Hajj is the fifth of the five fundamental pillars of Islam. While the first four manifest bodily, spiritual and some monetary acts of worship individually Hajj encompasses all the three simultaneously besides involving longer period of staying away from home for the entire period of pilgrimage. It is performed during the twelfth month of Zul-hijjah which completes the hijri year of the Islamic year based on the lunar movement. For this a pilgrim must be a Muslim, sane, adult, healthy, have sufficient money earned through lawful means to defray the expenses of hajj & at home during his absence, and the journey should be safe. No true Muslim will ever like to be a non-performer save under hostile conditions at the time of Hajj season. Unlike marriage there are numerous people with robust health, rolling in wealth, enough leisure and smooth family conditions who could not perform hajj till death knocked them and their dead bodies shrouded in white un-sewn cloth were buried in the sombre graves.
The incumbency of hajj can be judged from the religious directive making it obligatory for all who according to the Quran and the Ahadith qualify for hajj to perform it sans any cunctation at least once in life. Allah says in The Quran in Surah Al-Baqarah. Ayat No.196, “And perform the hajj and umrah the pilgrimage to Makkah”. As per Surah No.3, Aali-Imran: Ayat No.97 Allah says, “And Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah to the House (Ka’bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses”. For Muslims Hajj is a global event performed on fixed days starting from 8th and ending with 12th /13th of zul-hijahh with same rituals and events to be done by all barring a few variations for women. There is a same specific white uniform called ihram for men. For women their dress, which should be moderate and modest, suffices. Unlike other places pilgrims are to wear ihram necessarily when they reach any of the five meeqats (boundaries) before entering Makkah. The longest meeqaat is Zul-Haleefah 273 miles followed by Juhfah 116 miles, Zati–Irq 50 miles, Yalumlum 40 miles and Qarn–al Munazil 30 miles from Makkah.
Ihram consists of two white coverlets of un-stitched cotton cloth sheets and are universal in appearance. One top piece (ridah) is draped over torso and the other bottom half (izar) is wrapped around the waist that covers the area between the naval and the feet which is secured with a belt and a pair of open sandals for feet.
Without ihram no hajj(major pilgrimage) and umrah (minor pilgrimage) is permissible. Pilgrims irrespective of colour, race, creed, cast, stature, status, gender, age, mother tongue/language representing different nations/directions stranger to one another but faithful slaves to one Allah, followers of His Prophet pbuh and one Book of The Quran, recite loudly in lilt with servitude, similarity and coherence the same prayer of Labaika Allah Huma Labaika…. while marching from any side towards the sacred Ka’bah.
Adorning Ihram and performing Hajj is a time of total equality. Ihram clothing removes all societal demonstration of wealth or status. It is sign of an incontrovertible submissiveness before the commands of Allah where some permitted things become prohibited during the umrah and the five fixed days for hajj. Unlike wearing sewn clothes of different colours /make/size and shoes & sandals, un-hemmed two pieces of cloth and specific sandals are to be worn with no socks at all unless there is some genuine health problem. You cannot apply scent or use scented soap, tooth paste, pair nails, hunt any land inhabiting animal or help hunters except killing a harmful creature. There cannot be sexual relations between spouse or conversing about marriage, marital relationship or any proposal for marriage.
Wearing of saffron cloth is also forbidden and men cannot wear socks or shoes which cover the anklets. Usually while entering a mosque two rakkats of prayers are offered in honour of mosque if there is time for any farz(obligatry )prayers followed after the Imam(leader).However,while entering mutaff(premises of Ka’bah) no prayers but tawaf (circumambulation)is to be performed provided it is not time for any obligatory prayers which should precede. Circumambulation of Ka’bah is done seven times which makes one tawaf.
No circumambulation is done for any other mosque in the world. Normally five prayers are to be offered at proper fixed times with fixed number of rakkats- two, three and four in number for farz prayers. In hajj four rakkats go for reduction to two only called qasr. Timings are also modified for Zuhr and Asr which are to be offered at noon with one Azan and two iqamats one after the other simultaneously on 9th zul-hajjah in Arafat about 9 miles away from Makkah and 7 miles from Muzdalifah. This is technically called ja’mul-taqdeen(the preceding combination) after which wuquf(standing before Allah) is done which marks the climax of hajj.
Maghrib and Isha prayers are also combined, technically called ja’mul-takhir(delayed combination) and observed at Muzdalifah at Isha time. Offering two time prayers in one sitting at one place is called bayansulatain.
All pilgrims as a must sacrifice animals such as camel, buffalo, ox, goat, sheep from 10th to 12th zil-hajah either directly or through authorised agencies on payment. This is reminiscent of the utmost act of devotion & submission when Hazrat IbrahimASWS, in old age brought his dearest son Hazrat IsmaielASWSon the altar for sacrifice consequent upon a dream in which he found himself sacrificing his son on the direction of Allah. Generally men rarely shave off their head. But after performing the act of sacrifice men do halaq- shave off or qasr- clip short the hair. Women are to clip a fingertip of their hair.
On Eid a pilgrim is not to offer Eid prayers which is else two rakkats observed by non-pilgrims. On Eid all are or wish to be with their families at home and taste different dishes, delicacies and wear, as possible, the best clothes on the occasion but a pilgrim beholding meagre and moderate food wearing ihram smeared with dust lies between the open sky and the tents standing on sun scorching sandy soil at Mina about 5 miles from Ka’bah.
He represents a picture of a destitute, a pauper, helplessness and solitude before Allah. Ihram colour and clothing remind him of the last clothing after one breathes the last. From a broader perspective hajj is a unique worship, sacrifice of time, comfort, money, tastes, desires, environ, of being away from children/relatives/friends/ neighbours/favourites etc. It renews the sense of purpose of man in this world to prepare for success in the world hereafter.
It reminds of the universal brotherhood, accommodation, patience, sacrifice even of life, discipline, contentment, oneness of Allah to be bowed before by all for all intents & purposes with no one considered to be a partner or an advisor in His scheme of things.
The author is a former Sr. Audit Officer and Consultant in the A.G’s Office Srinagar.