Hajj 2024
Importance of Hajj
Every year, Millions of Muslims from all over the world gather in Makkah to perform this religious pilgrimage. Hajj takes place in the sacred month of Dhul Hijjah every year. It usually begins on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah and lasts up to 5 days. During these days, all the Muslims gathered together and performed the Manasik E Hajj (elements of Hajj).
In the Holy Quran, Allah SWT commanded about Hajj as follows:
“You will enter the Sacred Masjid, God willing, perfectly secure, and you will cut your hair or shorten it (as you fulfil the pilgrimage rituals) there. You will not have any fear. Since He knew what you did not know, He has coupled this with an immediate victory.”
WHAT IS HAJJ?
One of the Pillars of Islam is that Muslims need to perform a series of rites and ritulas. One of the most important things regarding the cost of Hajj is that it should be from savings and not from debt. It is Allah’s way to make sure that the person who is performing the Hajj must be financially and spiritually strong.
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) explains the importance of Hajj in the following words:
“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.”
Differences Between Hajj And Umrah
- Hajj can only be performed during the month of Dhul Hijjah on specific dates from 8th to 12th Dhul Hijjah, whereas Umrah can be performed at any time, date, and month throughout the year.
- Hajj is a longer process that requires 5 days to be completed, whereas Umrah can be completed in a day.
- Hajj includes 18 steps, whereas Umrah has fewer steps.
The Importance Of Holy Kaaba
The place where all the Muslims gathered to perform Hajj is called the Holy Kaaba, which is the House of Allah SWT. It is the heart of Makkah. The Holy Kaaba’s origins date back to when Allah (SWT) put Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) to the test by putting his most cherished possession—his son Hazrat Ismail (AS)—to the test of his faith. As a reward for Hazrat Ibrahim’s patience and steadfastness, Allah (SWT) rewards him by sparing his son’s life. Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), along with his son, on the commandment of Allah (SWT), built the sacred Kaaba, which is located in Masjid al-Haram.
On the commandment of Allah (SWT), Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) first built the Holy Kaaba. Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Quran:
And remember when Ibrahim and Ismail built up the foundations of the house, they prayed, “Our Lord, accept this service from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”
Interesting Facts About Hajj
- Last year, 1.84 million pilgrims performed Hajj.
- During Hajj, there is no gender separation; all the males and females are equal and together on the grounds of Makkah. Everyone does the Tawaf together, climbs Mount Arafat together, and throws the stones at Shaitaan together. This symbolises that men and women are equal in the eyes of Allah (SWT). After that, gender separation is once again recognised.
- The Prophet (SAW) tells us that the Reward For A Hajj Mabroor is Nothing But Paradise.” (Bukhari)
- The people who perform Hajj are called Hajjis.
- Wearing of Ihram. For Hajj, there is a special dress code for both males and females. Males wear only two white clothes with no stiches. For females, they can simply wear full-body-covering clothes along with headscarves, but their faces need to be uncovered.
Five pillars of Islam
Hajj is the Fifth Pillar of Islam. It is a sacred act that Muslims need to perform once in their lifetime. There are Five Pillars of Islam, as follows:
- Shahada (to believe in the oneness of Allah SWT and to believe that Hazrat Muhammad PBUH is the last prophet and messenger of Allah)
- Namaz (to offer prayer five times a day)
- Zakat (to give 2.5% of your wealth to the needy)
- Fasting (fasting for 30 days)
- Hajj (to perform a pilgrimage to the Holy Kaaba)
The thing that separates Hajj from the other pillars of Islam is that it only needs to be performed once in a lifetime, whereas others need to be performed daily or on a yearly basis.