The gathering at Arafat is like nothing else in the world. The congregation draws Muslims from all corners of the planet once a year, the culmination of a life-time of devotion and yearning which has no parallel, and difficult to describe in words.
The sense of utter physical and spiritual deliverance and salvation, and the euphoria generated by the thought of having all one's sins of omission and commission absolved and forgiven, and beginning of a new life, pure and simple, entirely at peace with the creator and creation is an attainment which all the nearly two billion Muslims around the globe cherish, but only the lucky ones get to accomplish.
The Hajj rites, which take pilgrims in their Ahrams from 7th of Zilhij till 12th, ending with a final 'Tawaf' and changing the Ahram to usual attire, sacrifices, clipping of hair and prayers of thanks is a unique experience that changes a person's whole outlook towards life. Some retain that sublime state suffused with deep colours of humility and piety for the rest of their chaste lives and can claim true salvation. Others shed the garb the moment they get to renewed grips with their mundane affairs, and have little to show for their spiritual experience later. That is the difference between Hajj-e-Maqbool (the 'accepted' pilgrimage and salvation) and the other - the rejects. However, it all depends on Allah's will and dispensation, and no one else can judge what pleases Him, and who ultimately earns His approval! Let us hope and pray that every pilgrim is a sincere, true and chaste devotee, and all of them qualify for salvation.
The genesis of 'Kaaba' and Hajj
'Kaaba', the focal point of Muslims' devotion to Allah, dates back to its founders, Patriarch Abraham (Hazrat Ibrahim A.S.) and his eldest (and at that particular time in history, His only son) Hazrat Ismail (A.S.) (Ishamael), and since the Hajj is known as Hajj-e-Ibrahimi, the story is indeed worth a recall.
Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) Khalil-ullah is revered by followers of three great monotheistic faiths - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He was married to Hazrat Sarah - an Egyptian Princess, but, not having any children by her, was coaxed by her into marrying another exalted Egyptian lady - Hazrat Hajirah (Hager) who was her companion - also from the Royal Egyptian Court. This union produced Hazrat Ismail (A.S.) - the first born son, and a source of great rejoice and comfort for the venerable, elderly patriarch. However, Lady Sarah became jealous and forced Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) to take Hazrat Hajirah and her new born to a wilderness and leave them there.
In a desolate and lifeless vast expanse of desert, the infant was crying of thirst, and his mother ran between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times searching for water. Disappointed and tired, she came back to see her son digging his heels into ground, where Divine providence ordained a spring of water to gush forth. This is the renowned Zam-Zam, whose water is still carried by millions as 'Tabarruk' to all parts of the world, as a sure cure for various ailments.
Running between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times is still part of the ritual without which Hajj is not complete - in commemoration of the toils and hardship (Saiee) of Hazrat Hajirah in search of water, and the spring of Zam-Zam is still gushing forth fresh and miraculously clean water after thousands of years in that otherwise waterless desert, quenching the thirst of millions every day, and inexhaustible!
Going back to the narration, Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) used to visit his forsaken family once in a while and return. The child grew up in his mother's care in a settlement that had drawn weary travellers to settle permanently, near a source of perennial water in the tree-less desert at the time. The tribe was later called Quresh and other sub-tribes from whom all the Arabs descend.
Once Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) saw and heard in a vision, repeated many times, a call to sacrifice his only son and heir. It was a great test of extreme obedience to the Lord's command, and Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) took his son with him to go to a solitary place for the sacrifice. The devil (Satan) tried to dissuade, first the father and then the son, from performing the sacred duty, but was rebuffed by both.
The place (Jumarat) where stones signifying the devil stand is still pelted with stones by pilgrims, in memory of Satan's evil attempt to misguide Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) and Hazrat Ismail (A.S.) on their way to the great sacrifice. Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) then confided in his son the true purpose of the sojourn and the call to duty. The young son, a mere boy at that time, was profoundly steadfast and told his father to do as per the Divine call without any hesitation, only supplicating to be put on the ground face down, so that filial bond that existed between the two may not cause any wavering of the noble purpose in carrying out the Divine command.
Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) laid his son face down, and tried to draw the knife across the boy's throat many times, but Allah had ordained the knife not to harm the child, and it won't work, despite the venerable old man sharpening its edge many times for the purpose. In that frustrating moment came a call, informing Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) that he had successfully passed the test with flying colours and that he did not waver in his steadfastness and devotion and commitment to God, which had met the Divine approval. By Allah's command a lamb appeared on the spot, and Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) was instructed to sacrifice the animal which he did, as a substitute for his son.
That act of sacrifice is still emulated by Muslims the world over on 10th, 11th or 12th Zilhij every year by the millions, in remembrance of the great sacrifice, in a feast known in Persian as 'Eid-e-Qurban'.
The story does not end there. On one of his later visits to the settlement (now known as Makkah) Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) received a message, commanding him to build a House of the Lord, the Kaaba. Father and son did the masonry and built up the House of God (Baitullah Sharif or the Holy Kaaba) which stands and will remain there till the Day of Judgement, for all true believers to offer their prayers facing it, and visiting at least once in a lifetime for Hajj, in commemoration of Hazrat Ibrahim's great toils.
Hazrat Ismail (A.S.) grew up and got married, and his progeny prospered around Kaaba. Our Holy Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) has descended from that Holy ancestor.
Even before our Holy Prophet, the ritual of Hajj was carried out yearly, drawing pilgrims from across the then known world, including India. After Islam, the site became the focal point of the faithful, and the centre of gravity of Muslims around the globe.
The building itself has been renovated or rebuilt many times through the ages, and the Holy Kaaba and its surrounding mosque (the Haram Sharif and its environs) today show a splendour that is a far cry from the simple structures of its origins.
Muslims travel to Makkah and Madinah by the millions every year, and the numbers keep growing, which increases the problems of its custodians - the Royal Saudis - no end. Apart from the purely religious aspects, the social, financial, ethnic and sectarian problems cause worries and incidents that mar the solemnity of the occasion of Hajj. Other than the Hajj season, pilgrims flood in, every day of the year, in ever greater numbers to perform Umrah (the lesser Hajj) which keeps the House of God and the City of the Holy Prophet (the Haramain Sharifain) occupied and thronging with people day and night throughout the year and in all seasons. That creates health hazards, among other worries. Unfortunate to say, but certain criminal elements mar the sanctity of the occasion by their nefarious activities, which is a blot on the face of this noblest of the places on earth.
Among the visitors are many who think they are going there to get an absolution of their past sins, and come back (with a clean slate in their estimation) to start afresh where they left off. A sad and entirely disreputable travesty of Faith!
Let us pray to Allah to bestow on all of us, in His limitless Mercy and Bounty, the opportunity to perform Hajj, at least once in life time, in the true spirit of our forefather Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.), and all the rightful Prophets after Him, climaxing with our noble and exalted Prophet (PBUH), and forgive all of our sins - individual and collective - unwittingly or deliberate - and let the world live in peace and tranquillity. Ameen!
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