THE ESSENCE OF HAJJ

From the earliest days of the world’s history, man has been more or less a religious creature. Almost invariably he has had a god, or several of them, to whom he looked for protection. At times these gods have been crude fetishes of whittled wood or roughly hewn stone; at times they have assumed the form of animals or reptiles, or have appeared as cruel monsters eager for the life-blood of those who reverenced them. But, however they may have come, man has worshipped them, because religion, as represented in the worship of a super-natural power, is interwoven with the entire fabric of human nature. (Encyclopedia Americana, 1961, vol. XXIII, p. 354) It is a fact that consciousness of God is embedded in man’s nature, this being how man was created. That said, this consciousness lies dormant. That is why when man does not find the true God, he begins to worship artificial, self-created gods. The urge to worship emerges from a compulsion rooted in his own nature. If he follows the guidance of God’s prophets, this urge will find its answer in the form of the worship of the one God. And if he does not follow this guidance, he will worship beings other than God, treating them as God to satisfy this urge. Man’s purpose is just one, the same purpose as that of his Creator and Master in creating him. If man closely examines his nature, he will discover signs of God in himself. Prophets help people to express their dormant innate desire to recognize and worship God. Symbols Set Up By God True vision of God will happen only in the Hereafter. But while having this faith, man still wants to find God in this world. He seeks to get close to God right away, now and not sometime in the future. How can this quest of man’s be fulfilled in this world? The answer to this is provided through symbols set up by God (THE QURAN 2: 158). God has made some things as His signs on account of their historical importance. Various conditions surround these signs as reminders so that on seeing them, one is reminded of God. God who cannot be found directly can be found indirectly. Man cannot see God Worshipping God is inherent in human nature. This is the reason why other than worship of God, nothing can give man true satisfaction.