Hajj: Difference between revisions

The Hajj (حج) is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. It is an obligatory duty (fard الفرض) for physically and financially capable Muslims, and constitutes one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The pilgrimage takes place on the 12^th month of the Islamic calendar, between the 7^th and 13^th day of Dhu al-Hijjah. Those who fail, despite their capability, to complete the Hajj at least once during their life times may have others complete it on their behalf, so as to avoid torment in the hereafter. The Umrah, on the other hand, is a voluntary and less ritually-intensive version of the Hajj that can be done at any time of the year.

Origins

The Hajj, along with the Ka'aba, the black stone, and many other aspects of Islam, are most likely pagan in origin and lack explicit mention in Judeo-Christian scriptures. Islamic scriptures, however, teach that these practices extend thousands of years into the past, back to the time of Abraham, who they credit with having constructed the Ka'bah and founded Mecca.

Rituals

The main rituals include walking seven times around the Ka'aba, touching the Black Stone, traveling seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, drinking Zamzam water, praying at Mount Arafat, spending a night at Muzdalifa, symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina, shaving or trimming one's hair, and sacrificing an animal.^[1] The Hajj ends with the global three-day celebration of Eid al-Adha, commemorating the attempted child sacrifice of Abraham.

Incidents and Accidents

The Ka'aba is believed to be the "House of Allah" and the Qur'an tells us it's an "asylum of security for men".^[2] Despite being characterized as region protected by God (literally referred to as the "haram", or "sanctified/prohibited place"), the history of the Ka'aba's locale is replete with catastrophes of every sort.

Since 1987, officially there have been at least 3,315 deaths and another 1,500 injuries resulting from various accidents during the pilgrimage. These figures are extremely conservative, considering (for example) the 1994 stampede in Mecca. Officially only 250 people had died as a result of the stampede, and according to The Saudi Press Agency a total of 829 pilgrims had died during the pilgrimage for a variety of reasons, which included "old age, heart attacks" and "deaths that resulted because of the heavy throngs throwing pebbles on Monday." However witnesses, doctors and a senior Asian diplomat had said the death toll for the stampede alone could have been over 1,000.^[3]

Other Muslim pilgrimage incidents

• 2005: Iraq pilgrims stampede deaths near 1,000 (3^rd most deadly stampede in history)

Health and Hygiene

One of the first hajj preparations for Muslim pilgrims include a vaccine against disease. The number of foreign pilgrims regularly number in the millions and the sheer number of people, as well as their close proximity to each other in crowded sites can cause disease to spread quickly between the pilgrims. In 1987 an international outbreak of meningitis became a primary concern. Due to global (post-Hajj) outbreaks of certain types of meningitis in previous years, it is now a visa requirement to be immunized with the ACW135Y vaccine before arrival. Other vaccines are also commonly issued due to similar concerns about the propagation of disease when Muslims return from pilgramage.^[15][16]

Performing the Hajj is also a physically exhausting exercise, and this exhaustion is a common cause of death among pilgrims. In 2011, twenty pregnant women suffered from miscarriages on the first day of the rituals because of exhaustion. Dr Walid al-Omari, director of the obstetrics and paediatrics hospital in Mecca said, "The miscarriages were caused mainly by fatigue as those women had to walk a long distance… another reason is they are surrounded by a large crowd and this makes them vulnerable to pushing and physical injury".^[17]

External links

• Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca - For further information on the Hajj
• Controversy in Egypt - Hajj and the kissing of the black stone are remnants of paganism
• Muslim Hajjis Cry ‘Death to America! and ‘Death to Israel!’ at Annual Pilgrimage

References