Peace all,
Apologies as I'm normally just a lurker on this forum but as I read the posts today, something really struck me that hasn't before in the countless discussions on hajj in this forum. I will post a link at the bottom which funnily enough I read today, which after reading these posts has finally after much trying opened my eyes to what the concept of hajj could be about.
Focusing on the following ideas and concepts - the feast, believers volunteering to feed the hungry and 'those passing through' - meaning curious passers by? those looking for a free meal? - all bring up a vivid picture of a sense of community. I think maybe its been touched on that the hajj, the gathering of people for this marked occasion, is for all people not just those who are doing it for spiritual/religious reasons?
If you click on the link it might be worthwhile to keep these concepts in mind and see how the concept of hajj could be practised by us who consider ourselves on the straight path. I like that there are parallels of the richer members of the community donating to the langar and helping to sustain it even though they might not physically be volunteering ('making pilgrimage'
http//www.worldchanging.com/archives/006211.html
Sorry, no backing up from the quran's verses as I feel you guys have already done a brilliant job to open up the discussion on what a pilgrimage might constitute.
Hopefully, next step for us? Based on our collective understandings (we are requested to follow from the best of it?) maybe we can all join up once a year in our regions to make pilgrimages which purify us through the acts of service we offer to those on pilgrimage and those passing through, rather than feeling lost about what the key to pilgrimage as described in the book is. This way we don't sit on our hands, we do good in the hope that we are following on the straight path. And what could be straighter than what is described in the article and in the posts above?
Peace and look forward to your thoughts!