My journey to Hajj through Stamps
(Hajj – the Fifth Pillar of Islam) Part – 1
By: Rashed Ahmad – Canada
As ordained in the Holy Qur`an “Surely the first House founded for all mankind is at Baka (Makkah) abound in blessings and guidance” (3:97) It’s obligatory for every Muslim to perform it once in a lifetime if he/she has the means, health permits and where there is no threat for life.
However, there are very clear statements in the Qur`an describing it as an ancient institution, starting from times immemorial when the first House of God was built in Makkah. In the olden times, Makkah was pronounced Baka. It is also called Bait-ul-Ateeq, or the most ancient house. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham)(as) raised it from the ruins, which he discovered under Divine guidance, he was commissioned by God to rebuild with the help of his son Ismail (Ishmael)(as). It is the same place where he left his wife Hadrat Hajirah (Hager) and son Ismail, again under Divine instruction, both of them worked together to rebuild the house and restarted the institution of pilgrimage.
The culmination takes place on 9th Dul-al-Hijjah by Waquf-e-Arafah at the plains of Arafat around Jabal-al-Rahmah (Mount of Mercy) where millions display universality in repenting for their past mistakes and seeking lord’s forgiveness for the sins they committed in a clarion call to the Almighty invoking His mercy and blessings.
There are other rituals and traditions which will be briefly explained. In Hajj, the male pilgrims do not wear any sewn garments; rater, they dress in two loose sheets called Ihram, which they don at Miqats, the places where prophet Ibrahim (as) is know to have remembered God in the style of an inebriated lover, and extolled His glory with loud chanting, the pilgrims are required to do the same at the same places.
Many rites performed during pilgrimage are rooted in those early days of reconstruction of the House of God, and some even go beyond that. For instance, Sa`i, the running between Safa and Marwah, two small hillocks close to the House of God, is done in memory of Hadrat Hajira’s search for some sign of human presence to help her and her child in their dire hour of need. The child is described as having become extremely restive with the agony of thirst, striking the earth with his heels in desperation. There, it is said, sprouted a fountain which still exists today. The source of water is today called the well of Zamzam,is considered to be blessed water. Most of the pilgrims who perform the Hajj try to bring some water from there by way of blessing for their relatives and friends.
The Hajj is based on a pilgrimage that was ancient even in the time of Holy prophet Muhammad (swa) in the 7th century. Prior to prophet Muhammad (saw)’s era, each year tribes from all around the Arabian Peninsula would converge at Makkah, as part of the pilgrimage. The exact faith of the tribes was not important at that time; Arabs were as likely to make the pilgrimage as the, refer to the time before Muhammad (swa) as al-Jahiliayah, the days of ignorance, during which the Ka`aba contained hundreds of idols of pagan gods such as Hubal, al-Lat, Uzza and Manat.
Muhammad (saw), was known to have regularly performed the Tawaf (encircling) Ka`aba and Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) even before, he began receiving revelations in 632 AD.
When Hardrat Muhammad (saw) led his followers from Madina to Makkah, it was the first Hajj to be performed by Muslims alone, and the only Hajj ever performed by Holy Prophet of Islam. He cleansed the Ka`aba, removed all of the idols, and re-ordained the building of Ka`aba as the “House of God”. It was from this point that the Hajj became one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Let us take the journey of Hajj through stamps:
Pilgrim arriving donning Ihram
Pilgrims generally travel to Hajj in groups, by Airplane, Ships and by road. During Hajj, during the days of Hajj, male pilgrims are required to dress only in the Ihram, a garment consisting of two sheets of white unstitched cloth, with top draped over the torso and the bottom secured by a white sash; plus a pair of sandals. Women are simply required to maintain their normal modest dress, which does not cover the hands or face. It indicates that the institution of Pilgrimage began when man had not learned to wear sewn clothes As such, it seems that it is in memory of those ancient people who used to circuit the first house built for the worship of God. Ihram is meant to show equality of all pilgrims in the eyes of God; that there is no difference between a prince and a pauper
State of Ihram is spiritual state of purity, during which the person must not quarrel, commit any act of violence or engage in sexual activity, and are not allowed to shave, clip nails, wear perfume swear, hunt, kill any creature, uproot or damage plants, marry perform any dishonest acts or carry weapons.. Normally a pilgrim who travels by Air, don their Ihram at the point of departure. The place designated for changing into state if Ihram is called Miqat.
Miqat
The Miqats are: Sahil Al-Kabir, Wadie Muhreem, Juhfa, Zat-i-Irq Mashar-al-Haram, Za’l-Hulafa and Miqat Al-Taniem or UmrahMosque
Miqat (‘a stated place’) are the stations at which pilgrims on the hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah are required put on Ihram. These stations were set by Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). After donning Ihram they chant Labbik Allahummah Labbaik…….( Oh God! I am here…) and proceed towards the Sacred Mosque Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah for Tawaf-e-Qadum
Tawaf-e-Qadum
On the first day of Hajj (the 7th day of Dul-al-Hijjah the 12th month of lunar calendar) pilgrims perform Tawaf-e-Qdum or arrival Tawaf for hajj, which involves all the pilgrims entering the Sacred Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) and encircling seven times counter-clockwise around the Kaa`ba, kissing the Hajr Al Aswad (the Black Stone) they start their Tawaf . If kissing is not possible they simply point towards the stone on each circuit with their right hand. In each complete a pilgrim says “In the name of Allah, Allah the Greatest, Allah the Greatest and for Allah we are thankful” (Bism Allah Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lil Lahi Alhamd) with 7 circuits constituting a complete Tawaf.
Sa`i
After completing Tawaf on the same day , the pilgrims perform Sa`i (running or walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marw`ah) this is a re-enactment of the frantic search for water for her son Ismaiel by Abrahms’s wife Hagar. As she searched, the Zamzam Well was revealed to her by angel, who hit the ground under the hell of Hadrat Ismail upon which the water of Zamzam started gushing from the ground. Pilgrims are advised to make Sa`i and run through two green pillars a short section of the path. There is also an internal “express lane” for disabled, who are pushed in wheel chairs.
Zamzam Well
As part of this ritual the pilgrims also drink water from the Zamzam well, which is being made available in coolers through out the Holy Mosque. After performing the Tawaf and Sa`i, the pilgrims returns to their tents in Mina. Zamzam water has no color and smell, but it has distinct taste, and its’ pH is 7.9 – 8.0 indicating it is alkaline to some extent. On their return journey home pilgrims bring with them the water from the well of Zamzam as source of blessings. ( To be Continue….)