Hajj

Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims. It is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and can support their family during their absence.

Overview

The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to Allah. The word Hajj means "to intend a journey", which connotes both the outward act of a journey and the inward act of intentions.

Rituals of Hajj

The Hajj is associated with the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham. During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building which acts as the Muslim direction of prayer.

Significance

The Hajj is regarded as a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in the lifetime of every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (Allah in the Arabic language).

See Also

• Islam
• Mecca
• Muhammad
• Abraham
• Kaaba

Hajj Resources
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