The Fifth Pillar Of IslamHAJJ
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General Points on Hajj What Is It?
The dearest wish of any devout Muslim is to be able to perform the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah. "Hajj" means to "set out with a definite purpose", and it is the duty of every Muslim who can afford it, and who is physically fit, to visit the Ka'bah and stand before God at Mount Arafat, once in their lifetime.
For Muslims who live near Makkah the journey can be made many times, but most live so far away and are so poor that this is virtually impossible. Some people save fir a lifetime in order to be able to go. Sometimes a family of community will club together in order to be able to send one representative.
The true Hajj has to be made between 8 and 13 Dhul-Hijjah (the twelfth month). If a Muslim goes at any other time it is known as Umrah, or the lesser pilgrimage, and the significance is not the same.
All the pillars of Islam require a breaking-off of normal everyday life, but Hajj demands much more. It is a complete suspension of all worldly activities for a few days, when the pilgrim becomes just a naked soul, living and moving for God alone...