Hajj – The Pilgrimage to the Most Sacred Place!

“Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) Whoever performs Hajj for Allah’s pleasure and doesn’t have sexual relations with his wife and doesn’t do evil or sins then he will return after hajj free from all sins as if he were born anew. ”

Performing pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of Islam.Hajj is based on God consciousness.It is the annual islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia the holiest city for Muslims.It is the worship obligatory to every Muslim men and women once in a lifetime.It is the sacred and physically demanding journey that Muslims believe offers chance to wipe clean past sins and start a new before God.Every year the events of Hajj take place in the ten day period starting on 1 and ending on 10 Dhu al hijjah the 12th and the last month of islamic calendar. Among these 10 days 9th dhu al hijjah is known as the Day of Arafah and this day is called the day of Hajj. .Every year 2 to 3 million Muslims visit the Holy Kabba to perform Hajj. And those who complete the pilgrimage add the title Hajji to their name.
Hajj is the most divine ritual. When a Muslim intends or decides to perform Hajj then it is actually reminded of the invitation from Allah. It is actually the symbol of brotherhood,unity, and equality and the sacred event of Hajj brings together Muslims from all over the world.It is said that whoever performs Hajj with pure and kind heart returns free from all the sins committed in the past. Apart from symbolizing positivity and kindness, Hajj being a re-enactment of obedience and sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim(AS) to Allah SAW is the highest form of honour earned by a Muslim. After constructing Kabba In Makkha Prophet Ibrahim called on people to perform hajj for the sake of God. The journey of Hajj is an affirmative response to this call. During the Hajj pilgrims call out “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” which means “Here I am at your service O Allah here I am. It is considered the most sacred worship.
Nowadays we have been witnessing on both print and electronic media that fresh hajjis are leaving their cosy homes for the sake of Allah and bidding adieu to their kiths and kins. The moment around is   quite rejoicing. Few days before, when the first flight was about to leave for this sacred place they in voice prayed for peace and harmony. They were quite optimistic before leaving for the sacred place. Those who fall in the draw of lots this year may hope that next year they will surely keep their berth, who else doesn’t want to go once in their life, we have seen that some people are eagerly waiting for their call. During the days of Hajj one must feel the moment with great fervor and gaiety. Some beautiful shots of high fives were being observed during their take off. Everyone cherishes visiting the Kaaba. Umrah on the other hand is continuous throughout the year. It is the quote of the wiseman that whoever intends to perform Hajj must go for performing Umrah because it can help an individual to perform the Hajj at an ease.
Hajj is the comprehensive form of worship. It requires spending one’s wealth and physical exertion too.That is why it is suggested to perform Hajj in the middle age to have the full taste and strength of worship. Hajj is the unique journey toward Almighty Allah, the ultimate form of closeness to God in one’s life. When hajji stands in front of the Kaaba,It reminds him that man has to stand before God.Performing Hajj has profound benefits especially for those who believe and disbelieve in performing Or pilgrimage are regarded as disbelievers of Allah.
In kashmir especially in rural areas we have been watching that whoever is intending to go on pilgrimage are visiting the neighbors house door to door in order to seek forgiveness, repentance,prayer and considers it a social custom before going to this sacred place. This may allow a person to remain as a pure, kind person when he departs his house for performing Hajj. The perfect sign for the accepted Hajj is that when a person returns to his house he feels satisfied and quite content. The other greatest and satisfactory sign for accepting Hajj is that you start caring for people around you more than before.
Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a huge surge in pilgrimage this year. As per the reports more than 1.3lakh Muslims are performing Hajj through state run haj committee of India and private tour operators. Performing Hajj is observed as attaining spiritual enlightenment and closer to Allah. The increasing number of undertaking Hajj despite removing the subsidy reflects  the dedication of Muslim community. Hajj is getting more costly with each passing year but people are performing more and more. The hospitality, hotels, business caters all the needs of fresh hajjis coming across different countries. Muslim around the world consider the aspect of performing Hajj as economic support and to contribute to the host country while performing their religious duties. The King of Saudi Arabia recently declared that the administration of Riyadh is making serious efforts to improve the infrastructure that more and more people will visit for Hajj and Umrah.
The Hajj economy of Jammu and Kashmir is gradually showing a positive percentage of almost 700 crore which quietly depicts the devotion and sympathy of Muslims in this region. The Muslims who come to Mecca every year bring billions of dollars to the Saudi economy. The mobile phone companies earn big bucks during the Hajj season. The government is benefited in the form of taxes. The Hajj presents massive economic opportunities for the Saudi travel and tourism industry. The Hajj industry is one of the Sudi most valuable treasures due to the money it generates for Mecca and Madina.
From the state’s economic point of view, it has been witnessed that the business sector is earning to some extent especially during this pilgrimage season. People are thronged to buy the essentials before leaving this sacred place. The pilgrims are busy in buying and packing what they think is needed while performing the Hajj. May Allah accept the Hajj of all Muslims around the world. May all the Hajjis perform it with great fervor and gaiety. May the pilgrimage bring peace and harmony across the world.

– The author is a teacher by profession and teaches at BHS Diver Lolab. He can be reached at farhaanqysar@gmail.com