Voices of Islam (10 page)

For Muslims, the significance of the Ka‘ba as a sacred site goes back literally to the beginning of human existence. For this reason, when Muslims perform the rites of the Hajj, there is a sense of joining a long thread of existence that twists through time and space to connect them with ancient rituals and Old Testament prophets. It is a return to the primal source of divine mercy here on earth. Muslims pray five times a day toward Mecca for this very reason. It serves to reinforce their links to God through a long line of prophets and reminds them of the covenant between all of humanity and their creator, in which the descendents of Adam and Eve reaffi their commitment to dedicate themselves to the worship of God:

When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam and From their loins, their descendants,

And made them testify concerning themselves,

Saying, ‘‘Am I not your Lord who cherishes and sustains you?’’

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They said: ‘‘Yes! We do so testify!’’

Lest you should say on the Day of Judgment: ‘‘Of this, we were never mindful.’’

(Qur’an 7:172)

Because of their primordial nature, the rites of the Hajj are meant to draw pilgrims out of the present world and into a more sacred space where they can become a link in the cosmic chain that takes them back to the beginning of human existence. The unity of all peoples becomes abundantly evident to pil- grims as they realize that they are surrounded by virtually every language and skin color on earth.
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This experience is so moving that pilgrims often claim that they feel as though they have participated in a rehearsal for Judgment Day. They become like a drop in the ocean of humanity that is swirling around the Ka‘ba at the center of Mecca’s Sacred Mosque. It is while circling the Ka‘ba that I first became aware of the existence of the rings of Islamic prayer—directed toward this sacred site—that circle our world without stop as they follow the rising and setting of the sun across the planet Earth.

People made pilgrimages to Mecca long before the birth of the Prophet Muhammad and the coming of Islam. The city rose out of the desert as an early oasis and a stopping place for merchants and other travelers, where they could buy and sell goods in the active markets that surrounded the Ka‘ba. Upon arrival and before departing, they prayed to the clay tribal idols that filled the sanctuary, even though Adam and Abraham had built the structure to be a symbolic ‘‘House’’ for the One God. The Prophet Muhammad entered the sanctuary and destroyed the idols in the year 630
CE
.

The Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca in the year 570
CE
. He was a member of an influential Meccan clan from the Quraysh tribe that controlled Mecca and took in the profits from trade and pilgrimage to the Ka‘ba. When the revelation of Islam came to Muhammad, the Quraysh were afraid that these profi would be threatened by a monotheistic faith that forbids idol worship: at that time, there were 360 tribal idols in the Ka‘ba and the pilgrims that worshipped them served as Mecca’s primary source of wealth. Because they threatened the source of livelihood for the Quraysh, the early Muslims were persecuted, tortured, and even killed. Despite this, the small group of the Prophet’s followers grew in size. Eventually, they had to fl e Mecca to the desert town of Yathrib, the birthplace of Muhammad’s mother. This town was given the name
Madinat al-Nabi,
‘‘The City of the Prophet,’’ after Muhammad’s arrival. This city is now referred to as Medina, and it is the place where the Prophet Muhammad is buried.

It was in Medina that Muhammad was able to form a community of Muslims that transcended tribal ties. The conflict with the Quraysh contin- ued, as did the Qur’anic revelations that eventually led Muhammad to take

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back the city of Mecca—this time, with virtually no opposition. The fi thing Muhammad did after taking back Mecca was to promise its people that his army would not attack them or seek revenge. Next he cleared the Ka‘ba of all idols—an act that many feared would bring upon him the wrath of the Arabian gods. When they saw how helpless their clay idols were, even the powerful Quraysh submitted to the call to Islam. The city has been a center of Islamic pilgrimage since then, now drawing approximately two-and-a- half million
Hajjis
(pilgrims) per year, as well as millions of other Muslims who perform the lesser pilgrimage known as the
‘Umra.

The
‘Umra
is a series of rites that can take place any time of the year, other than the days of the offi ial Hajj, which occurs in the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. The ‘Umra contains some, but not all, of the rites of the Hajj. The ‘Umra is not one of the Pillars of Islam. One who makes the ‘Umra is still required to make the Hajj pilgrimage. However, millions of Muslims perform the ‘Umra each year, some because they are too old or frail to deal with the huge crowds during the Hajj and some because they want to become familiar with the rites of the pilgrimage before making the more difficult Hajj.

Books on Islam often claim that the Hajj serves to commemorate the Prophet Muhammad. However, it would be more accurate to state that the Hajj reconfirms the believer’s commitment to the practice of one’s faith and the worship of God. The rites that pilgrims perform actually have as much connection with the Prophet Abraham—to whom Muslims trace their reli- gious roots along with Jews and Christians—as they do with the Prophet Muhammad. Abraham’s connection with Mecca begins with a prayer for a son. God told Abraham that, despite his advanced age, he would be blessed with a son. Soon afterward, Abraham fathered his first son, Ishmael (Arabic
Isma‘il
), with the Egyptian slave Hagar. According to Islamic tradition it was this son, Ishmael, whom Abraham was commanded to sacrifice. As both the Qur’an and the Bible state, Abraham passed this supreme test of faith and was rewarded with a lamb to be sacrificed in the place of his son. According to Islamic tradition, it was Abraham and Ishmael who later constructed (or re-constructed) the Ka‘ba in Mecca and dedicated it with a prayer, as is related in the Qur’an:

And remember that Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundations Of The House with this prayer: ‘‘Our Lord! Accept this from us; Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

Our Lord! Make of us Muslims, bowing to Thy will, and of our progeny Make a Muslim people, bowing to Thy will. Show us our places

For the celebration of rites, and turn unto us in Mercy; For Thou art the Oft-Returning, the Most Merciful.’’

(Qur’an 2:127–128)

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When they had finished rebuilding the Ka‘ba, God told Abraham to sum- mon people to make pilgrimage to this holy site:

And Lo! We made the Temple a goal to which people might repair Again and again, as a sanctuary. Take, then,

The place where Abraham once stood as your place of prayer.

Thus did We command Abraham and Ishmael: ‘‘Purify My Temple for those who will walk around it, and those who will abide near it in meditation, and those who will bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer.’’

(Qur’an 2:125)

The use of the word ‘‘purify’’ is worthy of note here because Abraham was raised in a time and culture of pagan religions when people worshipped the moon, the stars, and even clay idols. Abraham, the patriarch of Monotheism, built the Ka‘ba to be empty, and there is a significant symbolism to this emp- tiness. This symbolizes the transition that some early humans made from the worship of tangible objects, such as clay statues, to the more sophisticated idea of worshipping a transcendent God who is not seen, but whose presence is manifested in all of creation. In a sense, Abraham’s reconstruction of the Ka‘ba marks a return to the spiritual purity of the beginning of time, such as that found in Adam and Eve before the Fall.

Abraham was eventually blessed with two sons, first Ishmael by Hagar and later Isaac by Sarah. It was through these two sons that he was destined to become the father of two great streams of humanity. But things did not con- tinue peacefully for Abraham. According to Islamic tradition, when Hagar’s son Ishmael was still an infant, God instructed Abraham to take the two of them to the desert and return home alone. It was in the barren valley of Bacca (the ancient name for Mecca) that Abraham dutifully left them and walked away, leaving Hagar and Ishmael in God’s care. It is here that the element of submission now appears in the story of Hagar and creates her connection with the rites of Hajj. Stunned by Abraham’s behavior, she asks if her aban- donment in the desert is ‘‘something from God.’’ When Abraham answered her in the affirmative, she submitted to this trial.

When her water and food ran out, it became obvious to Hagar that with- out help she and her son would die. In a frantic search for the assistance that she believed God would send, Hagar ran seven times to the top of two hills called Safa and Marwa, looking for water or for a trade caravan that could provide something to eat or drink. After seeing nothing each time, Hagar prayed to God for help. God sent the Angel Gabriel, who struck the ground with his foot and caused water to fl from the well in Mecca called Zam Zam. It is believed that this water has healing powers and can relieve both thirst and hunger. For centuries pilgrims have enjoyed the water from this well, and it still shows no sign of going dry. The experiences of Hagar, Abraham, and Ishmael, including their fears, sorrows, and blessings,

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have been woven into the rites of the Hajj for centuries. These rites are described and sanctified in the Qur’an and have remained unchanged since the seventh century when the sacred text of Islam was revealed to Muhammad.

The first rite of the Hajj is the donning of simple, white seamless cloths. This act puts the Muslim into the state of
Ihram,
which means ‘‘ritual purity.’’ Men wear two cloths—one wrapped around the lower part of the body, and the other wrapped around the upper part. Women have more options, but they must dress modestly. While many women choose to wear white, others wear clothing that is of some other subdued color. For this reason, one can see women pilgrims dressed in a wide variety of clothing, with their decision often influenced by traditions within their home country. The main point is to avoid drawing attention to oneself during a time when one’s efforts are supposed to be focused on the sacred rites rather than the aesthetics of the face, body, or clothing.

The word
Ihram
refers both to the clothing one wears and to the state of purity one enters after performing ablutions and donning the simple clothes. When people are dressed in
Ihram,
it creates a sense of humility. When we perform the Hajj we have no idea if the person praying next to us is a member of a royal family or a farmer. This reminds the
Hajjis
(people making the Hajj) that all people are equal in the eyes of God. The clothing also serves as a visual connection between modern pilgrims and their religious ancestors such as Abraham, who would have circled the Ka‘ba dressed in a similar man- ner. After making the pilgrimage, Hajjis are expected to dedicate themselves to pious activities and deny the vanities that create a sense of separation or superiority among people.

As people make ablutions and dress in our
Ihram,
they recite a prayer that states our intention to make the pilgrimage. From that point on, certain behaviors are forbidden until the Hajjis are out of the state of
Ihram.
These include sexual intercourse, cutting the hair or nails, killing game, arranging or performing marriages, and using perfume—a prohibition that includes the use of perfumed soap or shampoo. However, it is permissible to have used perfume before donning
Ihram,
even if the scent remains for a while. Women are also not supposed wear a face veil during the Hajj. In addition to these restrictions, unkind behavior—although always forbidden in Islam—is considered even more sinful during the Hajj and actually makes the pilgrimage invalid. The prohibitions of the Hajj are listed clearly in the Qur’an:

For Hajj the months are well known. If any one undertakes that duty,

Let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Hajj, For whatever good you do, (be sure) God knows it.

And take provisions for the journey,

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But the best provision is right conduct. So fear me, O you who are wise.’’

(Qur’an 2:197)

Because of television, many non-Muslims are familiar with the sight of thousands of pilgrims circling the Ka‘ba during the Hajj. This act of circling, also called a circumambulation, is known as
Tawaf
in Arabic. It is important to remember that Muslims do not believe that God is ‘‘in’’ the Ka‘ba. This empty structure has many symbolic meanings for Muslims, including the omnipotent presence of God everywhere. The Ka‘ba also serves to remind pilgrims that God is the source of all creation. The spot where the Ka‘ba is sit- uated is literally seen as the center of creation. Often the most emotional moment for the Hajji is the instant that she fi lays eyes on this awesome scene. When I first entered the Great Mosque of Mecca my attention was drawn to the marble fl rs, the enormous chandeliers, and all the people praying to my side as I walked past pillar after pillar toward the center. It was from a distance that I first laid eyes upon the Ka‘ba, and I knew that this was the most magnificent sight I would ever see. There was a virtual sea of people continuously swirling around the solid black structure, and I wondered how I would ever manage to fi a place in that crowd of tens of thousands of worshipers. With astonishing ease, I became like a drop of water in that ocean of people and joined the waves of worshippers who were praying, walking in silence, or crying as they became overwhelmed with emotion.

Pilgrims circumambulate the Ka‘ba seven times in obedience to the Qur’anic verse in which God told Abraham to purify His House for those who walk around it, meditate near it, and bow and prostrate themselves in prayer (Qur’an 2:125). It is crowded and hot during the
Tawaf:
some people are lost in prayer and some are simply trying to make it through the rites of the Hajj without getting crushed. Because of the large number and fervor of the pilgrims, this happens fairly often during the pilgrimage. On the other hand, during the few days that I was in Mecca, I saw three one-legged Hajjis making their way around the Ka‘ba on crutches. People with such determina- tion will perform the Hajj against all odds.