Hajj
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- Category: English: Poetic Works
- Date Submitted: 07/18/2011 11:53 PM
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Analyse the significance of ONE practice for both the individual and the Muslim community drawn from:
-Friday prayer
-Funeral ceremony
-Hajj
The Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam. Stated in the Quran, “It is the place whereon Abraham once stood; and whoever enters it finds inner peace. Hence, pilgrimage unto the Temple is a duty owed to God by all people who are able to undertake it.” (The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 3, verse 97) The purpose of the Hajj is essentially to expedite the act of submission to Allah. Therefore, it has vast significance to the pilgrim undertaking the hajj, alongside the wider Muslim community (Our Lady of Mercy 2005).
Every devout Muslim is required to undertake the Hajj once in a lifetime. Some Muslims are unable to undertake the pilgrimage due to poor health, lack of financial means or unavoidable situations. However, Muslims in these situations believe their intentions are adequate and Allah judges that their efforts are honest. Therefore, if one is genuinely unable to undertake the hajj, they need not feel they are failing in religious duty (Class notes 2011).
The significance of the Hajj can be examined through the rituals undertaken during the Hajj and their meaning in terms of the faith of Islam. Some of these rituals include standing before Allah wuquf, the circling of the Ka’bah, the stoning of the pillars at Mina, The sacrificing of an animal Id-ul-Adha and drawing water from the well of ZamZam. These rituals are closely related to Islamic beliefs and have a profound meaning on the faith of Islam. In completing these rituals when undertaking the Hajj, Muslims are able to engage closely with momentous elements of the Islamic tradition while strengthening their submission to Allah, the ultimate goal of Islam (Our Lady of Mercy 2005).
The Hajj begins with the preparation stage called ihram which begins outside of Mecca. Being in a state of Ihram means to be in a pure state of mind while enabling the...
-Friday prayer
-Funeral ceremony
-Hajj
The Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam. Stated in the Quran, “It is the place whereon Abraham once stood; and whoever enters it finds inner peace. Hence, pilgrimage unto the Temple is a duty owed to God by all people who are able to undertake it.” (The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 3, verse 97) The purpose of the Hajj is essentially to expedite the act of submission to Allah. Therefore, it has vast significance to the pilgrim undertaking the hajj, alongside the wider Muslim community (Our Lady of Mercy 2005).
Every devout Muslim is required to undertake the Hajj once in a lifetime. Some Muslims are unable to undertake the pilgrimage due to poor health, lack of financial means or unavoidable situations. However, Muslims in these situations believe their intentions are adequate and Allah judges that their efforts are honest. Therefore, if one is genuinely unable to undertake the hajj, they need not feel they are failing in religious duty (Class notes 2011).
The significance of the Hajj can be examined through the rituals undertaken during the Hajj and their meaning in terms of the faith of Islam. Some of these rituals include standing before Allah wuquf, the circling of the Ka’bah, the stoning of the pillars at Mina, The sacrificing of an animal Id-ul-Adha and drawing water from the well of ZamZam. These rituals are closely related to Islamic beliefs and have a profound meaning on the faith of Islam. In completing these rituals when undertaking the Hajj, Muslims are able to engage closely with momentous elements of the Islamic tradition while strengthening their submission to Allah, the ultimate goal of Islam (Our Lady of Mercy 2005).
The Hajj begins with the preparation stage called ihram which begins outside of Mecca. Being in a state of Ihram means to be in a pure state of mind while enabling the...