Hajj: A Journey Dedicated to Submission

Syed Shabbeer Ahmed Husaini Nadvi

Hajj pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of Islam and is performed in Zul Hijjah, the 12th month of Islamic calendar. It involves five days, from 9th to 13th day of Zul Hijjah. And the venue is Makkah, the geographical pivot of the Islamic faith in Saudi Arabia.

Activities revolve round the Kaabah, the cubic shaped structure that stands at the centre of the Harem Mosque. Kaabah, originally built by Prophet Adam, the first man on the earth, for the worship of one God i.e., Allah. It was rebuilt by Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham in Judeo-Christian tradition) and his son Ismail, around 4,000 years ago.

Today it is known as the holiest place for Muslims and represents the direction that Muslims turn to during five-time prayers a day; from all around the world. It is obligatory for every Muslim to perform Hajj once in their lifetime if they can afford it. The teachings of Hajj are very significant to a Muslim's daily life.

The Muslims gather there from all across the world. The preparations start at least 40 days ahead of the due dates of Hajj as delegations of pilgrims begin descending by air at Jeddah, 75 kms from Makkah. Hotels and transport are booked well in advance by Hajj management boards in various countries.

Those intending to undertake the pilgrimage would have rehearsed the rituals before setting foot in Makkah. Praying near the Kaabah is said to be rewarded one lakh times more than anywhere else.

10 nights of Zul-Hijjah

But those not performing Hajj observe the ritual of sacrifice in their places of stay. Most Muslims know the blessings of the nights of Ramazan, especially the last ten nights. However, not everyone knows that the first ten days of the ZulHijjah, are equally packed with blessings.

Important deeds

Among the deeds recommended during those ten days are observing voluntary fasts, offering animal sacrifices (lamb, goat etc), sincere repentance, recitation of the Quran, staying up the night and finally praying the Eid prayers on the tenth day of Zul-Hijjah. In Islamic terminology it is called Eid-ul Adha. But most Muslims refer to it as Bakrid. It is recommended to fast on first nine days of the month as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to do.

Qurbani and its significance

The Urdu and Persian word Qurbani (sacrificial slaughter) is derived from the Arabic word qurban. Literally, it means an act performed to seek divine pleasure. Originally, it included all acts of charity because the purpose of charity is nothing but to seek Allah’s pleasure.

But in precise religious terminology, the word was later confined to the sacrifice of an animal slaughtered for the sake of Allah. The sacrifice of an animal has always been acknowledged as a form of worship in all religious orders originating from a divine book.

Even in pagan societies, the sacrifice of an animal is recognized as a form of worship. Islam however makes it integral with the name of Allah, none else. In the Shari’ah of Prophet Muhammad, the sacrifice of an animal has been recognized as a form of worship only during three days of Zul-Hij j a h , namely, the 10th, 11th and 12th of the month.

This is to commemorate the unparalleled sacrifice offered by the Ibrahim, when he, in pursuance of Allah’s commandment (conveyed to him through dreams) prepared himself to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail (peace be upon him).

In his own knowledge he did that but the divine will was only to test his faith. Ismail was replaced by a ram, a male sheep, by an angel at the precise moment. The sacrificial slaughter of an animal became a ritual since then. The essence lies in sacrifice and a faithful’s commitment to surrender himself or any possession with him for the sake of divine pleasure.

It is a commitment to sacrifice whatever is demanded by Allah. Prophet Ibrahim carried out the divine command to sacrifice his son for the sake of God and did not think even for a moment what was being demanded and what measure of love he owed to his son. Even son Ismail did not hesitate in presenting himself for the sacrifice.

He said: My beloved Father, do what you have been ordered to do. You shall find me, God willing, among the patient. (AlQuran). The animal sacrifice offered today is in emulation of the sacrifice carried out by Ibrahim and implies the will to surrender to God. Animal sacrifice is the crux of the Eid-ul-Adha and every Muslim who possesses accumulated wealth equivalent to the value of 615 grams of gold is supposed to sacrifice an animal.

Sacrificial meat

The sacrificial meat has to be divided into three equal parts. One part has to be distributed among the poor and the needy, a second part goes for distribution am