A Simple Guide to ISLAM
Hajj – The Pilgrimage
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towards Him, journeying on His behalf, making a sacrifice in His
name, praying to the Lord and seeing his prayers answered.
The House of God in Makkah is one of God’s signs on earth. The
souls, which have strayed from the Lord, take comfort in Him once
again; hearts, which have become hard as stone are brought low
before Almighty God; eyes, which have lost their vision, are filled
with divine radiance. But these blessings of
Hajj
are available only
to those who come prepared for them. Otherwise
Hajj
will be just a
tour, a visit which leaves no lasting impression upon the traveller.
The pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafat in order to recall the
time when they will gather on the plain of the Last Day. They
conjure up visions in this world of what they will experience in
practice in the next world.
The Prophet Muhammad said: “
Hajj
is to stand in the plains of
Arafat
.” This shows how important it is to visit Arafat and to spend
time there. The plain of Arafat, where the pilgrims spend one
whole day is like a picture of the Day of Reckoning. Believers come
in from all sides to witness the spectacle. All are clad in a simple
garment. There is nothing to make anyone stand out from the rest.
All recite the same words: “Here we are at your service, Lord.”
Anyone who sees this spectacle must be reminded of this verse
from the Qur’an:
“And with one blast of the trumpet all shall rise from their
graves and gather before Us.” (36:51)
For all these reasons,
Hajj
reigns supreme among all acts of
devotion. Just as the Sacred Mosque in Makkah has a station above
