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Name
Riyad
- United Kingdom
Profession
Doctor
Question
Assalamu alaikum
I understand pilgrimage of sorts have been part of all religions. In the pre islamic times, in Mecca, they conducted pilgrimages to Ka'aba in the Haj season which they maintained in Autumn by intercalations. Historically, however, how did the pre islamic arabs determine when the month started? Did they sight the crescent or did they use the calculated conjunction? Did they give any auspiciousness to the conjunction of the moon in relation to the months? Many thanks
Answer
Hello Riyad,
As-salamu alaikum
Thank you for your question.
You are right about the pre-Islamic practice of doing pilgrimage to Ka’abah regularly in the Autumn season, even though the people were following a kind of lunar calendar.
You know that a lunar calendar has only 29 or 30 days. Thus a year of 12 months had only 354 days. The Arabs of those days made the lunar calendar partly solar too, by adding a month every two or three years. Thus they could have the pilgrimage regularly in the Autumn season. The Islamic calendar abolished this practice of adding an extra month to the calendar and fixed the Hijra year at 12 months totaling 354 days. As a result, Ramadan (for instance) occurs about 11 days earlier each year, and it rotates through the seasons in a cycle totaling about 33 years.
For the Pre-Islamic Arabs also, the new crescent moon signals the beginning of every month. As they were worshippers of the Sun and the Moon, they had many superstitious beliefs and practices connected with moon-sighting as well as the prediction about it. But Islam changed all of that by declaring:
“The night and the day, the sun and the moon, are some of His Signs. Prostrate yourself neither to the sun nor to the moon, but to Allah [God] Who had created them, if you truly worship Him. [Fus-silat 41:37].
By this declaration, Islam abolished the pagan beliefs of the Arabs about the Sun and the Moon as objects of worship.
And Allah knows best.
Name
John
- United Kingdom
Profession
student
Question
i've read somewhere that the rites that the Muslims currently do in Hajj were the same ones that the pagans also did before Islam - but my Muslim friends tell me that Islam abolished paganism, so isn't this a contradiction? Pagan rites for an anti-pagan religion?
Answer
Hello John,
Peace be with you!
Thank you for your question.
You should remember that the House of God known as the Ka`bah was originally built by Abraham (Ibrahim may peace be upon him) and his son Ishmael (Ismail may peace be upon him), for the worship of the One and Only God. But after their time, over the years, their followers fell into paganism and distorted the rites started by Abraham for the worship of the One True God. These pagans introduced into Ka`bah the idols of many of their new-found gods and goddesses and desecrated the House with idolatrous rituals. But some of the practices of Abraham still remained, though now directed to their gods. It was to the credit of Islam as preached and perfected by Muhammad, peace be on him, to restore the original Religion of God, as preached and practiced by all the prophets before him (including Abraham, Moses and Jesus) to its pristine purity. Also, it was Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) himself who restored the original Hajj of Abraham in Ka’abah based on revelations received by him from God Almighty.
If you know the story of how Muhammad, peace be on him, fought tooth and nail, all the pagan practices of old and purified the Ka’abah of all the idols in it, and restored it to its original purpose of worshipping the One True God, you will understand that it was Islam that abolished paganism and that the rites of Hajj are not actually pagan rites, but anti-pagan rites, that had been misused for a time by the pagans.
And Allah knows best.
Name
Isabelle
-
Profession
Question
Hi.
Thank you for this opportunity. I have a question about the whole idea of pilgrimage... actually, it is confusing that religions in general keep saying that faith is in the heart, and then, for some reason, a lot of them have pilgrimages (physical) to certain holy sites... If it is the heart that counts, why the physical journey?
Answer
Hi Isabelle,
Peace be with you!
Thank you for your very good question.
You are perfectly right in saying that faith is in the heart; and of course there is the Christian idea that it is faith alone that counts and NOT works. While acknowledging this emphasis upon the “heart” or “the spirit”, there is one point we are likely to ignore or forget. And that is: We humans are living in this material world and we are beset by all kinds of evil temptations that prompt us to ignore the spirit and to go after the “body”. But we do have a body, which we cannot ignore.
It is in fact to the credit of Islam that it does not ignore the body while emphasizing the importance of the spirit. Also, by our own experience we know that we can nurture a good spirit here on earth, only by carefully watching the body as well. Can you imagine the spiritual condition of a man who gives his body to a harlot, while claiming his soul to be pure?
Pilgrimage by the body is a pre-condition for the pilgrimage of the spirit. Only the gifted few who have attained a spiritual height almost impossible for ordinary mortals to climb, can achieve the kind of spiritual purity of heart the religions claim to instill into its adherents.
We can look at the subject of pilgrimage from another point of view as well: We humans are on “exile” on earth. Because, we may say that man’s higher nature is not of this world. In many ways, the practice of pilgrimage mirrors our “existential” exile. To many religious philosophers, “pilgrimage serves as a profound allegory of human life, which is considered as a mere journey to the final destination of heaven, humanity’s only true home. Within this allegorical perspective, concrete aspects of pilgrimage, i.e. the specific destination, the rites and liturgies accomplished there, or the results obtained, are of little importance.” BUT FOR ORDINARY HUMANS, THESE DO MATTER.
To speak specifically of the Hajj, we can say that when the pilgrim puts on the “ihram” (the typical garb of the pilgrim), he/she is spiritually on a higher plane than before. Because he is taught that when he puts on the “ihram”, he has to forget his worldly concerns and concentrate on his spiritual concerns. The external trappings of the pilgrim are a great help to give him a spiritual uplift, as it were. When he leaves his home and embarks on a journey to his destination, it is not just a physical journey that he undertakes, but a journey of the spirit. Without the physical journey, a spiritual journey is almost impossible for ordinary mortals even to dream of.
Hope I have attempted an answer to your question; and Allah knows best.
Name
Anon
-
Profession
Question
what's the differences between different religions when it comes to pilgrimage?
Answer
Hello Anon,
Peace be with you!
Thank you for your question.
I think I will answer this question from the point of view of the Islamic pilgrimage, Hajj. That is to say, I shall try to pinpoint the most important differences existing between pilgrimage in Islam (i.e Hajj) and pilgrimage in other religions. Hope that would suffice for our purpose.
The differences between Hajj and other pilgrimages:
1. Hajj is an obligatory pilgrimage prescribed by God Almighty for all believers who are capable; it is a duty potentially binding on all Muslims as a form of worship due to their Creator. Whereas the pilgrimages of other religions are optional; and the origin and history of such pilgrimages show that they were initiated by humans much later than the putative origin of those religions. For example the pilgrimage to the Holy Land by the Christians began centuries after the time of Jesus Christ. And as we know, these pilgrimages later degenerated into the Crusades.
The purpose of those pilgrimages is decided by the pilgrims themselves: For example, the expiation of sins, or a special blessing for themselves, or even the conquest of the land considered holy by them etc.
2. The real significance of the destination of Hajj (Ka`bah in Makkah) IS NOT that it is connected to the birth and life of Muhammad, (peace and blessings be upon him), but that it was the First House built for the worship of the One and Only God of the universe. Whereas other pilgrimages derive their importance from their connection to the birth or death or burial of a prophet or saint or some such “holy” human being. For example the pilgrimage of the Hindus to Sabarimala is related to some mythological event connected to one of their gods (Lord Ayyappan) who lived in that region.
And as for Hajj, even the rites performed there are NOT commemorative of Muhammad, (peace be upon him), but of Abraham, the Patriarch of the Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. That is to say, Hajj is relevant to a figure revered not just by Muslims, but by the father of all the Semitic religious communities.
3. Hajj is the only pilgrimage that regularly takes place on the specified days of a particular month every year. Whereas other pilgrimages have no fixed dates. [There may be a few other pilgrimages with fixed dates as they are undertaken during a festival that takes place at the pilgrimage center. For instance the Jewish pilgrimage to the Temple of the Mount during Passover.] But Hajj is unique in that it is not secondary to any festival.
4. The Hajj brings together at Makkah a larger number of pilgrims than any other pilgrimage at any other place in the world. [The Hindu pilgrims who gather at Kumbh Mela at Allahabad in India are of course a larger number; but this event takes place only once in twelve years.]
5. And Hajj brings so many humans of so many different races, tribes, colors, languages and nationalities united in one place, wearing the same garb, participating in the same rites for the worship of the One True God. No other pilgrimage does anything even closely resembling this.
And Allah knows best.
Name
Amine
- United States
Profession
Software
Question
Do many web hits does the site get daily and monthly and from what countries?
Answer
Editor's note:
Dear Amine,
Thank you for your interest. However, your question is off topic. You may submit your queries about the website to the webmaster.
Name
baba
- Nigeria
Profession
business
Question
pls,i want to know the exact day of arafah
Answer
Hello Baba,
As-salamu alaikum.
Thank you for your question.
The day of `Arafah falls on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah. The date in the Common Era this year (i.e 2006) will be insha' Allah, the 9th of January.
Thank you.
Name
Atul
- India
Profession
Question
isn't it a little strange that something that is supposed to be so spiritual like pilgrimage has become so commercial? i have some muslim friends who are paying thousands and thousands of dollars in order to go to Hajj this year...
Answer
Hello Atul,
Peace be with you!
Thank you for your question.
You are right in saying that a pilgrimage like Hajj is a journey of the spirit, as it were. But you see, we live in a material world and we have to reckon with the conditions of travel, stay, food etc, necessary for the pilgrim. For that money is required, and so we need to pay.
As for Hajj, it is meant only for those who can afford, not for all.
The important point to note is that people are willing to part with "thousands and thousands of dollars" for the sake of this spiritual journey as it were. That in itself shows that the spirit is more powerful in their case than matter.
Hope you understand.
And God knows best.
Name
Rehman
- Bangladesh
Profession
Question
Assalamo alaikom Professor, I wanted to ask you about the other pilgrimages that many muslims do not to macca. for example, in bangladesh there is a place where hundreds and thousands of muslims go to every year. also in india and other countries they go to pilgrimages to visit saints i think. how many kinds of pilgrimage are there in islam?
Answer
Dear Rehman,
As-salamu alaikum
Thank you for your question.
In Islam, there is only one pilgrimage; and that is the Hajj. (Also the `Umrah, which is not a different pilgrimage essentially; and this also is to the Ka`bah in Makkah).
I know that there are places in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and other countries, visited by Muslims in the hope that the "awliya'" ("saints") who are buried there will enable these people to get their private wishes fulfilled. But this belief has no basis in Islam, and the very persons who are buried in these places themselves are in need of Allah's mercy like all of us.
Read these Qur'anic verses:
"He merges Night into Day, and He merges Day into Night, and He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His Law): each one runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah your Lord: to Him belongs all Dominion. And those whom ye invoke besides Him have not the least power.
If ye invoke them, they will not listen to your call, and if they were to listen, they cannot answer your (prayer). On the Day of Judgment they will reject your "Partnership". and none, (O man!) can tell thee (the Truth) like the One Who is acquainted with all things.
(Fatir 35:13-14)
The word, translated as "partnership" is originally the Arabic word, "shirk". Hope you know what that means.
And Allah knows best.
Name
-
- India
Profession
Question
Sir, in your answer to Atul from India, you say that Hajj is only for people who can afford... isn't that somewhat elitist? i know in other traditions like hindu and buddhist, you don't need money and many pilgrims are poor and walk barefoot and eat very little. why should muslims discrimnate against the poor people?
Answer
Hello,
Peace be with you!
Thank you for your question.
If you study Islam, you can see that it is a very practical religion. Islam does not burden humans beyond their capacity. For example in the case of fasting, a sick person or one who is undertaking a journey is exempted until he is capable. Similarly zakah is an act of worship incumbent on Muslms - but only on capable Muslims; because only people who have money can pay charity as prescribed.
Hajj is another example: It is a pilgrimage to Makkah which is located in the present Saudi Arabia. And to prescribe Hajj for all Muslims everywhere would be unrealistic and impracticable. So it is prescribed only for those who can afford.
This does not mean that those who are poor are excluded from Allah's mercy. On the contrary, it is clearly and repeatedly stated that Allah does not do the least bit of injustice to any one.
In the light of the Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet, one can say that the reward a person gets is in proportion to the sincerity as well as in view of the limitations and the sacrifices involved.
And you may ask, why then Hajj is prescribed in the first place. The answer is just that this is a way of loudly proclaiming the Oneness of humanity; the brotherhood of man. This feeling is so lacking in the present day world full of ethnic conflicts based on casteism, racism and all other kinds of separating man from man.
Hope I have answered your question.
And Allah knows best.
Name
Riyad
- United Kingdom
Profession
Doctor
Question
Dear Prof Shahul Hameed, Many thanks for the earlier reply.
1. What bout the practice of the Jews in Yathrib at the time of the Prophet (pbuh)? Did they too use the crescent of the new moon in deciding their new moon and month and other activities. I understand (correct me if I am wrong), that historian/Astronomers seems to indicate that the Jews calculated the new moon (molad) time for their religius activities based on the mean synodic month from the time of 200 years after Alexander.
2. Are there any pilgrimages/practices that Jews do which has similarities in Islam other than the fast of Ashura (9/10 Muharram).
Answer
Dear Riyad,
As-salamu alaikum
Thank you for your question.
I understand that the Jews of Yathrib also followed the lunar calendar to determine the dates of their activities. I am sorry to say that I have not made a study of "the mean synodic month from the time of 200 years after Alexander", and so I am not in a position to answer that part of your question.
Many of the religious beliefs and practices of the Jews have close similarities to the Islamic beliefs and practices--this is evident. But their idea of a pilgrimage to the Temple of the Mount was very different from our Hajj to Ka`bah.
