Hajj takes place annually and is the duty of all healthy adult Muslim men and women to perform the hajj at least once in their lifetime, so long as they possess the means and their route and transport are safe. The pilgrims must be able to afford the journey without causing hardship to the rest of the family. Some Muslims living in poorer countries have to save up all their lives to make this journey. Poor communities may save up enough money to send one member and to represent them all. Sick people may give the money to a charity or pay for someone to represent them as long as that person has been on their own behalf. Those who cannot go have only to declare it as their niyyah, their sincere intention to go on Hajj, and the duty is considered to have been fulfilled.
Before going on Hajj Muslims must settle their financial affairs, by paying off all debts and make amends for anything they have done wrong. They may also require a visa from the Saudi Arabian Embassy. Women going on Hajj should have a male as their wakil or mahram (guardian). The most important preparations are those that help the Muslim spiritually for the pilgrimage. Many Muslims attend special classes to learn about Hajj.
Why Hajj is performed?
The main reason is because it is one of the pillars of Arkan therefore it is obligatory. It is also an act of Ibadah.
The first rite of the pilgrimage is when a Muslim expresses the niyyah, intention, of going on Hajj by saying: ‘Oh God, I intend to perform the Hajj and I am taking Ihram for it. Make it easy for me and accept it from me’. The Ihram is a white garment similar to the clothes worn by Muhammad and the prophets before him. Putting on these white garments symbolises entering a state of ritual purity. The simplicity of the clothes is to show that all pilgrims are equal in the eye of God.
Some restrictions of Ihram include: no perfume or scented soap, no jewellery, no gloves, no cutting of fingernails or hair, no uprooted plants, no hunting or bloodshed no carrying of weapons no sexual relations no engagements.
During Hajj they should be single minded and not let anything distract them. They must think of Allah all the time.
Only Muslims are permitted to enter the region of the pilgrimage. On arrival at Makkah the Muslims will visit their hotels to leave their luggage and then make their way to the great mosque and circle the ka’bah seven times anticlockwise. The Ka’bah is the house of Allah. It is the focal point of the sacred mosque. It is thought to have been built by the first man, Adam and to be the first house of God. It is a plain cube shaped building made of concrete blocks. When Muhammad captured Makkah he smashed the 360 idols that had been placed there. Since then it has been reconstructed a number of times. A huge black cloth known as the kiswah covers it. Only very rare visitors are allowed inside the Ka’bah. Inside is simply a room decorated with texts from the Qur’an. Circling the Ka’bah seven times is called tawaf.
In the south east corner of the Ka’bah there is an oval boulder about 18cm in diameter. It is known as the ‘Black stone’. The pilgrims try to touch or kiss it. It is believed to have been brought from paradise by Jibra’il. It is probably a meteorite.
After the pilgrims walk seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah. This is to symbolise the souls desperate search for which gives true life. They then go to Mina where around 100,000 tents have been set up and they spend the night. On the most important day of Hajj, the second day the Muslims go to the plain of Arafat where they stant before Allah and ask for forgiveness. This is where Muhammad preached his last khutbah (sermon) when he asked Allah to forgive the sins of believers. The pilgrims pray, meditate and concentrate on Allah alone. If this part of the Hajj is missed it is not valid. The gathering makes Muslims think of the day of judgement because they believe they have been cleansed by god’s forgiveness and are sinless.
At sunset the Muslims travel eight kilometres to muzdalifah where they collect forty-nine pebbles, which will be needed the following day. Seven is the number of perfection for Muslims and this may be why they collect forty-nine which is seven times seven.
On the final day of the Hajj the Muslims travel to mina where they throw pebbles at the three stone pillars which represent the three times the devil tried to tempt Isma’il. When doing so they shout “In the name of God! Allah is almighty”, symbolising their total rejection of the devil. After this the men have their heads shaved and women trim their hair by at least two and a half centimetres as a symbol of new beginnings as they exit the sacred state of Ihram.
When the return to Makkah they can buy water from the Zamzam believing it cures diseases, the take as much as they can carry to their families. They also have the chance to buy pieces of the black cloth as souvenirs.
The feast of Eid ul Adha is the climax of the Hajj pilgrimage and the major festival in the Islamic year. It commemorates the triumph of Ibrahim’s faith over the temptations of the devil.
On the completion of Hajj the male pilgrims take the title Hajji and women Hajja. They have fulfilled their promise and completed their once in a lifetime tri. Some Muslims make the journey many times, in fact it is considered a blessing from god to die on Hajj.
