Hajjand

Eid-ul-Adha

English Learning Club

Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaMinistry of Education

Nahawand Intermediate School

the seven-fold circling of theKa'bah, with a prayer recitedduring each circuit. Theircircumambulationof theKa'bah, the symbol of God'soneness, implies that allhuman activity must haveGod at its center. It alsosymbolizes the unity of Godand man.After completing thetawaf,pilgrims pray, preferably atthe Station of Ibrahim, thesite where Ibrahim (PBUH)stood while he built theKa'bah. Then they drink ofthe water of Zamzam.Another, and sometimesfinal, rite is thesa'y, or "therunning." This is areenactment of a memorableepisode in the life of Hagar(PBUH), who was taken intowhat the Qur'an calls the"uncultivable valley" ofMakkah, with her infant sonIshmael, to settle thereThe sa'y commemoratesHagar's (PBUH) frantic searchfor water to quenchIshmael's (PBUH) thirst. Sheran back and forth seventimes between two rockyhillocks, al-Safa andal-Marwah, until she foundthe sacred water known as

Zamzam. This water, whichsprang forth miraculouslyunder Ishmael's tiny feet, isnow enclosed in a marblechamber the Ka'bah. Thiswater, which sprang forthmiraculously underIshmael'stiny feet, is now enclosed in amarble chamber theKa'bah.These rites performed, thepilgrims are completelydeconsecrated: They mayresume all normal activities.According to the socialcustoms of some countries,pilgrims can henceforthproudly claim the title ofal-Hajj or HajjiThey now return to Mina,where they stay up to the12th or 13th day ofZul-Hijjah. There they throwtheir remaining pebbles ateach of the pillars in themanner either practiced orapproved by the Prophet(PBUH). They then take leaveof the friends they havemade during the Hajj. Beforeleaving Makkah, however,pilgrims usually make a finaltawaf round the Ka'bah tobid farewell to the Holy City.

The Hajj, or pilgrimage toMakkah is a central duty ofIslam whose origins dateback to the time of ProphetIbrahim (PBUH). It bringstogether Muslims of all racesand tongues for one of life'smost moving spiritualexperiences. For 14centuries, countless millionsof Muslims, men and womenfrom all over the world, havemade the pilgrimage toMakkah, the birthplace ofIslam. In carrying out thisobligation, they fulfill one ofthe five "pillars" of Islam, orcentral religious duties of thebeliever.

Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha

On the first day of theHajj, pilgrims sweep out ofMakkah towards Mina, asmall uninhabited villageeast of the city. Pilgrimsgenerally spend their timemeditating and praying, asthe Prophet (PBUH) did onhis pilgrimage.

During the second day,the 9th of Zul-Hijjah, pilgrimsleave Mina for the plain of'Arafat for thewuquf, "the

Hajj Rites in brief

standing," the central rite ofthe Hajj. As they congregatethere, the pilgrims' stanceand gathering reminds themof the Day of Judgment.Some of them gather at theMount of Mercy, where theProphet (PBUH) delivered hisunforgettable FarewellSermon, enunciatingfar-reaching religious,economic, social and politicalreforms. The Prophet (PBUH)is reported to have askedGod to pardon the sins ofpilgrims who "stood" at'Arafat, and was granted hiswish. Thus, the hopefulpilgrims prepare to leave thisplain joyfully, feeling rebornwithout sin and intending toturn over a new leaf.

Just after sunset, the massof pilgrims proceeds toMuzdalifah, an open plainabout halfway between'Arafat and Mina. There theyfirst pray and then collect afixed number ofchickpea-sized pebbles to useon the followingdaysBeforedaybreak on the third day,pilgrims move en masse fromMuzdalifah to Mina. Therethey cast at white pillars the

pebbles they have previouslycollected. According to sometraditions, this practice isassociated with ProphetIbrahim (PBUH). As pilgrimsthrow seven pebbles at eachof these pillars, theyremember the story ofSatan's attempt to persuadeIbrahim (PBUH) to disregardGod's command to sacrificehis son. Following thecasting of the pebbles, mostpilgrims sacrifice a goat,sheep or some other animal.On this day Muslims aroundthe world share thehappiness the pilgrims feeland join them by performingidentical, individualsacrifices in a worldwidecelebration of 'Id al-Adha,"the Festival of Sacrifice.Men either shave their headsor clip their hair, and womencut off a symbolic lock, tomark their partialdeconsecration. This is doneas a symbol of humility. Allproscriptions, save the one ofconjugal relations, are nowlifted. Still sojourning inMina, pilgrims visitMakkahto perform another essentialrite of the Hajj: thetawaf,