Hajj, the annual pilgrimage

The Hajj is the largest annual gathering of believers at any single time and place in the world -  close to three million people participating in it last year. On the outside, the Hajj is a pilgrimage to Makkah, but its programme of intent and action makes it an experience of a lifetime for the attending millions.

One of the five pillars on which the whole world-view and ethic of Islam is built, the Hajj, to a Muslim, is a moral obligation that must be fulfilled at least once in his, or her, lifetime provided health and economic conditions permit the journey. In the words of the Qur'an: ‘Pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto God for mankind, for him who can find the way thither.’ (3: 97)

The Hajj is associated with the life of Prophet Muhammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Makkah  stretches back thousands of years to the time of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). The Hajj is, apart from other considerations, a commemoration.  It is a commemoration of the trials of Prophet Abraham. He was required by God to sacrifice his first-born son Ishmael, as a test of his faith and sincerity: a test which Abraham, through his readiness for the sacrifice, finally overcame.

However, divine command intervened at the last moment and his son’s life was spared, a lamb being slaughtered in his stead. The highest message of the Hajj, therefore, is of the need for believers to be constantly ready to sacrifice even their most prized possessions in the cause of conforming to God’s commands, should the need ever arise.

The Hajj is also a practical demonstration of the Brotherhood of Man. Pilgrims of every ethnic group, colour, social status, and culture gather together in Makkah and stand before the Ka’bah as members of one divine family, donning the self-same pilgrim’s garment - two simple pieces of white seamless cloth - bare headed, without pomp or ceremony, repeating, "Here am I O God; at thy command; thou art one and the only; Here am I." There is no superiority of the white man over the black; the brown over the yellow making them all equal in the eyes of God.

At the conclusion of the Hajj, the festival of Eid al-Adha - also known as Bakr- Eid and festival of sacrifice - is celebrated.

It is celebrated not only by the pilgrims but by Muslims throughout the world in solidarity with the pilgrims and being one in spirit with them.