The Hajj Pilgrimage – Journey of a Lifetime
The Hajj and Eid al-Adha
One fifth of humankind shares a single aspiration to complete, at least once, the spiritual journey called the Hajj. In Arabic, Hajj literally means “resolve” ie; to resolve to some magnificent duty.
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Countless millions of Muslims, men and women from the four corners of the earth, have made the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam. In carrying out this journey they fulfill one of the five “pillars” of Islam (or central religious duties of a believer).
The Prophet Muhammed said, “He who performs the Hajj with no obscenity or evil practices will come out as a newly born baby free from all sins”. For the Muslims, the pilgrimage is therefore much more than something to be done. It is a sacred and revered journey. Yet without it they have less chance of getting into paradise.
Spiritual Climax
Whether a pilgrim spends years walking from his nomadic home in Africa, or several hours on a plane from Asia, there is little doubt that the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, will be the spiritual climax of his life. The pilgrimage takes place every year to commemorate Abraham’s attempted sacrifice of his son (who Muslims believe was Ishmael, rather than Isaac). The Hajj pilgrimage takes place during the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah (Hajj). Highlights will be the coming to Mecca and circling the Kab’ah, then going to Mount Arafat and stoning the devil (Day of Repentance) and then celebrating Eid ul-Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice.
Preparation
Before setting out a pilgrim should redress all wrongs, pay all debts and plan to have enough funds for his own journey and for the maintenance of his family while he is away. Certain Governments even allocate funds to assist pilgrims. Many religious rites are performed according to the Qur’an and tradition. The pictures we usually see are of a great throng of humanity circling the Ka’bah (a cubical structure made of stone). Their circling of the Ka’bah, the symbol of God’s oneness, implies that all human activity must have God at its centre. It also symbolizes the unity of God and man. It is circled seven times and a prayer is recited each time round. According to some traditions, the Ka’bah is the sole remnant of the original structure built by Abraham and Ishmael. While making their circuits pilgrims may kiss or touch the black stone. Perhaps the single most important reason for kissing the stone is that Muhammed did so.
Stoning of Satan
Another rite is The Stoning of Satan. According to the Qur’an, Satan tempted Abraham and Ishmael three times to stop the sacrifice. Each time they responded by throwing stones at Satan. As pilgrims throw seven pebbles at the three pillars, they remember the story of Satan’s attempt to persuade Abraham to disregard God’s command to sacrifice Ishmael. Throwing the pebbles is symbolic of a humans’ attempt to cast away evil and vice, the number seven symbolising infinity.
Prayer Points
* While performing the Hajj a Muslim really seeks God. Many are known to have had visions of Jesus. Pray that they may also have visions of Jesus and turn to follow Him (Joel 2:28).
* Pray for divine appointments, that on their journey to Mecca Muslims would meet Christians who would witness to them.
* That God would put a desire in their hearts to look past their traditions and to look towards Jesus and what He has completed at the cross (John 4:23).
The Hajj – Video
This was produced by CNN
I was randomly checking out your website and noticed that you mention:
* While performing the Hajj a Muslim really seeks God. Many are known to have had visions of Jesus. Pray that they may also have visions of Jesus and turn to follow Him (Joel 2:28).
I highly doubt you can provide any sort of credible evidence to back your statements.
Jesus the Messiah (peace be upon him) submitted to the One true God and will also do so when he returns. He never claimed he was to be worshipped.
May Allah the Majestic guide you to the straight path. Ameen.
This is an insult to God. This disregard for Islam shows how sick these so called “Christians” are. Jesus was a loyal follower of God and submitted to Him. May God forgive and guide you to Islam.
These so called good christian is dissing muslim. You know Christianity is going down the drain and Islam is expanding.
I am a christian from Congo democratic republic.Thank you for publishing this booklet of prayer
for muslims. Only the Holy Spirit can free so many people trapped in this so called revelation of
Allah. May muslims know the true Jesus Christ ,the only man who was from a virgin ,and who’s
tomb is empty. He is the only one who can save them and all of us from a life of sin terminatted
death. May muslims find the true Jesus of the bible. Their only Savior. Ameen
To “muslim friend” 12-16-07 above…The Bible most certainly shows Jesus allowed Himself to be worshipped. Thomas fell down to his feet and stated “…my Lord my God…” and Jesus did not rebuke him. This is also why the Jews crucified Him – Jesus stated He was God!!! Mohammed, being a man, never made that claim!
I urge my Muslim friends to consider these facts. Wouldn’t you like to know that once for all the “heavenly scales” have been tipped in your favor! Consider Jesus and what He offers – the assurance of salvation that we have through the blood of Jesus is truly Good News!
My friend you may be wondering why all these people are saying the same thing again and again, which you are unable to grasp. May the following scriptures will help you. The following is the the message to the believers. May be by reading this you will know the divine plan of Almighty God. Its about the people like me and other who follow The Almighty God through JESUS the High priest and Advocate………….
1.Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins.
2.You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3.All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s anger just like everyone else.
4.But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much,
5.that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!)
6.For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms ? all because we are one with Christ Jesus.
7.And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus.
8.God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9.Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10.For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
11.Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders by birth. You were called “the uncircumcised ones” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.
12.In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from God’s people, Israel, and you did not know the promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
13.But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ.
14.For Christ himself has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one people. He has broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us.
15.By his death he ended the whole system of Jewish law that excluded the Gentiles. His purpose was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new person from the two groups.
16.Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.
17.He has brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and to us Jews who were near.
18.Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
19.So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
20.We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.
21.We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.
22.Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians Chapter 2
taken from the Online Bible.