THE ESSENCE OF HAJJ

in this world, but he can see the symbols set up by God. He cannot find a manifest form of God that he can touch and experience a sense of closeness to Him. But man can touch the symbols set up by God, and through them experience the closeness to God. Symbols are signs or reminders of something; something that is not the real thing but because of some connection with the real thing, reminds one of the real thing. An example of this are the two hills, Safa and Marwah, ‘symbols set up by God’. (THE QURAN 2: 158) Safa and Marwah are located in Makkah 500 feet apart, near the Kabah. When Prophet Abraham brought his wife Hagar (Hajira) and infant Ishmael and settled them here—which later became the town of Makkah—this place was uninhabited with no water available. As Hagar’s supply of water exhausted, she ran in search of water—seven times— between Safa and Marwah. God was pleased with Hagar, and declared Safa and Marwah as His symbols—a reminder of her devotion to God. In remembrance of this, today pilgrims run seven times between Safa and Marwah. Seeing Safa and Marwah, one is reminded of the history of how a devout servant of God, Prophet Abraham, left his fertile land in Iraq and came to a desert land with his wife and child, solely for the sake of God. This is a perfect example of faith in God and trust in Him. Other things related to the Kabah, the Hajar al-Aswad (the Black Stone in the Kabah) and Hajj are also signs of God. They are symbols of the God-oriented genuine monotheist, Prophet Abraham and of those people in history who led ideal lives of devotion to God. All the rituals of Hajj are conducted amidst some of these symbols set up by God. Being in the environment of these symbols, one feels one is in God’s environment. Meeting With God The Kabah is the 'House' of the One God. It was made by two great prophets of God, Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. The lofty lives of these two prophets and the amazing sacrifices that they made for the sake of God are linked with this 'House'. And then, the lives of devotion and service to God by the last prophet, Prophet Muhammad and his companions unfolded in its environment. o God and religion are so integral a part of human nature that under no circumstance can they be separated from it.