14. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ḤAJJ (PILGRIMAGE) AND ITS
RITUALS
Hajj or
pilgrimage resembles the re-enactment of the experiences of the Prophet Abraham
whose epithet was خَلِيْلُ الله (“Allah’s friend”,
“Allah’s beloved one”). He was the fore-father of Semitic prophets, and his selfless sacrifice has no parallel in the history of
humankind. Hajj symbolizes the spiritual journey of our life. Life itself is a journey,
from birth to death and beyond. We need guidance in our journey of life, as we
need it in our pilgrimage journey. We have to know what to do and what not to
do in our journey, either in life by following Islam or in pilgrimage by
following the rituals prescribed in Islam, some of which are as follows:
1 1.
Al-Iḥrām = state of sanctity
The first step of our journey is to be in the
state of ihram. We wash and wear a special kind of clothes (unstitched
peace of white material cloth which looks like our coffin), make our intention
for this sacred and spiritual journey, leaving our material world behind. In
this state we are not allowed to do things which we usually can do in our
normal material life, such as killing animals, cutting our nails and hair.
2.
Al-Ṭawāf (Circumambulation)
When we
as pilgrims arrive at Makkah we go to the Holy Sanctuary (al-Masjid al-Ḥarām),
and perform ṭawāf al-qudūm, namely, circumambulation around the Ka‘bah
which is also called Baytullāh (“the House of Allah”) upon our arrival. This is obligatory, as Allah said:
ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا تَفَثَهُمْ وَلْيُوفُوا نُذُورَهُمْ
وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا بِالْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ (الحج:29)
Then let them complete their prescribed duties
(manasik hajj) and perform their vows, and
circumambulate the Ancient House
(the Ka‘bah) (Q. 22:29)
This act
is also a reminiscence of the building of the Ka‘bah by Prophet Abraham and
Ishmael in its original foundation. In the material world the similar things
happen, that everything keeps moving: the electrons encircle the protons of the
atoms, the moon encircles the earth, the earth in turn encircles the sun, and
the sun keeps moving in the Milky Way. The Milky Way and other galaxies also
keep moving away and expanding the universe; in the spiritual world the angels are
around the ‘Arsh (Throne) glorifying Allah,
الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ
حَوْلَهَ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ
وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا
وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ
لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ
وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ (غافر:7)
Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allah) and
those
around it glorify the
praises of their Lord, and believe in Him,
and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the
Oneness
of Allah) (saying): “Our Lord!
You comprehend all things
in mercy and knowledge,
so forgive who repent and
follow Your way, and save
them from the
torment of the blazing
Fire” (Q. 40:7)
3.
Al-Wuqūf bi-‘Arafah (Standing
on the Plain of Arafah).
On the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah, between dawn and
sunset every Muslim has to be present in this plain of Arafah, where the Mt.
Arafah is located. The pilgrim has to be present there or his pilgrimage would
not be completed. The Prophet s.a.w. said,
الْحَجُّ عَرَفَةُ... (رواه ابن ماجة)
Pilgrimage is (with being
in) Arafah….
(Reported by Ibn Majah)
That day all pilgrims were in one
place, a reminder of the coming Grand Assembly on the Judgment Day when people will stand equal before God waiting for
their final destiny, and as the Prophet Muhammad said, "Allah does not
judge according to your bodies and appearances, but he scans your hearts and
looks into your deeds." The pilgrims chant answering the call Allah
through Prophet Abraham a.s. and later Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. to
come to visit the Ka’bah, citing, as
taught by the Prophet s.a.w., as follows:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ. لَبَّيْكَ
لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ. إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ،
وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ. وَالْمُلْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ
لَكَ (رواه مالك).
“O Allah,
here we are responding to your call. Oh God,
(we witness that) there are no partners with
You. To You
belongs all Praise, Grace and Dominion.”
(Reported by Malik)
It was in this plain of ‘Arafah that the
Prophet proclaimed the completion of his mission. Allah said,
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ
دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي
وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ
دِينًا (المائدة:3)
"This day have I
perfected your religion for
you, completed my favour
upon you, and have
chosen for you Islam, or submission to God,
as your religion" (Qur’an 5:3(
4.
Sacrifice
Sacrifice which is done on the same day of the Feast, ‘Īd
al-Aḍḥā, is the reminiscent of the sacrifice of Prophet Abraham a.s.
After three night vision of sacrificing his only son, he became certain that it
was Allah’s command which had to be executed. However, at the last moment,
Allah replaced his son with a ram. This was the highest level of sacrifice,
sacrificing what you love most; it is total obedience.
Although
Ismā‘īl (Ishmael) is not mentioned by name in the Qur’an, there are many
indications that he was the intended son to be sacrificed, whereas according to
the Christians it was Isḥāq (Isaac).
When Prophet Abraham prayed
for offspring from the righteous, Allah gave him glad tiding of a forbearing
boy (Q. 37:100-101). The boy Ishmael was born when Abraham was 86 years old
(Gen. 16:16), whereas Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old (Gen.
21:5). Abraham was 99 years old and Ishmael was 13 years, when they were both
circumcised (Gen. 17:24-26).
Then Allah commanded Abraham to take his wife Hajar
and his baby Ishmael to Makkah to live there, long before Isaac was born. He
asked Allah to protect them and to provide them with food and make people love
them (Q. 14:37). When Hajar asked whether this was Allah’s command to take them
to Makkah or his own will, he said that it was Allah’s command, and that made
her content. Abraham then visited them regularly in Makkah. It was said that
Ishmael was 8 years old when his father visited him and a vision that he
sacrificed his son Ishmael.[1]
He was the only son of Abraham at that time.[2]
5.
Stoning Satan (Iblis)
After
8 years leaving Hajar and Ishmael in Makkah he came back to visit them. They
were overjoyed, but at the same time Abraham had a vision that he sacrificed
Ishmael in three executive nights, meaning it was Allah’s command. He asked his
wife to dress up Ishmael, and told her that he was taking him to a friend,
meaning Allah. So Abraham took his son Ishmael from Makkah to Mina where he
would be sacrificed. They arrived on the same day due to the short distance;
about 12 km.[3] When
they reached Mina, Abraham told him that he had a dream that he sacrificed him,
and asked his opinion. The son said, “My father, obey the command given by
Allah. You will, Insha’Allah, find me steadfast (Q. 37:101-102). Give my shirt
to my mother as it will be a source of comfort for her and wrap me in your own
shirt. Put me face down so you can’t see my face, lest you hesitate in carrying
out my slaughter.” This was a test for
both of them. On their way, Satan persuaded him not to obey Allah.
Satan came to Hajar, telling
her that when Abraham told her he was taking Ishmael to a friend, he meant he
was taking to Allah by sacrificing him. When she asked whether it was Allah’s
command, he said it was. Then she said even one hundred Ishmaels could be
sacrifice in that way.
In Mina Satan appeared in three spots to distract
him and to disobey Allah. Gabriel told him to pelt Satan, so he threw seven
stones at him, and Satan disappeared. This spot is called Jamratul Ūlā
(the First Place for Throwing). Satan appeared again, and Gabriel told him
again to throw 7 stone at him, and he disappeared him. |This spot is called Jamratul
Wusṭā (the Middle Place for Throwing). Satan appeared again, and Gabriel
told Abraham to pelt him again, and he did with seven stones, and Satan
disappeared again. This spot is called Jamratul ‘Aqabah (steep place for
throwing). Following this ritual, the pilgrims are required to resist Satan’s
temptation in obeying Allah, so that when they come back they would become
better Muslims.
6.
Running between Mt. Ṣafā and Mt.
Marwah
When the child Ishmael became thirsty, his mother went
back and forth franticly between the two hills, Mt. Ṣafā and Mt. Marwah to find water. When she returned to her baby who was
crying suddenly water came out, either by Ishmael who hit the ground or by
Gabriel, now called the well of Zamzam inside the Masjid al-Ḥarām.
7.
Visiting the Prophet
Although visiting the tomb of the Prophet is not
obligatory for the pilgrims, it is highly recommended to visit his tomb which
is inside the mosque of Madinah. He
said:
مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرِي وَجَبَتْ لَهُ شَفَاعَتِي )رَوَاهُ الدَّارَقُطْنِيُّ وَغَيْره(
Whoever visited my grave my intercession
would be
incumbent for him. (Reported
by al-Dāraquṭnī and others)
In general, returning from performing the accepted
pilgrimage is like being “born gain” Muslim. The Prophet s.a.w. said:
مَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ فَلَمْ يَرْفُثْ وَلَمْ يَفْسُقْ
رَجَعَ كَمَا وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ (رواه
أحمد)
Whoever performs the pilgrimage to the House (of
Allah)
without committing any act of obscene manner and
corruption therein he would return as if he was just born by his
mother (Reported by Ahmad)
(CIVIC, 3 October,
2014)
المراجع:
المكتبة الشاملة
تفسير الطبري (ت. 310 هـ)
تفسير القرطبى (ت. 671 هـ)
تفسير ابن كثير (ت. 774 هـ)
Abu Khalil, Dr.
Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003
Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an
Asad, Muhammad. The
Message of the Qur’an
Holy Bible: New International
Version, 1973
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_%28son_of_Jacob%29
The Egyptian Society for Spiritual and
Cultural Research
http://www.gotquestions.org/Abraham-Isaac.html#ixzz3EiEW2S00 www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Parashah/.../Vayera/.../ake dah.htm
http://www.amazonintl.in/forum/index.php/topic,19048.0.html
[1]
According to
Biblical account, Sarah ordered Hajar and Ishmael to be taken away, because
Ishmael was mocking. They were taken to Beersheba. Ishmael must have been over
14 years old. He cried out of thirst, and the angel told her that God had heard
the boy crying, to lift him by the hand, and he would be made into a great
nation. When she opened her eyes she saw a well of water. They lived in the
Desert of Paran, and his mother got a wife for him (Gen. 21:8-20)
[2] When the Bible said, “Take now thy son, thine only
son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah (Gen.
22:2), this indicated that Abraham did not like Ishmael, which was unlikely, although
he was the first born, and the answer of his prayer, because Isaac was the only
son he loved. Moriah where Isaac was to be sacrificed is the present Mt. Zion.
This mount is very important for the Jewish tradition, as it was the central of
Jewish history. Here Jacob dreamed of a ladder to heaven, the place where King
Solomon later built the first Temple, and where Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead.
Today, the Dome of the Rock, in Jerusalem, stands on the site of the sacrifice
of Isaac. It was the place where Adam first offered sacrifice, as well as his
sons Cain and Abel. The Land of Moriah was said to have been the place where
God created the universe, and the dust of Moriah is said to have been used to create
Adam.
[3] According to the Bible it took 3 days for Abraham,
Isaac and two servants to reach the place where Isaac would be sacrificed. The
distance was 50 miles (over 75 km) which took them 3 days either from Beersheba
or the land of Philistine to reach their destination. On the third day the two
servants were left behind, and Isaac asked his father, “…, but where is the
lamb for the burnt offering?” His father answered, “God Himself will provide
the lamb for the burnt offering, my son!”
Isaac only knew that he was the intended sacrifice when his father bound
him and laid him on the altar on the top of the wood. (Gen. 22: 4-9)
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