2009-11-27 10:18:23
WAM Abu Dhabi, Nov 27th, 2009 (WAM)--Nearly three million Muslims from around the world have gathered in the holy city of Makkah to perform the Hajj, rightly considered the greatest pilgrimage in human history. For a believer, the pilgrimage fulfills one of the five pillars and holiest rites of his faith.

A Muslim's performance of Hajj often culminates journey and spiritual quest of a lifetime. Many Muslims spend years scrapping together enough savings so they can perform Hajj, which can be an expensive undertaking, for the sake of Allah. For the majority of Muslims, this will be the only time that they will be able to participate in the Hajj and their memories will most assuredly last a lifetime.

Dubai-based local English Language daily, Khaleej Times observed in its editorial Friday that few non-Muslims realise that the Hajj is not something that followers of Islam undertake to celebrate a tradition of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. "The purpose of the Hajj is to honour the life and immense sacrifices made by Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, all his life. Abraham, who is the father of prophets who brought all three monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, left his wife Hajrah (Hager) and newborn son, Ismail (peace be upon him) in the wilderness of Makkah when he was asked to do so by Allah. Later, he along with his son Ismail built the Kaaba, the huge black cubic structure, as the first place of worship on earth, inviting believers from far corners of the world. Muslims around the world turn to Kaaba, situated in the centre of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the centre of earth, during their prayers five times a day and circle it during Hajj and Umrah rites." It added that the high point of the long life of sacrifices of Prophets Abraham and Ismail came when father was signalled in a dream to offer his beloved and only son in sacrifice. It was yet another test from God and both father and son passed with flying colours.

However, when Abraham put knife to his dear son's throat, the paper continued Allah sent a ram to replace Ismail in sacrifice. Every year millions of pilgrims retrace the steps of Abraham to commemorate the ultimate sacrifice the father and son offered thousands of years ago.

"By circling around Kaaba, camping in Mina and praying on the plains of Arafat and ultimately offering an animal in sacrifice and shaving their heads, marked by gruelling physical exertion of weeks, pilgrims celebrate the spirit of sacrifice. Put simply, Abraham's - and Ismail's sacrifice means submitting to God's will whatever the circumstances. This message rings out of Makkah every year, year after year", it added.

The paper underscored that the Hajj also unites believers in a global community, or Ummah, of piety, righteousness and accountability for one's actions. Everyone is equal before God. Muslims shed all the trappings of this world when they commence their Hajj. Men don two white unstitched pieces of cloth to cover themselves while women wear the simplest clothes they can find as they continuously pray during their stay in the holy city.

It concluded that the end of Hajj is marked by the commencement of Eid Al Adha, or the festival of sacrifice, in which Muslims sacrifice animals in order to help feed the needy. The act of the slaughter itself commemorates Abraham's willingness to slay his own son when commanded by Allah.

WAM/MN