There are three types of Hajj: - Tamattu’, Ifraad and Qiran. The best of these forms is Tamattu’ as this is the form that Muhammed encouraged his followers to perform. This form includes seven stages.
Before true Hajj the Muslim should perform Ihram. This means bathing oneself and wearing Ihram clothes. For men these are two sheets of white cloth. One is wrapped around the waist and the other draped over the left shoulder. For women it is a plain ankle-length long-sleeved garment so only faces and hands are visible. Women can uncover their faces as no man can look at them with lust during Ihram. Muslims should now recite Tabilyah: “Here I am for Umrah, here I am, Oh Allah, here I am. Here I am. You have no partner. Here I am. Surely all praise, grace and dominion is yours, and you have no partner.”
The Muslim is now ready to perform Umrah. This includes Tawaf and Sa’yi. Tawaf is when the pilgrim must walk with the Ka’bah on their left and circle it seven times. During Tawaf they should mention Allah and recite the Qur’an. This is because Tawaf, Sa’yi and stoning the Jamrah are meant for purely thinking about Allah. For the first three times of circling the Ka’bah the pilgrim should walk quickly and for the last four walk at normal speed. Now the pilgrim can perform Sa’yi. They should walk up As-Safaa until they can see the Ka’bah. They should then say “There is no Deity but Allah alone”. They should then descend As-Safaa at walking pace until they reach a green marker. They should then run until they reach the next green marker. This goes on until they reach Al-Marwah. This is one lap. The Muslim must do this seven times. After this the Muslim should trim or shave her/his head and remove their Ihram clothes. The pilgrim is now ready to perform Hajj. On 8 Dhul-Hijja the pilgrim should put back on their Ihram clothes and make their intention for Hajj. They should say: “Here I am for Hajj. Here I am, oh Allah, here I am. Here I am. You have no partner. Here I am. Surely all praise, grace and dominion is yours, and you have no partners.” The pilgrim then travels to Mina and prays Dhuhr, Asr, Magrib, Isha and Fajr. They stay the night in Mina.
On 9 Dhul-Hijja the pilgrim travels to Arafat. They then pray Dhuhr and Asr. It is said that there is no other day where Allah is more likely to listen to prayers than the day of Arafat. They stay in Arafat all day and glorify Allah and ask for forgiveness. At sunset the pilgrim travels from Arafat to Muzdalifah. They pray Magrib and Isha and stay overnight there. While they are in Muzdalifah the Muslims collect pebbles in order to perform the stoning of the Jamrah the following day.
Before sunrise they travel from Muzdalifah to Mina. The pilgrim throws seven consecutive pebbles at Jamrah Al-Aquba while saying “Allah is the
Greatest.” The pilgrim then slaughters a sacrificial animal and, after eating some, gives it to the poor. The Muslim’s hair is then cut or shaven and they can remove their Ihram garments. They travel to Makkah and perform Tawaf and Sa’yi and then stay overnight in Mina.
At any time after midday they should throw seven pebbles at the three Jamrah. Then they stay overnight in Mina.
This is the last day of the Hajj. Once more, seven pebbles are thrown at the three Jamrah. To show that the Hajj is finished, the Muslims should perform a farewell Tawaf.
The Hajj is now complete.
Map of the route taken in Hajj
B i) Explain the meaning and significance of the event of Hajj for a Muslim
The symbolism of Hajj started when Adam and Eve were on earth. After they were banished from paradise for being tempted by the devil they wandered the earth confused and lonely. Supposedly Mount Arafat was where they asked God for forgiveness. For any Muslim standing on Mount Arafat is the most important and special part of Hajj. Other aspects of Hajj have different historical significances.
Hajj is incredibly important for Muslims, as they believe they are responding to the call of the prophet Abraham and the prophet Mohammed to come and visit the first house ever put for worship on Earth by God the Almighty. It is also an opportunity to reflect upon oneself, and to meet many Muslims, who are doing the same, which shows the unity, strength and the universality of Islam.
Ihram – The clothes for Ihram symbolise three things: equality, single-mindedness and self-sacrifice. The clothes are white to disguise any kind of personality and to show they are equal with their neighbours. Ihram is meant to remind Muslims of death, where rank, wealth and appearance are forgotten.
Tawaf – It is reported that Adam originally built this shrine, although it deteriorated over time. On the foundations Ibrahim and Isma’il built a square sanctuary out of rough stone. It had no roof and the walls were only about two feet high. It became known as the Ka’bah (cube). When a pilgrim circles the Ka’bah it symbolizes their love for God. The Ka’bah is basically an empty structure, but it represents the unity of Muslims because it is the focal point within the world for all Muslims to face when they pray.
Sa’yi – The seven laps from As-Safaa to Al-Marwah symbolize Hajar’s search for water. She ran between the tops of the hills and just when she had given up hope of finding water for her child, Isma’il, a well appeared near him, called the Zam-Zam well. When Hajar did this it symbolized the soul’s desperate search for that which gives it true life. When Muslims perform Sa’yi it symbolizes patience and perseverance, especially when being performed in the summer.
Standing on Mount Arafat – This was where God forgave Adam and Eve their sins and they were brought back to his love and protection. To stand here on 9 Dhul-Hijjah is the most important part of Hajj and it is said that there is no other time when Allah is most likely to listen to prayers than here. If this is done with spiritual awareness, the pilgrim can be forgiven all their sins and are promised paradise. If it is not done then the whole of Hajj is not valid.
Stoning of Jamrah – This symbolizes the three times Ibrahim resisted the temptation of the devil while he was on his way to sacrifice his only son, Isma’il following the wishes of Allah. According to tradition Ibrahim picked up the stones and threw them at the devil to drive it away. During Hajj this symbolizes conquering temptation. (Sa’yi shown on right)
B ii) What difficulties might there be for a Muslim performing Hajj?
There are many difficulties faced by Muslims performing Hajj. These can be split into four categories: - physical, mental, spiritual and material.
The physical difficulties mainly involve the vast amount of travelling from place to place involved in Hajj. The pilgrim has to: circle the Ka’bah seven times, walk between As-Safaa and Al-Murwah seven times, stand on Mount Arafat all day (in sun this can be especially difficult), travel from Makkah to Mina and Muzdalifah numerous times. An elderly Muslim or a child may find this very difficult, although some allowances are made for these pilgrims, for example, express routes for the walk between As-Safaa and Al-Murwah. Muslims who are less physically find and tire out easily would also find this pilgrimage difficult.
The Islamic calendar is lunar, not solar, which means that Hajj can sometimes fall in the summer. In Saudi Arabia, temperatures can be very high in the summer, which would make the journey even harder, and will require even more commitment than it usually would.
The mental difficulties mean that a pilgrim has to be of sound mind and be able to understand the significance of the journey. This rules out mentally disabled people and also very young children. Your full attention has to be on God and the pilgrimage, as is made clear in the rules of Hajj. This means that pilgrims must refrain from thinking about anything that is happening or has happened at home. If something very serious is happening in a Muslim’s life it may prove to be exceedingly difficult to try and focus completely on the Hajj. However, if a pilgrim does not think of God constantly during the Hajj it is not valid.
Spiritual difficulties for Muslims on the pilgrimage could be that the experience of performing Hajj becomes overwhelming, and the vast numbers of Muslims devoted to God and to their prayers might possibly lead to a feeling of spiritual insignificance. Another spiritual difficulty faced by pilgrims is trying not to be distracted by those around you and to stay completely focussed on your own prayer and on God, rather than what anyone else is doing.
Money is the main material difficulty. The first material difficulty to overcome is actually being able to afford the journey, and also being able to support financially those that you leave behind while you go on the pilgrimage. Other material difficulties are things such as ensuring water supplies and also safety during the pilgrimage.
B iii) How might participating in Hajj affect the life of the believer?
Participating in Hajj may affect the life of a believer in many different ways. A Muslim after Hajj should feel more dedicated and closer spiritually to God, as well as having a strengthened faith, which will make them a more committed and more determined Muslim. They should feel like they have become a better person within their faith, and a better human being.
Some Muslims say that Hajj puts life into perspective for them, and that a Muslim who performs Hajj is not only forgiven their sins, but also freed from the past. This means there is no longer any need for guilt or remorse or doubting past actions. Knowing this, after pilgrims stand before God on Mount Arafat and ask for forgiveness, they feel cleansed and a great sense of release from their previous sins. They can also feel a great deal of happiness at having the opportunity to stand before their God in the same place that millions of Muslims and Adam and Eve did before them. This gives them an enormous sense of unity with other Muslims all around the world as they are all equals before God. Some pilgrims say there is a feeling that they are all one big family, and that when they have completed their Hajj they feel a great joy and triumph of showing true dedication to God and their faith.
For pilgrims the Hajj feels as if they are returning home, they believe that people came from Allah, and so will return to him. Hajj can be a turning point in some people’s lives, and so it is a very valuable journey.
However, not all of the affects of going on the pilgrimage are positive. A Muslim who goes on Hajj and does not feel that they have made a stronger connection with God may feel inadequate, or as if they are spiritually unable to become closer to God. They may also feel that they have not been cleansed or changed in any way by the experience and perhaps begin to question their faith. If A Muslim knows people who have gone on the pilgrimage and had spiritual experiences, and when they themselves go they find that it does not live up to their expectations or give them the experience that they wished for, they may feel empty and unfulfilled. If the Muslim does not feel as if they can make a connection with God, their religious life may be ruined, as coming closer to God is one of the most fundamental parts of Islam and, in fact, most religions.
C ‘A true pilgrimage is really a journey within’
Do you agree?
Some people would argue that you do not need to go on a pilgrimage in order to become a better Muslim, and that it is what is within, such as your dedication and the strength of your faith that is important, rather than a physical journey. These people might say that going on a pilgrimage is a waste of time and money that could be invested more wisely in other activities or, in the case of money, in charities or something that is beneficial to other people, rather than just one person. They would also say that it does not matter how many journeys a person goes on, if they are not truly dedicated to their faith they will not become a better Muslim.
However, a Muslim would disagree with this view because actions are very important in the Islamic faith, for example praying five times a day. Hajj is also a requirement that a Muslim must fulfil at least once in their lifetimes, and it is one of the pillars of Islam and therefore a very important part of their faith. The Muslim would say that physically going on the pilgrimage is one of the most important religious experiences that they can have. This means that it is in fact more important to a Muslim to go on a physical journey to prove their true dedication to God, rather than try and go on a spiritual journey within, although some Muslims would say that the Hajj is a journey within as well as a physical journey and therefore it is important to go on the pilgrimage as it achieves both of these spiritual experiences. Muslims would also feel that it is only a true pilgrimage if you endure the physical hardships in order to visit the holy shrine and prove yourself to God. It is not a sin for a Muslim to be proud of the achievement of going on Hajj and to recognise that they have overcome a physical challenge in order to strengthen their faith.
I think that while some aspects of a pilgrimage are journeys within rather than physical journeys, it is also important to actually go and visit the place of holy significance. This is because making a journey and reaching your destination can make you feel as if you are actually doing something to prove your dedication and commitment to your faith, and the fact that you recognise that being close to God is something that you should strive for rather than take for granted. I also think that physically visiting a site where many people of the same religion as you are all congregated for the common purpose of becoming a better person within their faith and being the best servant to God as they can creates a feeling of having embarked on a spiritual and moving experience, which one could not undergo whilst just sitting at home.
