HISTORY OF HAJJ

prophet be sent among Ishmael's progeny. Both prophets were destined to fulfill very different historical functions, hence the difference in the timing of their appearance on earth. The Final Prophet needed an alert, vital community, fit to play the part allotted to them by God. The formation of this community took over two thousand years. When his people were ready to receive him, the Prophet Muhammad was born amongst them in accordance with the divine scheme. However, the prophetic mission had to continue during this long lapse in time. So, it was arranged that prophets be sent continuously in the house of Jacob. Successive prophets continued to spread the Word of God among human beings until the time of the coming of the Final Prophet approached. According to this scheme, Abraham left his homeland, Iraq. He settled one wife, Sarah, in Palestine, where she gave birth to Isaac. His second wife, Hagar, and his son Ishmael remained in Makkah where they assisted in the construction of the Kabah. The divine scheme for universal guidance was thus divided into two stages: an initial one in Palestine and a final one in Hijaz. After Abraham, Palestine became the first centre of divine guidance. Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, John, Jesus and many other prophets were born in its vicinity. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was also known as Israel, and his progeny were known as the Israelites. Finally, rot set in amongst the Israelites and they failed to mend their ways in spite of repeated solicitations by God’s Messengers. Then God deposed them from their position as bearers of divine guidance and the sacred office was transferred to the other branch of the house of Abraham, the Ishmaelites. The decline of the Israelites coincided exactly with the full development, after a process of two thousand years of the Ishmaelites as a people of sufficient energy and dynamism to take on the responsibilities of being God’s standard-bearers on earth. As an outward sign of this transference of responsibility, the direction of worship was altered. All prophets after Abraham had prayed towards Jerusalem. Now the Muslims were commanded to face Makkah instead. Now, the centre of the call of monotheism is Makkah. Prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar and son Ishmael were made to pass many tests here. This place bears testimony to the divine scheme of God that came to pass in the old days. Believers were then commanded in the Quran to visit this place at least once in their lifetime so that they can enact, experience what the Prophet Abraham and his progeny experienced in carrying out the plan of God. ‘Perform the Hajj and the minor pilgrimage (umrah) for the sake of God. (2: 196) This is known as Hajj or Pilgrimage. o