Hajj – The Spiritual Journey

“Pilgrimage to the Sacred House is a duty to Allah for humankind, for him who is able to make the journey.”
(Al Qur’an: Ali ‘Imran 3: 97)

A Muslim who has come of age, of sound mental faculties, free and able, is obligated to undertake the pilgrimage to perform the Hajj. An able pilgrim is of good health, has the means of transport, affords the expenses and the journey is fairly safe. Women have to be accompanied by trustworthy companions.

The pilgrim is normally prepared in terms of knowledge of the pilgrimage, deeds and religious practice, spiritually ready, psychologically and emotionally. The pilgrim needs to have sufficient funds, be physically fit and be ready for the journey.

The pilgrim who intends to depart for the holy land is accorded warmth and respect by his kin, friends, neighbours and community. Well wishers throng to say a prayer, offer words of encouragement and support. Although hajj is a yearly and seasonal affair, its significance and meaning never diminishes with time. The hajj is celebrated by those who are undertaking the pilgrimage, those who have been there and those who are still intending to make the journey.


The pilgrim leaves the family, the children and his property or business to seek a sojourn in a spiritual journey. He makes the necessary arrangements and provisions for those that he is leaving but he departs basically leaving everything in trust and total reliance in Allah the Almighty.


In the older days, the journey takes a long time in the form of voyage by sea vessels which was tough and demanding. Nowadays it is only an international flight with comfortable transits and systematic departure and travel procedures.


Still, the magnitude in terms of the millions of pilgrims converging in a fixed and designated time and place is amazing and at the same time is a trial of patience and forbearance.

Hajj

Islam prescribes that all capable Muslims perform the pilgrimage to the Ka’bah in Makkah once in a lifetime. This is the ultimate worldly hope and crowning finale of the Muslim’s life.

Haji is the fifth pillar fo Islam. Hajj is obligatory for all able Muslims male and female.

Hajj is the pilgrimage to the House of Allah (Baitullah al Haram) in the month of Hajj to perform tawaf (circambulation), sai’e (from Safa to Marwah accordingly) and wukuf (stay) at Arafah, all according to its conditions and obligations.

Men in pilgrimage shall wear the ihram – two pieces of unsown cloth worn as a wrap around and shall not wear any head covering. Women shall dress to cover all aurat – the typical Muslim dress for chaste and modesty.

Essential Obligations (Rukun)

• Niat – Making the intention

• Wukuf at Arafah – staying/ camping within the designated time at Arafah in devotion and worship

• Tawaf – Circambulating the Ka’abah 7 times

• Sai’e – Walking to and fro between Safa dan Marwah 7 times

Compulsory Obligations (Wajib)

• Making the intention at the proper and designated place (Miqat)

• Travel and a brief stopover at Mudzalifah for the night

• Camping and spending the nights in Mina

• Casting stones at the Jamrah – symbolising the rejection and crushing of Satan

• Tahallul – a shave or a haircut before disengaging the conditons of the ihram

• Abstain from matters forbidden during hajj/ ihram

We have moved!

Islamic Outreach-ABIM Penang has moved out from the Caring Society Complex to ABIM's Annex Building at 2157, Tgt Sg Gelugor 8, Sg Gelugor. The Caring Society Complex is being taken over in part by the State Welfare Department causing all the NGO's to be relocated within a much smaller space allocation.

With the new space allocated to IOA, it is insufficient for the type of activities that we run. We need room for classes, counseling, chit-chat, equipment and others.

So yesterday our brothers and sisters pitched in to help with packing and moving of all of our stuff. Inshallah, we shall have to rejuvenate and refresh our resolve and revive our activities to get IOA going again.

If anyone can suggest a suitable place, please do let us know. In the meantime, ABIM's facilities and its new meeting room is spacious enough suitable for classes and air conditioned for comfort.


Let us seek reassurance by remembering al Qur'an: 94: 5-6

"So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief:

Verily, with every difficulty there is relief."

We pray that brothers and sisters shall continue to support our outreach programs.