ESL Blogs

We are still on these first ten days of the month of Thulhijjah. It is the fourth day. Another four days ahead for Hajj. Hajj (pilgrimage) will be on the ninth. Hajj is a faithful religious journey for the sake of Allah, The Almighty. It is the fifth pillar of Islam according to Hadith narrated by Abdullah, son of caliph Omar Ibnul Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them), he said, I heard the messenger of Allah, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying:
((Islam is based on five;
1-Shihadah, (there is no God but Allah), and Mohamed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is his messenger.
2- Keep up the five prayers.
3- Zakat (chaste, or the obligatory tax that a Muslim gives),
4- The fasting of Ramadan.
5- Hajj (pilgrimage for those who can afford it.

This is verse 27 of Surat Alhajj, from the Holy Qur'an. It is the proof for its legality.
In Qur'an: Allah, the Almighty said, ((Call out to people for Hajj, they will come to you, on foot and on every skinny camel, they will come from every deep distant gap and mountain pass.))
Qur'an is always sent down for the general vocalization, and not for the special cause or the occasion. The special cause here was, Allah, the almighty ordered Prophet Ibrahim or (Abraham) to proclaim Hajj to the people more than thirteen centuries ago. But the general meaning is to all mankind to perform Hajj annually. Many of the rites of the Hajj refer back to the prophet Abraham and his life. 

Here, in Saudi Arabia, more than one million Hajji (pilgrims) have arrived. I have many relatives who came from different parts of the world to perform Hajj. I shall see them after they perform their pilgrimage. Next time, we will try to talk about the rites and the benefits of Hajj (pilgrimage).