So is there really a "pilgrimage"
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According to Adid Safar in his book about the Arab Consipiracy, the word haj just means challenge. The word has been mistranslated to match up with the hadith. I dont know arabic so I cannot say how valid or invalid his claim is. What is you thought on this? Is he right? Is Surah 22 talking about a great challenge rather than a pilgrimage?
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Brother Boom's thought about hajj!
For the benefit of Sis Majidah Ripen;
This is the contextual essence of the surah 5.
The subject is largely food. And this ? inside the context of food ? is the only chapter in the Qur?an where we find the word ka?aba. It is mentioned three times
O you who believe, when you uphold your commitments you shall wash your faces, your arms to the elbows, wipe your heads, and wash your legs to the ankles (ka?baini).74 (56) The word ka?baini in this verse means ankles.
The same word is used in 595 to mean the ankles of animals.
Yaaiyuhallazi na-amanu la-taqtalu soida wa-antum Hurumun waman qotalahu minkum muqota?amidan fajaza-un misluma qotala-minalna?ami yah-kumu bihi zawa?adli minkum hadyan balighor ka?bati aukafarotun tho?amu masakina au?adlu zaalika siyaman liyazuqo wabala amrihi ?afal-lah ?am-ma salafa waman ?aada fayantaqimul-lah minhu wal-lahu ?azizun zuntiqam. (595)
O you who believe, do not kill the wildlife which you are restricted (Hurumun). If anyone kills on purpose, he shall expatiate with an equivalent livestock to be judged by two equitable men from among you to point out the maturity the ankles (ka?bati),75 or expiate by feeding the poor or impose self-abstinence (from hunting), so that he feels the consequences of his actions. God has pardoned his previous offences. Whoever reverts to his offence, God will avenge from him. God is almighty, avenger. (595)
The word before ka?bati in the verse is hadyan baligha which literally means to guide/lead or point out the maturity (in the determination of the maturity of the ankles). The word hadyan comes from the root hada, which means to guide or to lead or to direct or to point out. The word baligha comes from the root balagh, which means to mature, or to advance/mature towards an objective.
For example in 46, if we take care of the child orphan we must test their maturity
The word ka?aba also appears in 597. The message is identical to 52
God has set the ?ankles? (ka?bata) the sanctioned system (baytil-Harami) to be upheld for mankind, and the restricted months (shahrul Harama), and guidelines (hadya), and the indicators (qolaa-ida). This is to let you know that God, He knows everything in the heavens and the earth and what is beneath the earth. And surely God is fully aware of everything. (597)
Some critics who want to defend the rock idol might find the above verse illogical. They have overlooked the significance of the wildlife conservation as part of God?s decree in 2236. The word al-budna in this verse means wild animals or beasts, but translators differ in their understanding, and some of them have erroneously said it means the camel. Besides the misunderstanding of al-budna, the Arabs also say Jamal, ibbil, ba?ir, rikab, heem, ?shar as camel. Upon realising too many words became camel they make a slight change to the word dhomir in 2227 as skinny camels. It seems that to the Arabs any four legged creature is a camel.The word ka?aba in 595 and 597 is related to the ankles of wild animals, a topic which starts from 594. The word is mentioned again indicating that mankind must not hunt these animals until they are matured by distinguishing their ankles (the animals will not settle down in the same area once they are matured), the sanctions in the system, the guidelines, and the indicators restricting the hunting during specific months. Experts identify the animal maturity by their strides or their moving pattern. IT IS ABOUT WILDLIFE PRESERVATION.
CHAPTER 5 of Quran has been heavily changed by the Arabs to give them importance in the believe system, Islam. Actually the Chapter is about wildlife preservation as an important part of the DEEN of Islam. Hope this explains the issue.
You do not have to go anywhere to take up the challenge, HAJ
Peace BooM