Hajj takes place in Makkah, in modern day Saudi Arabia, during the holy month of Dhul Hijjah, the 12th month in Islamic calendar. Hajj is a spiritual duty & pillar of Islam, meaning that Hajj must be performed by every Muslim at least once in their lifetime, so long as they are financially, physically, and emotionally able to do so (The Quran verses 2.197; 3.98).
As a Muslim who has performed pilgrimage, I found preparing to perform Hajj, is an incredibly exciting time, but also a time of great spiritual importance. It is a test of patience & temperament - a spiritual, emotional, and physical challenge. It offers the opportunity to refresh my own spiritual self, to cleanse me of my sins and to draw closer to Allah SWT.
Hajj takes place each year between the 8th and 12th Dzul Hijjah. It was taught to Muslims by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but its origin actually dates back to the teachings of another of Islam's beloved Prophet Ibrahim (upon him be peace), thousands of years before. This year, Hajj is taking place between 14th June to the 19th June, 2024.
What has the experience of Hajj taught me? First one must ask - what does Hajj mean? For me, in essence, Hajj is man's evolution toward Allah. It is a symbolic demonstration of the philosophy of Creation of Adam. To further illustrate this, it must be stated that the performance of Hajj is a simultaneous show of many things: it is a “show of creation”, a real “show of history”, a “show of unity”, a “show of the Islamic ideology” & a show of the Ummah (Nation or it refers to ideal Islamic society). Allah (God) is the ultimate stage director.
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