Ca you explain to me what is Hajj?

It is a pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in a lifetime and it is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female who is mentally, physically and financially fit.

It is the largest annual convention of faith on earth.

Peace is the dominant theme. Peace with God, with one's soul, with one another, with all living creatures. To disturb the peace of anyone or any creature in any shape or form is strictly prohibited.

Muslims from all walks of life, from every corner of the globe assemble in Mecca in response to the call of God. There is no royalty but loyalty of all to God, the creator.

It is to commemorate the Divine rituals observed by Prophet Abraham ( P-B-U-H ) and his son, Ishmael ( P-B-U-H ), who are the first pilgrims to the first house of God on earth; the Kaaba.

It is to remember the grand assembly of the Day of Judgment when people will stand equal before God.

Muslims go to Mecca in glory of God, not to worship a man.

The visit of the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad ( P-B-U-H )at Madena is highly recommended but not essential in making the Hajj valid and complete.

Hajj means travelling for the purpose of visiting the Ka’bah, the sacred House of Allaah, to perform the rites (manaasik), i.e., the actions and words reported in accounts of the Prophet’s Hajj, such as Tawaaf or walking around the Ka’bah seven times, al-Saa’ee or running between the hills of Safaa’ and Marwa seven times, standing at ‘Arafaah, stoning the Jamaraat (stone pillars representing the Shaytaan) at Mina, etc. Hajj brings immense benefits to people, as they declare the Unity (Tawheed) of Allaah, there is forgiveness for the pilgrims, Muslims get to know one another and learn the rules of their religion, and so on. We greatly appreciate your interest in asking about Hajj even though you are so young and live so far away in Canada. We ask Allaah to enable you to go for Hajj and do all its rites. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Alsalamu Alaikum. Dear Its A Misunderstanding Only, The Asker Wright :- even while preforming hajj Allah says your face HAS to be showing He Meant It Like This:- even while preforming hajj, Allah says your face HAS to be showing Even While Performing Hajj(Pilgrimage) Allah SWT Says Your Face HAS To Be Shown. May Allah Bless & Yahdeena All.

The Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) is the fifth of the fundamental Muslim practices and institutions known as the five pillars of Islam.

Pilgrimage is made to the Kaaba, found in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudia, the ‘House of God,’ whose sanctity rests in that the Prophet Abraham built it for the worship of God. God rewarded him by attributing the House to himself, in essence honoring it, and by making it the devotional epicenter which all Muslims face when offering the prayers (salah). The rites of pilgrimage are performed today exactly as did by Abraham, and after him by Prophet Muhammad, may God praise them.

Pilgrimage is viewed as a particularly meritorious activity. Pilgrimage serves as a penance - the ultimate forgiveness for sins, devotion, and intense spirituality.

Mecca is the center towards which the Muslims converge once a year, meet and refresh in themselves the faith that all Muslims are equal and deserve the love and sympathy of others, irrespective of their race or ethnic origin.

the pilgrimage unites the Muslims of the world into one international fraternity. More than two million persons perform the Hajj each year, and the rite serves as a unifying force in Islam by bringing followers of diverse backgrounds together in worship.

Finally, the Hajj is a manifestation of the belief in the unity of God - all the pilgrims worship and obey the commands of the One God.

http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/184/

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Hajj is a commemoration of love and celebration of faith. We commemorate Abraham’s Supreme Sacrifice in love of his Beloved in Mina. We celebrate his wife Hagar’s display of unprecedented love for the infant Ishmael and her unflinching trust in the Providence in the lonely desert around Safa and Marwa. We venerate God’s Greatest Gift, the Quran by spending a day in Arafat where the final revelation was sent. We celebrate faith by coming face-to-face to the Qiblah of our prayers.

Hajj is also an act of renunciation. Muslims from every corner of the globe don their coffins--two cotton sheets--to represent their deaths to this life and head to their Primordial Home. They pay their debts, ask forgiveness of everyone, bid farewell to one and all and prepare to die to this world to live in Him. We are now ready for Hajj to the Kaaba very special place.

http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1929/

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►for more reading u may take a look at this [very short only 1 web page]

◙ The Fifth Pillar of Islam: The Pilgrimage (Hajj)

http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/184/

◙ The Hajj - The Pilgrimage (part 1 of 2)

http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1929/

◙ The Hajj - The Pilgrimage (part 2 of 2)

http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1928/

-Fifth pillar of Islam(principle and fundamental practice of faith)

-The call of Ibrahim(as)...Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) revealed in the Qur'an: "And proclaim the Hajj among mankind. They will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways" (Surat Al-Hajj, Ayat 28).

Ibrahim (Alaihis salaam) climbed Mount Arafat and called out, "O People! Verily Allah has prescribed upon you Hajj, so perform Hajj."

- Obligatory upon us at least once, if we are able and of wellbeing, and if it is affordable.

-people of all over the world, irrespective of nationality or ethnicity/race observe Hajj together like a uniting force and in solidarity in worship.

-Piligrimage to Makkah

- This is where the kabba was cleared of pagans idols and declared the 'house of worship/god' on earth

-Performing hajj, one can attain spiritual retreat whilst surrending himself to Allah(swt), observing acts of worship to him alone. It is a great act of faith

-It is a time to exert worship only to Allah(swt) and forget about all wordly desires and thoughtss.

-It is an experience of great spiritual contentment. Hajj is done with sincerity and complete refrainment of sins.

-A sincere pilgrim pleases Allah(swt), is bestowed with eternal rewards, refines his/her's soul and gains Allah(swt)'s mercy

-There are many virtues with undertaking Hajj and one that does is truly blessed and also rewarded greatly.

- Hajj is a pilgrimage performed with observing acts and rites of worship to the one and only Allah(swt)

Hajj is solidarity of Muslim Ummah.

Where people of

different Islamic sects,

different Jurisprudence belief (fiqh),

different colour,

different races,

different financial background,

different languages,

different citizenship,

different culture,

different food,

come together in one place with one type of cloth. This shows Muslim Ummah is one body, no one can divide them.

http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1505

Hajj Intro For People Of Other Faith

INFORMATION

These notes have been prepared by the Council on Islamic Education, a national, non-profit educational resource organization, dedicated to providing information on Islam and Muslims to Non Muslims.

Islam has two major religious celebrations. The first occurs after the completion of Ramadan, the Islamic month during which Muslims (believers in Islam) fast daily from dawn to sunset as part of an effort towards self-purification and betterment. This holiday is known as Eid ul-Fitr (Festival of Breaking the Fast).

The second major Islamic celebration takes place during the time of the Hajj, or annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca). This week-long event occurs two months and ten days after Ramadan ends, during the Islamic month of DhulHijjah, and its culmination is a holiday known as Eid ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). The Hajj consists of several ceremonies, meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of prophet Abraham and his family. Over two million Muslims perform the pilgrimage annually, and the rest of the over one billion Muslims world-wide celebrate the Eid holiday in conjunction with the Hajj.

In order to teach about the important holidays of Islam, teachers can photocopy the "Information for Students" pages of this packet and distribute them to their students. After providing 15-20 minutes to read the pages, teachers can use the provided questions to guide discussion and elicit responses from the students. Some suggested activities for students are also included in this packet.

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ABRAHAM

Abraham is a figure revered by Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike as a righteous person who lived over four thousand years ago. His story can be found in the Bible as well as the Qur'an (the Muslim holy book). Abraham is considered to be the patriach of monotheism, or "belief in the One God," who sought a personal relationship with his Creator. He left his native city of Ur in Mesopotamia after voicing opposition to his people's polytheistic practices, and eventually settled in Egypt with his family. Later, he escorted one of his wives, Hajar, and their infant son Ishmail, to a desolate valley in Arabia and left them there, trusting in God's promise to care for them.

Hajar, concerned about feeding her young baby, began searching the surroundings for food and water. According the the Qur'an, in response to Hajar's prayers, a spring miraculously gushed forth at Ishma'il's feet to quench their thirst. Hajar climbed nearby hills searching for food and looking for caravans on the horizon. Eventually, some passing traders stopped in the valley, and asked Hajar's permission to water their camels. In time, the traders decided to settle in the little valley, and eventually the settlement grew into the city of Makkah. Abraham returned from time to time to visit, and when Ishma'il was about thirteen years old, he and Ishma'il constructed the Katbah, an empty cube-shaped building, as a place dedicated for the worship of the One God. Eventually, Makkah became an important trading post by the time of Prophet Muhammad, twenty- five hundred years later.

THE HAJJ

In commemoration of the trials of Abraham and his family in Makkah, which included Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son in response to God's command, Muslims make a pilgrimage to the sacred city at least once in their lifetime. The Hajj is one of the "five pillars" of Islam, and thus an essential part of Muslims' faith and practice.

Muslims from all over the world, including the United States, travel to Makkah (in modern- day Saudi Arabia). Before arriving in the holy city, Muslims enter a state of consecration (dedication) known as ihram, by removing their worldly dothes and donning the humble attire of pilgrimsÑtwo seamless white sheets for men, and simple white dresses and scarves for women. The white garments are symbolic of human equality and unity before God, since all the pilgrims are dressed similarly. Money and status no longer are a factor for the pilgrims - the equality of each person in the eyes of God becomes paramount.

Upon arriving in Makkah, pilgrims perform the initial tawaf, which is a circular, counter- clockwise procession around the Ka'bah. All the while, they state "Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk," which means "Here I am at your service, O God, Here I am!" The tawaf is meant to awaken each Muslim's consciousness that God is the center of their reality and the source of all meaning in life, and that each person's higher self-identity derives from being part of the community of Muslim believers, known as the ummah. Pilgrims also perform the sa'i, which is hurrying seven times between the small hills named Safa and Marwah, reenacting the Biblical and Qurtanic story

it is one of the customs adopted by muslim from the moon god, allah. a simple google search will confirm this.