Significance & Philosophy of Hajj

• Every nation and society has a center of unity where they get
together to worship God. They see prosperity and culture as
relics of unity. People of the society get to know each other and
understand each other’s difficulties. They form a unified front to
remove these difficulties and achieve their goals. Allah says in
the Holy Quran: “And to every people We appointed rites of
sacrifice, that they might mention the name of Allah…” (22:34)

With this idea, Hajj has been made a pinnacle of worship in

order that Muslims who gather to perform Hajj can praise their
Lord and Master, be thankful for His blessings, and humbly
pray to Him for the removal of their difficulties. Muslims living in
various parts of the world get to know each other, lay the
foundation of social culture, give advice to each other, and
provide opportunity for collective struggle.
 What is hajj?
• In essence, hajj is man's evolution toward
Allah; his return to Him. It is a symbolic
demonstration of the philosophy of creation of
Adam , the first man. To further illustrate this,
it may be stated that the performance of hajj is
a simultaneous show or exhibit of many things.
It is a show of creation. It is a show of history.
It is a show of unity. It is a show of Islamic
ideology. It is a show of Ummah, the
community of Muslims. That is why, it is said in
the Quran: "And proclaim unto mankind the
hajj. ... That they may witness things that are
of benefit to them." (Quran 22:27-8)
 A Good Example
• Just as in any other good show or movie or theatre-play,
the following conditions prevail in hajj. Allah is the stage
Manager. The theme portrayed is the actions of these
main characters - Adam, Haw'a (Eve), Ibrahim, Hajera,
Isma'il , and Shaytan. The main scenes are - Masjid al-
Haram, 'Arafat, Mas'a (space between the mountains -
Safa and Marwa), Mash'ar (area between 'Arafat and Mina)
and Mina. Important symbols are - Kaba, Safa, Marwa,
day, night, sunshine, sunset, idols and rituals of sacrifice.
The dress and make-up are - 'Ihram, halq and taqseer
(part of ceremonies of hajj involving cutting of hair and
nails, afterward). Lastly, the player of the show is - YOU -
the Hajji. You are the main feature of the performance.
The role of Adam, Ibrahim, Isma'il and Hajera in
confrontation between Allah and Satan is all played by
you. As a result, you are the hero of the show!