What The Quran Says About Death

What The Quran Says About Death

Hajj - A classic Example of Kingdom of Heaven

In this state of Ihram all distinctions of wealth and position, of colour and nationality, disappear. A king and a peasant are alike and one cannot be distinguished from the other. The whole humanity assumes one uniform aspect before its Maker and the universal brotherhood of man is materialized.

The holy city of Mecca which is the scene of this unique gathering is known in the Islamic literature as Ummul Qura i.e. the mother of cities. It is curious how the very name of the city suggests its chief feature. Just as a child has a yearning for his mother, similarly the people of different countries long for a visit to Mecca and hundreds and thousands of Muslims from the distant corners of the world gather to gather every year in the sacred city of Mecca. It is simply wonderful how this vast ocean of humanity behaves. There is neither a policeman nor a military guard and yet the whole affair is going on without any riot and disturbance. The people become quite harmless and docile, in the sacred precincts of Mecca. They leave off their evil propensities for the time being and the Kingdom of Heaven is actually established on the earth. The Hajjis / Pilgrims become childlike in the loving arms of the ‘mother of cities’ and do no harm to their brothers and sisters. This is the ideal state of civil life: this is the “Kingdom of Heaven” for which Jesus prayed. The dream of the master has been realized in Islam.

Importance of Hajj in Islam - Fifth fundamental of Islam Hajj

Traveling is the best method for receiving education and experience. It broadens the view and creates sympathy with humanity. That is why the Quran and the Holy Prophet have emphasized it in unmistakable terms. “Journey in the land” is the oft-repeated injunction of the Quran. The prophet also has ordained traveling in quest of knowledge.

In view of the various such advantages of traveling, Islam has made the performance of Hajj, to Macca incumbent upon every Muslim once in life, subject to the condition that he has means to undertake the journey as well as to make provisions for those dependent on him. Security of life is also a necessary condition.

Hajj represents the unique scene of man’s fraternity at the sacred city of Mecca. It is true that in our daily prayers a prince and a peasant stand shoulder to shoulder, yet the difference of their costumes is sufficient to make distinction. In Hajj, however, we have to eliminate these differences of society as well, and we are entirely brought down to the level of whole humanity. The Hajjis / Pilgrims who visit every year the sacred House at Mecca come from different countries of the world. They differ in colour, and caste; they differ in ranks and grades, they differ in speech and mode of living; yet they are fastened with the unbreakable bond of fraternity and are saturated with the true belief in the unity of God and equality of man – Sibgatullah, the Divine Tint. The display of wealth, of rich costumes, and the expensive clothes may make distinction in society, but the Divine wisdom which found its fullest and last exposition in Islam and which wants to do away with all these conventional differences, in order to create a universal brotherhood of man could not allow to remain the same in the leveling atmosphere of Mecca in the days of pilgrimage. Hence, every pilgrim, whatever his rank and position, has to divest himself in seamless white sheets call Ihram.

Hajj or the Pilgrimage to Khana Kaaba, the most respected place for Muslims, situated in Makkah, is the fourth basic element of Islam. It is obligatory only on those who can afford it and that too only once in a lifetime. It means if a person having enough money for traveling, cost of food etc. is under religious obligation to perform Hajj. Suppose:-

1.                  Traveling expenses for Hajj are US$ 2000

2.                  Food and other cost of living there in Makkah is US$ 2000.

3.                  If someone has a family he should have enough money to provide maintenance for his family in his absence.

4.                  IN case of a woman it is necessary to travel with his mehram. Mehram means a person with the marriage is not permissible e.g. mother, sister, daughter, maternal or paternal daughter or uncle or aunt etc.

5.                  For a woman, it become obligatory to perform Hajj only if she has enough money to borne cost of Hajj of her and her mehram’s. However, if her Mehram could afford his own traveling cost this condition will no more be applicable and Hajj will become obligatory for her even if she does not have sufficient amount to bear the cost of Hajj of her mehram.

Indeed the Hajj is one of the most important ibaadat. For unless a man really loves God he would never undertake such a long journey leaving all his near and dear ones behind him and incur so much expenditure.

Imagine the world before this century without any aero plan or modern ships. People have to travel in caravans for months to perform Hajj and the journeys were so dangerous that many of the Hajjis were not sure that they could reach their destination i.e. Khana Kaba in Macca and to visit Masjid-e-Nabvi in Madina Sharif.

The Hajj unites the Muslims of the world into one international fraternity.