HAJJ | Islam | Studies of Religion 2 notes | HSC course PDF

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This is the Hajj notes for Studies of Religion 2 HSC. It includes all aspects of hajj, quotes and their explanations and the links to significant beliefs. As well as this, the table has questions as sub-headings so you can answer those as revision....

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HAJJ NOTES What is hajj? What is the significance?

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One of the 5 pillars of Faith All Muslims are required to complete Hajj once in a lifetime as a true practicing Muslim Suggested to be completed at an older age Hajj only completed by those physically & financially able to Male pilgrims who complete hajj = Hajji Female pilgrims who complete hajj = Hajjah Takes place 8th to 12th Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th & last month of the Islamic Calendar Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage, can be undertaken at any time of the year

Hajj Places ● Al-Haram: The Great Mosque ● Safa and Marwah ● Mudazalifah ● Mt Arafat ● Mina ● Jamarat ● Ka’ba Purpose ● Submission to the will of Allah → All of Hajj but particularly the wuquf rituals, prayer, etc on plains of Arafat ● Universality of Islam mainly through tawaf & wuquf ● Ummah - Unity of the Islamic community ● Equality of all (white garments & Ihram) Core Beliefs of Islam 1. Tawhid - Oneness of God 2. Malaika - Angels 3. Rusul - Prophets 4. Kutubu’llah - Books of Allah 5. Akhira - Afterlife 6. Al-Qadar - Fate & predestination How does Hajj unite the Ummah?

Is hajj considered mandatory in Islam?

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A community experience uniting millions of Muslims/year → Equality of all people (race, gender, class, etc) → Unity of Islam → Collective worship → Networking & exchange of theological & ideological views

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One of the five pillars → All true Muslims are required to complete & perform.

Yes

→ Must be completed once in a lifetime (if physically & financially able to) What is Ihram? What belief(s) does Ihram relate to? What is it’s significance?

Clean & groom self (ghusl) → Comb hair, shape beard, cut nails, remove body hair, take a bath ● Wear Ihram garment → Men: Wear white sheet around the waist & one around upper body → Women: Hijab - Normal modest dress ● Uncover your head & declare your intention for ‘Umra (spiritual status of religious purity) “O Allah! I intend to perform Hajj please make it easy for me and accept it from me. Amen.” ●

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Prohibitions of Ihram → Men cannot cover head → Pilgrims not argue or fight → Not kill any living thing → Not carry weapons → Wear perfume → Have sexual relations

● Recite the Talbiyah 3 times (Tawhid) ● Talbiyah recited as often as can throughout the stages of Hajj. “Here I am at Thy service O Lord, here I am. Here I am at Thy service and Thou hast no partners. Thine alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty. Thou hast no partners.” LINKS TO SIGNIFICANCE & BELIEFS ★ Belief: Represents Tawhid (Oneness of God; oneness in ummah; equality under Allah) ★ Individual: Part of the cleansing process → leads to purification and redemption of sins ★ Community: Equality under Allah ● ● ● ● ●

Develops a sense of equality of all humans → Stimulates Day of Judgement when all will be wearing a two-piece white garment Hajj = collective form of worship → Aim of worship to exalt, glorify & praise God through collective & individual worship Kutubullah → Written in the Qur’an & Hadith that a Muslim must perform Hajj ONCE in a lifetime Acknowledgement of Tawhid Al-Qadar - Supremacy of God’s will (& throughout Hajj)

8th Dhu al Hijjah ● Complete preparations ● Make your way to Mina after night prayers ● Offer prayers when you get there ● Recite Talbiyah (Tawhid)

What’s Tawaf? What belief(s) does Tawaf relate to?

Circling and orbiting around a central point (Ka’ba) to synchronise with the universe & existence ● Cosmic mode of worship ● Circumambulating of the Ka’ba 7 times “It felt like a smooth micro orbit, thousands of voices in spiritual chants perfectly orchestrated and soft.” ● After tawaf, pray two Rakat behind Maqam Abraham (Abraham’s station) or anywhere else in the mosque. ●

LINKS TO SIGNIFICANCE & BELIEFS ● ●

Circling the Kaaba 7 times, if possible kissing or touching the stone Belief: Fate and Predestination → When someone enters the circling of the Kaaba it symbolises them entering a man-made orbit. → Surrendering their fate to Allah → recognising their fate has been predestined in the universe → And it is He who created the night and the day, the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating - Sura 21:33

★ Individual: Reinforces adherents that life itself has a central power & that Allah is that power. ★ Community: Communal Connectedness → Individual becomes part of the collective (recognising they’re all part of one creation) What’s Sa’y? What belief(s) does Sa’y relate to?

Fast walking between the hills of Safa & Marwa Re-enacts Hagar & Ishmael’s search for water 7 laps = 2.76 km LINKS TO SIGNIFICANCE & BELIEFS Rusul (Ibrahim/Abraham) & Tawhid ● Action of walking between hills & drinking from the Zamzam well → Symbolism: The search for things of true & lasting value → Ultimate realisation that Allah will provide what’s needed ● ● ●

9th Dhu al Hijjah ● Offer prayers & recite Talbiyah ● Get to Mt Arafat & stay until sunset ● Recite Qur’an, pray, stand in contemplative vigil, seek forgiveness, submit to the will of Allah What’s Arafat? What belief(s) does Arafat relate to?

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Adherents spend a day at Arafat hoping to be redeemed of their sins The belief that Adam & Eve were forgiven by Allah on plains of Arafat Wuquf - refers to all rituals, prayer & worship of Allah that takes place on this day All pilgrims have to be at this location at the same time, simulating the day of resurrection (Akhira)

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Rituals of seeking forgiveness, giving praise & glory to Allah Highlight & integral part of Hajj - standing anywhere on plain of Arafat in prayerful supplication before Allah. Ask for forgiveness of sins against Allah & meditate/pray from noon until sunset. Climb Mount Mercy (Hill of Rahmah to listen to a sermon Complete prayers Hajj is invalid if this day is omitted After sunset start journey (3 km) to Muzdalifa for night vigil Reciting Talbiyah on the way Pick up 49 pebbles (the size of chickpeas) ready for stoning of pillars Blessed night to glorify Allah - read Qur’an, utter Talbiyah Complete prayers Proceed to Mina for prayer when the sun is about to rise.

Belief: Rusul ● Prayers at Arafat was a crucial part of Muhammad’s pilgrimage ● Symbolises Adam & Eve’s reunion with God after expulsion from Eden ● Strengthening of Faith ● Site of Muhammad’s last sermon “Hajj is Arafat, if Arafat is missed, then the whole Hajj is missed.” Muhammad Akhira ● Reflect on one’s willingness to clear all previous sins & start life anew where one abides by God’s law & His book. Individual & Community: → The intense concentration of spiritual devotion → Enormous communal power of prayer → The community is joined in spirit, but there is an individual focus on each person’s prayers. What's the stoning of the pillars (Jamarat)? What belief(s) does the stoning of the pillars (Jamarat)?

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Rite of Stoning: Adherents throw stones at three pillars At Mina Signifies the rejection of the Devil Pillars referred to as ‘Jamarat’ Symbolises trials experienced by Abraham when he was going to sacrifice his son → Devil challenged him 3 times & 3 times Abraham refused Seven stones thrown at each pillar - must hit the pillar → Go to the largest pillar (Jamarah Aqabah), throw each people one at a time → Stop saying Talbiyah when you throw the first pebble (Rami)

★ Mina is east of Mecca (symbolic for expelling sins and getting rid of outside influences ★ Belief: → Tawhid - Adherents getting rid of external influences & putting their belief in Allah → Akhira

❖ Weakening of Satanic calls & whispers within them to overcome obstacles in life ❖ Satan can’t seduce them anymore ❖ Re-enactment of Abraham’s actions against Satan ★ Individual: Targeting one’s own troubles and sins and focus on Allah. What is the Kaaba? What belief does it relate to?

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Returning after Arafat & circling the Kaaba Muslims face the Kaaba during prayers (direction - Qibla) Believe that the Kaaba was the 1st place of worship build by the first human & prophet Adam According to Islamic tradition, the Kaaba was then rebuilt on the same foundations by Abraham & his son Ishmail → declared as a shrine to monotheism Qur’an states this was the 1st house built for humanity to worship Allah Abraham called on people to make pilgrimage here

★ Belief: → Books of Allah “And pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto God for mankind, for him who can find the way thither” - Sura 3:97 → Akira (Afterlife) - Hajj is obligatory and a pillar of faith (must be completed to reach Akirah) → Tawhid (oneness of Allah) - The central message of Islam & the purpose of Hajj Rusul, Kutubullah, Tawhid ● Affirms an adherent’s commitment to God & monotheism ● Affirming common human ancestry with Adam & spiritual ancestry with Ibrahim 10th Dhu al Hijjah ● Festival of Sacrifice - Nahr ● Animal sacrifice - Qurbani ● Commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for God - submit to the will of Allah ● Restrictions of Ihram lifted ● Cutting & shaving of hair Qurbani ● The sacrifice of an animal - meat distributed to the needy Rusul & Tawhid ● Follow Abrahamic tradition ● Symbolic of sacrifices one makes in devoting one’s life to God ● Represents a person’s consciousness of God & following the prophets What’s the importance of Hajj for the individual?

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Cleansing & forgiveness of sins Increases the chance of reaching paradise Fulfilment of obligation - Submission to the will of Allah (Pillar of faith - Expression of faith) Individual worship

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Refocus on submission & what’s really important

What’s the importance of Hajj for the Community?

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Equality of all people (race, gender & class) Unity of Islam - universal Islam - umma Collective worship Networking & exchange of theological & ideological views Individuals who follow the path of pilgrimage continually support the concept of Islam Strengthens the spirit of unity, equality & brotherhood among the Islamic community

How did the pandemic impact Hajj?

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Only a limited amount of people could attend Those who attended had to be vaccinated Community experience not fulfilled → Not much of the ummah was able to get together - Hajj is a significant communal experiance in Islam

Quotes

1. Hajj: Qur’an 3:96 “It is a duty to Allah for man to make the pilgrimage unto the House” → It is mandatory practice unless you are not financially or due to health problems able to come 2. Within the Talbiyah prayer, it is said “... You have no partner, at Your service. Truly all praise, favour and sovereignty is Yours” → One is responsible for their own contributions (good and bad) are valid on their own to ask for forgiveness 3. “return (after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew”(Sahih Bukhari-596) → Through Hajj an adherent is forgiven from their sins and are able to become better humans...