Pilgrimage (Hajj) Pilgrimage Previous Next Pilgrimage (Hajj) Hajj literally means, “to continuously strive to reach one’s goal.” The Hajj, or Pilgrimage to Mecca, is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for those who have the physical and financial ability to undertake the journey. The Hajj is essentially a re-enactment of the rituals of the great prophets and teachers of faith. Pilgrims symbolically relive the experience of exile and atonement undergone by Adam and Eve after they were expelled from Heaven, wandered the earth, met again and sought forgiveness in the valley of Mecca. They also retrace the frantic footsteps of the wife of Abraham, Hagar, as she ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa searching for water for her thirsty baby (which according to Muslim tradition, God answered with the well of Zam Zam). Lastly, the pilgrims also commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son for the sake of God. God later substituted a ram in place of his son. Performing the rituals of Hajj provides a reminder of how the great prophets and teachers of faith established a deep and personal relationship with God.

As the pilgrim makes his supplications to God, he realizes that He is asking of the same God that answered the prayers of those before him. These reminders are an important part of strengthening one’s faith, trust and dependence in God. The faithful hope that the Hajj will bring about a deep spiritual transformation, one that will make him or her a better person. If such a change from within does not occur, then the Hajj was merely a physical and material exercise devoid of any spiritual significance. As all great religions teach, we are more than mere physical creatures in that we possess an essence beyond the material world. Indeed, this is why all great religions have a tradition of pilgrimage. In the Islamic tradition, Hajj encapsulates this spiritual journey toward this essence. Hajj teaches one to show sincerity and humilty in one’s relationship with God. The result of a successful Hajj is a rich inner peace, which is manifested outwardly in the values of justice, honesty, respect, generosity, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and empathy. These are the articles and videos covered in this section: The Significance of Mecca to Islam The Significance of Mecca Mecca is the original English translation of the Arabic.

Historically, the city has also been called Becca. In the 1980s, the Saudi Arabian government, and others, began promoting the spelling Makkah (in full form, Makkah al-Mukarramah), which more closely resembles the actual Arabic pronunciation. According to Islamic tradition, the history of Mecca goes back to Abraham when he built the Ka'aba with the help of his son Ishmael around 2000 BC. According to other Islamic tradition, Abraham was to have rebuilt the Bait-ul-Allah (House of Allah), a building which had been originally constructed by Adam. Today it is called the Ka'aba, a building in Mecca towards which all Muslims around the world face in prayer, five times each day. Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570, and thus Islam has been inextricably linked with Mecca ever since. Muhammad was born in a minor faction, the Hashemites, of the ruling Quraysh tribe. Islamic tradition states that he began receiving divine revelations there in 610 AD, and began to preach monotheism against Meccan animism.

Animism is the belief that all life is produced by spiritual forces separate from matter, and natural phenomena and objects (rocks, trees, the wind, etc.) are alive, and have souls. See section "Muhammad, Background & History. Mecca was cleansed of all its idols, and all the cult images, in the Ka'aba when Muhammad conquered Mecca in 630 AD. He therefore, ended the Quraysh's tradition of idol-worship by smashing the statue of Hubal along with the other 360 idols (perhaps, one for each day of the year) at the Ka'aba, and re-dedicated the structure to ALLAH, the one God. His triumphant return to Mecca is depicted in the picture to the right. It needs to be noted that Arabs had been making the pilgrimage to Mecca-to the enormous granite Ka'aba, the old shrine at the center of the city-for hundreds, possibly thousands of years, before Islam to pay tribute to these 360 gods represented inside the Ka'aba's walls. Muhammad destroyed all but two - that of the Virgin Mary, and that of Christ.

However, even those representations would eventually be banned under Islam's subsequent prohibition of images. This prohibition was not endorsed by the Prophet. Controversies have exploded over images depicting the Prophet Muhammad, namely his depiction as a turbaned terrorist in one of a dozen cartoons by Danish artists. Muslims explicitly prohibit images of God, Muhammad, and other prophets. Islam prohibits the representation of the human figure in art. But does the Qur'an actually ban representations of Muhammad, or others? The answer is no. There is not a single verse in the Qur'an that explicitly prohibits images of Muhammad-or of ALLAH, or God, for that matter, or any other human figure. In any event, up until that time, Mecca's most important god was the god Hubal (an idol god worshipped in Arabia), having been placed there by Muhammad's ruling Quraysh tribe. Historians state that the Ka'aba became the repository of these 360 idols and tribal gods from all of Arabia's nomadic tribes, and Hubal was the most senior of these 360 god idols worshipped in the shrine.

Muhammad declared Mecca as the holiest site in Islam, ordaining it as the center of Muslim pilgrimage, one of the faith's five pillars. Despite his conquest, however, Muhammad chose to return to Medina, leaving behind Attab bin Usaid to govern the city. Muhammad's other activities in Arabia led to the unification of the peninsula (using a combination of force and diplomacy), putting an end to the wars that had disrupted life in the city for so long Islamic history states that Zamzam Well was revealed to Hajar, the wife of Abraham and mother of Ishmael, around the year 2000 BC, when she was desperately seeking water for her infant son. See the section on Islamic history. The name of the well comes from the phrase Zomâ Zomâ, meaning "stop flowing," a command repeated by Hajar during her attempt to contain the spring water. Top ^ The Ka'aba The focal point of Mecca is the Ka'aba, the "House of God" believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael, and which is covered in a gold-embroidered black fabric.

The sole reason was to honor ALLAH, and its sole purpose is to worship ALLAH alone. As Abraham raised the foundations of the shrine, together with Ishmael, they prayed: "Our Lord, accept this from us. You are the Hearer, the Omniscient." (Quran, 2:127) Inside The Ka'aba - A Virtual Tour A Pilgrim's Eye View from Inside The Mosque Overlooking The Ka'aba The Ka'aba is 40' cube style building made of granite, and rests on a marble base. Located in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, it is the most sacred site in Islam. The building predates Islam, and, according to Islamic tradition, the first building at the site was built by Abraham. The building has a mosque built around it, the Masjid al-Haram. All Muslims around the world face the direction of the Ka'aba during prayers, no matter where they are.

Islamic tradition narrates that Abraham's subsequent visits to the Arabian region, after leaving Ishmael and Hagar (in the area that would later become the Islamic holy city of Mecca), were not only to visit Ishmael, but also to construct the first house of worship for God, the Kaaba — as per God's command. "Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as ALLAH wished, and called on them afterwards. He saw Ishmael under a tree near Zamzam, sharpening his arrows. When he saw Abraham, he rose up to welcome him (and they greeted each other as a father does with his son, or a son does with his father). Abraham said, 'O Ishmael! ALLAH has given me an order.' Ishmael said, 'Do what your Lord has ordered you to do.' Abraham asked, 'Will you help me?' Ishmael said, 'I will help you.' Abraham said, 'ALLAH has ordered me to build a house here,' pointing to a small hill higher than the land surrounding it.' The Prophet added, 'Then they raised the foundations of the House';" i.e., the Ka'ba.

(Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Prophets, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 583) Top ^ The Yearly Pilgrimage to Mecca "Behold! We gave the site, to Abraham, of the Sacred House (That is, the Ka'aba that he built), Saying: 'Associate not anything, in worship, with Me; and sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (Therein in prayer). And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and mounted on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways." (Quran, 22:26-27) With the traumatic event of Muhammad's death in 632, there was no succession plan for new leadership left by the Prophet. There were two schools of thought as to who should lead the community: one group adopted the belief that leadership should pass to the most qualified leader; another group adopted the belief that leadership should be through hereditary succession. These two groups have been at odds with each other ever since that time. See section on Islam denominations .

And, this is the background as to how Islam is considered to be one of the "Abrahamic religions" with Judaism and Christianity because of the forefather role Abraham plays in their history, and in their holy books, as these religions evolved out of Abraham's life, and experience with God. Today, there are well in excess of 3 billion followers of these Abrahamic religions, accounting for more than half of the world's population. The Islam religion has some 1+ billion adherents, and is the 2nd largest religion behind Christianity which is double that size. Top ^ THE RITE OF SA'I For HAJJ and Umrah The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca (the Arabic name is Makkah). It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam — an obligation that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. The Umrah (meaning, "to visit a populated place") is a pilgrimage to Mecca performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year. The Umrah is not compulsory, but highly recommended.

A rite of these pilgrimages involves the story of Hagar's repeated attempts to find water for her son by running between the hills of Safa and Marwa. This has developed into a Muslim rite known as the sa'i. During the two Muslim pilgrimages, pilgrims are required to walk between the two hills seven times in memory of Hagar's quest for water. The rite symbolizes the celebration of motherhood in Islam, as well as leadership of the women. To complete the rite, Muslims drink from the well of Zamzam. Muslims will often take back some of the water, regarding it as sacred, in memory of Hagar. The Hajj: a Muslim's pilgrimage to Mecca THE HAJJ: PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA Overview: One of a Muslim's duties, as described in the Five Pillars of Islam , is to go on Hajj at least once during his or her lifetime. This is a pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia. Approximately two million Muslims went in 1999, of which about one million were from Saudi Arabia, and 6,000 were from the U.S.

1 Council on American-Islamic Relations estimated in 2006 that "some 10,000 American Muslims go on Hajj each year." 7 The number of American pilgrims is increasing yearly. Followers of Islam who cannot go on a Hajj because of ill health or lack of money are excused from the obligation. If one assumes that Muslims go on Hajj a maximum of once during their lifetime, that the number of Muslims in America are about 6.5 million, and that the typical age span for pilgrims is 60 years, then fewer than 10% of American Muslims take part in the pilgrimage.

The Council on Islamic Education states: "The Hajj consists of several ceremonies, meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of prophet Abraham and his family...Prophet Muhammad had said that a person who performs Hajj properly 'will return as a newly born baby [free of all sins].' The pilgrimage also enables Muslims from all around the world, of different colors, languages, races, and ethnicities, to come together in a spirit of universal brotherhood and sisterhood to worship the One God together." 2 Many Islamic terms have multiple spellings when translated into English. We indicate alternative spellings below with (brackets). Preparation for the Hajj Each pilgrim first enters into ihram. This is a spiritual state of purity during which the person must not quarrel, commit any act of violence or engage in sexual activity.

Men signify the state of ihram by bathing, and wearing two pieces of unsewn white cloth: "one covers the body from waist to ankle and the other is thrown over the shoulder." 4 Women usually wear a simple white dress and "a head covering, but not a veil." 4 "The white garments are symbolic of human equality and unity before God, since all the pilgrims are dressed similarly." 2 The pilgrim will then repeat the Talbiyah (Talbeeyah) prayer. One English translation is: "Here I am, O God, at Thy Command! Here I am at Thy Command! Thou art without associate; Here I am at Thy Command! Thine are praise and grace and dominion! Thou art without associate." The pilgrim enters the Holy Mosque at Mecca, right foot first, and recites the prayer: "In the name of Allah, may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. Oh Allah, forgive me my sins and open to me the doors of Your mercy. I seek refuge in Allah the Almighty and in His Eminent Face and in His Eternal Dominion from the accursed Satan." The pilgrim performs the tawaf.

This is a counter-clockwise procession which circles, "the Ka'aba, the [cube-shaped] stone building Muslims believe was originally built by Abraham and his son Ishmael... It is a symbol of unity for Muslims because all prayers, wherever they are performed, are oriented in the direction of the Ka'aba." 4,6 The pilgrim then performs the sa'i. He hurries seven times between two small hills near the Ka'aba, called Safa and Marwah. This commemorates the desperate search for water and food by Hagar, one of Abraham's wives. Sponsored link: The Hajj: The Hajj formally begins on the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah (Zul-Hijjah) - the 12th month of the Muslim lunar calendar. Dr. Monzur Ahmed writes: "Islamic months begin at sunset on the day of visual sighting of the lunar crescent [following the new moon]... Although it is possible to calculate the position of the moon in the sky with high precision, it is often difficult to predict if a crescent will be visible from a particular location...

Usually the moon has to be at least 15 hours old before it can be seen from somewhere on earth." 3 On this first day of the Hajj, the pilgrims walk a few miles to Mina and camp there overnight. This will occur about 2000-MAR-14. It falls on a date about 11 days earlier each year. The pilgrims spend the "Day of Arafah" (ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah) in Arafah, an empty plain. They commit the entire day to supplication and devotion. In the evening, they move to Muzdalifa. They camp there overnight and offer various prayers. On the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah, they return to Mina and throw seven pebbles at a pillar that symbolizes Satan's temptation of Abraham. (The Qur'an describes how Satan tried to persuade Abraham to not ritually murder his son Ishmael, as commanded by God). The pilgrims then sacrifice a sheep, recalling how Abraham sacrificed a sheep that God had provided in place of his son. The meat is distributed to friends, relative and the poor.

Afterwards, they return to Mecca and perform a final tawaf and sa'i. They symbolize the completion of the Hajj by cutting their hair. Muslims worldwide gather for communal prayers on the first day of Id al-Adha (Eid-ul-Adha) -- the Feast of Sacrifice or Day of Sacrifice. The first day of this celebration is held on the 10th day of Duhl-Hijja, the last month of the Muslim year. This is the second of the two major Muslim annual holidays. In most areas, this event is celebrated over several days. Sponsored links: References: The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today. "American Muslims to begin pilgrimage season," media advisory, Council on American-Islamic Relations, issued 2000-FEB-22. "The Hajj: Information for teachers," Council on Islamic Education, at: Dr.

Monzur Ahmed, "Islamic calendar based on predicted lunar visibility." at: "Hajj: The journey of a lifetime," IslamiCity, at: "Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha," at: This website has many links to web sites with Hajj information. It also includes a map of the area involved in the Hajj. A very beautiful three dimensional view of the Ka'aba can be seen at: "More U.S. Muslims expected to take part in Hajj. CAIR reminds pilgrims of their rights, offers 'hotline' for bias reports," CAIR, 3006-DEC-12 news release. The Hajj - The Pilgrimage to Mecca Homepage > Newsletters > Issue 8 The Hajj The Hajj--the Pilgrimage to Mecca--is essentially a series of rites performed in and near Mecca, the holiest of the three holy cities of Islam--Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. As it is one of the five pillars of Islam, all believers, if they are financially and physically able, must make this Pilgrimage at least once in their life.

The Hajj must be made between the eighth and the 13th days of the 12th month (called Dhu al-Hijjah) of the Muslim lunar year. Donning the Ihram In a general sense, the Pilgrimage begins with the donning of the Ihram, a white seamless garment. The Ihram is symbol of the pilgrims' search for purity and their renunciation of mundane pleasures. For men this garment consists of two lengths of white material, one covering the body from waist to ankle, the other thrown over the shoulder. For women it is customarily--but not necessarily--a simple white gown and a head covering without a veil. At the moment of donning the Ihram the pilgrims enter a state of grace and purity in which they may not engage in any disputes, commit any violent acts or indulge in sexual relations. Uttering the Talbiyah In donning the Ihram the pilgrims also make a formal Declaration of Pilgrimage and pronounce a devotional utterance called the Talbiyah: "Doubly at Thy service, O God," a phrase which they will repeat frequently during the Pilgrimage as an indication that they have responded to God's call to make the Pilgrimage.

Entering the Haram After donning the Ihram- and only after- the pilgrims may enter the Haram. In a sense, the Haram is merely a geographical area which surrounds Mecca. But because its frontiers were established by Abraham and confirmed by Muhammad, the Haram is considered a sacred precinct within which man, undomesticated plants, birds and beasts need fear no molestation and all violence, even the plucking of a wild flower, is forbidden. For the duration of the Hajj, Mecca and the Sanctuary that surrounds it have a special status. To cross the frontiers of the Haram--which lie outside Mecca between three and 18 miles from the Ka'bah--pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia must now have a special Hajj visa in their passports. The visa must be stamped by immigration officials stationed at various check points on roads leading into the Haram and it entitles pilgrims to travel only within the Haram and to certain other places that pilgrims must, or customarily do, visit. Non-Muslims are strictly forbidden to enter the Haram under any circumstances.

Going to Mina On the eighth day of Dhu al-Hijjah the assembled pilgrims begin the Hajj by going--some on foot, most by bus, truck and car--to Mina, a small uninhabited village five miles east of Mecca, and there spend the night--as the Prophet (pbuh) himself did on his Farewell Pilgrimage--meditating and praying in preparation for "the Standing" (Wuquf), which will occur the next day and which is the central rite of the Hajj. Standing at 'Arafat On the morning of the ninth, the pilgrims move in masse from Mina to the Plain of 'Arafat for "the Standing," the culmination--but not the end--of the pilgrimage. In what is a basically simple ceremony the pilgrims gather on the plain and, facing Mecca, meditate and pray. Some pilgrims literally stand the entire time--from shortly before noon to just before sunset--but, despite the name of the ceremony, are not required to do so.

Pilgrims may, and most do, sit, talk, eat, and, although not required to do so, climb to the summit of a 200-foot hill called the Mount of Mercy (Jabal al-Rahmah) at the bottom of which Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delivered his Farewell Sermon during his Pilgrimage. Going to Muzdalifah Just after sunset, which is signaled by cannon fire, the pilgrims gathered at 'Arafat immediately proceed in masse to a place called Muzdalifah a few miles back toward Mina. Traditionally, there, the pilgrims sleep under the stars after gathering a number of pebbles for use during the rites on the following days. Some gather 49 pebbles, other 70, and still others wait until they get to Mina. Stoning the Pillars Before daybreak on the 10th, again roused by cannon, the pilgrims continue their return to Mina. There they throw seven of the stones which they collected at Muzdalifah at one of three whitewashed, rectangular masonry pillars.

The particular pillar which they stone on this occasion is generally thought to represent "the Great Devil"--that is, Satan, who three times tried to persuade Abraham to disobey God's command to sacrifice his son--and the throwing of the pebbles symbolizes the pilgrim's repudiation of evil. Performing the Sacrifice Now begins the greatest feast of Islam: the 'Id al-Adha--the Feast of Sacrifice. After the throwing of the seven stones the pilgrims who can afford it buy a sheep, a goat or a share of some other sacrificial animal, sacrifice it and give away a portion of the meat to the poor. The Sacrifice has several meanings: it commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son; it symbolizes the believer's preparedness to give up what is dearest him; it marks the Muslim renunciation of idolatrous sacrifice; it offers thanksgiving to God; and it reminds the pilgrim to share his blessings with those less fortunate.

But as Muslims everywhere are the same day performing an identical sacrifice--and thus vicariously sharing in the elation of the pilgrims in Mecca--the Sacrifice is also an integral part of a worldwide Muslim celebration that unites those on the Hajj with those elsewhere. Donning the Ihram As the pilgrims have now completed a major part of the Hajj, men shave their heads or clip their hair and women cut off a symbolic lock to mark partial deconsecration. At this point the pilgrims may remove the Ihram, bathe and put on clean clothes, but although the period of consecration is now at an end, the prohibitions against intercourse still obtain, for the Pilgrimage is not yet over. Making the Tawaf The pilgrims now proceed directly to Mecca and the Sacred Mosque, which encloses the Ka'bah, and, on a huge marble-floored oval, perform "the Circling" (Tawaf). The Tawaf consists essentially of circling the Ka'bah on foot seven times, reciting a prayer during each circuit.

It signifies the unity of God and man and reminds believers that the Patriarch Abraham, his son Ishmael and Muhammad (peace be upon them), emphasized the importance of the Ka'bah. Kissing the Hajar al-Aswad (Black Stone) While circling the Ka'bah the pilgrims should, if they can, kiss or touch the Black Stone (Hajar Al-aswad), which is embedded in the southeastern corner of the Ka'bah and which is the precise starting point of the seven circuits. Failing this, they salute it. Kissing the Stone is a ritual that is performed only because the Holy Prophet (pbuh) did it and not because any powers or symbolism attach to the Stone per se. After completing the last circuit of the Ka'bah, the pilgrims go to the "Place of Abraham," also within the courtyard, and worship the spot where Abraham himself offered up his devotions to God. That site is now marked by an octagonal metal and crystal structure recently built. The Tawaf after Mina is called the Tawaf of the Return and is the last essential ritual. The pilgrims are now fully deconsecrated and are hajjis--that is they have completed the Hajj.

Making the Sa'y Although the key rituals of the Hajj have been completed, most pilgrims also include "the Running" (Sa'y), a reenactment of the search for water by Hagar, wife of Abraham. Hagar was led into the desert with her infant son Ishmael and left near the present site of Mecca. Frantic for water for the child, she ran desperately back and forth seven times between two rocky hillocks, one called al-Safa the other al-Marwa, until the Angel Gabriel appeared and, stamping the ground with his heel, brought forth water for her and her child. This is the origin of the Well of Zamzam, now enclosed in a marble chamber beneath the courtyard of the Sacred Mosque. Pilgrims drink from the well before starting the Sa'y. In performing the Sa'y, the pilgrims enter a spacious enclosed gallery or corridor appended to the Sacred Mosque and called the "the Place of Running" (al-Mas'a) and approach al-Safa, one of the hillocks, now little more than a knoll at the end of the gallery.

Facing toward the Ka'bah, the pilgrims declare their intention of performing the Sa'y, descend to the Mas'a and walk briskly between the hills seven times. Returning to Mina It is also customary for the pilgrims to return to Mina between the 11th and 13th--for the third time--where they cast their remaining pebbles at each of the three pillars, seven stones at each pillar on each of the days they are there, for a total of either 49 or 70 pebbles. They also visit with other pilgrims. Departure Before leaving Mecca it is also customary to make a final Tawaf around the Ka'bah as a means of bidding the Holy City farewell and most pilgrims, if they have time, also take this opportunity to pay a visit to the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina, 277 miles to the north. This is not a part of the Pilgrimage, but it is considered meritorious to pray in the mosque which the Prophet (pbuh) himself founded. The Umrah Upon first entering Mecca, before beginning the Hajj, pilgrims also perform a Tawaf and a Sa'y.

But done then, these two rites --coupled with the donning of the Ihram at the border of the Sanctuary--constitute the 'Umrah, or "the Lesser Pilgrimage." The 'Umrah is essentially a mark of respect paid to the city of Mecca upon first entering it--and although it is a requirement for pilgrims arriving from outside Mecca--a necessary prelude to the Pilgrimage--and involves two of the same rites, it is not part of the Hajj. It is also required for Muslims who visit Mecca at other times of the year because that was the practice of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) himself. But there is only one Hajj--the ceremony which on those special days of Dhu al-Hijjah gathers and unites more than a million of the faithful from every corner of the earth. The Islamic Bulletin PILGRIMAGE Video Introduction about Hajj The fifth act of Islamic worship is the performing of the Hajj or the pilgrimage to Mecca. A Muslim must perform this pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime if economic and political conditions are favourable. The focal point of this pilgrimage is the Ka'ba, which was rebuilt by Prophet Abraham some 4,000 years ago.

Today, the Ka'ba stands in the middle of a large courtyard of Masjid al Haram or the Sacred Mosque. The courtyard of Masjid al Haram contains, besides Ka'ba, the Maqam a Ibrahim and the fountain of Zamzam. The Hajj is performed during the Muslim month of Dhul Hijjah which comes two months after the festival of Eid al Fitr . The various ceremonies of the Hajj include: Entering into the state of ihram by wearing only two seamless white sheets. This is done by the pilgrims when they reach certain designated places close to Mecca. Saying of talbiyah starting at the place where the ihram is worn. Talbiyah consists of saying aloud the following: Here we come, O God, here we come No partner have You, here we come Indeed, praise and blessings are Yours, and the Kingdom too No partner have You, here we come On entering Mecca, the pilgrims perform the first tawaf which consists of going around the Ka'ba seven times in an anticlockwise direction.

After completing the tawaf, the pilgrims perform the sa' yy which consists of running between the two little hills of Safa and Marwa located near the Ka'ba. These are the two hills where Hajirah ran in search of water when Prophet Abraham had to leave her there on Divine command. After performing the sa' yy, the pilgrims move to Mina, a plain located about four miles east of Mecca, and spend the night there. Next morning, the pilgrims leave for the Plain of Arafat located nine miles southeast of Mecca. They arrive there in the early afternoon, say the combined Zuhr and Asr Prayers and listen to a sermon given by the Imam. The pilgrims stay in the Plain of Arafat only till sunset. This is the same plain where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his farewell sermon. After sunset the pilgrims leave Arafat and come to a place called Muzdalifah. In the Holy Quran, this place is referred to as al Mash'ar al Haram, the Sacred Monument. On reaching Muzdalifah, the pilgrims say their combined Maghrib and Isha Prayers and spend the night there.

In the morning, after saying the Fajr Prayer, the pilgrims return to Mina once again. The pilgrims reach Mina on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah. This is the busiest day of the pilgrimage. The first ceremony that is performed at Mina is the throwing of small stones or ramy al jimar. In this ceremony the pilgrims throw stones at three pillars in a symbolic act of striking the devil. The tenth day of Dhul Hijjah is also the day when pilgrims sacrifice their animals. This day is also celebrated all over the Muslim world as the festive day of Eid al Adha. After performing the sacrifice the pilgrims have their heads shaved or their hair clipped. After this they emerge from the state of ihram by wearing their everyday clothes. Clad in their everyday clothes the pilgrims perform another tawaf of the Ka'ba. This tawaf is called tawaf e ziarat. Before the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah ends, the pilgrims perform another sa' yy between the hills of Safa and Marwa. After this the pilgrims return once again to Mina where they stay until the twelfth or thirteenth day of Dhul Hijjah.

During these two or three days the pilgrims continue to perform the ceremony of ramy al jimar or throwing of stones. On the afternoon of the twelfth Dhul Hijjah (or of the thirteenth) the pilgrims return to Mecca for the last ceremony of the pilgrimage. This ceremony consists of the farewell tawaf of the Ka'ba after which the entire pilgrimage is completed and the pilgrims are free to go wherever they wish. Although not part of the prescribed pilgrimage, many pilgrims carry on to Medinah and visit Masjid al Nabvi or the Prophet's Mosque. It was in the compound of this Mosque that Prophet Muhammad was buried. While the Hajj may only be performed during the prescribed dates of the month of Dhul Hijjah, a Lesser Pilgrimage called Umrah may be made individually at any time during the year. Mecca Mecca The Great Mosque, Mecca Mecca (Makkah in Arabic) is the center of the Islamic world and the birthplace of both the Prophet Muhammad and the religion he founded.

Located in the Sirat Mountains of central Saudi Arabia and 45 miles inland from the Red Sea port of Jidda (Jeddah), ancient Mecca was an oasis on the old caravan trade route that linked the Mediterranean world with South Arabia, East Africa, and South Asia. By Roman and Byzantine times it had developed into an important trade and religious center, and was known as Macoraba. The sacred land in which Mecca and Medina are located, known as the Hijaz, is the western region of the Arabian peninsula, a narrow tract of land about 875 miles long east of the Red Sea with the Tropic of Cancer running through its center. The land is called Hijaz, meaning barrier, because its backbone, the Sarat Mountains consist of volcanic peaks and natural depressions creating a stark and rugged environment dominated by intense sunlight and little rain fall. According to ancient Arabian traditions, when Adam and Eve were cast from Paradise they fell to different parts of the earth; Adam on a mountain on the island of Serendip, or Sri Lanka, and Eve in Arabia, on the border of the Red Sea near the port of Jeddah. For two hundred years Adam and Eve wandered separate and lonely about the earth.

Finally, in consideration of their penitence and wretchedness, God permitted them to come together again on Mt. Arafat, near the present city of Mecca (previously called Becca or Bakkah, meaning narrow valley). Adam then prayed to God that a shrine might be granted to him similar to that at which he had worshipped in Paradise. Adam's prayers were answered and a shrine was built. (This is a pre-Islamic legend and the Koran, the Islamic Holy Scripture, says nothing whatsoever of Adam’s connection with Mecca or of a shrine he prayed at). Adam is said to have died and been buried in Mecca and Eve in Jeddah by the sea which still bears her name, jiddah, meaning maternal ancestor in Arabic. This shrine passed away during the era of the flood, at which time the body of Adam began to float on the water while the Ark of Noah circumambulated around it and the Ka’ba seven times before journeying north where it landed after the flood.

A thousand years later, according to one Islamic tradition in 1892 BC, the great patriarch of monothesism, Abraham, or Ibrahim, came to Mecca with his Egyptian wife Hagar and their child Ishmael. Here Hagar lived with her son in a small house, at the site of the earlier shrine, and Abraham came to visit her on occasion. Nearly all scholars trace the sanctity of Mecca to the Ka’ba edifice later rebuilt at God’s express command by Abraham and Ishmael. Mention must be made, however, of the Zamzan spring and the nearby holy hills of Safa and Marwa (these hills have since disappeared under the leveling topography of modern Mecca). These geographical formations certainly predated the mythical construction of the Ka’ba and could therefore have given birth to the original sanctity of the place. According to Islamic legend, Abraham had left Mecca on God’s command, leaving Hagar and Ishmael with only some water and dates. Hagar nursed her son and they drank the remaining water. Soon thereafter, faced with great thirst, Ishmael started to cry and Hagar began to run between the hills of Safa and Marwa looking for water.

She repeated the journey seven times until an angel appeared to her, striking the ground with his wing, with the result that the Zamzam spring, which Muslims consider as a tributary of the waters of Paradise, sprang forth. Henceforth Mecca was graced with a source of water which has continued flowing to this day. After the departure and return of Abraham to Mecca, and his discovery that Hagar had died, Abraham was then ordered by God to make Hagar’s house into a temple where people could pray. Therefore, he demolished the house and began construction of the Ka’ba. God gave Abraham precise instructions concerning how to rebuild the shrine and Gabriel showed him the location. It is said that by the grace of God the Divine Peace (al-sakinah) descended in the form of a wind which brought a cloud in the shape of a dragon that revealed to Abraham and Ishmael the site of the old temple. They were told to construct the shrine directly upon the shadow of the cloud, neither exceeding nor diminishing its dimensions. Legends say the shrine was built from the stones of five sacred mountains: Mt. Sinai, the Mount of Olives, Mt. Lebanon, Al-Judi, and nearby Mt.

Hira. Upon the completion of the shrine, Gabriel brought a magic stone for the sanctuary. Different sources speculate that this stone was a meteorite or a great white sapphire from the Garden of Eden, that it had been concealed on the nearby sacred mountain of Abu Qubays during the period of the flood, and that it was later restored to Abraham for inclusion in his version of the Ka’ba. Whatever its ultimate origin, the stone was most probably a sacred object of the pre-Islamic Arabian nomads who had settled around the Zamzam spring that flows at the center of old Mecca. Upon completion of the Ka’ba, Abraham and Ishmael, accompanied by the archangel Gabriel, then performed all the elements which constitute the Hajj ritual of today. The Ka’ba they had constructed was destined to become the most important sacred site of the nomadic tribes that inhabited the great Arabian deserts. (Abraham was later to leave Mecca to die in Palestine in al-Khalil). With the passage of centuries, the original Abrahamic observances at the Ka’ba were progressively diluted by the addition of various pagan elements (these arriving via the caravan routes that led to Mecca).

The pilgrims of pre-Islamic times visited not only the house of Abraham and the sacred stone of Gabriel but also the collection of stone idols (representing different deities) housed in and around the Ka’ba. There were said to be 360 different deities including Awf, the great bird, Hubal the Nabatean god, the three celestial goddesses Manat, al-Uzza and al-Lat, and statues of Mary and Jesus. The most important of all these deities, and chief of the Meccan pantheon, was known as Allah (meaning “the god”). Worshipped throughout southern Syria and northern Arabia, and the only deity not represented by an idol in the Ka’ba, Allah would later become the sole god of the Muslims. The city of Mecca achieved its major religious significance following the birth and life of the Prophet Muhammed (570-632AD). In 630 Muhammad took control of Mecca and destroyed the 360 pagan idols, with the notable exception of the statues of Mary and Jesus. The idol of Hubal, the largest in Mecca, was a giant stone situated atop the Ka’ba.

Following the command of the Prophet, Ali (the cousin of Muhammad) stood on Muhammad’s shoulders, climbed to the top of the Ka’ba and toppled the idol. Following his destruction of the pagan idols, Muhammad joined certain of the ancient Meccan rituals with the Hajj pilgrimage to Mt. Arafat (another pre-Islamic tradition), declared the city a center of Muslim pilgrimage and dedicated it to the worship of Allah alone. Muhammad did not, however, destroy the Ka’ba and the sacred stone it housed. Rather, he made them the centerpiece of the Muslim religion based on his belief that he was a prophetic reformer who had been sent by god to restore the rites first established by Abraham that had been corrupted over the centuries by the pagan influences. Thus, by gaining both religious and political control over Mecca, Muhammad was able to redefine the sacred territory and restore Abraham's original order to it. According to the original words of Muhammad, the Hajj pilgrimage is the fifth of the fundamental Muslim practices known as the 'Five Pillars of Islam'. The Hajj is an obligation to be performed at least once by all male and female adults whose health and finances permit it.

The pilgrimage takes place each year between the 8th and 13th days of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Before setting out, a pilgrim should redress all wrongs, pay all debts, and plan to have enough money for their journey and the support of their family while away. As pilgrims undertake the journey they follow in the footsteps of many millions before them. When the pilgrim is about 10 kilometers from Mecca he enters the state of holiness and purity known as Ihram, and dons special garments consisting of two white seamless sheets that are wrapped around the body. Entering the great Mosque in Mecca, the pilgrim first walks seven times around the Ka’ba shrine in a counterclockwise direction; this ritual is called turning, or tawaf. Next, entering into the shrine, the pilgrim kisses the sacred stone. The stone is mounted in a silver frame in the wall, four feet above the ground, in the southeast corner of the shrine. It is of an oval shape about twelve inches in diameter, composed of seven small stones (possibly basalt) of different sizes and shapes joined together with cement.

Legend tells that the stone (Hajarul Aswad, the ‘Black Stone’) was originally white but became gradually darkened by the kisses of sinful mortals (some traditions say by the sins of 'offsprings of Adam'). During the next few days the pilgrim walks a ritualized route to other sacred places in the Mecca vicinity (Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat, the Mount of Mercy and Mt. Namira) and returns to the Ka’ba on the final day (the word Hajj probably derives from an old Semitic root meaning 'to go around, to go in a circle'). The plain of Arafat where millions of pilgrims assemble in a vast congregation symbolizes the plain of Mahshar or Resurrection where everyone will stand before God on the Day of Judgement. In the middle of Arafat stands Jabal al-Rahmah or the Mount of Mercy where the last verses of the Koran were revealed and where one of the famous farewell addresses of the Prophet was delivered.

It is here that the alchemy of union between various aspects of human nature takes place and where men and women regain their primordial spiritual wholeness, for it was here that Adam and Eve found each other again after their fall to earth from Paradise. At Mina, where the Prophet delivered his last words during his final pilgrimage, pilgrims cast stones against three large stone pillars representing Satan (al-Shaytan) as a symbol of the eternal battle that must be waged against the demons within. Finally there is the sacrifice of an animal, a sheep or a camel, in emulation of Abraham’s preparation to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Once a believer has made the pilgrimage to Mecca men may add the title al-Hajji to their name, hajjiyah for females. In different Islamic countries returning pilgrims will use a variety of signs to indicate they have made the Hajj; these include painting pictures of the Ka’ba (and the pilgrim’s means of transportation to the shrine) upon the walls of their homes, painting the entrance doorway of the house bright green, and wearing hats or scarves of green color.

A so-called Minor Pilgrimage, known as the Umra, contains some but not all of the rites of the Hajj and may be performed at any time of the year. The Ka’ba, The Great Mosque, Mecca The Ka’ba, The Great Mosque, Mecca The area around the Ka’ba was enclosed by a wall in 638 to create a defined space for the tawaf ritual of circumambulation. In 684 the mosque was further enlarged and ornamented with numerous mosaic and marble decorations. In 709 the Umayyad caliph Al-Walid placed a wooden roof upon marble columns to protect the arcades of the mosque, and between 754 and 757 the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mansur carried out further enlargements, including the first minaret. During the next 700 years numerous modifications were carried out although no major alterations to the form of the building occurred until the Ottoman period in the 16th century (in the 10th century the Black Stone was actually stolen for a period of twenty-one years by the Carmathians).

Large-scale renovations and remodeling was undertaken in 1564 during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Sulayman the Magnificent, who rebuilt the minarets and replaced the wooden roofs of the arcades with stone domes. The next major rebuilding of the mosque occurred in the 20th century under the direction of the Saudi royal family and resulted in the Mecca mosque becoming the largest in the world. The Ka’ba today stands in the midst of an open courtyard known as the al-masjid al-haram, the ‘sanctuary’. The cubical (the word Ka’ba means “cube”), flat-roofed building rises fifty feet from a narrow marble base on mortared bases of a local blue-gray stone. Its dimensions are not exactly cubical: the northeastern and southwestern walls are forty feet long, while the other two walls are five feet shorter (12 meters long, 10 meters broad, 16 meters high). The structure’s corners, rather than the walls, are oriented toward the compass points. The east and west walls are aligned to the sunrise at the summer solstice and sunset at the winter solstice. The south wall is directed to the rising of the bright star Canopus.

The northeastern wall has the only door of the building, about seven feet above the ground level. Inside is an empty room with a marble floor and three wooden pillars supporting the roof. There are some inscriptions on the walls, hanging votive lamps, and a ladder leading up to the roof. The entire Ka’ba structure is draped with a black silk covering, called a kiswa, upon which passages from the Koran are embroidered in gold. The kiswa is renewed every year and the old kiswah is cut up and distributed so as to allow the barakah of the ka’ba to emanate among those to whom the pieces of the cloth are given. During the early centuries of Islamic history the kiswah was made in Egypt and carried with great ceremony to Mecca but now it is fashioned near the holy city itself. Opposite the northwestern wall of the Ka’ba is an area of special sanctity called the Hijr, which Muslim tradition identifies as the burial place of Hagar and Ishmael (and here, too, Ishmael had been promised by God that a gate into heaven would be opened for him).

In Muhammad’s time, the Hijr was a place used for discussion, prayer and, significantly, for sleep. The sleepers in the Hijr appear to have gone there specifically to have dreams of divine content: Muhammad’s grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib, was inspired to discover the Zamzam well while sleeping there; the mother of the Prophet had a vision of her son’s greatness; and at the Hijr Muhammed himself was visited by Gabriel before beginning his miraculous Night Journey to Jerusalem. The Ka’ba, the Zamzan well, the Hijr and the hills of Safa and Marwa are now all enclosed in a vast structure called the Haram al-Sharif, ‘The Noble Sanctuary’. Ringed by seven towering minarets and sixty-four gates, this truly monumental building has 160,000 yards of floor space, is capable of holding more than 1.2 million pilgrims at the same time, and is the largest mosque in the Islamic world.

The sa’y, or ritual walk between the hills of Safa and Marwa, celebrating the rapid movement of Hagar and her son Ishmael in search of water and being an integral part of the Hajj rituals, is understood to represent mans quest in this world for the life-bestowing bounties of God It is interesting to note that prior to the age of the European world explorations, the pilgrimage to Mecca was the single largest expression of human mobility. As the religion of Islam rapidly spread across the world from Indonesia and China in the Far East to Spain, Morocco and West Africa in the west, ever increasing numbers of pilgrims made the long, and often dangerous, journey to Mecca. Some came by boat, braving the Red Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf. Others spent months in camel caravans slowly crossing great tracts of land. The most important pilgrimage caravans were the Egyptian, the Syrian, the Maghribi (the trans-Saharan route), the Sudanese (the sub-Saharan, savanna route), and those from Iraq and Persia.

Forbidden to persons not of the Muslim faith, Mecca came to symbolize for Europeans the secrets and mysteries of the orient, and as such became a magnet for explorers and adventurers. A few of these daring travelers, such as John Lewis Burckhardt from Switzerland (who, in 1812, was also the first European to visit the ruins of Petra) and Sir Richard Burton from Great Britain were able to convincingly impersonate Muslim pilgrims, gain entrance to Mecca, and write wonderfully of the holy city upon their return to Europe. Other explorers were neither so lucky nor divinely guided; many of them disappeared or were caught and sold into slavery. To this day, Mecca remains strictly closed for persons not of the Muslim faith. Nowadays about 2,000,000 persons perform the Hajj each year, and the pilgrimage serves as a unifying force in Islam by bringing together followers from diverse countries and language groups. In a certain sense Mecca is said to be visited by all Muslims every day; this because five times each day (three times in the Shi’a sect) millions upon millions of devout believers kneel to pray.

Wherever the place of prayer - be it an established mosque, a remote place in the wilderness or the interior of a home - Muslims face towards Mecca and are united to the Ka’ba by an invisible line of direction called the qibla. Readers interested in more detailed information about Mecca and the great Muslim pilgrimage will enjoy the excellent writings of Michael Wolfe and F.E. Peters, listed in the bibliography. The two other most important sacred sites for Muslims are the Prophets Mosque in Medina and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem . Paintings (on houses in Egypt) of the Ka'ba, Islam's most sacred shrine in Mecca Additional notes on Mecca On the walls of ordinary houses all over Egypt, one can still see colorful two-dimensional mementos of the sacred journey to Mecca. A lively tradition of domestic mural painting has preserved a formulaic combination of inscriptions and images of the Ka'ba and of the Prophet's mosque. Images usually show the various modes of travel to the holy places, typically including planes, trains, ships, camels, and often depict the pilgrim on a prayer carpet.

These murals serve a protective purpose in addition to certifying publicly and proudly that the house's inhabitants are due the special status and prestige accorded to those who have accomplished the hajj and received the honorific title of hajji. It is especially significant that family and friends of the pilgrim execute the paintings while the travelers are away, so that the dwelling undergoes its ritual transformation even as its inhabitants do. Seven Doors to Islam: Spirituality and the Religious Life of Muslims, by John Renard Folklore notes on Adam Adam was formed by god out of a handful of dust taken, according to tradition, from the Holy Rock of Sakhrah in Beyt el Maddas. When god formed Adam He left the figure lying lifeless for forty days, some say forty years, while notice was given to the Angels and the Jinn to be ready to worship him as soon as god put breath into his nostrils. At first Adam was male and female in one body, man on one side and female on the other. In due time the female part separated from the male and became a complete woman.

Adam and the woman mated but they were not happy as the female refused to submit to Adam, saying that as they were made from the same dust, he had no right to order her about. So she was turned out of Paradise and, consorting with Iblis (Satan), became the mother of devils. She is called El-Karineh by the Arabs, both Christian and Muslim, and Lilith by the Jews (La Brusha by the Sephardim Jews). She is the deadly enemy of all women, especially those who have recently become mothers. When El-Karineh was driven out of Paradise, god created Eve out of one of Adam's ribs, which had been extracted while he slept. Adam and Eve were happy together until Satan succeeded in getting back into Paradise concealed in a serpent's fangs. Once there, Satan persuaded Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Adam, having been persuaded by his wife to share her offense, was, as a punishment, cast out of Paradise together with Eve, Satan and the Serpent.

All four of them fell to the earth, each coming to a different place: Adam at Serendib or Ceylon; Eve at Jiddah; Satan at Akabah; and the Serpent at Isfahan in Persia. Two hundred years passed before Adam and Eve met once more at Jebel Arafat, the mountain of Recognition, near Mecca. During these two hundred years, Eve had borne offspring of the seeds of devils and Adam had many children by female Jinns. Painting of the Ka'ba, Mecca Additional notes on Pilgrimage and Sacred sites in Islam The worship of saints or even of the Prophet Muhammad himself is blasphemy according to Islamic orthodoxy. When Muhammad died, he was buried in the house of his wife Aisha and it was forbidden to visit his corpse. In accordance with his teachings, no special treatment was given to the burial places of the four rightly guided Caliphs or the Umayyads or early Abbasids, and no special buildings of any importance were erected over any of their graves.

After the ninth century the veneration of tombs of pious men became popular, especially in eastern Iran, and the memorial tomb with religious or secular connotations assumed a leading place among the types of monumental buildings in Islamic architecture. Clearly the urge to build tombs owed nothing to Islamic dogma but rested on deep-seated popular belief. The grave of a saint (awliya) is a point of psychic contact with the saint for the tomb is conceived as the dwelling place of the saint. These shrines, in different parts of the Islamic world may be called mashhad, maqam, ziyarat (Morocco), imamzada (Iran), mazar (Central Asia) and qabiristan (India) and they may be compared in function to the Christian martyrium. Apart from the altruism involved in building a mosque, anyone who plans to include his tomb within the area of the mosque expects that this action will ensure the maintenance of his tomb, as it is integral to the architecture of the mosque, and also that his burial remains will benefit supernaturally from the prayers of the users of the mosque and also by the baraka that is generated every time the Koran is recited.

The concept of the living saint is extremely important in Islam. Pilgrims visit the shrine of a saint to receive his baraka and seek his intercession, shafa'a. .. On leaving a shrine, a pilgrim is careful not to turn his or her back on the cenotaph of the saint. A coffin is optional, but a vault, no matter how simple, is indespensible, for the fact that the body must be able to sit up and reply to the Angels of the Grave, known as Munkir and Nakir, who question it on the first night after burial. ..Bodies are buried in the recumbent posture at right angles to the qibla (the direction of prayer towards Mecca) in such a way that they would face Mecca if turned on their side. This way the believer has the same physical relationship with Mecca in both life and death. The Hajj pilgrimage to the Ka'ba in antiquity. At the bottom of the drawing notice the line of pilgrims entering the front of the Great Mosque. In the upper left corner of the drawing that line may be seen extending for many miles into the distance.

Sunni / Shia Distribution in the Middle East Also consult: Non-Hajj Pilgrimage in Islam: A Neglected Dimension of Religious Circulation; Bhardwaj, Surinder M.; Journal of Cultural Geography, vol. 17:2, Spring/Summer 1998 Sufism: Its Saints and Shrines: An Introduction to the Study of Sufism with Special Reference to India; Subhan, John A.; Samuel Weiser Publisher; New York; 1970 Hajj Islamic Pilgrimage Essay - 1383 Words Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca Essay ...﻿Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca Introduction Hajj Once a year, Muslims of every ethnic group, colour, social status, and culture gather together in Mecca and stand before the Kaaba praising Allah 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 Allah. The Hajj makes Muslims feel real importance of life here on earth, and the...

1343 Words | 4 Pages Hajj Essay ...Hajj: An introduction: [pic] A supplicating pilgrim at Masjid al-Haram, the mosque which was built around the Kaaba ("cube"), (the building at center). In this image of the Hajj from 2003, thousands of pilgrims are walking around the Kaaba in a counter-clockwise direction (Tawaf). The Hajj(Arabic: حج‎ Ḥajj) is the annual... 4165 Words | 14 Pages Hajj Essay ...their differing beliefs; as specified within Qur’an, “. One of the many significant practices which express the faith of Islamic is the Hajj. Hajj is the fifth pillar within Islam and is defined as an individual’s pilgrimage to Allah. It is simply a Muslim’s devotion to God through the commemoration of key events throughout Islamic history which is documented in the Qur’an. Hajj is the last of the five pillars... 344 Words | 1 Pages Pilgrimage Essay ...3. Pilgrimage, religious learning and religious scholars: Examine the impact of travel on spreading ideas.

Religious ideas of Islam start briefly in the Middle East, the spreading of teaching in Islam had been occurred mostly due to traders. Conversion happened peacefully by the path of the trade networks linking the region with South Asia, China and Middle East, in which Muslim Traders and traveling preachers or holy men from these region served as the main means of... 1133 Words | 3 Pages Essay about The Hajj ...Analyse the significance of the Hajj on the community and individual Hajj takes place during Dhul-Hajjah, the twelfth month of the Muslim calendar. Preparation before this time is highly important and involves redressing wrongs, paying all debts, money for family and journey, as well as adopting good behaviour. The significance of the intensity of Hajj is that individuals learn skills such as determination, perseverance, patience and control of...

573 Words | 2 Pages Islam ...Hajj Overview o Pilgrimage is the supreme prayer for forgiveness of sins committed and the ultimate preparation for eternity o Pilgrimage rituals which must be performed, eg circumambulation of the Ka’ba o The rites of the Hajj symbolise the essential concepts of Islam and commemorate the trials of the Prophet Ibrahim and his family o Hajj: The annual, week-long pilgrimage to Mecca (in modern-day... 920 Words | 3 Pages Essay on Hajj ...significant practice within Islam? The Hajj continually supports the concept of Islam and continues to validate the importance of the submission to Allah, acceptance of the Qur'an and respect to Muhammad to millions of Muslims worldwide. The word Hajj means to 'to set out for a definite purpose'. Taken place in the holiest city of Islam; Mecca - this was the death place of Muhammad and where he was approached by Allah many years ago. This... 1260 Words | 4 Pages Essay about A Guide to Hajj ...Guide to Hajj Introduction to Hajj Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The dictionary definition is that ‘The Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca that takes place in the last month of the year.

It is also expected to be done at least once in a Muslims life.’ Although, this is correct there is more to it than just that, such as – Muslims are expected to complete Hajj once in their lifetime, ONLY if they have the financial... 996 Words | 3 Pages Hajj – Islam Pillars Posted In Islam Pillars - By islampillars On Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 With 0 Comments The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (Allah in the Arabic language). The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and last month of theIslamic calendar. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, eleven days shorter than theGregorian calendar used in the Western world, the Gregorian date of the Hajj changes from year to year.

Ihram is the name given to the special spiritual state in which Muslims live while on the pilgrimage. The Hajj is associated with the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad(saas) from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham (Ibrahim). Pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: Each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building which acts as the Muslim direction of prayer, runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, drinks from theZamzam Well, goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, and throws stones in a ritual Stoning of the Devil. The pilgrims then shave their heads, perform a ritual of animal sacrifice, and celebrate the three day global festival of Eid al-Adha.

Share This Post Hajj News | Photos | Quotes | Video | Wiki - UPI.com Hajj News Next Wiki The Hajj (Arabic: حج‎ Ḥaǧǧ) is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah). It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, an obligation that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to Allah(God). The pilgrimage occurs from the 7th to 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar used in the Western world, the Gregorian date of the Hajj changes from year to year. In 2007, the Hajj was from December 17–21; in 2008 from December 6–10, and in 2009 will be November 25–29.

Ihram is the name given to the special state in which Muslims live whilst on the pilgrimage. The Hajj is associated with the life of Muhammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Ibrahim (Abraham). Pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: Each person walks counter-clockwise seven times about the Ka'bah, the cube-shaped building which acts as the Muslim direction of prayer; kisses the Black Stone in the corner of the Kaaba; runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah; drinks from the Zamzam Well; goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil; and throws stones in a ritual Stoning of the Devil. The pilgrims then shave their heads, perform a ritual of animal sacrifice, and celebrate the three day global festival of Eid al-Adha. Texts and laws This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License . It uses material from the Wikipedia article " Hajj ." Quotes

Question: What name is given to the pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca?
Answer: Hajj