THE MESSAGE AND MEANING OF HAJ — God-oriented Life

THE MESSAGE AND MEANING OF HAJ T HE signifi cance and message of the pilgrimage is for man to turn towards God, making God the central focus of his life. Although the Haj lasts for just a few days, the lessons it provides have a much broader signifi cance. Haj is a comprehensive guide for the whole of one’s life. When we take leave of our homes and families and set off for Haj, we feel that we are journeying towards God. It is as if we have left our world and are entering the world of God. We feel we are heading towards the House of God, to the abode and place of experience of God’s Prophet and his companions — to the historically signifi cant places of people who had devoted th eir entire lives for the sake of God, and who gave their lives in God’s path. With this, the pilgrim also realizes the fact that he is setting off for that place which God specially chose to reveal his fi nal guidance to humankind. The significance and message of the pilgrimage — is for man to turn towards God, making God the central focus of his life. In this manner, Haj leads to the pilgrim becoming a God-oriented person. He recalls and remembers God. His mind is fi lled with thoughts of God. If earlier he used to think principally about himself, now he thinks mainly or wholly of God. A man’s psyche is moulded in accordance with his thoughts. If we think about and act only for ourselves, we become self-centered. But when we set off towards God, our mind turns towards Him. We begin to think of God. We now remember that it was God who created us. That it is God who gave us so many diff erent opportunities. That it was He who made us capable of doing many things in this world. That it was because of His blessings that we are able to journey towards His house. That, fi nally, the day will dawn when we will die, after which we will have to directly appear in His court. All this makes the pilgrim’s journey into a truly spiritual one. Although, the Haj is in the form of a