hajj pilgrimage-to-makkah

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HAJJ

Pilgrimage to MakkahThis quick guide outlines the important aspects of Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and takes you through the journey of a lifetime.

A More On Islam BriefcastProphet Abraham: The Founding Father 19 Slides including Cover

(pbuh)

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The Pilgrimage to the First House of Worship

Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah that involves visiting the House of Allah and performing the activities and rituals associated with Hajj.

Once-in-a-lifetime obligation on those Muslims who have

i) the physical and ii) financial means to

undertake the pilgrimage.

“The first house (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Makkah: Full of blessings and a centre of guidance for the whole world; In it are the signs manifest; the place where Abraham stood up to pray; and whosoever enters it

attains security…” (Qur’an 3:96, 97)

“And remember that when Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundations of the House…” (Qur’an

2:127)

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Fifth Pillar of Islam

FAITH

PRAYER

FASTING

ZAKAT

HAJJ

FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

Declaring and believing “There is no god worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad (pbuh) is His messenger.”

1st

Performing the obligatory prayers five times a day

2nd

Observing dawn-to-dusk abstinence in the month of Ramadan

3rd

Giving charity

4th

Undertaking Pilgrimage to Makkah

5th

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Annual Event

Hajj days

Hajj falls in the 12th month of the lunar calendar

Islamic Calendar or the Hijri Calendar is

based on the lunar year.

1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 30

Dhu al-Hijjah

12

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"And Proclaim the Pilgrimage Among Men”

Allah addressed Prophet Abraham saying: (pbuh)

“And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to you on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways;” (Qur’an 22:27)

“That they may witness the benefits (provided) for them,…” (Qur’an 22:28) Data Source: Ministry of Hajj, Saudi Arabia

Graphics: More On Islam Info Graphics

Number of Hajj Pilgrims

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

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Prophet Abraham – The Founding Father(pbuh)

Hallmarks of Prophet’s Abraham’s life

“For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never

shall I give partners to Allah.” (Qur’an 6:79)Monotheism

When his Lord said to him, “Surrender,” he promptly responded, “I have surrendered to the Lord of the

Universe .” (Qur’an 2:131)Submission

“And when his Lord tried Abraham with (His) commands, and he fulfilled them. He said: “I am going to make you the leader of mankind” ... (Qur’an 2:124)

Struggle

(pbuh)

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Hajj Revived

“And when Abraham prayed: … Our Lord! And raise up in their midst a messenger

from among them who shall recite to them Your Revelations, …You art All-Powerful and All Wise” (Qur’an

2:129)

Prophet Abraham’s prayer is granted!(pbuh)

With Allah’s command, Muhammad revived the Hajj by restoring its pure foundations and eliminating all customs of ignorance.

(pbuh)

Centuries later, Prophet Muhammad rose from the descendants of Abraham and proclaimed Islam, the same religion that Abraham had preached.

(pbuh)

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Camping Stoning the Devil

Hajj at a Glimpse

Camping

Standing from noon until dusk Resting

Camping Stoning the Devil Animal Sacrifice Cutting the hair Circling the Kaaba Striding between Hagar hills

Camping Stoning the Devil

Day

Mina Valley

Act

ivity

1 2 3 4 5

Plac

e

Plain of ArafatMuzdalifa

Mina ValleyKaaba Mina Valley Mina Valley

Day Of Reflection

Self-reflection

Rem

arks

Day of Standing

Seeking Allah’s mercy and forgiveness

Day of Sacrifice

Resolve Against Satan House Of Allah: Center of Activity Searching for life-saver: In foot steps of Hagar

Stoning the Devil

Repeated Rejection of Satan’s temptations

Stoning the Devil

Repeated resistance to Satan’s invitation

(pbuh)

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Into Ihram

Buries the individual trails and egos.

Strips off the distinctions of class, culture, color, race and nationality.

Before entering the sacred territory, pilgrims wear uniform garments that symbolize the universal identity of a nation that has submitted to Allah.

The garments are a great leveler too. Who can tell rich from poor? … all these human beings drawn together by the call of an idea, by the oneness of God………..” – Michael Wolfe, Author and a Revert to Islam.

Observation

Violence & fighting

Evil talk or acts

Marital relations

Some Don’ts in Ihram

Hunting of Animals

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Pilgrim’s Progress

Such (is the Pilgrimage): whoever honours the sacred rites of Allah, for him it is good in the Sight of his Lord. (Qur’an 22:30)

“…I felt very close to God in the holy place and want to return with my four daughters so they too can have this unique experience…” Ali, A British Revert to Islam. (Source: bbc.co.uk)

Observation

Pilgrims marching towards Arafat on the Day of Standing

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At Arafat: Seeking Mercy

Pilgrims praying on Mount Arafat, known as the ‘Mountain of Mercy’

The last major address of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

known as the LAST SERMON was delivered

here.

The sermon is the most influential human rights

charter

Pilgrims experience climax of Hajj at Arafat

Day spent while

standing noon until

dusk

Seeking forgiveness

from the Lord of the

Worlds

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Guidance From the Prophet’s Last Sermon

It is true that you have certain rights in regard to your women, but they also have rights over you.

Do treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers.

And it is your right that they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve.

An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab;

A white has no superiority over a black, nor a black has any superiority over a white- except by piety and good action.

Equality

Women’ Rights

Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest); …Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity.

Economics

People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born…I leave behind me two things, the Qur’an and the Sunnah (Prophet’s Way), and if you follow these you will never go astray.

Path of Success

BrotherhoodMen’ Rights

Remember one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds.

Accountability

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Resolve Against Satan, The Avowed Enemy

He (Satan) said:“Then will I assault them from before them and behind them

from their right and their left…” (Qur’an 7:17)

“ … for Satan is to man an avowed enemy! ” (Qur’an 12:5)

Symbolical in rejection of the temptation of Satan.

An act of faith and conscience of fighting the Satanic force.

An act of disabling the evil forces that divert attention from the right path.

Stoning of the Devil

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Sacrifice

“So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead

(for sacrifice), We called out to him "O Abraham! "You have indeed fulfilled your vision!" – thus do We

reward the righteous.” (Qur’an 37:103-105)

“(Abraham) said: O my son! I have seen in a

dream that I must sacrifice you. So look, what think you?” (Qur’an 37:102)

(pbuh)

And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice: And We left (this blessing) for him among

generations (to come) in later times: (Qur’an 37:107)

“He (Ishmael) said: O my father! Do that which you are

commanded. If Allah so wills, you shall find me of the patient.”

(Qur’an 37:102)

(pbuh)

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Meat: Allah’s Provision

“Such (is his state) and whoever holds in honour the symbols of Allah, (in the sacrifice of animals), such (honour) should come truly from piety of heart.” (Qur’an 22:32)

“…you may eat of their flesh and give of it to the contented ones and to those who ask for it…” (Qur’an 22:36)

“It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah, but it is your piety that reaches Him” (Qur’an 22:37)

Photo courtesy: Reliefonline.org and refugeecamp.org

The Saudi Project for Utilization of Hajj Meat, managed by the Islamic Development Bank, distributes each year, meat from hundreds of thousands of sacrificed sheep, cows and camels to the poor and needy in Asia, Africa and other parts of the world.

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The Unique Hajj Experience

“……….There were over three million people there and I did not see one fight. I did not see one person being rude to the other even though they were from so many different countries and cultural backgrounds. It was truly beautiful, a life-changing experience.” Giovanni, An American Revert to Islam (Source: bbc.co.uk)

“… I was lucky to perform Hajj in 2001 and ever since I have had a better understanding of the world…” Reijo Virk, A Finnish Revert to Islam (Source: bbc.co.uk)

A pilgrim taking a break

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Reflections

“Stripped of our wealth and status, we are clad in simple garments. Our true worth remains hidden, except to the One Who knows us. We place our

Creator at the center of our lives, submitting our will to His. We affirm His Oneness, commit our lives to Him. We turn to Him, pouring out our heart’s desires. Why

ask elsewhere when He is All-Encompassing, All-hearing?”

A South African

Pilgrim Remembers

“… To be a member of that huge congregation gathered … in the glorification of God, is to have one's consciousness impressed by the full significance of the Islamic ideal, is to be privileged to participate in one of the most soul inspiring experiences that have ever been granted to human beings !...” (Source: al-sunnah.com)

- Evelyn Zeinab Cobbod, A pilgrim

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Malcolm X’ Letter from Makkah

“During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept in the same bed, (or on the same rug) -- while praying to the same God -- with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white.

We were truly all the same (brothers) -- because their belief in one God had removed the 'white' from their minds, the 'white' from their behavior, and the 'white' from their attitude.” – El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X)

"This letter was sent from Malcolm to his assistants, new Muslim Mosque, press and his wife, during the conclusion of his pilgrimage to Mecca. The content is reproduced from The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley“ (From http://www.africawithin.com/malcolmx/letter_from_mecca.htm)

An Excerpt

http://www.africawithin.com/malcolmx/letter_from_mecca.htm

http://www.africawithin.com/malcolmx/malcolm_books.htm

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Resources The Holy Qur'an (Print)

The Holy Qur'an (Online) Muhammad (Critical Lives)

Islam Primer

Muhammad’s (pbuh) Last Sermon

Hajj Info – By Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj

Hajj Information Center

Virtual Hajj

Saudi Arabian Sacrificial Meat Project

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Learn More…

http://www.amazon.com/Quran-Text-Translation-Commentary/dp/0940368323

http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/quran/

http://www.amazon.com/Muhammad-Critical-Lives-Yahiya-Emerick/dp/0028643712

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