey with 1400 of his followers. This was the first pilgrimage in Islam, and would re-establish the religious traditions of the Prophet Ibrahim.
Today Muslims walk in the footsteps of Ibrahim (Abraham) when they perform the Hajj and they also follow the steps of Haajira (Hagar) when they run between the the hills of Safa and Marwa and drink from the well of Zam Zam.
Hajj Pilgrimage for American Muslims
Many American Muslims at this time (October 5th/6th 2013) will be leaving the United States on route to Saudi Arabia as pilgrims. We wish them a safe journey filled with blessing!
For those Muslims who remain in the United States many will fast the first 10 days of Hajj in solidarity with those who have left for the pilgrimage.
At the end of the pilgrimage (10th day of the Month of Zhul Hijjah) Muslims around the world will celebrate the Hajj festival or Eid Al Adha - Festival of the sacrifice which is named this way to remind Muslims about the story of Ibrahim (Abraham) when he was instructed by God to kill his son and was ready to do so but God showed His Mercy by providing a ram for sacrifice instead.
Eid Al Adha will be on October 15, 2013 this year. The greeting on this day is Eid Mubarak! (meaning - have a blessed celebration) and the day is marked by special community prayers in the morning followed by celebrations through the day!
For more interesting information about the Hajj please check out:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/special-reports/hajj-2013/2013/10/05/Saudi-Arabia-announces-Eid-al-Adha-to-be-celebrated-on-Oct-15.html
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/places/culture-places/beliefs-and-traditions/saudiarabia_mecca/
Once a year, Muslims of every ethnic group, color, social status, and culture gather together in Mecca and stand before the Kaaba praising God together. It is a ritual that is designed to promote the bonds of Islamic brotherhood and sisterhood by showing that everyone is equal in the eyes of God.The Hajj makes Muslims feel real importance of life here on earth, and the afterlife, by stripping away all markers of social status, wealth, and pride. In the Hajj all are truly equal.
The Hajjis or pilgrims wear simple white clothes called Ihram. During the Hajj the Pilgrims perform acts of worship and they renew their sense of purpose in the world.
For Muslims, the Hajj is the fifth and final pillar of faith or worship practice. It occurs in the month of Dhul Hijjah which is the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is the journey that every adult Muslim must undertake at least once in their lives if they can afford it and are physically able.
History of Hajj
Approximately four thousand years ago the valley of Mecca was a dry and uninhabited place. Muslims believe the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was instructed to bring his wife, Hajira (Hagar) and their child Is'mail to Arabia from Palestine.
God told the Prophet Ibrahim to leave them on their own, and he did so, with some supplies of food and water. However the supplies quickly ran out and within a few days Hajira and Is'mail were suffering from hunger and dehydration. In her desperation Hajira ran up and down two hills called Safa and Marwa trying to see if she could spot any help in the distance. Finally she collapsed beside Is'mail and prayed to God for deliverance.
Is'mail struck his foot on the ground and this caused a spring of water to gush forth from the earth. Hajira and Is'mail were saved. Now they had a secure water supply they were able to trade water with passing nomads for food and supplies.
After a while the Prophet Ibrahim returned from Palestine to check on his family and was amazed to see them running a profitable well.
The Prophet Ibrahim was told by God to build a place of worship dedicated to Him. Ibrahim and Is'mail constructed a small stone structure - the Kaaba or Cube - which was to be the gathering place for all who wished to strengthen their faith in God.
As the years passed Is'mail was blessed with Prophethood and he gave the nomads of the desert the message of surrender to the will of the One God.
After many centuries, Mecca became a thriving city thanks to its reliable water source, the well of Zam Zam.
Gradually, the people began to adopt polytheistic ideas, and worship spirits and many different gods. The shrine of the Prophet Ibrahim was used to store idols.
After many years, God told the Prophet Muhammad that he should restore the Kaaba to the worship of the One God only.
In the year 628 the Prophet Muhammed set out on a journey with 1400 of his followers. This was the first pilgrimage in Islam, and would re-establish the religious traditions of the Prophet Ibrahim.
Today Muslims walk in the footsteps of Ibrahim (Abraham) when they perform the Hajj and they also follow the steps of Haajira (Hagar) when they run between the the hills of Safa and Marwa and drink from the well of Zam Zam.
Hajj Pilgrimage for American Muslims
Many American Muslims at this time (October 5th/6th 2013) will be leaving the United States on route to Saudi Arabia as pilgrims. We wish them a safe journey filled with blessing!
For those Muslims who remain in the United States many will fast the first 10 days of Hajj in solidarity with those who have left for the pilgrimage.
At the end of the pilgrimage (10th day of the Month of Zhul Hijjah) Muslims around the world will celebrate the Hajj festival or Eid Al Adha - Festival of the sacrifice which is named this way to remind Muslims about the story of Ibrahim (Abraham) when he was instructed by God to kill his son and was ready to do so but God showed His Mercy by providing a ram for sacrifice instead.
Eid Al Adha will be on October 15, 2013 this year. The greeting on this day is Eid Mubarak! (meaning - have a blessed celebration) and the day is marked by special community prayers in the morning followed by celebrations through the day!
For more interesting information about the Hajj please check out:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/special-reports/hajj-2013/2013/10/05/Saudi-Arabia-announces-Eid-al-Adha-to-be-celebrated-on-Oct-15.html
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/places/culture-places/beliefs-and-traditions/saudiarabia_mecca/
The Kaaba (cube) - the structure originally built by the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) as a place of prayer to the One God
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The route pilgrims take on their pilgrimage
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