Social unity is prominent during Hajj when pilgrims from all around the world come together. Hajj becomes a profound demonstration of unity and solidarity.
Hajj holds immense importance as an annual pilgrimage in Islam. It takes place in the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, known as Dhul-Hijjah. The rituals of Hajj are performed in and around the Kabah, situated in Makkah, within the Arabian Peninsula. This sacred worship is regarded as the culmination of all acts of devotion, encompassing various facets of religious observance. One such significant aspect is its social relevance.
The element of social unity is prominent in the practice of Hajj. Encyclopaedia Britannica (1984), describes Hajj as follows: “About 2,000,000 persons perform the Hajj each year, and the rite serves as a unifying force in Islam by bringing followers of diverse backgrounds together in religious celebration.” (Vol. IV, p. 844)
Every year, approximately two million individuals take part in Hajj, and this pilgrimage serves as a unifying platform that brings Muslims from different nations together in a religious gathering, fostering a profound sense of unity within the Islamic community.
In the Quran, the command of Hajj is mentioned as follows:
“And [mention] when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place of] security” (2:125).
This signifies that God has designated the Kabah as a sacred place where people return to find peace. The term “place of return” in Arabic is akin to the modern concept of a center. It is a gathering place that serves as a common reference point and symbol for all.
Every year, Muslims from all corners of the world converge upon Makkah to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. In 2012, their number reached approximately three million. During the Hajj season, Makkah and its surroundings are filled with people of diverse backgrounds. They speak different languages and dress in various attire. However, upon arriving here, their thinking becomes unified. They come together to worship the same God. Throughout the Hajj, their focus remains steadfastly on the same God. Thus, Hajj becomes an act of worship that, with all its acts and rituals, imparts lessons of social cohesion and centrality.
The history of Hajj is connected to the lives of Prophet Abraham and Prophet Ishmael. These two individuals are not only revered as prophets of God by Muslims but are also recognized as great prophets by adherents of other major religions. As a result, the practice of Hajj has acquired a historical significance and grandeur that surpasses any other religious observance in the world.
Prophet Abraham was born in ancient Iraq, and his son Prophet Ishmael was born there as well. During that time, Iraq was a flourishing civilization. Azar, who was Prophet Abraham’s father and Prophet Ishmael’s grandfather, held a high position in the governmental system of Iraq. In Iraq, there were abundant opportunities for Prophet Abraham and Prophet Ishmael to achieve a high position. However, they could not reconcile with the polytheistic beliefs prevalent in Iraq. In their pursuit of worshipping only one God, they decided to leave the region, which served as a center for the worship of multiple deities. They departed from the fertile lands of Iraq and embarked on a journey into the barren deserts of Arabia, where there existed a direct connection between the Creator and the creation. It was there that they constructed a place of worship dedicated to the worship of the one God—the Kabah.
This action of Prophet Abraham and Prophet Ishmael can be described in alternative terms: instead of adopting multiple deities as their refuge, they chose to make one God as their refuge. In pursuit of this objective, they built the House of God (Kabah), which serves as the worldwide center for the worship of the One True God. This center of monotheism also serves as the central focal point for the observance of the Hajj rituals. Let us examine some aspects of the rituals performed during the worship of Hajj.
Talbiyah
During Hajj, the pilgrims frequently recite the talbiyah in the form of the following phrase:
“Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk, Labbayk la sharika laka labbayk, Innal-hamda wan-ni’mata laka wal-mulk, La sharika lak.” (Here I am, O God, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily, all praise, blessings, and dominion belong to You. You have no partner.)
By saying these words repeatedly, a psychological state is cultivated within the pilgrim that greatness belongs to one God alone. All other forms of greatness pale into insignificance compared with the supreme greatness of God. This profound realization serves as the key to unity. Unity and solidarity cannot be achieved in an environment where each individual claims superiority over others. When individuals are ready to lose their personal sense of greatness in favour of another, this results in unity and solidarity.
Tawaf
Similarly, an important part of Hajj is Tawaf which involves circumambulating the Kabah. People from all corners of the world who gather in Makkah during the Hajj season commence their journey by performing the Tawaf around the Kabah. This act symbolizes a practical admission that their endeavours will revolve around a single focal point. They move in the same circle. This parallel can be drawn to the physical centrality observed in the solar system, where all the planets orbit around the Sun, the central point. Similarly, Hajj imparts the profound lesson that man should center his life around the worship of one God and revolve within this divine circle.
Sa’i
Afterward, the pilgrims proceed to perform Sa’i between Safa and Marwah. They start from Safa and walk towards Marwah, then return from Marwah to Safa. This process is repeated seven times, completing seven rounds. This act of Sa’i teaches the lesson that a person’s efforts should be restrained within certain boundaries. Without limits to their pursuits, they would wander aimlessly. However, when boundaries are established, individuals remain focused within them. They continuously return to the same points where their fellow pilgrims continue their activities.
This is the case with the other rituals of Hajj as well. All the rituals of Hajj are performed with a unified focus, despite their various aspects. It is as if there is a divine force like a magnet attracting all the scattered elements towards a single point.
When people from different countries arrive at the sites of Hajj, they discard their national clothing and wear a common garment called Ihram. Wearing the Ihram involves donning an unstitched white cloth, one around the waist covering the lower body, and the other is draped over the shoulders covering the upper body like a shawl. Consequently, millions of individuals are dressed in identical attire of the same colour.
The Gathering at Arafat
After engaging in various rituals all these people gather in the vast field of Arafat and a remarkable scene unfolds at that moment. It appears as if all the differences among human beings have suddenly vanished. People have let go of their conflicts and have become one, just as their God is one.
When all the pilgrims, dressed in the Ihram attire, come together in the expansive field of Arafat, observing from a height, it seems as though, despite differences in language, colour, status, and gender, everyone has become completely united. Different nationalities seem to merge into a larger nationality. The truth is that Hajj showcases such a profound demonstration of unity and solidarity that no other example of this can probably be found anywhere else in the world.
The Kabah
The Kabah is the Qibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims. Muslims face the Kabah five times a day while offering prayers. It is as if the entire Muslim world shares a common direction of worship. In general, this is a conceptual reality. However, during the days of Hajj, upon reaching Makkah, it becomes a visible reality. When Muslims from all around the world arrive here and face the Kabah while performing prayers, it feels as if the shared Qibla for all the Muslims of the world is one and the same.
The Kabah is a square-shaped structure. Around this structure, people perform Tawaf, which involves circumambulating the Kabah in a circle. Shoulder to shoulder, they move around the Kabah in a circular motion, which teaches the lesson of unity and collaboration, acting as a single entity, coming together, and working collectively. It is a practical demonstration of movement in response to a single command.
This is also an external aspect of a great training system that everyone is required to remove their individual clothing and wear the same simple attire. Here, the distinction between the king and the commoner disappears. The privileges of Eastern and Western clothing vanish into thin air. In the common attire of Ihram, everyone appears as if they have only one identity. All people are mere servants of God. Besides that, no one holds any other status or importance.
Visit to Madinah
Although the prescribed rituals of Hajj are concluded in Makkah, most pilgrims also visit Madinah after completing Hajj. The ancient name of Madinah was Yathrib. However, towards the end of his life, the Prophet of Islam made it his center. Since then, it has been known as Madinat al-Nabi (the City of the Prophet). Madinah is its abbreviation. Masjid al-Nabawi built by Prophet Muhammad, is located in Madinah. His grave lies inside the Masjid al-Nabawi. The remnant signs of his prophetic life can be seen all around.
In such circumstances, when pilgrims reach Madinah, it serves as a profound lesson for them in unity and social cohesion. In the Prophet’s Mosque, they are reminded that they have only one guide. As they depart, they realize that in spite of the multitude of geographical and national differences among them, they are all required to follow the path shown by the same Prophet. They endeavour to make him the guiding force in their lives. Regardless of their numerous and diverse backgrounds, their God is one and their Prophet is one.
