Objectives of Hajj

Allah Almighty wanted Islam =mall to be unified in its faith and in the performance of its religious ceremonies and rites, having one conviction as a Shar'ia and a method as it was sent down from Allah via the tongue of His Apostle and the seal of His Prophets, and taking the obligation of following and observing a unified way of conduct and demeanour, completing the ordinances and abstaining from the prohibitions. In pilgrimage the picture of unity is revealed in the most complete of demonstrations. Muslims gather in one place with the purpose of performing one pillar of Islam, after being unified by the strong bonds of creed and brought together by the feelings of entity and identification with these bonds and hence all the differences of nationality, color, tongue and circumstances have been dissolved among them. In this one place, the Muslims witness numerous benefits, wordly benefits and religious benefits as Allah said "That they may witness the benefits (provided) for them and celebrate the name of God, through the days appointed over the cattle which he has provided for them (for sacrifice" (Surat-ul-Haj, verse 28). This word "benefits" is a collective noun. Some of these benefits are witnessed by the pilgrim himself, and some of them are felt by him deep in him and he feels the reality and manifestation of this unity in Ihram (entrance into consecrated state), in Miqat (the appointed time and place of Ihram) in Tawaf (the procession around the Ka'aba) in Sa'e (cermony of running seven times between Safa and Marwa) in going out of Mina, on the stop in Arafat, in the throwing of Jamarat (stones), and in every stage and step of the performance of Haj and its religious rituals. Another important benefit, is what the Muslim will find saved and provided for him by Allah of the awards for performing this pillar of Islam and for the efforts exerted and difficulties went through, having the sincere intention of doing that for the sake of Allah Almighty. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, "..., and the accepted Haj has no reward but the Jannah (garden of Eden)" Sahih Muslim. The ordinance of Haj will remain, as Allah wanted it, a religious reunion of Muslims in which they meet every year in affirmation of their unity, solidarity, renewal of their interrelation, consideration of their benefits, and above all, strengthening and acknowledging of their faith and their response to the call of the Master of all Worlds and the call of His Messenger. Nevertheless, this ordinance will also remain as a meeting place of religious education, that culture of the human beings and training them for love and sympathy, and calling them for togetherness. For people, to achieve all this, they have been prohibited from litigation, enemity and arguing while they are in the Haj rituals, because such kind of feelings will only lead to division and disintegration. "For Haj are the months well known. If anyone undertakes that duty therein, let there be no obscenity nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Haj and whatever good Ye do, (be sure) God knoweth it" Surat-ul-Bagara, verse 197.

*A. H. Al-Nafisah. Contemporary Jurisprudence Research Journal. Vol 4, No. 13, 1992