Universal Lessons of Hajj
Millions
of pilgrims from all over the world will be converging on Mecca in the
coming days. They will retrace the footsteps of millions who have made
the spiritual journey to the valley of Mecca since the time of Adam.
Hajj
literally means, “to continuously strive to reach one’s goal.” It is
the last of the five pillars of Islam (the others include a declaration
of faith in one God, five daily prayers, offering regular charity, and
fasting during the month of Ramadan). Pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime
obligation for those who have the physical and financial ability to
undertake the journey.
The
Hajj is essentially a re-enactment of the rituals of the great prophets
and teachers of faith. Pilgrims symbolically relive the experience of
exile and atonement undergone by Adam and Eve after they were expelled
from Heaven, wandered the earth, met again and sought forgiveness in the
valley of Mecca. They also retrace the frantic footsteps of the wife of
Abraham, Hagar, as she ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa
searching for water for her thirsty baby (which according to Muslim
tradition, God answered with the well of Zam Zam). Lastly, the pilgrims
also commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son for the
sake of God. God later substituted a ram in place of his son.
Yet,
the Hajj is more than these elaborate rituals. The faithful hope that
it will bring about a deep spiritual transformation, one that will make
him or her a better person. If such a change within does not occur, then
the Hajj was merely a physical and material exercise devoid of any
spiritual significance.
As all great religions teach, we are more than mere physical creatures in that we possess an essence beyond the material world. Indeed, this is why all great religions have a tradition of pilgrimage. In the Islamic tradition, Hajj encapsulates this spiritual journey toward this essence. The current state of affairs — both within and outside the Muslim world — greatly increases the relevance of some of the spiritual and universal messages inherent in the Hajj.
As
Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa asks rhetorically: “after paying homage
to the two women Eve and Hagar in the rites of pilgrimage, how can some
Muslims still violate the rights and dignity of women in the name of
Islam? Is this not a contradiction?”
Indeed,
the Qur’an teaches: “I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you
who labors in my way, be it man or woman; each of you is equal to the
other.” (3:195)
Clearly,
the white sea of men and women side by side performing tawaf (circling)
around the Ka’aba (the stone building Muslims believe was originally
built by Adam and rebuilt by Abraham and his son Ishmael) should lay to
rest any claim that Islam — as opposed to some Muslims — degrades women.
The fact that millions of Muslims transcending geographical,
linguistic, level of practice, cultural, ethnic, color, economic and
social barriers converge in unison on Mecca, attests to the universality
of the Hajj.
It
plants the seed to celebrate the diversity of our common humanity.
Pilgrims return home enriched by this more pluralistic and holistic
outlook and with a new appreciation for their own origins. One of the
most celebrated Western Hajjis (one who has completed the Hajj) is none
other than African-Ameican civil rights leader El-Hajj Malik El-Shabbaz,
more commonly known as Malcolm X. The man profoundly reassessed his
previous views during the Hajj. This transformation, of course, sealed
his break with the Black nationalist movement of the Nation of Islam.
Contrary
to the teachings of the Nation, he concluded that Islam encompassed all
of humanity and transcended race and culture. Malcolm X later said, “In
my 39 years on this Earth, the holy city of Mecca had been the first
time I had ever stood before the Creator of all and felt like a complete
human.”
In
Mecca, he discovered himself mixing with, “fellow Muslims, whose eyes
were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose
skin was whitest of white.” Malcolm X was so inspired by what he
witnessed, that, in letters to friends and relatives, he wrote, “America
needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases
from its society the race problem.”
Upon returning to America, he embarked on a mission to enlighten both blacks and whites with his new views. Malcolm X understood that in order to truly learn from the Hajj, its inherent spiritual lessons must extend beyond the fraternal ties of Muslims to forging a common humanity with others.
In
fact, as part of the spiritual experience, the pilgrimage links people
across religions through a past shared by several Abrahamic traditions.
This combined with the Islamic teaching of the common origin of humanity
holds out much hope. Indeed, the Qur’an teaches: “We created you from a
single pair of a male and female (Adam and Eve), and made you into
nations and tribes that ye may know each other and not that you might
despise each other. The most honored of you in the sight of God is the
most righteous of you” (Al-Hujurat: 13). This is a great celebration of
the differences and at the same time unity of all of humanity.
Another
essential spiritual message of the Hajj is one of humility to God and
His supremacy and control over all that we know. The multitude of people
and their inner beliefs and practices are all to be judged by God and
God alone in His infinite wisdom and full knowledge. Indeed, as the
Qur’an insists, “Let there be no compulsion in matters of faith, truth
stands out clear from error.” (2: 256) The result of a successful Hajj
is a rich inner peace, which is manifested outwardly in the values of
justice, honesty, respect, generosity, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and
empathy. And it is these values – all attributes of God almighty — that
are indispensable to us all if we are just to get along in this world.
No comments:
Post a Comment