Mecca
Once a year, Muslims of every ethnic group, color, social status, and culture gather together in a sacred journey to Mecca; the historical and cultural center of Islam, to perform the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. The Hajj is the longest running congregation of humans annually on planet earth; it draws three million Muslims from around the world who perform rituals that have been practiced for over 1,400 years.
Being the fifth and final pillar of Islam, the hajj is a religious duty that must be carried out by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so at least once in his or her lifetime. It occurs in the month of Dhul Hijjah, which is the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to Allah. The Hajj is associated with the life of Prophet Muhammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham (Ibrahim).
During the Hajj, male pilgrims are required to dress only in the ihram, a garment consisting of two sheets of white unhemmed cloth, with the top draped over the torso and the bottom secured by a white sash; plus a pair of sandals. Women are simply required to maintain their hijab. The Ihram is meant to show equality of all pilgrims, in front of God. Ihram is also symbolic for holy virtue and pardon from all past sins. While wearing the Ihram, a pilgrim may not shave, clip their nails, wear perfume, swear or quarrel, have sexual relations, uproot or damage plants, kill or harm wild animals, for men-cover the head or for women-the face and hands, marry, wear shoes over the ankles, or carry weapons.
Once one arrives at Mecca, a series of rituals are performed over a period of a week: Each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building which acts as the Muslim direction of prayer, runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and
Being the fifth and final pillar of Islam, the hajj is a religious duty that must be carried out by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so at least once in his or her lifetime. It occurs in the month of Dhul Hijjah, which is the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to Allah. The Hajj is associated with the life of Prophet Muhammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham (Ibrahim).
During the Hajj, male pilgrims are required to dress only in the ihram, a garment consisting of two sheets of white unhemmed cloth, with the top draped over the torso and the bottom secured by a white sash; plus a pair of sandals. Women are simply required to maintain their hijab. The Ihram is meant to show equality of all pilgrims, in front of God. Ihram is also symbolic for holy virtue and pardon from all past sins. While wearing the Ihram, a pilgrim may not shave, clip their nails, wear perfume, swear or quarrel, have sexual relations, uproot or damage plants, kill or harm wild animals, for men-cover the head or for women-the face and hands, marry, wear shoes over the ankles, or carry weapons.
Once one arrives at Mecca, a series of rituals are performed over a period of a week: Each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped building which acts as the Muslim direction of prayer, runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and