What do you know about Pilgrimage to Makkah ?

Question

Every year about two million Muslims converge on Mecca - the holiest place in Islam - to take part in an event which combines piety and passion.

Many Muslims save for years in order to perform the pilgrimage. They often have to travel thousands of miles.


Then, once they arrive, they must brave vast crowds and the fierce heat of the desert as they perform the Hajj rituals.

Answer 1

The hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah, 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 Makkah, 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, or Ibrahim, as he is called in Arabic. According to the Qur'an, it was Abraham who, together with Ishmael (Isma'il), built the Ka'bah, "the House of God," the focal point toward which Muslims turn in their worship five times each day. It was Abraham, too - known as Khalil Allah, "the friend of God" - who established the rituals of the hajj, which recall events or practices in his life and that of Hagar (Hajar) and their son Ishmael.
In the chapter entitled "The Pilgrimage," the Qur'an 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.

By the time the Prophet Muhammad 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 Makkah is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation upon male and female adults whose health and means permit it, or, in the words of the Qur'an, 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 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 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 Makkah 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 Makkah 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 Makkah and Madinah, 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 eighth and the 13th days of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Muslim lunar calendar. Its first rite is the donning of the ihram.

For more in depth detail see the link below.

Peace be with you!

Answer 2

A person who has completed this journey can now call him/herself a 'Hajji' for one who has completed this epic journey. Of course it is not as hard as it once was. Jet planes and cars make this a nice trip not the grueling journey on foot and by horse/ camel it once was.

The Ka'aba was a pilgrimage shrine long before the 'Hajj' to Mecca came to being and had been going on for centuries before Islam came to being. the 'false idols' in that center temple were of unknown origin since all we know is Mohammad destroyed them.

Answer 3

I know it is heaven on earth and may Allah grant all Muslims the opportunity to grace this beautiful wonder.

Answer 4

MECCA is when all muslims go there to do something and learn about themselves and not burn in hell

Answer 5

What exactly is the question - you seem to have included a solid answer anyway

Answer 6

Thanks for telling us, although while you're blatantly telling us facts that we could research ourselves you forgot to mention the steps travelers take before reaching mecca...

Answer 7

You just answered your question. Hehehe

Assalamualaikum.

Answer 8

Yeah I know people who have done that. Pretty interesting.

Answer 9

Mohammed stole the whole idea from the Jews.

Answer 10

The Hajj
In the forenoon of the eighth day of Dhul-Hijja, a pilgrim purifies himself once again by bathing as he did before Umrah in the place in which he is staying, if convenient. He puts on his Ihram and says: " Here I am for Hajj. Here I am, oh Allaah, here I am. Here I am. You have no partner. Here I am. Surely all praise, grace and dominion is yours, and you have no partners."

If he fears that something will prevent him from completing his Hajj he should make a condition when he makes his intentions, saying: " If I am prevented by any obstacle my place is wherever I am held up." If he has no such fear, he doesn't make this condition.

A pilgrim goes to Mina and there prays Dhuhr, Asr, Magrib, Isha and Fajr, shortening his four unit prayers so as to make them two units each, without combining them.

When the sun rises, he goes to Arafah and there prays Dhuhr and Asr combined at the time of Dhuhr, making each one two units. He remains in Namira Mosque until sunset if possible. He remembers Allaah and makes as many supplications as possible while facing the Qibla.

The Prophet (may the peace and blessing of Allaah be upon him) prayed thus: "There is no Deity but Allaah alone. He has no partner. All dominion and praise are His and He is powerful over all things.

If he grows weary it is permissible for him to engage in beneficial conversation with his companions or reading what he can find of beneficial books, especially those concerning Allaah's grace and abundant gifts. This will strengthen his hope in Allaah.

He should then return to his supplications and be sure to spend the end of the day deep in supplication because the best of supplication is the supplication of the day of Arafah.

At sunset he goes from Arafah to Muzdalifah and there prays Magrib, Isha, and Fajr. If he is tired or has little water, it is permissible for him to combine Magrib and Isha. If he fears that he will not reach Muzdalifah until after midnight, he should pray before he reaches it for it is not permissible to delay prayer until after midnight. He remains there, in Muzdalifah, making supplications and remembering Allaah till just before sunrise.

If he is weak and cannot handle the crowd during Ar-Ramy, it is permissible for him to go to Mina at the end of the night to stone the Jamrah before the arrival of the crowd.

Near sunrise, a pilgrim goes from Muzdalifah to Mina. Upon reaching it he does the following:

a) He throws seven consecutive pebbles at Jamrah Al-Aqaba which is the closest monument to Makkah, saying Greatest," as he : "Allaah is the throws each pebble.

b) He slaughters the sacrificial animal, eats some of it, and gives some to the poor. Slaughter is obligatory on the Mutamati and Qiran.

c) He shaves or clips his hair; shaving is preferable. A woman clips her hair the length of a finger tip.

These three should be done in the above order if convenient, but there is no restriction if one precedes another.

With that, one is allowed to come out of Ihram. He can wear other clothing and do everything that was lawful before Ihram except engaging in marital relations.

He goes to Makkah to perform Tawaf Al-lfadha and Sa'yi, also for Hajj. It is Sunnah to put perfume on before going to Makkah.

With the completion of this Tawaf and Sa'yi, a pilgrim is allowed to do everything that was lawful before Ihram, including engaging in marital relations.

After performing Tawaf and Sa'yi, he returns to Mina to spend the nights of the eleventh and twelfth days there.

He stones the three Jamrah in the afternoon of both the eleventh and twelfth days. He starts with the first Jamrah, which is furthest from Makkah, then the middle one, and lastly Jamrah Al-Aqaba. Each one should be stoned with seven consecutive pebbles accompanied by Takbeer. He stops after the first and middle Jamrah to make supplications facing the Qibla. It is not permissible to stone before noon on these two days. It is best to walk to the Jamrah, but riding is permissible.

If he is in a hurry after stoning on the twelfth day, he leaves Mina before sunset. But if he wishes to prolong his stay, which is best, he spends the night of the thirteenth in Mina and stones that afternoon in the same manner as on the twelfth day.

When he is ready to return to his country, he makes Tawaf Al-Wadaa, which is seven circuits around the Ka'bah. Menstruating women and women experiencing postnatal discharge are not obligated to perform Tawaf Al-Wadaa.