The Essence of the Holy Qur’an

The meaning of Hajj:
Dear, brothers and sisters, hajj or the pilgrimage, is the last among those acts of worship which Islam enjoins upon us, upon the Muslim ummah all over the world.  The word Hajj means to make a determination to visit a holy place: visiting the Ka’ba in Makkah is therefore called Hajj.  The origin of hajj is rooted in the Prophet Ibrahim’s life, peace be on him.

The universal Islamic movement:
The occasion of Hajj may rightly be called the annual international assembly of the Muslim ummah. During Hajj, Islamic brotherhood becomes particularly evident and can be experienced in a special way by everyone who takes part. Barriers of language, territory, colour and race disappear and the bond of faith is uppermost. Everyone has the same rights, the same values, and the status in the House of Allah- the status of His servant.

The importance of Hajj:
Our prophet (pbuh) has said: whoever performs Hajj solely for the sake of Allah and, in the course of it, abstains from sensuality and disobedience, he returns from there as immaculate as a child just born. (Bukhari, Muslim) During Hajj we learn that we belong to Allah, we will return to Him and we must do as He commands us. If we do, we will surely be successful in this life and in the Akhirah.