Welcome To Islam

Welcome To Islam

Friday 30 November 2012

Ya Allah


Ya Allah........







Ya Allah help us :'(
Ya Allah solve our problems :'(
Ya Allah don't break our hopes :'(
Ya Allah accept our prayer :'(
Ya Allah bring happiness in our life :'(
Ya Allah you are our only, hope help us :'(
Ya Allah you know our problems help us solve them ;'(
Ya Allah make it easy for us :'(

Ameen 


Allah has time to listen. Do you have time to pray?
Feel people are always betraying you and you have no-where to turn? Then feel assured by this beautiful Ayah

"And Allah is most knowing of your enemies; and sufficient is Allah as an ally, and sufficient is Allah as a helper" (Surat An-Nisā', 4:45)

On Ashura Day the following have taken place:


On Ashura Day the following have taken place: 


1. Repentance of Prophet Adam (Allah’s blessing be upon him) was accepted by Allah

2. The ship of Prophet Nuh (Noah) (Allah’s blessing be upon him) came to rest on a mountain called Al-Judi.

3. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) was born on this day.

4. He got the title Khalil-ullah (friend of Allah) on this day.

5. The fire in which Prophet Ibrahim (Allah’s blessings be upon him) was thrown by the king Namrud become cool and means of safety for Prophet Ibrahim, by the order of Allah.

6. Allah delivered Prophet Ayub (Job) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) from distress and he was restored to prosperity.

7. By the Grace of Allah, Prophet Yunas (Jonah) (Allah’s blessings be upon him), after being swallowed by a huge fish (whale) for forty days, was casted out on the shore.

8. Prophet Mussa (Moses) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) got victory over Pharaoh.

9. Prophet Suleman (Solomon) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) was made a king to rule over mankind, Jins, Animals and the air.

10. Prophet Idris (Enoch) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) and Prophet Issa (Jesus) (Allah’s blessings be upon him) were lifted up alive.

11. Imam Hussain (Allah be pleased with him), the grandson of our beloved Prophet (PBUH), got martyred at Karbala in Iraq.

12. The day of resurrection and judgement will take place on this day (Ashura)

Show your love to the holy Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) by sharing this.


Show your love to the holy Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) by sharing this.
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Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) is the most noble of the Arabs and the non-Arabs,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) is the best of those who walk by footsteps,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)  encompasses all that is good,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)  is the owner of excellence and nobility,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)  is the crown of the Messengers of Allah, without exception,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)  is the most truthful in words and speech,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)  is firm in his promise, guarding it,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)  is good-natured in manners and character,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) his nature was given divine light to drink,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) , his light has continued from ancient time,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)  judges with justice, possessing honour,
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) is a treasure-trove of blessings and wisdom,

May God's peace and blessings be upon our holy
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his Family.

Monday 26 November 2012

Prophet Ibrahim (peace be on him)

Prophet Ibrahim (peace be on him)

The Advent of Ibrahim (Abraham):




 









Long ago Almighty Allah gave the honor of His choice to a man called Ibrahim.  He became the Prophet.  His native Mesopotamia is the present southern 'Iraq.  He was an ideal model for mankind.  Speaking highly of him the Holy Qur'an says:
 
"Ibrahim was indeed a paragon of virtue, obedient to Allah, ever inclined to Him and he was not of those who set up equals to Allah.  He was ever grateful for His favours, We chose him and guided him to a straight path; and We bestowed on him good in this world and in the Hereafter, he will surely be among the righteous." (16: 121-123)
 
 
His Nation was Staunch Worshippers of Idols:
In the days of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) ignorance prevailed upon the minds of the people.  Most of the people had no knowledge of Allah and His teachings.   They worshipped the sun, the moon and the stars.  They were astronomers and maintained the records of the movements of the planets.  They prayed to the idols made of wood and stone and made many offerings for them.  The priests enjoyed a prominent place in the society.  They commanded respect among their followers.   They were paid well.  The poor people were ruled by the chiefs.  They were subjected to their cruelty and injustice.



The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was the son of Terah whose surname Adhar was popularly known.  He was a doll carver and a staunch worshipper of idols.  He did all he could to compel Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to worship the handicrafts of man but flatly refused to do so.  He hated even an idea of worshipping the idols which could neither see, nor hear, nor speak.
 
 
The Prophet Ibrahim's Preaching:
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) received the message of Allah through a special angel Gabriel (Jibra'il).  Gradually he was commanded to start preaching.  As he was a strong man in his will and determination, he worked very hard.  He began his mission in the teeth of opposition.  He argued with his people with great vigour regarding the folly of worshipping the idols.  The Holy Qur'an says:


"When he said to his father and his people: What are these images to which you are so devoted ? They replied: We found our fathers worshipping them.  He said: Then you as well as your fathers have indeed, been in manifest error.  They said: Is it really the truth that you have brought for us or are you jesting ? He replied: Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth; He brought them into existence and I am of those who bear witness to this, and by Allah, I will certainly plan against your idols after you have gone away and turned your backs." (21: 53-58)
 
 
Opposition by the People and Discussion with the King:
The people paid no heed to his teachings. They insisted on their ways.  They did not refrain from worshipping the twinkling stars, shining moon and ugly idols.  The priests kept on encouraging the people to disbelieve in the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).  They were afraid lest they should be deprived of their priesthood if the people abandoned idol-worship.  As a matter of fact the king Nemrùd in that area thought himself to be god.  He had a big castle and many soldiers at his disposal.   He desired to argue with the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) one day.   They met to hold discussions: The king looked at the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) mockingly for a while.  Then he said: What is this thing you are calling the people for? Why do you persuade the People to worship God Who is invisible? The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) replied boldly: My God is the One: Who gives and takes away life.  Nemrud answered arrogantly: I have also the power to do that.  I can kill the persons and can spare them also.  The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) asked a clever question that caught every one by surprise.  He said: My God causes the sun to rise from the East and set it in the West.  Can you make it come from the east? On hearing the king remained silent because he knew that no man had the power to do so.
 
 
Breakage of the Idols:
After a few days a special event took place.  There was a grand ceremony outside the locality and every one had to participate in the celebrations.  Most of the evil-doers drank; liquor and became noisy and wild.  They were losing their balance of mind in a state of intoxication.  There was a great hustle.  Almost every one from the town attended the ceremony except the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).   He had a special plan in his mind.  He proceeded towards the Temple escaping the sight of others.  When he entered the Temple, he saw there many statues which stood motionless and helpless.
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) lifted his heavy axe and began to smite the idols turn by turn.  The idols fell to the ground with a big thud.  The floor was loaded with numerous noses, ears,  heads, arms, legs and other parts of the idols.  He broke all the idols in the sanctuary but spared the Chief one.  He did so to demonstrate that the idols had no power to cause harm to any one or bestow benefits upon others.  They were as helpless as mere stones and it is against the dignity of human beings to pay homage to them.  When the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) finished his job, he left the Temple cautiously making sure that no one had seen him.
 
 
Decision to Burn Ibrahim Alive:
When the celebrations came to an end, the people returned.  The priests went directly towards the Temple as usual and some people accompanied them.  They saw that the idols were smashed to pieces.  The floor was littered with stones and the Chief idol was standing with an axe hanging down along its neck.  The priests began to scream and became confused.  The people rushed to the Temple on hearing a deafening hue and cry.  Every one was in a furious mood.  They wanted to know who had dared do this trouble to the idols.  They wished to take revenge.  Then some one said that the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) would have done so because he consistently spoke ill of our gods and advised the people to worship One God.  The Holy Qur'an relates:
"Then he broke them into pieces except the Chief of them that haply they may return to him.  They said: Who has done so to our gods? Most surely he is one of the evil-doers.  We heard a youth called Ibrahim making mention of them." (21:57)
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was summoned to appear before the king.   When he came, he was asked if he had destroyed all those idols.  He remained silent for a while.  Afterwards he directed the king to ask the chief idol on whose neck was hung the axe with which the havoc was done.  The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was mocking and making fun of those stupid people who worshipped helpless, dumb and deaf idols made of stones.  The king as well as the priests did not like to prolong their discussions because the arguments of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) were very sound and convincing.  The Holy Qur'an relates:
"Then they said to Ibrahim: Is it you who has done so to our gods? He replied: Well, some one has surely done this.  Here is the chief of them, so ask them if they can speak.  Then they turned towards one another and said: You yourselves are surely in the wrong.  Then they were made to hung down their heads out of shame and said to Ibrahim: Certainly you know that they do not speak." (21: 65-68). 


 Although they felt ashamed yet they remained stubborn.  They decided to burn the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) alive for causing destruction to their idols.
 
 
Fire does not Burn The Prophet Ibrahim:
A big furnace was prepared for this purpose.  The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was tied with a rope and he could hardly move.  He was quite calm and cheerful believing firmly that Allah would save him.  He did not even resist and the spectators were amazed at his attitude.
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was thrown in the centre of the furnace.   The flames of the fire were blazing.  They sizzled and hissed but the Almighty Allah ordered the fire not to harm His friend Ibrahim (peace be upon him):

"We said: 0' fire! Be thou a means of comfort and security for Ibrahim." (21:70)
 
The transgressors thought that the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had burnt to death.  They did not hear the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) shouting with pain.   Some time later the people saw the prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) walking out of the fire safe as if nothing had touched him.  They were much surprised to see him.
 
 
Migration to Palestine:
In spite of this miracle the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) could not have a large number of people following his teachings.  He went on preaching and underwent a chain of tests and trials to prove his obedience and sincerity.  When his people tortured the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), he was ordered to leave that area and go to the blessed land which is now called Palestine.  In compliance with the Commandment of Almighty Allah the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) did not lose a moment's rest without getting in touch with the people and teaching them about God and His message.   Nothing seemed to discourage him.
 
 
Birth of the Prophet Isma'il and Migration to Mecca:
As the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had no off-spring from his first wife Sarah,   he entered into matrimonial alliance with another woman called Hajira (Hagar).   He prayed for a son in all sublimity and his prayer was granted.  Some time later Hajira announced happy news that she was expecting a baby.  As time passed she gave birth to Isma'il (Ishmael).  Soon after God ordered the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to take his wife Hajira and the Prophet Isma'il(peace be upon him) to the valley of Bathã (Mecca).  In accordance with the Divine Commandment he set out on a long and troublesome journey.  They arrived at the spot after a long time.  It was hilly area without any trees and water.  They set up their tents and looked around but nothing was visible except sand.  The Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him) had attained the age of a few months only when the event of migration took place.  He began to cry because of thirst.  His mother began to look for water but it was not available anywhere.
 
 
Zam Zam is Discovered:
She ran desperately in quest of water between two hillocks called Safa and Marwa but found no water.  She came back to her thirsty infant and was surprised to see the spring of Zam Zam emerged from beneath the foot of the Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him). She heaved a sigh of relief.  She quenched the thirst of her baby with water.  Many people from far and wide came to the spot where Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his family had settled. Gradually this locality named Mecca became the birth place of Islam.
 
 
Vision of the Prophet Ibrahim Regarding the Sacrifice of the Prophet Isma'il:
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) went back to Palestine to join his first wife, the beloved Sarah.  He received a Commandment in his vision to sacrifice his only son, Isma'il.  The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had no hesitation in complying with what he was ordered to do but his son was infant at that time. He had to wait until he grew older.  Due to delay the temptation of not doing what he was supposed to do, was certainly there.  But the Prophet Ibrahim (peace he upon him) had a solid faith in Allah and his life was all dedicated to His' service.  So he kept on waiting until Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) became a teenager.  One day the father told his son about the dream.  To his great surprise he saw that Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) had no objection  and was willing to be sacrificed as Allah had willed it.   He said:

"O' my father! Do what you have been commanded to do; then you will find me of the patients." (37: 10, 11)
 
This was a hard decision for a young man to take and it was a moment of great faith in Allah.
 
 
The Ordeal of Sacrifice of Prophet Ismail:
On the tenth of Dhil Hijja the father and his beloved son walked side by side.  A young lad possessed forbearance and the old man was full of determination and spirit to complete submission to Allah.  Their purpose was to carry out the orders of their Lord. Nothing was dearer to them than the service of Allah.  They proceeded towards Mina with a sharp butcher's knife that, the old shaky Ibrahim had in his hand.  Many a thought and memories of the past must have crossed in their minds.  Finally they reached a special spot.  The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) looked at his loving son whereas Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) cast a glance at his, father obediently and cheerfully. The father laid his son prostrate on the ground.  He was standing beside him.  His heart was beating violently.  He was shaking with emotions when he drew the knife across the neck of his son.  It was a moment of action, an action that was very hard to put into practice.
God highly appreciated them for their obedience and they heard a voice:

"0' Ibrahim! you have indeed shown the truth of the vision.  Surely do We reward the doers of good." (37:105)
 
When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) fulfilled the command of the dream, he was ordered not to sacrifice his own son.  A ram was provided in his stead.  The Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) stood up and the ram was sacrificed.  So the moment of suspense came to an end and both the father and the son expressed a deep sense of happiness and gratitude.  From that time until today, the savage custom human sacrifice has been absolutely abolished.
 
 
Glad Tidings Regarding the Birth of Prophet Ishaq:
When the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) displayed his unstinted submission to the orders of  Allah by trying to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail he was informed of a glad-tiding regarding the birth of baby from Sarah, his first wife.  The Holy Qur'an affirms:

"And We gave him the good news of Ishaq (Isaac), a Prophet among the good ones and We showered our blessings on him and on Ishaq, and of their offspring are the doers of good and also those who are clearly unjust to their ownselves." (37: 112, 113)
 
Time passed by and Sarah, the old lady got pregnant.  At last she gave birth to a male baby and they gave him the name of Ishaq.  Later on Isma'il (peace be upon him) proved to be the Prophet of the Muslims and Ishaq (peace be upon him) became the Prophet of the Jews.
 
 
Re-construction of Ka'bah:
The first House of Allah, the Ka'bah was erected by the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him).   It was reconstructed by the Prophet Ibrahim and the Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon them). The Muqam-e-Ibrahim is still outside the enclosure.  It is a place of marble-like stone on which he stood to raise the walls of the sanctuary at Mecca.   This stone contains the sunken imprints of the feet of the great Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).  The Holy Qur'an testifies to the hallowed sanctity of this stone by declaring it to be one of the Signs of Allah.  It says:


"We made the House a resort for men and a place of security after saying: Take as your place of worship the spot where Ibrahim stood to pray.  And We enjoined Ibrahim and Isma'il by saying: Purify My House for those who visit it and those who meditate therein; and those who bow down and those who prostrate themselves." (1:125)
 

 
Burial Place:
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) lived for 175 years.  His life was full of happenings, tests and trials.  He had a firm faith in Allah.  He never missed a moment's rest in calling for the message of Allah.  He gained thousands upon thousands of believers.  When he passed away, he was buried in Hebron, twenty miles south-west of Jerusalem.

Liberation by the Veil


Liberation by the Veil




Modesty and chastity , very important ideologies with Islam, are achieved by prescribing standards on behavior and the dress of a Muslim. A woman who adheres to the tenets of Islam is required to follow the dress code called Hijab, other synonyms are Veil, Purdah, or just Covering. It is an act of faith and establishes a Muslim's life with honor, respect and dignity. The Hijab is viewed as a liberation for women, in that the covering brings about "an aura of respect" (Takim, 22) and women are recognized as individuals who are admired for their mind and personality, "not for their beauty or lack of it" ( Mustafa ) and not as sex objects.


Contrary to popular belief, the covering of the Muslim woman is not oppression but a liberation from the shackles of male scrutiny and the standards of attractiveness. In Islam, a woman is free to be who she is inside, and immune from being portrayed as sex symbol and lusted after. Islam exalts the status of a woman by commanding that she "enjoys equal rights to those of man in everything, she stands on an equal footing with man " (Nadvi, 11) and both share mutual rights and obligations in all aspects of life.
Men and women though equal are not identical, and each compliments the other in the different roles and functions that they are responsible to. " From an Islamic perspective, to view a woman as a sex symbol is to denigrate her. Islam believes that a woman is to be judged by her [virtuous] character and actions rather than by her looks or physical features" (Takim, 22). In the article, "My Body Is My Own Business", Ms. Naheed Mustafa , a young Canadian born and raised, university-educated Muslim woman writes, "The Quran [ which is the Holy Book for Muslims] teaches us that men and women are equal, that individuals should not be judged according to gender, beauty, wealth or privilege. The only thing that makes one person better than another is his or her character." She goes on to say, "In the Western world, the hijab has come to symbolize either forced silence or radical, unconscionable militancy. Actually, its neither. It is simply a woman's assertion that judgment of her physical person is to play no role whatsoever in social interaction." 


Muslims believe that God gave beauty to all women, but that her beauty is not be seen by the world, as if the women are meat on the shelf to be picked and looked over. When she covers herself she puts herself on a higher level and men will look at her with respect and she is noticed for her intellect , faith ,and personality, not for her beauty. In many societies, especially in the West, women are taught from early childhood that their worth is proportional to their attractiveness and are compelled to follow the male standards of beauty and abstract notions of what is attractive, half realizing that such pursuit is futile and often humiliating (Mustafa). Chastity , modesty, and piety are promoted by the institution of veiling. The hijab in no way prevents a woman from playing her role as an important individual in a society nor does it make her inferior." (Takim,22)
A Muslim woman may wear whatever she pleases in the presence of her husband and family or among women friends. But when she goes out or when men other than her husband or close family are present she is expected to wear a dress which will cover [her hair and] all parts of her body , and not reveal her figure. What a contrast with Western fashions which every year concentrate quite intentionally on exposing yet another erogenous zone to the public gaze! The intention of Western dress is to reveal the figure, while the intention of Muslim dress is to conceal [and cover] it, at least in public (Lemu,25). 


The Muslim woman does not feel the pressures to be beautiful or attractive, which is so apparent in the Western and Eastern cultures. She does not have to live up to expectations of what is desirable and what is not. Superficial beauty is not the Muslim woman's concern, her main goal is inner spiritual beauty. She does not have to use her body and charms to get recognition or acceptance in society. It is very different from the cruel methods that other societies subject women, in that their worth is always judged by their physical appearance. The are numerous examples of discrimination at the workplace where women are either accepted or rejected, because of their attractiveness and sex appeal.
Another benefit of adorning the veil is that it is a protection for women. Muslims believe that when women display their beauty to everybody, they degrade themselves by becoming objects of sexual desire and become vulnerable to men, who look at them as " gratification for the sexual urge"(Nadvi,8). The Hijab makes them out as women belonging to the class of modest chaste women, so that transgressors and sensual men may recognize them as such and dare not tease them out of mischief" (Nadvi, 20). Hijab solves the problem of sexual harassment and unwanted sexual advances, which is so demeaning for women, when men get mixed signals and believe that women want their advances by the way they reveal their bodies. 


The western ideology of, 'if you have it, you should flash it!' is quite opposite to the Islamic principle, where the purpose is not to bring attention to ones self, but to be modest. Women in so many societies are just treated as s ex symbols and nothing more than just a body who "display themselves to get attention" (Mustafa). A good example is in advertising, where a woman's body is used to sell products. Women are constantly degraded, and subjected to reveal more and more of themselves. .
The Covering sanctifies her and forces society to hold her in high esteem. Far from humiliating the woman, Hijab actually grants the woman an aura of respect, and bestows upon her a separate and unique identity (Takim, 2). According to the Qu'ran, the same high standards of moral conduct are for men as it is for women. Modesty is essential in a man's life, as well, whether it be in action, morals or speech. Islam also commands proper behavior and dress of men, in that they are not allowed to make a wanton show of their bodies to attract attention onto themselves, and they too must dress modestly. They have a speci al commandment to lower their eyes, and not to brazenly stare at women.
In Sura Nur of the Holy Qu'ran it says, " Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them, and God is well acquainted with what they do". Many of the misconceptions of the Muslim woman in the west, particularly her veil stems from Arab and Muslim countries that have deviated from the true doctrines of Islam, and have " mixed up Islamic principles with pre-Islamic pagan traditions" (Bahnassawi, 67) 



In this present period of decline from Islam, many Muslim women are alienated , isolated from social life, and are oppressed by Muslim men and rulers who use the name of religion for their injustices. (Bahnassawi, 65) In this instance, the Hijab is used as a means of keeping many Muslim women away from society, with the misconception that it signifies isolation and weakness. But as many Muslim women come back into the fold of the untainted and true Islam, they are able to recognize the injustice of men who have for so long stripped them of their rights to be an integral part of society and "deserving the same dignity, honor, progress and prosperity as the men" (Nadvi,26). Women regaining their true identity and role in society, are now wearing Hijab and embracing its concept of liberation for women, and are taking their rightful places that Islam had endowed upon them fourteen hundred years ago.

Hajj

Hajj





The Hajj is the largest regularly occurring pilgrimage in the world, and one of the five pillars of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so at least once in his or her lifetime. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (Allah in the Arabic language).
The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and last month of the Islamic calender. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar used in the Western world, the Gregorian date of the Hajj changes from year to year. Ihram is the name given to the special spiritual state in which Muslims live while on the pilgrimage.
The Hajj is associated with the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham (Ibrahim). Pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: Each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building which acts as the Muslim direction of prayer, runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, drinks from the Zamzam Well, goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, and throws stones in a ritual. The pilgrims then shave their heads, perform a ritual of animal sacrifice, and celebrate the three day global festival of Eid al-Adha.

History



The Hajj is based on a pilgrimage that was ancient even in the time of Muhammad in the 7th century. According to Hadith, elements of the Hajj trace back to the time of Abraham (Ibrahim), around 2000 BCE. Abraham's wife, Sarah, was unable to conceive, and upon her request, Abraham had taken their female servant, Hagar, as a second wife. Hagar bore Abraham a son, Ishmael. It is believed that Abraham was ordered by God to leave Hagar (Hājar) and Ishmael (ʼIsmāʻīl) alone in the desert. Looking for shelter, food and water, Hagar ran back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times with her son. In desperation, she laid the baby on the sand and begged for God's assistance. The baby cried and hit the ground with his heel (some versions of the story say that the angel Gabriel (Jibral) scraped his foot or the tip of his wing along the ground), and the Zamzam Well miraculously sprang forth.
Prior to Muhammad's era, each year tribes from all around the Arabian Peninsula would converge on Mecca, as part of the pilgrimage. The exact faith of the tribes was not important at that time, and Christian Arabs were as likely to make the pilgrimage as the pagans. Muslim historians refer to the time before Muhammad as jahiliyyah, the "Days of Ignorance", during which the Kaaba contained hundreds of idols – totems of each of the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, with idols of pagan gods such as Hubal, al-Lat, Al-‘Uzzá and Manat.
Muhammad was known to regularly perform the Umrah, even before he began receiving revelation. Historically, Muslims would gather at various meeting points in other great cities, and then proceed en masse towards Mecca, in groups that could comprise tens of thousands of pilgrims. Two of the most famous meeting points were in Cairo and Damascus. In Cairo, the Sultan would stand atop a platform of the famous gate Bab Zuwayla, to officially watch the beginning of the annual pilgrimage.
In 630 CE, Muhammad led his followers from Medina to Mecca, it was the first Hajj to be performed by Muslims alone, and the only Hajj ever performed by Muhammad. He cleansed the Kaaba, destroyed all the idols, and re-ordained the building as the house of God. It was from this point that the Hajj became one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Performing Hajj was a hazardous journey for early pilgrims; Ibn Jubayr noted the skeletons of pilgrims who had died of thirst during the journey. In the seventeenth century a group of Egyptian pilgrims lost over 1,500 people and 900 camels. In 1924 around one-fifth of a group of Syrian pilgrims died and two years later 12,000 are thought to have died during the journey.

Preparations



Pilgrims generally travel to Hajj in groups, as an expression of unity. Some airlines have special packages for Muslims going to Mecca such as the Haj subsidy offered in India. Ships also take pilgrims to Mecca.
During the Hajj, male pilgrims are required to dress only in the ihram, a garment consisting of two sheets of white unhemmed cloth, with the top draped over the torso and the bottom secured by a white sash; plus a pair of sandals. Women are simply required to maintain their hijab—normal modest dress, which does not cover the hands or face.
The Ihram is meant to show equality of all pilgrims, in front of God: there is no difference between a prince and a pauper. Ihram is also symbolic for holy virtue and pardon from all past sins. A place designated for changing into Ihram is called a miqat ( like Zu 'l-Hulafa, Juhfa, Qarnu 'l-Manāzil, Yalamlam, Zāt-i-'Irq, Ibrahīm Mursīa).
While wearing the Ihram, a pilgrim may not shave, clip their nails, wear perfume, swear or quarrel, have sexual relations, uproot or damage plants, kill or harm wild animals, cover the head [for men] or the face and hands [for women], marry, wear shoes over the ankles, or carry weapons.

Rites



Upon arrival in Mecca the pilgrim, now known as a Hajji, performs a series of ritual acts symbolic of the lives of Ibrahim (or Abraham in English) and his wife Hajar (or Hagar in English). The acts also symbolize the solidarity of Muslims worldwide.
The greater Hajj (al-hajj al-akbar) begins on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month of Dhu al-Hijjah. On the first day of the Hajj (the 8th day of the month), if they are not already wearing it upon their arrival, pilgrims put on ihram clothing and then leave Mecca for the nearby town of Mina where they spend the rest of the day. The Saudi government has put up thousands of large white tents at Mina to provide accommodations for all the pilgrims.

Tawaf

The pilgrims perform their first Tawaf, which involves all of the pilgrims visiting the Kabah and walking seven times counter-clockwise around the Kaaba. They may also kiss the Black Stone (Al Hajar Al Aswad) on each circuit. If kissing the stone is not possible because of the crowds, they may simply point towards the Stone on each circuit with their right hand. In each complete circuit a pilgrim says "In the name of God, God is Great, God is Great, God is Great and praise be to God" (Bism Allah Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lil Lahi Alhamd) with 7 circuits constituting a complete tawaf. The place where pilgrims walk is known as "Mutaaf". Only the first three shouts are compulsory, but almost all perform it seven times.
The tawaf is normally performed all at once. Eating is not permitted but the drinking of water is allowed because of the risk of dehydration. Men are encouraged to perform the first three circuits at a hurried pace, followed by four times, more closely, at a leisurely pace.
After the completion of Tawaf, all the pilgrims have to offer two Rakaat prayers at the Place of Abraham (Muqaam Ibrahim), a site inside the mosque that is near the Kaaba. However, again because of large crowds during the days of Hajj, they may instead pray anywhere in the mosque.
Although the circuits around the Kaaba are traditionally done on the ground level, Tawaf is now also performed on the first floor and roof of the mosque because of the large crowd.
After Tawaf on the same day, the pilgrims perform sa`i, running or walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah. This is a re-enactment of the frantic search for water for her son Ishmael by Abraham's wife and Ismael's mother Hajar. As she searched, the Zamzam Well was revealed to her by an angel, who hit the ground with his heel (or brushed the ground with the tip of his wing), upon which the water of the Zamzam started gushing from the ground. The back and forth circuit of the pilgrims used to be in the open air, but is now entirely enclosed by the Masjid al-Haram mosque, and can be accessed via air-conditioned tunnels. Pilgrims are advised to walk the circuit, though two green pillars mark a short section of the path where they are allowed to run. There is also an internal "express lane" for the disabled. As part of this ritual the pilgrims also drink water from the Zamzam Well, which is made available in coolers throughout the Mosque. After the visit to the mosque on this day of the Hajj, the pilgrims then return to their tents.

Arafat






The next morning, on the eighth of Dhu al-Hijjah, the pilgrims proceed to Mina where they spend the night in prayer.
On the tenth day, they leave Mina for Mt. Arafat where they stand in contemplative vigil and pray and recite the Qur'an, near a hill from which Prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon, this mountain is called Jabal Al Rahmah (The Hill of Forgiveness, Mount Arafat). This is known as Wuquf, considered the highlight of the Hajjah. Pilgrims must spend the afternoon within a defined area on the plain of Arafat until after sunset. No specific rituals or prayers are required during the stay at Arafat, although many pilgrims spend time praying, and thinking about the course of their lives. A pilgrim's Hajj is considered invalid if they do not spend the afternoon on Arafat.[4]

Muzdalifah

As soon as the sun sets, the pilgrims leave Arafat for Muzdalifah, an area between Arafat and Mina. Pilgrims spend the night sleeping on the ground with open sky, and in the morning they gather pebbles for the next day's ritual of the stoning of the Devil (Shaitan) after returning to Mina.

Ramy al-Jamarat


At Mina the pilgrims perform Ramy al-Jamarat, throwing stones to signify their defiance of the Devil. This symbolizes the trials experienced by Abraham while he was going to sacrifice his son as demanded by God. The Devil challenged him three times, and three times Abraham refused. Each pillar marks the location of one of these refusals. On the first occasion when Ramy al-Jamarat is performed, pilgrims stone the largest pillar known as Jamrat'al'Aqabah. Pilgrims climb ramps to the multi-levelled Jamaraat Bridge, from which they can throw their pebbles at the jamarat. On the second occasion, the other pillars are stoned. The stoning consists of throwing seven pebbles. Because of the crowds, in 2004 the pillars were replaced by long walls, with catch basins below to collect the pebbles.

Eid al-Adha

After the Stoning of the Devil, the pilgrims perform animal sacrifices, to symbolize God having mercy on Abraham and replacing his son Ishmael with a ram, which Abraham then sacrificed. Traditionally the pilgrims slaughtered the animal themselves, or oversaw the slaughtering. Today many pilgrims buy a sacrifice voucher in Makkah before the greater Hajj begins, which allows an animal to be slaughtered in their name on the 10th, without the pilgrim being physically present. Centralized butchers sacrifice a single sheep for each pilgrim, or a camel can represent the sacrifice of seven people. The meat is then packaged and given to charity and shipped to poor people around the world. At the same time as the sacrifices occur at Mecca, Muslims worldwide perform similar sacrifices, in a four day global festival called Eid al-Adha.

Tawaf Al-Ifaadah

On this or the following day the pilgrims re-visit the Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca for another tawaf, to walk around the Kaaba. This is called Tawaf al-Ifadah, which symbolizes being in a hurry to respond to God and show love for Him, an obligatory part of the Hajj. The night of the 10th is spent back at Mina.
On the afternoon of the 11th and again the following day the pilgrims must again throw seven pebbles at each of the three jamarat in Mina.
Pilgrims must leave Mina for Mecca before sunset on the 12th. If they are unable to leave Mina before sunset, they must perform the stoning ritual again on the 13th before returning to Mecca.

Tawaf al-Wida


Finally, before leaving Mecca, pilgrims perform a farewell tawaf called the Tawaf al-Wida. 'Wida' means 'to bid farewell'.

Journey to Medina

Some pilgrims choose to travel to the city of Medina and the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet), which contains Prophet Muhammad's tomb and Riad ul Jannah and also pay visit to the grave of Prophet Muhammad companions, Umhat ul Mominen and Ahl al-Bayt in Al-Baqi'. The Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Qiblatain are also usually visited.

Umrah

Umrah can be performed any time of year and is optional for Muslims to do. The Hajj itself is mandatory. It does not contain as many steps as hajj. For Umrah preparation/Ihram is to be done. Tawaaf and Sai is to be completed as described above. Hair cutting as per norms is last step.

Modern crowd-control issues

As of 2010, about three million pilgrims participate in this annual pilgrimage. Crowd-control techniques have become critical, and because of the large numbers of people, many of the rituals have become more stylized. It is not necessary to kiss the Black Stone, but merely to point at it on each circuit around the Kaaba. Throwing pebbles was done at large pillars, which for safety reasons in 2004 were changed to long walls with catch basins below to catch the stones. The slaughter of an animal can be done either personally, or by appointing someone else to do it, and so forth. But even with the crowd control techniques, there are still many incidents during the Hajj, as pilgrims are trampled in a crush, or ramps collapse under the weight of the many visitors, causing hundreds of deaths. Pilgrims can also go to Mecca to perform the rituals at other times of the year. This is sometimes called the "lesser pilgrimage", or Umrah. However, even if one chooses to perform the Umrah, they are still obligated to perform the Hajj at some other point in their lifetime if they have the means to do so. Total number of pilgrims in year 2012 is 3,161,573 according to Saudi Foreign Embassy.

Social effect of Hajj


Malcolm X, an American human rights activist, describes the sociological atmosphere he experienced at Hajj as follows:
There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the non-white. America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. You may be shocked by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to rearrange much of my thought patterns previously held.
Due to lack of communication between more than three million pilgrims from all over the globe and the immensity of the gathering itself, there have been many incidents during the Hajj that have led to the loss of hundreds of lives. The worst of these incidents have usually occurred during the Stoning of the Devil ritual. During the 2006 Hajj on 12 January, 362 pilgrims died. Tramplings have also occurred when pilgrims try to run between the two hills known as Al-Safa and Al-Marwa. In 2006 there were some 600 casualties among pilgrims performing the Hajj. After these events, the Saudi government made improvements for pilgrims such as providing separate pathways for travelling to and from Al-Safa and Al-Marwa.
A 2008 study on the longer-term effect of participating in the Islamic pilgrimage found that Muslims' communities become more open after the Hajj experience. Entitled Estimating the Impact of the Hajj: Religion and Tolerance in Islam’s Global Gathering, a study conducted in conjunction with Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government found that the Hajj experience promotes peaceful coexistence, equality, and harmony. Specifically, the report states that the Hajj "increases belief in equality and harmony among ethnic groups and Islamic community and that "Hajjis (those who have performed the Hajj) show increased belief in peace, and in equality and harmony among adherents of different religions"