The Essence of the Holy Qur’an
A SACRED JOURNEY : HAJJ
“Surely the first House of worship established for humanity is the one in Makkah – a blessed sanctuary and a guide for all people.
(Surah No.3/ al-Imran, Verse No. 96)
Dear brothers and sisters,
Hajj is one of the five pillars on which Islam is established. Hajj means circumambulating the Ka’bah and standing (waqfah) at Arafat to gain Allah’s consent. It means the gathering of Muslims, after a sacred journey, in the shade of the Ka’bah towards which they turn for prayer all around the world other times.
Muslims who commit to performing Hajj and set off for it wears ihram, physically, and taqwa, spiritually. They promise to follow the commands of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad, and stay away from any kind of sins, wrongdoings, and unpleasant acts. Together with their Muslim brothers and sisters of different skin colors, languages, and countries of origin, they pray reciting talbiyah – “Here I am, o Allah, here I am! I am obedient to Your commands! You have no partner. Here I am, o Allah! All praise is for you. All blessings and all sovereignty is Yours. You have no partner.”
Hajj is literally a cornerstone for Muslims. Pilgrims manifest on themselves the Prophet Ibrahim’s loyalty, the Prophet Ismail’s submission, and Hajar’s reliance on Allah. They express their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the sake of Allah. Pilgrims who visit the places bearing the Prophet Muhammad’s (saw) footprints experience patience, gratefulness, revitalization, and tranquillity all at the same time. Muslims who bring with them taqwa for their sacred journey should stay away from any kind of bad words and acts in order not to waste their taqwa. Utmost care should be paid not to cause any damage to any living being and nature during the performance of hajj. Pilgrims leaving from those sacred places by leaving behind all their past mistakes and sins should never repeat the same mistakes and sins in the remainder of their lives. We would like to take this opportunity to pray that the Almighty Allah may accept the worships of hajj that members from among our community will perform.
Jobayer Al Mahmud, Istanbul, Turkey.
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