When Muslims arrive in the holy cite they enter a state of dedication: ihram, by removing their daily clothes, also doing this helps them step out of their everyday lives and helps to take their faith seriously. Money and status is no longer are a factor for the pilgrims, the equality of each person in the eyes of God becomes paramount. The Hajj begins from the moment the ihram is worn. Many Muslims might want to go on the Hajj just for that sense of equality. It shows them that no matter how rich or poor you are you are all loved equally in the eyes of Allah. It is believed that the Hajj is a ‘journey of a lifetime’ and a ‘spiritual rebirth’. When have finished the Hajj you are spiritually reborn and all you sins are wiped away.many people go on the Hajj to ask Allah to forgive them of their sins as they think the almighty and forgiving Allah will help wash them away and let them try and start a better less sinful life for themselves.
On the Hajj there are many points when the feeling of brotherhood ‘the whole place is alive with goodness, faith and brotherhood,’ is at its strongest, as the Muslims are walking and doing the same things that millions of other Muslims have done. By sharing this experience with other Muslims it reinforces that sense of brotherhood, as you are all brothers through time whether they were Muslims that have been before you Muslims that will make the same journey after them. While the Muslims are on their pilgrimage it helps them to know that all the other people that are surrounding them are hear to do the same thing: to praise and show their devotion to Allah.
While the Muslims are on the Hajj they learn many life skills that may help them when they return home. By wearing the same clothes as everyone else they learn that material possessions aren’t that important and what is important is to pray to Allah, by realizing that they may be willing to give more to charity: Zakat. Muslims also learn patience and determination as they are needed when they do ‘the stand’.
the most important part of the Hajj is ‘ the stand’ Wuquf as they bear their soul to Allah and they get an immense feeling of being at one with Allah ‘ they stand before their creator, it is as it were the apocalypse’. They feel a very strong connection with Allah, despite the other millions of Muslims, they feel as though Allah personally responds to them, and he is talking to them alone. They mange to block out everything around them and meditate quietly with Allah watching over them for 25 hours.
They must experience that one to one connection with Allah, when they get home they are invigorated Muslims. The Hajj is meant to prepare for your death as that feeling is what you should feel when you die ‘from the cradle to the grave’, so Allah will send them favorable to heaven ‘Ahana’. Muslims believe, performing and completing the Hajj enables them to be prepared for death. When Muslims get home they will hopefully carry out their daily prayers with a much more determined sense as they want to be a good Muslim so they can experience that one to one connection with Allah again. This is why they are buried in the garment they wore to the Hajj.
Another reason for the Muslims to go on the Hajj is to follow in the footsteps of Muhammad their final prophet. Muslims try to follow the example of Muhammad also know as ‘sunnah’ and by doing exactly what he did they are doing just that. Muhammad also went on the Hajj and this may be one of the leading reasons why Muslims go on the Hajj as they think they have an obligation and more motivation to perform the Hajj. They are also able to understand more of what Muhammad said and did.
Going on the Hajj is making an effort of Allah ‘jihad’ Muslims also perform ‘jihad’ when they fast as they are making a sacrifice for Allah and it helps them to have a spiritually disciplined life. Muslims believe that this special place as an awe about it, that is what Muslims should experience on the Hajj that awesome presense. One of the main points of going is to make you a better Muslim and to wipe away all the characteristics that make you, you. It is meant to be the climax of their lives- to connect with Allah, what everything ahs been leading up too
when pilgrims get home they are given a new title in the Muslim community ‘Hajji’ for a man and ‘Hajjah’ for a women. When a Muslim gets home they are a new person who has been ‘spiritually cleansed’ and they are enabled to begin afresh. When a Muslim returns from the pilgrimage they should be a more devout Muslim as they have experienced what it is like to be at one with their God.
In conclusion I think that Muslims go on the Hajj to show their devotion to Allah and to show that they would give up everything for him. Muslims would want to go on the Hajj because they get to experience the awesome presence of Allah and they are blessed by experiencing that one to one connection with Allah. If you lived in a none Muslim country I think one of the reasons they would want to go on the Hajj would be so they could experience that strong bond of brotherhood.
