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Islam is like a pyramid. On top is the haj, whereas the
pillars lie beneath, namely: syahadat, salat or the five daily prayers, zakat
or raising the alms for the needy, and saum during Ramadhan.
Among the five pillars, syahadat, or the testimony that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad His Messenger, is the foundation on which the other pillars are dependent. It is this testimony that drives Muslims to observe the other pillars. Syahadat is the living energy that keeps Muslims on the right path.
The five daily prayers instruct Muslims’ self discipline and time consciousness. They propagate that no Muslim will waste time doing idle actions. That is to say that through prayer, Islam encourages them to be time-efficient and productive.
Zakat, or raising the alms for the needy, teaches that in real life there will always be a group of economically disadvantaged people. Zakat teaches Muslims to spare a small amount of their wealth for the needy.
Zakat should be perceived as having a distillation effect on your wealth. Muslims believe a portion of their wealth should always be shared for the needy. With this perspective, Islam promotes the collective effort of alleviating poverty in the ummah (community).
Back to the pyramid analogy, those who perform the haj are presumably Muslims who have consistently practiced the four pillars and implemented their ethical values in daily life. The haj is the final manifestation of monotheism as recounted in the story of Abraham.
The haj is on top of all the five pillars, suggesting it is the icon of excellence and accomplishment. The quality of such accomplishment is portrayed as haj mabrur, or favorable in the eyes of God Almighty.
While the other pillars of Islam are to be performed at any place of residence, the haj is to be performed on a restricted schedule in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It implies that only Muslims who have the means are obligated to perform the haj.
Every year more than 200,000 Indonesian Muslims perform the haj. These are — in theory — a shortlist of exemplary individuals who are physically fit, economically secure and religiously dedicated. All these considered, it is a mandatory assignment once in lifetime.
Due to modern technology, people around the globe can see and hear the haj rituals in real time. It is the world’s annual and largest congregation of more than 2 million people coming from different parts of the world. This is a small percentage of the world’s Muslim population of 1.2 billion.
The haj rituals signify the following meanings. First, all pilgrims — regardless of color, gender, ethnicity, origin, profession or status — have to wear a white seamless uniform representing equality before God. As recounted in the Koran, the most noble among us are the ones most fearful of God.
Second, the white uniform signifies purity and sincerity. Clothing and fashion in general symbolize status and reputation. During the rituals, all pilgrims should be committed to attaining purity, namely freedom of sins committed, both transactionally and vertically between humans and God.
Third, during the ritual the most essential thing is to perform thawaf, namely to go around the Kaaba (the ancient, black cubicle stone erected by Abraham). While chanting the dzikir or remembrance of Allah, the pilgrims go around the Kaaba seven times anticlockwise.
Fourth, why anticlockwise? Going clockwise is how the world operates and humans are framed in its absolute sense. The haj ritual trains pilgrims to temporarily resist worldly powers and temptations. Time is relative while God is absolute. Once in your life, forget your worldly indulgence to concentrate on consulting with your Lord.
Five, the haj rituals include animal sacrifice to symbolize concerted efforts to stay away from all kinds of worldly desires. By nature, humans have the tendency to behave like animals and the ritual serves to withstand this tendency.
Sixth, why Mecca? The haj is a ritual full of historical facts and necessity. Muslims believe the Kaaba is the oldest building in the world as recounted in the Koran.
Islam teaches human beings not to forget history and to be critical of what happened in the past. History repeats itself.
By way of comparison, while other religions nowadays do not obligate their adherents to perform any pilgrimage to a particular place, Islam makes the haj explicit as a pillar of Islam, namely a mandatory deed of every single Muslim once in their lifetimes.
It was recorded in history, however, that during the Middle Ages, pilgrimages were a common practice in the West, not only to Jerusalem in Israel but also to other historical sites like Canterbury in England.
This spirit of pilgrimage could be used as a theological reference to grasp the essence of Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca nowadays. Prior to 1967, when Jerusalem fell to Israel, Muslim pilgrimages also included Jerusalem.
Seventh, the haj obviously teaches Muslims to develop a global, cosmopolitan and outward look. The pilgrimage is a unique experience, possessing spiritual, social and global dimensions. Muslims who do this demonstrate complete devotion and during the haj they are treated as the guests of Allah.
As they return to their homelands, they possess a new religious spirit. Their role among other Muslims and fellow citizens is significant. They should set an exemplary model of citizenship. ●
Among the five pillars, syahadat, or the testimony that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad His Messenger, is the foundation on which the other pillars are dependent. It is this testimony that drives Muslims to observe the other pillars. Syahadat is the living energy that keeps Muslims on the right path.
The five daily prayers instruct Muslims’ self discipline and time consciousness. They propagate that no Muslim will waste time doing idle actions. That is to say that through prayer, Islam encourages them to be time-efficient and productive.
Zakat, or raising the alms for the needy, teaches that in real life there will always be a group of economically disadvantaged people. Zakat teaches Muslims to spare a small amount of their wealth for the needy.
Zakat should be perceived as having a distillation effect on your wealth. Muslims believe a portion of their wealth should always be shared for the needy. With this perspective, Islam promotes the collective effort of alleviating poverty in the ummah (community).
Back to the pyramid analogy, those who perform the haj are presumably Muslims who have consistently practiced the four pillars and implemented their ethical values in daily life. The haj is the final manifestation of monotheism as recounted in the story of Abraham.
The haj is on top of all the five pillars, suggesting it is the icon of excellence and accomplishment. The quality of such accomplishment is portrayed as haj mabrur, or favorable in the eyes of God Almighty.
While the other pillars of Islam are to be performed at any place of residence, the haj is to be performed on a restricted schedule in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It implies that only Muslims who have the means are obligated to perform the haj.
Every year more than 200,000 Indonesian Muslims perform the haj. These are — in theory — a shortlist of exemplary individuals who are physically fit, economically secure and religiously dedicated. All these considered, it is a mandatory assignment once in lifetime.
Due to modern technology, people around the globe can see and hear the haj rituals in real time. It is the world’s annual and largest congregation of more than 2 million people coming from different parts of the world. This is a small percentage of the world’s Muslim population of 1.2 billion.
The haj rituals signify the following meanings. First, all pilgrims — regardless of color, gender, ethnicity, origin, profession or status — have to wear a white seamless uniform representing equality before God. As recounted in the Koran, the most noble among us are the ones most fearful of God.
Second, the white uniform signifies purity and sincerity. Clothing and fashion in general symbolize status and reputation. During the rituals, all pilgrims should be committed to attaining purity, namely freedom of sins committed, both transactionally and vertically between humans and God.
Third, during the ritual the most essential thing is to perform thawaf, namely to go around the Kaaba (the ancient, black cubicle stone erected by Abraham). While chanting the dzikir or remembrance of Allah, the pilgrims go around the Kaaba seven times anticlockwise.
Fourth, why anticlockwise? Going clockwise is how the world operates and humans are framed in its absolute sense. The haj ritual trains pilgrims to temporarily resist worldly powers and temptations. Time is relative while God is absolute. Once in your life, forget your worldly indulgence to concentrate on consulting with your Lord.
Five, the haj rituals include animal sacrifice to symbolize concerted efforts to stay away from all kinds of worldly desires. By nature, humans have the tendency to behave like animals and the ritual serves to withstand this tendency.
Sixth, why Mecca? The haj is a ritual full of historical facts and necessity. Muslims believe the Kaaba is the oldest building in the world as recounted in the Koran.
Islam teaches human beings not to forget history and to be critical of what happened in the past. History repeats itself.
By way of comparison, while other religions nowadays do not obligate their adherents to perform any pilgrimage to a particular place, Islam makes the haj explicit as a pillar of Islam, namely a mandatory deed of every single Muslim once in their lifetimes.
It was recorded in history, however, that during the Middle Ages, pilgrimages were a common practice in the West, not only to Jerusalem in Israel but also to other historical sites like Canterbury in England.
This spirit of pilgrimage could be used as a theological reference to grasp the essence of Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca nowadays. Prior to 1967, when Jerusalem fell to Israel, Muslim pilgrimages also included Jerusalem.
Seventh, the haj obviously teaches Muslims to develop a global, cosmopolitan and outward look. The pilgrimage is a unique experience, possessing spiritual, social and global dimensions. Muslims who do this demonstrate complete devotion and during the haj they are treated as the guests of Allah.
As they return to their homelands, they possess a new religious spirit. Their role among other Muslims and fellow citizens is significant. They should set an exemplary model of citizenship. ●
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