Hajj Coursework

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Hardeep Sidhu 10SHn

Hajj Coursework

What is Hajj?

Hajj means “inhabitation” and in Islamic terminology refers to the pilgrimage to the mosque of the noble Ka’bah in the magnificent city of Mecca. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, it is one of the five basic requirements of Islam. Muslims should make this journey at least once in their lifetime, it is a duty for all Muslims to visit the Ka’bah and stand before God on Mount Arafat. Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. The true Hajj is to be made between the 8th and 13th of Dul Hijjah, which is the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar.

Explain why a Muslim might take part in Hajj

A fit and materially able Muslim man or woman is obligated to undertake the Hajj once in his/her lifetime. This act combines the pecuniary and bodily types of worship and symbolises the faithful response of mankind to God's call Muslims go on Hajj to do the last of the five basic duties that have been asked by God, and to follow the example of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and to get their sins forgiven. Before going on Hajj the person must be Muslim, the must be sane and able to understand the spiritual importance of what they are doing, they must be physically fit and they must be able to pay for the journey without having to take the money from anyone else with dishonesty. The whole area around the city of Mecca is a special area. When the pilgrims arrive there, they do certain things in order to set themselves apart from ordinary life, and put their hearts, minds and souls in a proper state for what is to come. Male pilgrims replace their clothes with two pieces of white cloth one around the waist and the other over the left shoulder. Female pilgrims wear plain white clothes that cover every part of every body except their hands and faces. Women are able to have their faces uncovered during the Hajj because the opposite sex are also on Hajj and should not have any sexual thoughts about the women. Pilgrims must also go bare foot or wear sandals that don’t cover toes or heels. The pilgrims identical dress symbolizes that everyone is equal no one classes any one as wealthy or poor. During the pilgrimage all the pilgrims obey strict rules which are that everyone must behave as a servant of God, everyone must try to stay sincere, anger and arguments must be avoided, sexual activities and thoughts are forbidden, men may not wear jewellery, no-one may use perfume and soap must be unscented, hair and fingernails must not be cut and men must leave their heads uncovered, it is a sign of humility. Muslims may not kill any animal except fleas, bedbugs, scorpions and snakes and no plants may be cut down or uprooted so as not to interfere with nature.

Describe what taking part in the Hajj involves

It involves leaving behind their family and property and going to visit the holiest divine sanctuary of Islam along with millions of the faithful, to renew their pledge to their Creator and come back as one reborn. The Hajj Timetable begins with Tawaf. All pilgrims begin with Tawaf. The pilgrims go to the Great Mosque at Mecca and go round the Ka'bah seven times anti-clockwise. If they can do so, they will run, as this shows even more love for Allah. As they go round they recite (in Arabic) "Here I am at your service, O God, Here I am". If a pilgrim can get close enough they will touch or kiss the Black Stone. If they can't get close enough they will salute it from a distance. As the pilgrim goes round the Ka'bah they can focus on the idea that God is at the centre of their life, and is the source of all meaning in their life. They also see that they are part of the greater Muslim community as they all take part in the Tawaf together. The circling shows the unity of the pilgrims in the worship of one God. The second thing they would do is Saiy, which is the running. The pilgrims walk seven times between the hills of al-Safa and al-Marwa. This commemorates the time when Hajar and Isma'il were lost in the desert and had nothing to drink. Hajar ran between the two hills repeatedly in the hope of seeing someone with some water. No-one appeared, but despite her thirst Hajar still believed. At that moment an angel appeared and showed her a spring of water.The spring is called the Zamzam well. The third place, on the ninth day the pilgrims walk to the plain of Arafat, where they stand in the blazing sunshine from noon until nightfall. Each pilgrim spends the time in meditation, self-examination and repentance. They then walk 5 miles to Muzdalifah to spend the night in prayer. Eid-ul-Adha is the feast of sacrifice. The pilgrims travel to the village of Mina, where they throw stones at 3 stone pillars. The pilgrims spend several days at Mina. After stoning the first pillar each pilgrim sacrifices an animal to symbolise the time when Ibrahim sacrificed a ram to God. The Hajj ends when the pilgrims return to Mecca and circle the Ka'bah again.

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Explain the meaning and significance of the events of Hajj for a Muslim The first thing the Muslims do when they arrive in Mecca is get into the state of Ihram. Everyone washes them self and dresses in white. The male pilgrim's garb of two unsown white cloths must be worn upon entering the sacred state of pilgrimage and it symbolises the bare weakness, dependence, and universal equality of people before their Creator. This is the preparation for the pilgrimage ahead. They do this to cleanse and purify themselves. It gets them into the right state of mind and also ready for God. The next stage of Hajj is Tawaf. Adam, the first man, built the Ka’bah; it was the first building built for worship to God. But the Ka’bah was destroyed and Ibrahim rebuilt it. When Muhammad went to Mecca he circled the Ka’bah seven times. Whilst walking aroung the Kab’ah in an anti clockwise way represents the orbiting of human hearts towards their spiritual center. Muslims repeat this act as though walking in the footsteps of the prophets and symbolises God’s house. They must feel overwhelmed to be there, At the Ka’bah, the place they turn to face everyday to pray. Inset into the corner of the Ka’bah is the Black Stone in one of its four corners symbolises God’s right hand, the kissing of which symbolises their pledge of faith to their king and to his law on earth. Muslims believe God sent the black stone down from heaven to earth. They move on to the two mountains, Marwah and Safa. This is where Hajar, Ibrahims wife, searched for water. She left Isma’il, her son, on the ground while she dashed between the two mountains in a desperate search for water. When she returned to her child the angel Jibra’il showed her a spring of water at the feet of Isma’il. She called the well Zamzam. It symbolises that God is always there to help, even when all seems lost. Muslims run between the two mountains, in Hajar’s footsteps. Then they visit the Zamzam well, some buy water from here to take home with them. This whole event is called Sa’y. It symbolises a Muslim's perseverance and God’s love for the individual.The first day of Hajj is over. Muslims stay overnight at Mina. Next, they go on to Arafat this is where Adam and Eve were forgiven for their sins. God forgives the Muslims who stand at Arafat all day in the blazing sun. This is known as Wuquf. If, for whatever reason, Muslims do not perform Wuquf then Hajj becomes invalid because it is an important part of Hajj as they show their devotion to God. This part of Hajj symbolises awaiting judgement on the day of Resurrection, “when there shall be no shade other than that of Allah’s throne”. It is a great test of perseverance but Muslims want to prove themselves to God. Muslims believe that Wuquf is the closest they can get to Judgement Day. Wuquf cleanses and purifies the soul and mind. A well-deserved rest is spent overnight at Musdalifah. The next day they travel back to Mina. They throw stones, which they have collected they day before, at the three pillars. They do this because it symbolises the believer’s declaration of war against the enemy of mankind, Satan. God told Ibrahim to sacrifice his son this was Gods way of testing Ibahims devotion to Him. The three pillars represent the three temptations the Devil used to attempt to stop Ibrahim from sacrificing his own son. They were very tempting but they resisted them for the love of God. When they reached the appointed place Ibrahim was ready to kill his son but God stopped him and told him to sacrifice an animal instead. Muslims sacrifice an animal, which is given to charity this is like Zakah. Then the festival Eid ul-Adha is celebrated. It is the Festival of Sacrifice it commemorates Ibrahims love for God. All Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Adha whether at home or on Hajj. It reflects Ummah. The festival lasts for three days and when it’s over Muslims on Hajj return to Makkah to perform Tawaf again as a way of saying goodbye and thank you to God.

What difficulties might there be for a Muslim performing Hajj? There are a few difficulties Muslims need to deal with before and on Hajj. If a Muslim is ill they may send someone else on their behalf. If a Muslim cannot go on Hajj because of unavoidable circumstances there is still niyyah. This means the intention to go on Hajj. Difficulties may occur if a Muslim is old or weak. If a Muslim cannot afford to go on Hajj, they should not go until they can afford it. It would not be God’s wish for a Muslim in debt to go on Hajj because it’s not the right thing to do. Muslims may work and cannot get time off or if they have kids, no will be at home to look after them. Some Muslims may just find the whole event too overwhelming. But all of these difficulties are a part of Hajj. It may be hard but it’s a test, it’s meant to be hard. It’s to test their devotion to God, how far will they go to show this devotion? Hajj tells us the answer.

How might participating in Hajj affect the life of a believer? Hajj can really affect a Muslims’ life. It can affect the way the way they do things and how people treat them. Their daily life and religious life can also be affected. The plain white clothes, worn on Hajj, are kept. Some Muslims dip them in water from the Zamzam well. They may be wrapped in these clothes when they die. Because all of their sins have been forgiven. They would be careful in what they do and try not to commit more sins because these would not be forgiven. They want to be pure and ready for Judgement Day. They may now feel that they can do anything for God because they have achieved the best they can. This is all about their perseverance, doing all they can for God. They gain respect from others. They have been to this historical place where prophets have set foot and miracles have taken place. They have realised the history of Hajj. Most Muslims bring back water from the Zamzam well, this is precious. They believe that it cures disease. When they were on Hajj they may have drunk some of it. If a Muslim has died on Hajj it is believed they will go straight to heaven with no need for Judgement Day. The most important aspect, to Muslims, is God has forgiven them. Muslims come back from Hajj changed. Their sins are forgiven and may have more faith and pray more regularly. Some Muslims might feel part of world wide, multicultural Muslim brotherhood. He/She may experience any of the following states among others: - Forgetting problems and leaving the world behind - A sharper awareness of the brevity of life - Redoubled desire to fill one's every moment there with good deeds - Lack of sleep and eagerness to offer worship in its various forms, especially at night - Sadness at leaving, together with an insatiable desire to know one's Lord better and be with those who know Him, and hear from them Upon return from pilgrimage the pilgrim finds him/herself making more frequent supplication. In Islamic countries pilgrims are received with festivities and people visit them for three days, asking for their prayers. “A true pilgrimage is really a journey within” Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Islam in your answer. For us humans, a true pilgrimage is a journey within. It’s about what it means to the individual. It is an emotional journey and spiritual journey. It’s a journey from the heart showing love for God. The definition of true is ‘loyal’ so a true pilgrimage is a journey you take to show loyalty to God. Muslims should go on this pilgrimage as they are showing Allah that they are doing as they have been told, 5th pillar of Islam. Some people don’t believe that it is a ‘journey within’. The point of Hajj is to get closer to God, but if Muslims go with the wrong intention and attitude there is no point of them going. Also if Muslims don’t go to the plain of Arafat and stand before God, the whole pilgrimage is worthless. He knows what you think of Him, He is everywhere and therefore close to you, wherever you are. Muslims would not agree with this because they don’t mean to be physically close to Him. They want to be close to His heart. Christians don’t have to go on a pilgrimage, but some do out of choice. I think they would agree that Hajj is unnecessary because you don’t need to prove yourself to God. As long as your devotion for Him remains, that’s all that matters. Some Muslims would not agree with this because it is their duty to God, it’s one of the five pillars. A Muslim who has completed Hajj would feel cleansed and purified of sins. Therefore they would lead a better life. A further point they make is that if God orders it to be done then there must be a good reason for doing it. I disagree. I think that if the Muslims feel Hajj is necessary, I respect their feelings. But I also believe that they don’t need to show their devotion. This is because God is omniscient so He knows to what lengths a Muslim would go for Him. So I believe that a true pilgrimage is really a journey within.