23 January 2006
The Hajj
Earlier this month, we witnessed (albeit, from very much afar) the Hajj, or as some call it the pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Hajj is an act of worship just like the Salat (five daily prayers) and Sawm (fasting in the month of Ramadan). Muslims from all over the world gather in Mecca in the last month of the Muslim calendar and worship Allah. This is an occasion that brings together Muslims from all over the world to one place–the Ka’ba. It’s typical to have well over two million Muslims attend this event. Sometimes, I’m told it reaches up to 4 million people. Think about it, that’s more than the population of the city of Chicago.
Performance of the Hajj is required of every adult Muslim (male and female), if physically and financially able. Many Muslims spend their entire lives saving and planning for the pilgrimage. Some Muslims make the pilgrimage more than once if they are able.
When traveling to Mecca, many (probably most) Muslims travel through Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the major port city nearest to Mecca. We witnessed some people in Iraq who traveled in groups in a southwesterly direction across Iraq toward Saudi Arabia during the time leading up to the dates of the Hajj. I’m told that as they approach Mecca, they stop at one of the designated areas to shower and change into a Ihram (simple clothing), entering into a state of devotion and purity for the pilgrimage.
The Hajj involves a sequence of ritual events that span over several days. On the first official day of the pilgrimage, millions of Muslims travel from Mecca to Mina, a small village east of the city. There, they spend the day and night in enormous tent cities, praying, reading the Koran, and resting for the next day. On the second day, Muslims leave Mina just after dawn to travel to the Plain of Arafat for the culminating experience of the Hajj. On what I’m told is called the “Day of Arafat,” the pilgrims spend the entire day near the Mount of Mercy, asking Allah for forgiveness. This is probably the most important part of the Hajj. Muslims from all over the world who are not at the pilgrimage fast that day.
After sunset on the Day of Arafat, the pilgrims travel to Muzdalifah, roughly halfway between Arafat and Mina. There, they spend the night praying and collecting stone pebbles to be used the following day.
On the third day, the pilgrims move before sunrise to Mina. There, they throw their stones at pillars that represent the temptations of Satan. When throwing the stones, the pilgrims recall the story of Satan’s attempt to dissuade Abraham from following God’s command to sacrifice his son (one of many intersections between the Muslim and Christian religions). The stones represent Abraham’s rejection of Satan and the firmness of his faith.
After throwing the stones, most Muslims slaughter an animal (often a sheep or a goat) and give away the meat to the poor. This is a symbolic act that shows their willingness to part with something that is important to them, just as the Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son to God. Males also shave their heads (females clip a piece of their hair).
The pilgrims then return to Mecca and perform seven tawaaf (turns or circuits) around the Ka’ba, the house of worship built by Abraham and his son. In other rites, the pilgrims pray near a place called “The Station of Abraham,” which supposedly is where Abraham stood while constructing the Ka’ba. The pilgrims also walk seven times between two small hills near the Ka’ba. This is done in remembrance of the plight of Abraham’s wife Hajar, who desperately searched in the area for water for herself and her son, before a spring popped up in the desert for her. The pilgrims also drink from this ancient spring, known as Zamzam.
At this year’s Hajj, you may have heard that they had over 350 people trampled to death at the stone throwing site. According to the BBC, the Hajj has witnessed many deaths in the last 20 years:
1987: 400 die as Saudi authorities confront pro-Iranian demonstration
1990: 1,426 pilgrims killed in tunnel leading to holy sites
1994: 270 killed in stampede
1997: 343 pilgrims die and 1,500 injured in fire
1998: At least 118 trampled to death
2001: 35 die in stampede
2003: 14 are crushed to death
2004: 251 trampled to death in stampede
I suppose that such disasters can be expected when you have millions of people coming together at one time.
Performance of the Hajj is required of every adult Muslim (male and female), if physically and financially able. Many Muslims spend their entire lives saving and planning for the pilgrimage. Some Muslims make the pilgrimage more than once if they are able.
When traveling to Mecca, many (probably most) Muslims travel through Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the major port city nearest to Mecca. We witnessed some people in Iraq who traveled in groups in a southwesterly direction across Iraq toward Saudi Arabia during the time leading up to the dates of the Hajj. I’m told that as they approach Mecca, they stop at one of the designated areas to shower and change into a Ihram (simple clothing), entering into a state of devotion and purity for the pilgrimage.
The Hajj involves a sequence of ritual events that span over several days. On the first official day of the pilgrimage, millions of Muslims travel from Mecca to Mina, a small village east of the city. There, they spend the day and night in enormous tent cities, praying, reading the Koran, and resting for the next day. On the second day, Muslims leave Mina just after dawn to travel to the Plain of Arafat for the culminating experience of the Hajj. On what I’m told is called the “Day of Arafat,” the pilgrims spend the entire day near the Mount of Mercy, asking Allah for forgiveness. This is probably the most important part of the Hajj. Muslims from all over the world who are not at the pilgrimage fast that day.
After sunset on the Day of Arafat, the pilgrims travel to Muzdalifah, roughly halfway between Arafat and Mina. There, they spend the night praying and collecting stone pebbles to be used the following day.
On the third day, the pilgrims move before sunrise to Mina. There, they throw their stones at pillars that represent the temptations of Satan. When throwing the stones, the pilgrims recall the story of Satan’s attempt to dissuade Abraham from following God’s command to sacrifice his son (one of many intersections between the Muslim and Christian religions). The stones represent Abraham’s rejection of Satan and the firmness of his faith.
After throwing the stones, most Muslims slaughter an animal (often a sheep or a goat) and give away the meat to the poor. This is a symbolic act that shows their willingness to part with something that is important to them, just as the Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son to God. Males also shave their heads (females clip a piece of their hair).
The pilgrims then return to Mecca and perform seven tawaaf (turns or circuits) around the Ka’ba, the house of worship built by Abraham and his son. In other rites, the pilgrims pray near a place called “The Station of Abraham,” which supposedly is where Abraham stood while constructing the Ka’ba. The pilgrims also walk seven times between two small hills near the Ka’ba. This is done in remembrance of the plight of Abraham’s wife Hajar, who desperately searched in the area for water for herself and her son, before a spring popped up in the desert for her. The pilgrims also drink from this ancient spring, known as Zamzam.
At this year’s Hajj, you may have heard that they had over 350 people trampled to death at the stone throwing site. According to the BBC, the Hajj has witnessed many deaths in the last 20 years:
1987: 400 die as Saudi authorities confront pro-Iranian demonstration
1990: 1,426 pilgrims killed in tunnel leading to holy sites
1994: 270 killed in stampede
1997: 343 pilgrims die and 1,500 injured in fire
1998: At least 118 trampled to death
2001: 35 die in stampede
2003: 14 are crushed to death
2004: 251 trampled to death in stampede
I suppose that such disasters can be expected when you have millions of people coming together at one time.
# posted by themobilized : 02:01
