The Role of The Hajj in Muslim Religion

Every religion has its tradition that brings its community together. Christianity has its masses every Sunday with the whole congregation. Judaism has Hanukah and other holidays. But Muslims have to take a mandatory pilgrimage called the Hajj. The Hajj is a trip to the Ka’ba that Muslims have to take at least once in their life. It occurs on the 8th to 12th days of the last month of the Islamic calendar. Millions go every year from all over the world. The Hajj creates a sense of community because many people with the same beliefs are all on the same journey of faith.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, a pilgrimage that is required once to the able-bodied. The ritual starts out with circling the Ka’ba seven times, then walking between two hilltops seven times. The next day, pilgrims walk, ride a bike, or take a bus to Mina. They stay at tents and prepare for the next day. The next day they stand and pray at ‘Arafat and they stone the pillars on the way back to Mina after sunset. When they get back, they buy a goat or a sheep to be sacrificed and donated to the poor. Lastly, the pilgrims circle the Ka’ba seven times once again.

At the start of Hajj, hundreds of thousands of people are circling the Ka’ba at one time. This mixture of people from different races creates a sense of community because people are not seen as different, but all the people are one whole performing acts for their faith. Many people would never be able to see or get to know people from other parts of the world if it wasn’t for the trip that is required for Islam. When they all do the same actions to show their faith, it shows the people that they are not alone in their journey through life and that they have a large community that will help them through the hard times. The stoning of Satan through the pillars also shows community because everyone is pledging to keep away the devil and that they could use each other’s help to do so. The Hajj not only makes one’s faith stronger, but it also brings the community together.

Other religions have rituals to try to make the community tighter, but the people always fight over race or gender, and the people don’t always have to attend the rituals. In Islam, the Hajj is a necessary trip that also brings the congregation together as a whole. They see that they are the same as many others from all over the world. They see that their faith is what brings them together, and they celebrate that with those around them.