Hajj- the fifth pillar of Islam

Sunday, October 13th will mark the first day of Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. More than one million Muslims from all over the globe have descended in Mecca to perform Islam’s fifth pillar of worship. It is an event that has been going on for thousands of years and is attributed to a commandment found in the Qur’an which says, “And proclaim unto mankind the Pilgrimage. They will come to thee on foot, and on every lean camel, coming by every distant track, that they may witness its benefits for them and may mention the name of God, during the appointed days, over the quadrupeds of the class of cattle that He has provided for them. Then eat ye thereof and feed the distressed, the needy” (22:28-29).

The institution of Hajj can be traced back to Abraham. God had guided him to the ruins of the Ka’aba (a black cubic structure) which was originally been said to be built by Adam. It was Abraham and his son Ishmael who rebuilt this ancient House of God. Throngs of Muslim men and women arrive at the Ka’aba chanting the words, “Here I am O my Lord! Here I am. No partner do you have. Here I am. Indeed all praise and bounty are Yours, and Yours is the kingdom. No partner do You have.” These words signify the eagerness with which the pilgrims fulfill their duty to their Creator.

The Qur’an has called Abraham neither a Jew nor a Christian but that he was a Muslim. That is, he was the one who submitted himself to God whole-heartedly. The rituals and traditions of Hajj reflect the complete obedience of Abraham to his Creator who tested his faith in various ways. First, God had commanded him to take his wife Hagar and their infant son and leave them in the barren desert with a minimum amount of provision. When Abraham was walking away, Hagar cried out to him and said, “Where are you going Abraham? In whose care are you leaving us here? Don’t you see, as soon as you leave us, wolves and demons will come out of their lairs and dens in nearby hills and tear us apart?” Abraham, who was too overwhelmed by grief, did not say anything. In desperation Hagar cried out to him again and said, “If you must go then at least tell me, are you leaving us here by the command of God or because you are angry with me?” To this all Abraham could do was to point his finger to the sky which meant, “In God’s command.” Hagar was satisfied by the answer and she told Abraham that she has no doubt that God will take care of her and child in her arms. Soon after Abraham left them, she scouted the land and saw that there was no sign of a tree or water anywhere. The provisions Abraham left with her were not going to sustain the mother and child for too long. As desperation and fear loomed over her she laid her crying child on the hot ground and she set out on a frantic search for water. She hurriedly climbed on top of a nearby hillock with the hope that she could spot the sign of a water fountain or an oasis. But her quest was in vain. Fearing that her unattended baby might be harmed, she ran back to him. When she saw that the child was still alive but showing signs of dehydration she ran back to the other side of the hill. She strained her eyes and looked for a sign of a source of water and yet again she was disappointed. Her thoughts went back to her crying infant and she hurried back to him once again. The baby Ishmael laid there on the hot sand listless and at the brink of death. Hagar was not ready to give up. She had faith in God and she knew that God would not abandon them. She went back to the hilltop but still there was no sign of life. Hagar ran back and forth seven times and when she came back to her child the seventh time she was shocked to see that the ground where the baby’s heels were striking was wet. A fountain gushed at his feet. God had tested Hagar and He found her resolute in her faith and rewarded her for her steadfastness. Today, the pilgrims reenact this event by walking briskly between these two hills, Safa and Marwa, near the Ka’aba. While the pilgrims perform this rite, they feel the desperation of Hagar.

God tested Abraham a second time.  When Ishmael was old enough to work, Abraham had a dream in which God had asked him to sacrifice his son. “And when he was old enough to work with him, he said, ‘O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering thee. So consider, what thou thinkest of it!’ He replied, ‘O my father, do as thou art commanded; thou wilt find me, if God please, of those who are patient’” (37:103). When Abraham was ready to slaughter his son, God told him to stop because He was pleased with both of them for they proved their obedience and submission.

The pilgrims commemorate the sacrifice of Abraham on Eidul Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice (10th of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar). An animal is sacrificed and the meat is divided into three portions- one for the poor, one for family and friends, and one for the family who sacrificed the animal. This rite is also performed by the Muslims around the world who did not travel to Mecca for the pilgrimage.

When Hajj is over and the pilgrims return to their homes they are spiritually rejuvenated. Some feel an extraordinary sense of nearness to God when they first set their eyes on the Ka’aba. They are reminded of the time when this very House was occupied by 360 idols at the time of Prophet Muhammad. It was he who destroyed these idols at the conquest of Mecca and revived it to the worship of the one and only true God.