The word Hajj means “to make a resolve to visit a sacred place; visiting the House of Allah (Ka’aba) in Makkah is, therefore, called Hajj. Hajj is obligatory, once in life-time, on every adult Believer in good health and who has the financial means to travel. Ironically, half of the people who perform Hajj each year – this could be their second, third, fourth or tenth Hajj – which is pure waste of money. These tens of millions of dollars not only could be used for many other important acts of goodness, such as, helping refugees (60% of world’s refugees happen to be Muslims, according to UN); providing financial support to widows and orphans, and building Universities, hospitals, power-generating plants, potable water facilities, libraries, etc. etc.“Hajj is a show of creation, a show of history, a show of unity, a show of Islamic idealogy, and a show of Ummah,” – Dr. Ali Shari’ati in his book The Hajj
“There were ten thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the White and non-White,”
When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed the Hajj at the end of his life, he set out for the plain of `Arafah. In doing so, he broke with the traditions of the times of ignorance before Islam. Back then, members of the tribe of Quraysh would not go to `Arafah since it was deemed outside the sacred precincts. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) put an end to that custom and in doing so put an end to another type of social stratification that plagued society. Islam negates all considerations that separate people into castes, one above another. This is also why every male pilgrim dresses the same, wearing two simple white sheets.
Allah tells us: “Indeed, the noblest among you are those among you who are the most God-fearing.” [Sūrah al-Hujurāt: 13]
When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had assembled all the pilgrims on the plain of `Arafah during that final pilgrimage, he addressed them saying: “O people! What day is this?”
“There were ten thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the White and non-White,”
When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed the Hajj at the end of his life, he set out for the plain of `Arafah. In doing so, he broke with the traditions of the times of ignorance before Islam. Back then, members of the tribe of Quraysh would not go to `Arafah since it was deemed outside the sacred precincts. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) put an end to that custom and in doing so put an end to another type of social stratification that plagued society. Islam negates all considerations that separate people into castes, one above another. This is also why every male pilgrim dresses the same, wearing two simple white sheets.
Allah tells us: “Indeed, the noblest among you are those among you who are the most God-fearing.” [Sūrah al-Hujurāt: 13]
When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had assembled all the pilgrims on the plain of `Arafah during that final pilgrimage, he addressed them saying: “O people! What day is this?”
They replied: “A sacred day.”
He asked: “What land is this?”
They replied: “A sacred land.”
Then he asked: “And what month is this?”
They replied: “A sacred month.”
He then said: “Then know that your lives, your property, and your honor are as sacred as this day, this land, and this month.” He then paused and said: “O Allah! Have I conveyed the message?”
The people said: “You have.”
So he said: “O Allah, bear witness to this.”
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