The Spirit of Hajj

The meaning of Ihram is that a person transitions from a materialistic culture to a divine culture. By performing Sa’i between Safa and Marwah, the pilgrims reaffirm their commitment to dedicate themselves, just like the people of Prophet Ishmael, to the religion of monotheism. When they throw pebbles at the Jamarat, they symbolically declare, though in symbolic language, that they will repel Satan, following the example of Prophet Abraham. By offering sacrifices, the pilgrims pledge to abandon materialism and embrace a life devoted to God. Gathered in the field of Arafat, all pilgrims reflect upon the time when they will be held accountable on the day of Resurrection. Ultimately, the pilgrim returns with the (urgent) message of the Prophet of Islam, which he gave 1400 years ago: “Verily, God the Almighty has sent me as a mercy to all people, so convey this message to all the people on my behalf” (Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabeer by Tabarani, 20/8). This means that God has sent me as a mercy for all people, and it is the duty of the pilgrims to convey my message to all human beings. The lesson in this is that O Muslims, you should actively engage in the propagation of the religion of God all over the world. Your running, standing, speech, and silence—everything should be dedicated to this mission.