THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HAJJ
By: Zahra O Doibhilin

Devoted believers of different religions isolate themselves from people in order to purify their hearts. In the quest for intimacy with the divine; they retreat to mountain caves, monasteries, or hermitages and prefer solitude to the company of others.

Allah (SWT) has favoured Islam - as the last Testament - with Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) to be the Islamic form of monasticism when a set period of time is devoted by the pilgrims' rituals and performance to the task of freeing minds and hearts from all worldly concerns. The pilgrim seeks to pursue a unique form of collective worship of Allah (SWT) and seeks closeness to Him in the one and only location chosen by Him.

If the pilgrim understands where Hajj really stands in Islam, he will notice in himself a process of spiritual transformation through the rituals. Every step of Hajj serves as a reminder, a sign of submission to Allah (SWT), an instructive tool for self-discipline and piety, and an exhortation to the faithful aspirant.

As Hajj provides every pilgrim with tranquillity of heart, inner purity, and fullness of understanding of his existence in the cosmos, every single step should recall the ideas of the creation, glory of divine transcendence, and the unity of the believers that crosses boundaries and ethnic and gender diversities. In the heart of every aspect of Hajj is some reflection signifying the Hereafter.

Submission to the One and Only God
In Islam, God should be the goal of the human heart. Since Allah (SWT) has attributed the Ka'bah to Himself, this connection is enough in itself to make one yearn for this blessed location and its surrounding space.

The pilgrim should always be aware that the moment he leaves his family and homeland behind, his resolve should be purely for the sake of Allah, untarnished by hypocrisy and desire for any personal material gain. He should be fully aware that only what is sincere in his intention and action will be accepted and cherished by Allah (SWT).

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