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"Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity".
(surah Al-Imran,ayat-104)
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User Name: abdulruff
Full Name: Dr.Abdul Ruff Colachal
User since: 15/Mar/2008
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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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