Culture Entry #1 Ian Rollins

The Hajj: Islam’s Holiest Pillar

          Islam requires each of its adherents to live by a set of five obligations, or pillars, that each Muslim man and woman is obligated to live by and fulfill within his or her lifetime.  The final, and most important, of these pillars is the Hajj (حخ)- the pilgrimage to Mecca.  Over the course of a few days, millions of men and women travel to Saudi Arabia to partake in what is commonly seen as the pinnacle of religious experiences for Muslims, and while both costly and time-consuming, is one of the holiest duties a Muslim can undertake.
           The Hajj is an important act for Muslims to follow in that it retraces the steps Muhammad took as he and his followers left the city of Medina and marched into Mecca, where the prophet cleansed the Ka'aba and consecrated it to Allah.  Another belief that predates Muhammad’s journey comes from Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham’s second wife and her son.  According to tradition, after being abandoned by Abraham, Hagar ran between the hills of Marwa and Safa seven times looking for food to save her and her son.  She prayed to Allah, and he answered by having a Well, the Zamzam Well, sprang up when the infant’s heel struck the ground.

           The Hajj follows a set of rituals that must be completed in order for a Muslim to successfully complete their pilgrimage.  These begin with the Tawaf (طواف), where pilgrims circle the Ka’aba seven times counterclockwise. After this one perfroms the sa’i, which requires one to run between the hills of Marwa and Safa, a reenactment of Hagar’s search for water.  Following the seventh time between the hills, pilgrims head to the Well to drink from its waters. 

           The next ritual required in the Hajj is the Arafat (عرفات).  Here Muslims must pray for forgiveness for their sins, spending an afternoon on the plain in front of Mt. Arafat.  At sunset, pilgrims end Arafat and begin the next ritual, Muzdalifah (مزدلفة).  For this ritual, pilgrims collect pebbles for the next day’s ritual.  Muzdalifah also requires pilgrims to spend the night asleep in the open.  The next day, a new ritual, the Rami al Jamarat (رمي الجمرات) begins.  This ritual entails pilgrims to throw the stones at the devil, represented by long wall, similar to how Abraham pelted the Devil with stones.

           After the casting of the stones, the Eid al-Adha (الأضحى‎ عيد) occurs.  This ritual, the Festival of the Sacrifice, is meant to represent Abarham’s willing to sacrifice Ishmael with the sacrifice of animals, usually sheep or camels.  Upon the completion of Eid al-Adha, pilgrims then perform the Tawaf al-Wida (الطواف ال يضاا), the farewell prayer.  Following this, pilgrims return home or travel onward to the city of Medina, where they can visit the grave of Muhammad.

Sources:

Hafiz, Yasmine. "Hajj 2013, Islam's Pilgrimage To Mecca: Facts, History And Dates Of

The Muslim Holiday." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 11 Oct. 2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/11/hajj-2013_n_4064513.html.

“Hajj." Hajj. Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington DC, 2013. Web. 08 Feb.

2014. http://www.saudiembassy.net/issues/hajj/.

“The Five Pillars Of Islam." The Five Pillars Of Islam. Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington DC, 2013. Web. 07 Feb. 2014. http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country-information/Islam/five_pillars_of_Islam.aspx.