Hajj (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

Role & Significance of Hajj

Hajj

• Hajj is the Muslim pilgrimage that starts and ends in Makkah (Mecca) and sees three million Mulsims take part each year

• It is the fifth pillar for Sunni Muslims and one of the Ten Obligatory Acts for Shi’a Muslims meaning it is compulsory for Muslims to undertake at least once in their lifetime as long as they are healthy and can afford it

  • Some communities will pay for someone to go if they cannot afford it

  • Some Muslims go more than once in their lives

• Hajj is mentioned in the Qur’an, ‘And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves – then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds’ (Qur’an 3:97)

• Hadiths also proclaim the importance of the Hajj for Muslims ‘Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of Allah and does not utter any obscene speech or do any evil deed, will go back (free of sin) as his mother bore him’

• The journey must take place within the month of Dhu’l-Hijja, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar

• Adam, Ibrahim and Isma’il are all associated with Makkah and Muhammad (pbuh) lived there and so it is a very holy place for Muslims

Hajj

Significance of Hajj

• Once you complete Hajj, you can be called Hajji

• Muslims believe the experience can bring a deep spiritual transformation, being closer to Allah

• Muslims believe that the experience can develop positive traits including humility, inner peace, valuing justice, honesty, respect, kindness, mercy and forgiveness

• The experience can also develop self discipline as not all can complete it and it is a difficult task

• A feeling of unity and equality can be developed as Ihram clothing is worn by everyone and pilgrims sleep in tents

  • This stage also involves a ritual washing, and prayers

  • The white cloth is a sign of equality and purity

• The experience reminds Muslims of the faith and examples set by Ibrahim, Hajira and Ishmael

• Muslims believe that the pilgrimage can also lead to forgiveness of sins

How the Hajj is performed

How the Hajj is performed

• Usually the Hajj involves a number of practices which represent important historical and religious events

• The day after the completion of Hajj, Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Adha

  • This has no direct relation to the Hajj Pilgrimage, it is significant because of when it which is the tenth day in the final (twelfth) month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar; Dhu-al-Hijjah

  • The day that celebrations fall on is dependent on a legitimate sighting of the moon, following the completion of the annual Holy Pilgrimage of Hajj

  • This is celebrated by all Muslims, not just those completing Hajj

Actions Performed at Pilgrimage Sites & Their Significance

Historical significance of the Hajj

• The significance of the place and actions performed at Hajj relate to the importance of the historical and religious events that took place there

• The Hajj goes back to the time of the prophet Ibrahim

  • Allah told the prophet Ibrahim to take his wife Hajira and son Isma’il on a journey to Arabia

  • He then told Ibrahim to leave Hajira and Isma’il with some food and water

  • Having run out of water, Hajira ran up and down two hills, Safa and Marwah, in search of more

  • Unable to find any water, she prayed to Allah and water then sprang from the ground. This source of water is called the Zamzam well

  • When Ibrahim returned, he was commanded to build the Ka’aba as a shrine dedicated to Allah where worship would take place

  • Over time, people began to worship idols at the Ka’aba instead of the one God, Allah and so Muhammad (pbuh) restored the Ka’aba to its original purpose when he converted Makkah to Islam

  • The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) began the Hajj in 628 CE during the month of Dhul Hijjah, and is the same Hajj that Muslims perform today

Meaning of actions performed at Hajj

• Many of the actions undertaken by Muslims during the Hajj relate to historical events within Islam or symbolise important beliefs

  • When pilgrims run between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, they are replicating the actions of Hajira who was determined, as all Muslims must be

  • When pilgrims take a drink from the Zamzam well it is in remembrance of Hajira’s search for water showing a Muslims’ dependence on Allah

  • When pilgrims stop at Mount Arafat to pray and hope for their sins to be forgiven, they believe this is the place where Muhammad (pbuh) gave his final sermon

  • When pilgrims travel to Mina to stone the Devil, they are doing what Ibrahim is said to have done. It is important that Muslims show that they reject the Devil