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Hajj: Intro for non-muslims

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Islam has two major religious celebrations. The first occurs after the completion of Ramadan, the Islamic month during which Muslims (believers in Islam) fast daily from dawn to sunset as part of an effort towards self-purification and betterment. This holiday is known as Eid ul-Fitr (Festival of Breaking the Fast).

The second major Islamic celebration takes place during the time of the Hajj, or annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca). This week-long event occurs two months and ten days after Ramadan ends, during the Islamic month of DhulHijjah, and its culmination is a holiday known as Eid ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). The Hajj consists of several ceremonies, meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of prophet Abraham and his family. Over two million Muslims perform the pilgrimage annually, and the rest of the over one billion Muslims worldwide celebrate the Eid holiday in conjunction with the Hajj.

In order to teach about the important holidays of Islam, teachers can photocopy the “Information for Students” pages of this packet and distribute them to their students. After providing 15-20 minutes to read the pages, teachers can use the provided questions to guide discussion and elicit responses from the students. Some suggested activities for students are also included in this packet.

ABRAHAM

Abraham is a figure revered by Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike as a righteous person who lived over four thousand years ago. His story can be found in the Bible as well as the Qur’an (the Muslim holy book). Abraham is considered to be the patriach of monotheism, or “belief in the One God,” who sought a personal relationship with his Creator. He left his native city of Ur in Mesopotamia after voicing opposition to his people’s polytheistic practices,and eventually settled in Egypt with his family. Later, he escorted one of his wives, Hajar, and their infant son IIshmael to a desolate valley in Arabia and left them there, trusting in God’s promise to care for them.

Hajar, concerned about feeding her young baby, began searching the surroundings for food and water. According to the Qur’an, in response to Hajar’s prayers, a spring miraculously gushed forth at Ishma’il’s feet to quench their thirst. Hajar climbed nearby hills searching for food and looking for caravans on the horizon. Eventually, some passing traders stopped in the valley, and asked Hajar’s permission to water their camels. In time, the traders decided to settle in the little valley, and eventually, the settlement grew into the city of Makkah. Abraham returned from time to time to visit, and when Ishma’il was about thirteen years old, he and Ishma’il constructed the Katbah, an empty cube-shaped building, as a place dedicated for the worship of the One God. Eventually, Makkah became an important trading post by the time of Prophet Muhammad, twenty- five hundred years later.

THE HAJJ

In commemoration of the trials of Abraham and his family in Makkah, which included Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in response to God’s command, Muslims make a pilgrimage to the sacred city at least once in their lifetime. The Hajj is one of the “five pillars” of Islam, and thus an essential part of Muslims’ faith and practice. Muslims from all over the world, including the US, travel to Makkah (in modern- day Saudi Arabia). Before arriving in the holy city, Muslims enter a state of consecration (dedication) known as ihram, by removing their worldly dothes and donning the humble attire of pilgrimstwo seamless white sheets for men, and simple white dresses and scarves for women. The white garments are symbolic of human equality and unity before God, since all the pilgrims are dressed similarly. Money and status no longer are a factor for the pilgrims – the equality of each person in the eyes of God becomes paramount.

Upon arriving in Makkah, pilgrims perform the initial tawaf, which is a circular, counter- clockwise procession around the Ka’bah. All the while, they state “Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk,” which means “Here I am at your service, O God, Here I am!” The tawaf is meant to awaken each Muslim’s consciousness that God is the center of their reality and the source of all meaning in life, and that each person’s higher self-identity derives from being part of the community of Muslim believers, known as the ummah. Pilgrims also perform the sa’i, which is hurrying seven times between the small hills named Safa and Marwah, reenacting the Biblical and Qurtanic story of Hajar’s desperate search for lifegiving water and food.

Next, on the first official day of Hajj (8th of Dhul-Hijjah), the two million pilgrims travel a few miles to the plain of Mina and camp there. From Mina, pilgrims travel the following morning to the plain of Arafat where they spend the entire day in earnest supplication and devotion. That evening, the pilgrims move and camp at Muzdalifa, which is a site between Mina and Arafat. Muslims stay overnight and offer various prayers there.

Then the pilgrims return to Mina on the 10th, and throw seven pebbles at a stone pillar that represents the devil. This symbolizes Abraham’s throwing stones at Satan when he tried to dissuade Abraham from sacrificing his son. Then the pilgrims sacrifice a sheep, reenacting the story of Abraham,who, in place of his son, sacrificed a sheep that God had provided as a substitute. The meat from the slaughtered sheep is distributed for consumption to family, friends, and poor and needy people in the community. After the sacrifice, the pilgrims return to Makkah to end the formal rites of Hajj by performing a final tawaf and sa’i.

Muslims believe the rites of the Hajj were designed by God and taught through prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that since the time of Adam, there have been thousands of prophets, including such well-known figures as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and David, and that Muhammad was the final prophet of God.

The Hajj is designed to develop God consciousness and a sense of spiritual upliftment. It is also believed to be an opportunity to seek forgiveness of sins accumulated thoughout life. Prophet Muhammad had said that a person who performs Hajj properly “will return as a newly born baby [free of all sins].” The pilgrimage also enables Muslims from all around the world, of different colors, languages, races, and ethnicities, to come together in a spirit of universal brotherhood and sisterhood to worship the One God together.

EID-UL-ADHA

Although only the pilgrims in Makkah can participate in the Hajj fully, all the other Muslims in the world join with them by celebrating the Eid ul Adha [eed ul ud-ha], or Festival of Sacrifice. On the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, Muslims around the world wear their nicest clothing and attend a special prayer gathering in the morning. This is followed by a short sermon, after which everyone stands up to hug and greet one another. The traditional Eid greeting is “Eid Mubarak,” which means “Holiday Blessings.” Next, people visit each other’s homes and partake in festive meals with special dishes, beverages, and desserts. Children receive gifts and sweets on this joyous occasion. In addition, like the pilgrims in Makkah, those Muslims who can afford to do so offer domestic animals, usually sheep, as a symbol of Abraham’s sacrifice. The meat is distributed for consumption to family, friends, and to the poor and needy.

The Eid ul-Adha is a major religious event in the lives of Muslims. Usually, communities celebrate tnis occasion over a period of several days.

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Source: islamicity.org

Women and Hajj

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Women and Hajj

women and hajj despite the equality of men and women in the Islamic rulings, there are some rulings specified for women out of mercy towards them because of their different nature.

  • If a woman still in her Iddah (waiting period) when she is divorced and she wants to go for Hajj, she may go but she has to be accompanied by a Mahram. However, if  the waiting period is for the death of the husband, she cannot go to Hajj for staying at home is one of the obligations of the waiting period for the widow
  • The companionship of a Mahram is an obligation for women when she is performing Hajj. If she has got no Mahram, she cannot perform Hajj and her Hajj is not valid. Allah’s Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “A woman should not travel except in the company of a Mahram.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
  • Regarding Ihram of the woman, it is it like that of the man with exception to clothes: A woman should assume Ihram like and she is permitted to wear whatever clothes she likes as long as they meet the Islamic rulings. A woman cannot wear Niqaab, Burqa’ or gloves. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “A woman in the state of Ihraam should not wear Niqaab or gloves.” (Bukhaari) .
  • Talbiyah for women: unlike men, women should say Talbiyah in a low voice. and it is impermissible for her to raise her voice when saying Talbiyah in the presence of men.
  • Ramal and Idhtibaa’: The rulings of Ramal and Idhtibaa’ are not applicable to women. She should not perform Ramal, Idhtibaa’ or run during Sa‘i between Al-Safa and Al-Marwa.
  • Shortening hair: A woman has to cut the length of a fingertip from her hair. Ibn Abbas said, “It is not obligatory upon women to shave their hair (after ending Ihraam), rather, it is obligatory upon them to shorten the hair.” (Abu Daawood )
  • If a woman menstruates and does not become pure until she fears missing the company; she should not perform Tawaf until she becomes pure, for the Prophet, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to Aa’isha when she was menstruating: “Perform each rite that the pilgrim performs with exception to performing Tawaf around the House.” (Bukhaari and Muslim). However, if she performs Tawaf, for example, lest she should miss the company, some scholars including Ibn Taymiyah, endorse the idea that it is permissible for her to perform Tawaf because of necessity.

It is worth noting that the meant Tawaf here is Tawaf Al-Ifadhah as there is no need to perform other kinds of Tawaf, such as Arrival Tawaf  (kudum) and Farewell Tawaf (wada’a).

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Source: go-makkah.com

Hajj – The Journey of a Lifetime

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The Journey of a Lifetime

The hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, a central duty of Islam whose origins date back to the Prophet Abraham, brings together Muslims of all races and tongues for one of life’s most moving spiritual experiences.

For 14 centuries, countless millions of Muslims, men, and women from the four corners of the earth, have made the pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Islam.  In carrying out this obligation, they fulfill one of the five “pillars” of Islam or central religious duties of the believer.

Muslims trace the recorded origins of the divinely prescribed pilgrimage to the Prophet Abraham.  According to the Quran, it was Abraham who, together with Ishmael built the Kabah, “the House of God”, the direction toward which Muslims turn in their worship five times each day.  It was Abraham, too who established the rituals of the hajj, which recall events or practices in his life and that of Hagar and their son Ishmael.

In the chapter entitled “The Pilgrimage”, the Quran speaks of the divine command to perform the hajj and prophesies the permanence of this institution:

“And when We assigned for Abraham the place of the House, saying ‘Do not associate Anything with Me, and purify My House for those who go around it and for those who stand and bow and prostrate themselves in worship.  And proclaim the Pilgrimage among humankind: They will come to you on foot and on every camel made lean By traveling deep, distant ravines.’” (Quran 22:26-27)

By the time the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, received the divine call, however, pagan practices had come to muddy some of the original observances of the hajj.  The Prophet, as ordained by God, continued the Abrahamic hajj after restoring its rituals to their original purity.

Furthermore, Muhammad himself instructed the believers in the rituals of the hajj.  He did this in two ways: by his own practice, or by approving the practices of his Companions.  This added some complexity to the rituals but also provided increased flexibility in carrying them out, much to the benefit of pilgrims ever since.  It is lawful, for instance, to have some variation in the order in which the several rites are carried out because the Prophet himself is recorded as having approved such actions.  Thus, the rites of the hajj are elaborate, numerous and varied; aspects of some of them are highlighted below.

The hajj to Mecca is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation upon male and female adults whose health and means permit it, or, in the words of the Quran, upon “those who can make their way there.”  It is not an obligation on children, though some children do accompany their parents on this journey.

Before setting out, a pilgrim should redress all wrongs, pay all debts, plan to have enough funds for his own journey and for the maintenance of his family while he is away, and prepare himself for good conduct throughout the hajj.

When pilgrims undertake the hajj journey, they follow in the footsteps of millions before them.  Nowadays hundreds of thousands of believers from over 70 nations arrive in the Mecca by road, sea, and air every year, completing a journey now much shorter and in some ways less arduous than it often was in the past.

Till the 19th century, traveling the long distance to Mecca usually meant being part of a caravan.  There were three main caravans: the Egyptian one, which formed in Cairo; the Iraqi one, which set out from Baghdad; and the Syrian, which, after 1453, started at Istanbul, gathered pilgrims along the way, and proceeded to Mecca from Damascus.

As the hajj journey took months if all went well, pilgrims carried with them the provisions they needed to sustain them on their trip.  The caravans were elaborately supplied with amenities and security if the persons traveling were rich, but the poor often ran out of provisions and had to interrupt their journey in order to work, save up their earnings, and then go on their way.  This resulted in long journeys which, in some cases, spanned ten years or more.  Travel in earlier days was filled with adventure.  The roads were often unsafe due to bandit raids.  The terrain the pilgrims passed through was also dangerous, and natural hazards and diseases often claimed many lives along the way.  Thus, the successful return of pilgrims to their families was the occasion of joyous celebration and thanksgiving for their safe arrival.

Lured by the mystique of Mecca and Medina, many Westerners have visited these two holy cities, on which the pilgrims converge, since the 15th century.  Some of them disguised themselves as Muslims; others, who had genuinely converted, came to fulfill their duty.  But all seem to have been moved by their experience, and many recorded their impressions of the journey and the rituals of the hajj in fascinating accounts.  Many hajj travelogues exist, written in languages as diverse as the pilgrims themselves.

The pilgrimage takes place each year between the 8th and the 13th days of Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Muslim lunar calendar.  Its first rite is the donning of the ihram.

The ihram, worn by men, is a white seamless garment made up of two pieces of cloth or toweling; one covers the body from waist down past the knees, and the other is thrown over the shoulder.  This garb was worn by both Abraham and Muhammad.  Women dress as they usually do.  Men’s heads must be uncovered; both men and women may use an umbrella.

The ihram is a symbol of purity and of the renunciation of evil and mundane matters.  It also indicates the equality of all people in the eyes of God.  When the pilgrim wears his white apparel, he or she enters into a state of purity that prohibits quarreling, committing violence to man or animal and having conjugal relations.  Once he puts on his hajj clothes the pilgrim cannot shave, cut his nails or wear any jewelry, and he will keep his unsown garment on till he completes the pilgrimage.

A pilgrim who is already in Mecca starts his hajj from the moment he puts on the ihram.  Some pilgrims coming from a distance may have entered Mecca earlier with their ihram on and may still be wearing it.  The donning of the ihram is accompanied by the primary invocation of the hajj, the talbiyah:

“Here I am, O God, at Thy Command!  Here I am at Thy Command!  Thou art without associate; Here I am at Thy Command!  Thine are praise and grace and dominion!  Thou art without associate.”

The thunderous, melodious chants of the talbiyah ring out not only in Mecca but also at other nearby sacred locations connected with the hajj.

On the first day of the hajj, pilgrims sweep out of Mecca toward Mina, a small uninhabited village east of the city.  As their throngs spread through Mina, the pilgrims generally spend their time meditating and praying, as the Prophet did on his pilgrimage.

During the second day, the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, pilgrims leave Mina for the plain of Arafat where they rest.  This is the central rite of the hajj.  As they congregate there, the pilgrims’ stance and gathering reminds them of the Day of Judgment.  Some of them gather at the Mount of Mercy, where the Prophet delivered his unforgettable Farewell Sermon, enunciating far-reaching religious, economic, social and political reforms.  These are emotionally charged hours, which the pilgrims spend in worship and supplication.  Many shed tears as they ask God to forgive them.  On this sacred spot, they reach the culmination of their religious lives as they feel the presence and closeness of a merciful God.

The first Englishwoman to perform the hajj, Lady Evelyn Cobbold, described in 1934 the feelings pilgrims experience at Arafat.

“It would require a master pen to describe the scene, poignant in its intensity, of that great concourse of humanity of which I was one small unit, completely lost to their surroundings in a fervor of religious enthusiasm.  Many of the pilgrims had tears streaming down their cheeks; others raised their faces to the starlit sky that had witnessed this drama so often in the past centuries.  The shining eyes, the passionate appeals, the pitiful hands outstretched in prayer moved me in a way that nothing had ever done before, and I felt caught up in a strong wave of spiritual exaltation.  I was one with the rest of the pilgrims in a sublime act of complete surrender to the Supreme Will which is Islam.”

She goes on to describe the closeness pilgrims feel to the Prophet while standing in Arafat:

“…as I stand beside the granite pillar, I feel I am on Sacred ground.  I see with my mind’s eye the Prophet delivering that last address, over thirteen hundred years ago, to the weeping multitudes.  I visualize the many preachers who have spoken to countless millions who have assembled on the vast plain below; for this is the culminating scene of the Great Pilgrimage.”

The Prophet is reported to have asked God to pardon the sins of pilgrims who gathered at Arafat and was granted his wish.  Thus, the hopeful pilgrims prepare to leave this plain joyfully, feeling reborn without sin and intending to turn over a new leaf.

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Source:islamreligion.com

Rites of Hajj: A brief summary

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Intention (Niyyah and Ihram)

Entering into a state of Ihram from Meeqat and wear unsewn clothes

Tawaf Al-Qudum (Arrival)

Rites of HajjWhen the pilgrim arrives in Mecca he/she proceeds to perform Tawaf (7 rounds) starting from the Black stone and leaving the Qaa’bah on his left. Kissing the black stone is a sunnah if one cannot kiss it; touching it will be enough. The pilgrim could say any supplication during Tawaf. After completing Tawaf, he/she performs two Rak’ah behind the station of Abraham or elsewhere.

Saa’ye between Al-Safa and Al-Marwa

After Tawaf Al-Qudum, the pilgrim proceeds to Al-Safa and Al-Marwa hills where he/she will run the distance between it seven times.

Proceed to Mina

By the 8th day of Dhl-Hijja ( the day of talbiyah), pilgrims proceed to spend the night in Mina. They pray Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr prayers.

Wuquf in Arafat

Pilgrims have to proceed to Arafat after the sun-rising of the 9th day of Dhul-Hijja. It is Mustahabb ( preferable) to reach Arafat before the afternoon to communally perform the prayers of Dhuhr and Asr. It is equally Mustahabb to ask Allah and supplicate him, to pray on his messenger ( peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Wuquf in Arafat does not mean that sitting is prohibited.

Proceed to spend the night in Muzdalifah

After the sunset in Dhl-Hajj 9, pilgrims proceed to Muzdalifah and pray the prayer of Maghrib and Isha. They spend the night there.

Stoning of the devil

After the prayer in Dhul-Hijja 10, it is Mustahab (preferable) to walk toward Mina. When pilgrims reach Jamarah of Aqaba, they throw it by seven stones.

Shaving

After stoning, pilgrims cut or shorten their hair. Concerning women, they have to cut a small part of their hair.

Tawaf Al-Ifadha

Pilgrims return to Mecca to perform Tawaf Al-Ifadha redoing what they have already done in the first. Thus, what has been prohibited is allowed after this Tawaf.

  Return to Mina

Mina: By the 11.12.13 Dhul-Hijja, Pilgrims return to Mina where they reside and each day throws stones at the devil. It is permissible for those who cannot throw stones to ask someone else to do so in their places.

Farewell  Tawaf of the  

When the pilgrim accomplishes all the rites and he/she wants to leave Mecca, he/she should perform tawaf of the farewell ( 7rounds around the Kaaba ) and then perform two Rak’ahs and drink from the Zamzam well asking Allah for acceptance and forgiveness. Thus all the rites of Hajj come to an end.

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Source: go-makkah.com

A Practical Guide to Hajj

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Complete Guide to Hajj

It is important to draw your attention towards the physical difficulties which, as pilgrims, you are going to face during your pilgrimage. We repetitively warn you about the necessity of performing this duty when you still young and healthy. It is a long and hard journey during which you should be patient.

However, one thing is certain: whatever misadventures you’re told, nothing should prevent you from answering to the call of the Almighty to full fill your religious duty.

“ If GOD invites me, I shall not refuse this invitation.”

Despite the difficulty of this mission, nothing compares to the loveliness of heading to the Holy Land. You can enjoy your spiritual journey at most. You just need to be physically AND morally well-prepared.

 One month before, make a good magnesium therapy. You can also try other mixtures prescribed by your doctor or by your grandmother who would be the best to tell what kind of food to consume to prepare one’s body for a long-lasting endeavor.

It is always recommended that you keep on you some sportsmen cereal bars, as well as some sweets (chocolate bars, candies, sugar lumps…etc.). This will be useful in case you would have any discomfort (hypoglycemia), you or any of the other accompanying pilgrims.

 You need to know that we sleep very little in performing one’s pilgrimage.

We sacrifice one’s sleep in favor of taking ample advantages from our journey.

Have your fill of sleeping before leaving, but do not overdo. If you get used to sleeping too much, you will not be able to get up early for the prayers once in HajjorUmrah. In addition, the few hours of sleep you will be limited to will never be enough.

If you are used to sleeping 10 hours a day and to take your car to buy some bread at the corner, you are not really ready for the efforts which you will be making during your Hajj or Umrah.

It is crucial to properly adapt one’s body to the physical effort before undertaking such a challenging journey.

You need to consider this preparation for several weeks in advance. However, you do not need huge efforts; few small exercises will do.

Get used to walking ( half an hour a day would be a good custom). Season your body to a little more effort and perseverance.

It is essential to visit your doctor before leaving Mecca. The latter will advise you on the precautions to employ and medicines to take in your first-aid kit. The doctor will also make a full assessment to determine whether your physical situation allows you to carry out the pilgrimage or not.

A visit to the dentist should also be paid, because a raging toothache or badly looked after caries, would be a misfortune during Tawaf.

Women are advised to go to the gynecologist to help them take the necessary precautions not to have their menstruations during the rites.

Already required for the visa, vaccines protect your body against diseases and infections which could be easily caught due to direct contact with pilgrims coming around the world.

Children too, need to update all the vaccinations according to their age in the immunization schedule.

Prepare your Spirit:

The pilgrimage is a spiritual journey. To fully fulfill this journey, it is essential to have sincere intentions towards God in Hajj or Umrah and to perform all the actions according to Sunna (tradition of the Prophet ).

You need to acquire knowledge of:

1-The rites:

 For those who wish to carry out the Hajj or Umrah, we highly recommend that you study the rites of pilgrimage Following the Quran’s and Sunna’s rules to avoid any ambiguity. (See the section ‘the Rites of Hajj and Umrah’.)

2-The invocations:

 Try to learn by heart the invocations to utter in every place and in every situation. You are allowed to read the invocations from a small book, yet, it is preferable to know them by heart so as to be more focused on the invocation itself.

3-The verses of the Quran:

 In the same line of thought, it is more worthy to pray with Suras of your own choice and which include more than three lines

4-Community life:

Every Muslim is supposed to acquire a minimum of knowledge of his/her own religion.

This spiritual journey will be a very good occasion for you to expand your knowledge of the main lines of Islam, its history, the Holy Places. You will not have a better opportunity.

The pilgrimage to Mecca will expose you to a real intimacy with the other pilgrims; you all will share meals, rites, prayers, and even hotel rooms.

It is important to learn to cohabit with other Muslims. You need to be more helpful and more friendly.

Do not hesitate to give way to the oldest, share the information which the others need, give advice, be pleasant, etc.

The pilgrimage to Mecca is compulsory only when one is fully healthy and wealthy enough to perform this rite without any debts or loans.

The pilgrim must also ensure that the expenses of his/her Hajj or Umrah come from lawful and honestly earned revenues.

GO-Makkah’s Advice:

Some drugs can cause allergic effects in the sun! If you are having a long-lasting treatment, please seek your doctor’s advice.

  • Remember that 90 % of the rites of the pilgrimage are invocations (during Al Tawaf, Al Saayi, Arafat, etc.). It would be useful to prepare them beforehand.

The risks and the precautions

Here are some safety mesures to respect during your pilgrimage:

  • In the desert (Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat), avoid walking barefoot and lying directly on the ground. To avoid germs, always think of a groundsheet.
  • Avoid any contact with animals, even the domestic ones: rabies is widespread worldwide. Even though its main vectors are the dogs, all mammals (cats, monkeys, bats, fennecs, camels…) can transmit the virus responsible for the disease. This is contained in the animal’s saliva. The transmission can be made not only through biting or scratching, but also through licking a wound, however slight, or through contacting the saliva with a mucous membrane ( projection in the eye or in the mouth).
  • Protect yourselves from insect bites. Apply a repellent on the exposed parts of the body and wear long-sleeved clothes (if you are not in Ihram).
  • Take time to rest on arrival and between the stages of your pilgrimage.
  • Be careful with strong and extended physical efforts under hot weather.
  • Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, sunglasses, lightweight clothes made with clear-colored-natural fibers; and by applying sun filter cream on the exposed skin (When you are not in Ihram).
  • Avoid “The Rawda“, in Medina, during the day. The best time to go is between 10 p.m. and midnight.
  • Be careful with beggars. Try to distinguish the “real” needy from the swindlers who come with ready speech.
  • Mind the stones during the stoning ritual, even though, the authorities are taking more and more effective measures to assure this zone during the pilgrimage.

Go-Makkah’s Advice in case you got bitten by an insect, an animal, etc…:

* Before seeing the doctor, there are few simple things to do:

  • Wash the skin wound with water and soap.
  • Rinse thoroughly.
  • Apply an antiseptic.

* Several serious diseases are transmitted by insects, which can sting either in the evening, at night, or even during the day.

After your return from the pilgrimage

You have to see your doctor or consult the nearest emergency department to your home at the slightest discomfort, especially in case of fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting.

Further information on health precautions to be taken while travelling is available on the Pasteur Institute website.

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Source: go-makkah.com

A piece about Hajj experience

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A piece about Hajj experience

This is a piece about my Hajj experience for 2006. I am not trying to write about how to do Hajj and I will explain this as I write.
Firstly I would like to express my personal and sincerest gratitude to some of the people who made my Hajj possible and a success.
To my wife who stood beside me in every decision that I made from the time we made our commitment to Allaah in 2002 to make our Hajj in 2006. Through the good times and the bad times of ill health and financial problems. Even when I decided to sell our home so she could stay home to recuperate from illness while I started a business. A debt to her that I could never repay except by both of us completing our Hajj.
To the Saudi government and the thousands of officials and unseen workers right down to the street sweepers who organized everything so we could complete our Hajj. When moving over three million people at any given time delays are inevitable and we had our share. This is a time for patience and to never loose sight of the final goal and that is Hajj. I will mention this massive logistical nightmare more as I write for now it is enough to say that Hajj would not be possible but for a very few without the work that these people do.
My first experience of the reality of Hajj.
It is 4:00am and we arrived in Madeenah at 2:00am, some 30 hours since leaving Brisbane. It was a good flight with a couple of lengthy transit stops. I have had a shower and it is time to walk to The Prophet’s Mosque for Fajr Salaat. A bit early but if I sleep now I will have a hard time waking for Thuhr. A five-minute walk from our hotel and there in front of me is the splendor of this magnificent building. We all have the photos and wall hangings but nothing prepared me for the real size of the Mosque. The photos actually make the place look smaller.
A little further and we walk through the gates into the Mosque courtyard. It is at this stage that I realized that the building is just a pile of rock and, as beautiful as it is, it will fall into decay one day. I suddenly had this feeling of walking into a presence. Like walking into a soul. I felt the goose-bumps across my skin and the tears began to well in my eyes as an overwhelming feeling of peace came over me. That feeling of being in the presence of a living being is something that no picture can ever portray and the only way you will experience or even understand what I felt is to stand in front of this Mosque for the first time.
The following evening after Maghrib we decided to visit the grave of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). This is not an easy undertaking at the best of times during Hajj as there are millions of people with the same idea. I think it really is the will of Allaah if you are one of those chosen to go. After a very difficult time maneuvering my way through the massive crowd I suddenly found my self directly in front of the grave with only the partitioned wall separating me from the grave. The feeling generated by standing right in front of the Prophet’s sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) grave is something else that I could never explain to you in words. I was brought up in a Christian society (and a fairly tough one at that) where grown men do not cry. It was the first time since I was a child that I had those tears of emotion running down my face. My expectations of Hajj have only been with me since I reverted to Islam in 2000 and I know the depth of my feelings. Those feelings touched my very soul at these times and throughout the rest of hajj. I can only imagine how much more intense the feelings are for someone who has been waiting for this time all of their lives. I could certainly see some of that feeling in my wife and others around me.
If you go to Hajj then you will feel and understand what I mean. If you never go then I am sorry to say that you will miss the most beautiful experiences that you can ever have on this earth.
Since I have been back from Hajj I have been asked about Hajj in physical terms, is it nice, is it hard, is it good, what is it like? All I can say is that it is none of these things as these are all experiences of our physical senses. Our touch, taste, sight and feeling. Hajj has nothing to do with these feelings as it is something spiritual. It is a feeling of the soul.
While I was away I used my video camera and took hours of film along with a large number of photos.  As I moved further through my Hajj, I realized that all this material would really mean nothing to anyone else other than another look at the outside of a few buildings, a bit of landscape and a couple of mountains. The only person who could get the true feeling of what this film meant was me.
If I am not blessed to be able to go again then I will be able to look at this film in later years and hopefully it will revive some of the emotion that I felt at Hajj. For anyone else it would be meaningless. For this reason (right or wrong) the film that I have taken and the photos will remain my property for my wife and myself to view.
Throughout Hajj and a couple of the extra tours we did the feelings and the emotions keep flooding in day after day. Just when you think it can’t get any better it does. To climb Mount Uhud. The grave site of the martyred companions. To see where the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) hid from his pursuers. To stand at the base of Mount Hiraa’ and know that in the cave at the top of this mountain is where the original revelation of the Quran started. To climb Mount ‘Arafah and stand at the place where Adam and Eve where reunited. The tent city of Mina and the stoning of the Jamaraat. It is a never ending trip through the greatest moments of Islam.
Of course, no Hajj is complete without ‘Umrah at Al-Masjid Al Haraam and the Ka’bah. When we entered the Masjid for the first time, our guide, Barakat Ali, took us through the door that was the entrance that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) used. From this entrance the house where he was born and spent his early life is visible. From this point Brother Barakat asked us to look at the floor as we entered and not to look up until he advised. At this time I looked up and there before me was the Ka’bah. Again I will not try to explain the feelings that I had except to say that it was a totally overwhelming experience. On your first visit to the Ka’bah you will know if you do the same thing.
Another statement that I hear is how lucky I was to go. And also I am asked how does one go about getting to Hajj or that they are planning to go in the future.
There is no luck involved in going to Hajj. It is not a lottery. Planning to go in the future will not get you there. The only way to get to Hajj is to make the commitment to Allaah that you are going to Hajj for Him. Make the commitment and set a date and, if Allaah accepts you for Hajj, then you will go. Nothing or no one on this earth will stand in your way from that point.
A couple of the most important things to take to Hajj are faith and patience. From the time you commit to Hajj work hard on your faith. If you are prone to being easily annoyed or quick to temper then it is time to also start changing these failings. You will need patience, patience and more patience. Never loose sight of why you are there. You are there to do Hajj for Allaah. Nothing else matters but the successful completion of your Hajj. Everywhere you go remember that you are walking in the footsteps of our Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). Anger, yelling, fighting, etc will not see you complete your Hajj successfully.
I do not have much more to say. If what I have written encourages just one person to commit to Hajj then I will be a very happy man.

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Actions that Nullify Ihram

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Ihram is the sacred state which a pilgrim has to attain before entering the Miqat for the purpose of Hajj. A pilgrim has to make sure that he does not get involved in any such act which results in nullifying his Ihram. Allah Almighty said:
“Let there be neither obscenity nor wickedness nor wrangling in the Hajj” (Qur’an 2:197).
Listed below are the acts that consequently invalidate the Ihram of a pilgrim:

  • One should not engage in any sort of wrongdoing, transgression or immoral activity while in state of ihram.
  • The male pilgrim is not allowed to wear any kind of sewed clothes nor any perfume while in the state of Ihram. Ibn ‘Umar narrated that Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) said: “A person in a state of ihram is not allowed to wear a sewn shirt, a turban, a hooded robe, underpants, a cloth that has been dyed with sweet smelling fragrance (such as saffron), shoes or sewn slippers, unless one is unable to find regular un-sewn slippers, then one may wear his shoes provided one cuts them down to the ankles.”
  • The female pilgrim should not cover her face with a veil in the state of Ihram.
  • The males must not cover their head.
  • One is not permitted to cut hair or nails after acquiring Ihram. Allah says: “And do not shave your heads until the offering reaches the place of sacrifice.” (Qur’an 2:196)
  • The pilgrims must realize that being involved in any kind of sexual activity like kissing or touching the spouse to provoke sexual desire will nullify the ihram.
  • It is not permissible for a pilgrim to propose marriage during the sacred state of ihram.
  • The pilgrims cannot use any scented soaps or shampoo during the state of ihram.
  • A pilgrim is not allowed to quarrel or fight with anyone as it counts as disrespect of ihram.
  • One cannot kill an insect on anyone’s body.
  • Cutting or planting a tree is not allowed.
  • No animal hunting is permissible while in the condition of Ihram. The Qur’an says: “Lawful to you is the pursuit of water game and its use for food – for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of the land game – as long as you are in the Sacred Precincts or in pilgrim garb.” (Qur’an 5:96)
  • The pilgrim is not permitted to apply oil on the body.

Anyone who performs any such act that nullifies his ihram has to pay the penalty as prescribed by Allah Almighty.

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