Have you made your pilgrimage? What did it do for you?
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Welcome, nescafe
The whole time during the pilgrimage I asked of Allah to show me the right path and the more i pray the stronger the feeling I have that there is something wrong with the pilgrim ritual.
Isn't this the most beautiful thing to ask of Allah? To ask for direction/knowledge when we don't even know what to ask for? There in the masjid Alharam, regardless of what people who don't believe in its sacredness will make of it (well for one i'm not for the idea of a boxed God), but there is a place where millions are praying every year, and it surely has an energy of its own. "The stronger the feeling" you have might be an answer in itself, isn't it? I can't answer your question, but i can say for sure that you're not wrong for listening to the answer to the question you've asked yourself.
In a sense, there's really nothing like "us the truthful vs them the sectarians" at all. As far as i understood, the Prophet Muhammad's mission was for unity, and not evangelism, whatever the followers make of his teachings. A very personal thing, truth is. Let's see the human inside and respect his/her decisions.
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Salaam All,
Hajj pilgrimage is an act of worship/IBAADAH. It is both a personal, as well as a more importantly putting it, a united Islamic nation/?UMMAH ritual. Hajj is more like a global Islamic assembly/CONGRESS, being met and assembled on an annual basis, for the good and betterment of the ?ummah. It is to discuss, program, and harmonize the political, economic, and social affairs of the global Islamic ?ummah for the next upcoming year.
But nowadays and throughout the history, the corrupted political and religious leaders who in reality are the true disobeyers of ALLAAH, swt, have turned this beautiful worship into an empty and hard to perform ritual. Yet, year after year, and just for their lowly worldly interests, they keep making it harder and harder for the people to perform their pilgrimage.
Anyways. All I?m trying to get across is that Hajj pilgrimage is rather a SOCIAL than a personal ritual. That is why GOD ALMIGHTY, for the orderly progression of the rituals, Has Set a set of disciplinary directives to be followed during HAJJ pilgrimage. See verses 2196 through 2206, among others in The Qur'aan.
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Peace,
Khalil -
Salaam, nescafe,
but when I mentioned that the Kaabah is not as huge as I imagined it to be, a relative looked at me strangely and made me feel so uneasy
rotfl
Another thing, I do not know about others but our group was often told not to let a single hair drop during ihram which i find quite absurd since hair fall is a natural thing. We were told for the amount of 3 strands of hair we have to sacrifice a lamb As far as my knowledge, it is nowhere stated in the Quran.
This is nonsense.
My companion was so worried about it that she refused to remove her head scarf. I didn't said anything because I have tried talking to her about some stuff that I think is misunderstood by many muslim because of the book of hadith and are nowhere in the Quran, but she often ignores me. She said the best way is to simply ignore and don't listen whenever she thinks a person is uttering the words of the devil '(
633
633 We know that you are saddened by what they say; they are not rejecting you, but it is the revelations of Allah which the wicked disregard.I feel more at ease in Madinah than Mecca too
Thank you for sharing your story and experiences during so called Hajj.
May Allah guide us all to His true path pr
Mohammed M. Khan -
Salaam Khalil
I too believe that hajj is annual gathering for the betterment of Ummah and there is great logic in it. This is an organised system, first we have weekly gathering during Jumma prayers where neighbours come together to local mosque whether near work or home and get to know each other in a local assembly so that you do not end up like those in the west where you neighbour could be dead for weeks but no one notices as there is no such day to bring unity and concern.
If we were to follow deen properly then these weekly assembly could gather information about community and put forward their wishes or concern during the yearly gathering of Hajj. This to be done through their representatives whom you could call Imams who do not have to be set of people but whoever volunteers to be the Iman and is a trustworthy believer would take the matters forward to Hajj session where people from all corner of the world come to share and engage in betterment of the Ummah.
Sadly the mosques have eroded the idea of weekly assembly instead its a ritual now and so has hajj become a trip to cleanse of sins in a very selfish manner.May Allah have mercy on this Ummah
Peace -
Salam all )
Thank you for sharing your story and experiences during so called Hajj.
Your welcome. It's not all bad, there are fond memories too )
The most memorable experience for me during the umroh (pilgrimage) was when I spent time in the mosque. I met wonderful people from different backgrounds. Sharing the praying mat with another person I don't know, getting a warm loving hug from an elderly lady who was very happy over a little thing I did for her. Spending time in the mosque studying the Quran (translation) surrounded by people who do the same from various backgrounds. When I was in college, I used to go study in the musalla with friends. In my village, the people of older generation used to have classes in the Mosque. They learn to read, caligraphy and have discussion over various daily issues, it was common practice back then.
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The most memorable experience for me during the umroh (pilgrimage) was when I spent time in the mosque. I met wonderful people from different backgrounds. Sharing the praying mat with another person I don't know, getting a warm loving hug from an elderly lady who was very happy over a little thing I did for her. Spending time in the mosque studying the Quran (translation) surrounded by people who do the same from various backgrounds. When I was in college, I used to go study in the musalla with friends. In my village, the people of older generation used to have classes in the Mosque. They learn to read, caligraphy and have discussion over various daily issues, it was common practice back then.
Indeed... after all the 'believe' and location (Jerusalem, Mecca, Mt Fuji, Niagara Falls whatever) does not matter.. it's the 'love' that matter..
The 'sharing of love and joy among human beings towards their Cherisher' (which ideally should be regardless of sect, belief, political or theological view) should be the #1 objective of such festival..."For every group of people We have appointed them rites/festivals that they should follow..do not debate with them regarding that matter yet invite them to your Rabb"
-- The Festivals 67Salam / Peace
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Salaam nescafe,
Your welcome. It's not all bad, there are fond memories too )
True, I agree with you. I cannot forget my feeling when I was on terres performing Eishaan prayer that I already told above. I was understanding each and every word that was being recited and my feelings at time cannot be expressed. And you also remind me of a person who shared his praying mat with me and when we finished prayer I was still connected with Allah and I forgot that I was sitting on other person's prayer mat. And he was waiting for me, and I was very much deeply connected with Allah and when I finish almost after 20 minutes, I realized that I was sitting on his prayer mat and he finished long back and waiting for me. And I said him sorry and I moved on the floor and asked him to take back his prayer mat, he said that is for you, I said thanks, it is not needed. He said, no, please take it, it is a gift from me for you and I don't know him, and still I got that prayer mat and whenever I use it, I still remember him even after years. )
Mohammed M. Khan
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Peace All
I did the pilgrimage in 2001. what a sham!
I have never had the privledge of participating in a hajj, though.
I wait with bated breath.
Imraan