Re-enact the experience!

Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, is the most intense and demanding of all Islamic obligations. It involves hijra (migration from one's place of abode), jihad (struggle with one's nafs) and specific acts of worship that are physically and mentally demanding. An estimated two million Muslims from every part of the world are expected to converge on Makkah this year to re-enact the experience of Ibrahim, Ismail and Muhammad, upon them all be peace, all of them Allah's messengers, in one of the most moving acts of ibadah.

Hajj is supposed to be a journey in obedience, struggle, self-purification and submission. It is also a journey undertaken to meet and to greet fellow Muslims from around the world and to share their experiences of suffering, reflection and contemplation. Most Muslims, however, are unable to do this. 

Mundane (self imposed) personal problems and physical impediments (created) by the system, leave little time to benefit from the truly spiritual and divine aspects of Hajj. The true content seems to have been reduced to rituals, thus making this unique experience a mere mechanical exercise.

The conceptual problem is more difficult to overcome because this has been drilled into the minds through decades of indoctrination. There is a great emphasis on the rituals: i.e. how to perform various acts, with little or no understanding about their significance, spiritual or political. The whys of Hajj are as much, if not more important than the hows of Hajj. By ignoring them, the hujjaj do not return any wiser. 

In fact, it is that abandonment of whys that foster another bizarre culture: indulgence in shopping, to acquire the latest electronic gadgets, as well as beads and prayer-mats manufactured in Korea, China or Japan. Not to mention stocking of Madina Medjool dates grown in Southern California! This is only one aspect of the problem but a serious one. 

One of the saddest problems at Hajj is the ugly show of disparities. Different levels of services are offered to hujjaj, based on the price charged for each type of service. Now one can perform a super deluxe Hajj with all amenities. It is like a spiritual holiday in five-star hotels, with room service, round-the-clock beverages and the occasional trip to the Haram, to attend to one's spiritual needs. The only time one then rubs shoulders with the rest of the Ummah is either in the Haram or at Arafat and Muzdalifah. Muzdalifah is now the only real leveler: there are no tents, air-conditioned or otherwise; everyone spends the night in the open with dust and dirt blowing on to them. Let us hope that the court Ulema will not come up with a 'fatwa' allowing special facilities for the effete rich who prefers to have a leg up from the Ummah.

Hajj is supposed to be a very spiritual journey towards the Creator. The tourist is not a mere traveler but a Haji who is exclusively invited by the Creator. Our focused aspirations must be to re-enact the experiences of:

Prophet Ibrahim, whose selfless sacrifice has no parallel in the annals of history of humankind.
Prophet Ismail, whose example of obedience and submission is awe-inspires the humanity until eternity.
Prophet Muhammad, who firmly stood on the plains of Arafat and proclaimed the completion of his mission, i.e., establishing the Sovereignty of One Creator over every-thing and every-one.
(may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon all of the Prophets)

This then must be the objective of those who are blessed to respond to His invitation this year and those who aspire to respond next year, InshaAllah. A journey that is devoid of passions and desires to capture the true spirit of this awesome occasion would be no more but (may be) a halal-holiday!

Let us pray in the coming days and nights of these holy months;

that, we be blessed with the courage of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to break all the idols (apparent & hidden),
that, we be blessed with the fervent desire of obedience and submission of Prophet Ismail (Ishmael) to the Will of One God alone and none else,
that, we be blessed with the courage, patience and perseverance of Hajra (Hagar) and optimism to survive in the midst of nothingness,
that, we be blessed with all of the above that is epitomized in the life and character of our last and eternal leader, Prophet Muhammad ...

May our fervent prayers reach the Creator and be accepted by Him. Then and only then our arduous journeys will turn into serene joys that will last all seasons!