Holy Hajj: Do Muslims seek atonement for their crimes against
Islam, fellow Muslims?
Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal
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Today,
most educated or the so-called cultured Muslims claims to be secular and they
think profitable to criticize Islam and Islamist governments and Islamist path
of life because they consider Islam to be a road blocker to their onward march
for making ill-wealth which we all leave behind us once our souls depart from
our bodies.
As
one of five cornerstones of Islam, Hajj is based on sincerity and following the
Sunnah. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) when he went for Hajj, he said: “O
Allah, I ask of you a pilgrimage that contains no boasting or showing of”.
Taking such selfies and videos defy the wish of our Prophet.’ Camera phones
were, until a few years ago, banned from the holy mosques, but authorities
appear to have relaxed the rules more recently. It is now not uncommon to see
pilgrims taking photos inside, although guards reportedly prevent people taking
professional cameras with them.
Every
year, Muslim faithful from about 160 countries converge on the Islamic city of
Makkah or Mecca and other locations in western Saudi Arabia to complete the
holy journey. Around two million Muslims from all corners of the globe arrived
in Makkah for the Hajj pilgrimage at the city’s Grand Mosque. However,
many see the Holy pilgrimage as a ‘touristy’ distraction from the prayers
and rituals that form one of the five important pillars of Islam. Filmy
practices, allowed by Saudi government, in fact undermine the real meaning of
Hajj and the essence behind it
As
we know, the week of Hajj occurs during the last month of the Islamic calendar
and requires pilgrims to perform ten services or rituals before and during
Hajj. The first begins around six miles from Mecca when pilgrims enter a state
of holiness known as Ihram in the days before the start of the pilgrimage.
Men are required to wear two white seamless cloths with no knots and footwear
must show the ankle and back of the foot Women are not allowed to wear the
traditional Burqa and Niqab to ensure their faces can be seen. In the
second phase, known as Tawaf, when the faithful reach the Grand Mosque, they
walk counter-clockwise seven times around the cube-shaped Kaaba – believed to
have been built by Abraham 4,000 years ago. It is this building that, wherever
you are in the world, Muslims are expected to face when praying – it is the
most sacred location in Islam. Each circuit starts by kissing the Black Stone,
called Hajar al-Aswad. Alternatively, pilgrims can point to it if prevented by
the crowds. After the circuits, pilgrims pray before drinking water from the
Zamzam well, which is dispensed in coolers around the mosque. The third rite,
known as Sa’ay, requires walking or running seven times between the hills of
Safa and Marwah, which are now enclosed by the Grand Mosque. Afterwards, the
men shave their heads and women cut off part of their hair to end the
restriction of Ihram.
On
the first day of Hajj, Muslims proceed to Mina for prayers then head to Mount
Arafat, around 20km east of Mecca, the following day to repent their sins. The
sixth requirement sees the pilgrims arrive back at Mina to perform a symbolic
stoning of the devil. They do this by throwing seven stones at the largest of
three pillars, which for safety reasons have now been replaced by walls with
areas to catch the projectiles. After this, animals are slaughtered to mark the
sacrifice of Abraham and Ishmael. In the eighth rite, the pilgrims return to
the Grand Mosque for another Tawaf. Then, on the fourth day of Hajj, they head
back to Mina to ‘stone the devil’ again and repeat this ritual the following
day.
For
the final rite, the pilgrims return to the Grand Mosque for a farewell Tawaf.
Hajj, the fifth of the pillars of Islam, coincides with the Eid al-Adha
festival, known as the Feast of the Sacrifice and is meant to commemorate the
trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.
Holy
Hajj is not a mere formality - it is the expression of firm commitment to
Islam and Allah. Those who have performed Holy Hajj should be sincere about
their Tawaf.
Tawaf
is also not a mere formality: it should be observed with heart and
soul.
Holy
Hajj is performed by Muslims, so far only those who have enough money, in order
to seek pardon and atonement of their crimes, wrong doings, committed knowingly
or otherwise and return home sinless humans.
Rich Muslims by conventions believe that only they commit crimes and wrongs
and, therefore, only they need to go and seek atonement.
Not
only the rich, but also other Muslims need to perform Holy Hajj for the same
purposes.
However,
the thought that every Muslim should perform hajj for purification purposes,
unfortunately, does not occur to the world Mosques.
Wealth Muslims do not even consider right to send the imams of mosques for
performing Hajj so that they also get the opportunity to purify themselves to
be able to lead prayers back home mosques more purposefully as Hajjis.
The responsibility for making every Muslim in the locality Hajjis lies with the
Mosques and Muslims community.
Muslims are communities under Islam and they must decide the Holy Hajj matters
seriously. . Do Muslims think their hajj and prayers could be accepted by Allah
if they ignore the same rights of fellow Muslims to undertake pilgrimage to
Mecca for Hajj?
Muslim
communities and mosques could undertake measure to fund the wiling Muslims to
go for the Holy Hajj.
Many Muslims who swear by Holy Prophet of Islam keep performing holy Hajj as if
they are watching a “good movie” many times because they have enough money,
made by all sorts of illegal and immoral ways. And they use unfair means even
to get Hajj quota and visa for Mecca to perform Holy Hajj.
Is it fair on part of those who claim to believe in Islam and who seek
self-purification by Holy Hajj?
Perhaps, Allah would like every Muslim on earth to perform Holy Hajj and get
the benefits here and Hereafter!
Saudi Arabia or other rich Arab nations do not wish to finance the poor global
Muslims maybe because the rich Muslims would lose their self importance. They
even argue that every adult Muslim is required to complete the Hajj pilgrimage
“at least once” in their lifetime as long as they are physically and
financially capable of making the expensive and difficult journey. They
conveniently forget or hide the truth that Prophet of Islam (SAS) performed
only once in his life as per Allah’s decision. Do Muslims want to overtake the
decision of both Allah and Prophet?
It
is not how many people perform Hajj every year in Saudi Kingdom, but whether
every Muslim gets opportunity, encouragement and support for that. Islamic
Ulema needs to guide the greedy Muslims on Hajj matter.
Muslims
need to seek atonement of their crimes against Islam, Muslims, others but
denying fellow Muslims their chances to perform Holy Hajj would not be good for
them. Hajj is common to all Muslims as every Muslim has a right to this holy
pilgrimage once in life time.
Hypocrisy
is not good for Muslims.
All Muslims, rather all humans, are equal before Allah, the Almighty!
Muslims believe that they will meet their creator, the Almighty Allah Hereafter
and will have to account for their actions here.
Hence
every Muslim should be encouraged and helped by Muslims communities to
undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca for holy Hajj only once in life so that they
can genuine claim to be following the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (SAS).
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