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.
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