The central courtyard of the Great Mosque of Mecca is open all year round so is often busy, particularly during Hajj, but strict lockdown measures in Saudi Arabia have left it completely empty.

The holy month of Ramadan sees Muslims fast for 30 days, to mark the month the Koran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Families usually meet after sunset to eat together and often go to the mosque to pray - which won't be possible under coronavirus lockdown measures. Read more

She takes tiny, shuffling steps as she completes seven anti-clockwise laps that form one of many rituals she completes as part of her Haj.

"For Muslims, Mecca is sacred, it's the centre of the earth. Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and becomes an obligation once a person is able to afford it.

"It gives you the opportunity to reflect on the blessings God Almighty has given humanity," the nurse from Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital explains of the trip she made last year.

Youssef first visited Mecca in 2010 with her cousin and recalls being overwhelmed when she first laid eyes on the Kaaba.

"It was my invitation to visit the house of God and seek forgiveness before Him. My heart was jumping out of my chest," she recalls of the Haj, the biggest pilgrimage in the world that draws millions of Muslims from around the world and is taking place this week.

While the Haj is probably the best-known pilgrimage in the world, there are many other spiritual locations attracting a growing number of Australians who put aside the rigours and stress of daily modern life to take time out for spiritual and physical renewal and enlightenment.

Sheikh Jehad Ismail is an Sydney sheikh who has led international pilgrimage groups to Mecca for many years.

"God wants human beings to experience through the Haj a spiritual and dynamic journey, and then apply the lessons learnt there to their daily life," he says.

An Australian travel agency United World Travel owner Mahmoud Hammoud takes pilgrims every year for a 20-day trip to Mecca and Medina, the city where the Prophet Muhammad was born.

He is in Mecca with a group of 200 pilgrims; he says about 5000 visas are issued annually to Australians travelling for the Haj. Continue reading

Sources

• The Sydney Morning Herald, from an article written by Zohra Aly, lecturer in Arabic and Islamics at the Catholic Institute of Sydney.
• Image: asianews.it

Ulil Abshar Abdalla said the word predates Islam and is a general Arabic term used to refer to God.

Malaysia has declared the word "Allah" should only be used by Muslims, exclusively.

Ulil was denied entry into Malaysia earlier this month.

"The term ‘Allah' comes from two words which are ‘Al' ‘and ‘Ilah' which means God. . . . The people of Mecca also used the word ‘Allah' before Islam came," Ulil said in a recent interview.

Ulil's view of the "Allah" controversy echoes that of Muslim scholars and clerics, both in Malaysia and worldwide, who have criticised the ban of the use of the word among non-Muslims.

Continue reading

Muslims from all over the world will gather together for five days to pray as one community, celebrating their history and giving thanks for blessings.

From the Masjid Al Haram complex to the hills of Mina, the rites include circling the Kaaba seven times and visiting sites of historical and religious importance.

When is Hajj 2014?
This year's hajj is expected to fall on October 1-6, though that date depends on the sighting of the moon, as Islam follows a lunar calendar.

Hajj takes place annually on the eighth day of the month of Dhul Al-Hijjah in the Muslim calendar.

It's considered an obligation for devout Muslims to undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially able.

What's the history of Hajj?
The pilgrimage to Mecca has been going on since pre-Islamic times, as Mecca's economic prosperity during the time of the Prophet Muhammad was largely due to the income from visitors.

Muslims believe that the steps of the Hajj correlate to the story of Hagar, the second wife of Abraham whom he married after Sarah was childless.

After Abraham left her and her infant son, Ishmael, in the desert, she frantically ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa to look for food and water for her baby after their provisions ran out.

As she prayed to God for mercy, Ishmael's heel hit the ground and the well of Zam Zam sprang forth to nourish them.

When Abraham returned, he built the Kaaba with Ishmael's help. Continue reading

Sources

• Huffington Post
• Image: Time

When is Hajj 2013?
This year's hajj will be celebrated on Oct. 13th to 18th, though that date depends on the sighting of the moon, as Islam follows a lunar calendar. Hajj takes place annually on the eighth day of the month of Dhul Al-Hijjah in the Muslim calendar. It's considered an obligation for devout Muslims to undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially able.

What's the history of Hajj?
The pilgrimage to Mecca has been going on since pre-Islamic times, as Mecca's economic prosperity during the time of the Prophet Muhammad was largely due to the income from visitors.

Muslims believe that the steps of the Hajj correlate to the story of Hagar, the second wife of Abraham whom he married after Sarah was childless. After Abraham left her and her infant son, Ishmael, in the desert, she frantically ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa to look for food and water for her baby after their provisions ran out. As she prayed to God for mercy, Ishmael's heel hit the ground and the well of Zam Zam sprang forth to nourish them. When Abraham returned, he built the Kaaba with Ishmael's help.

What are the steps of Hajj?

First, pilgrims go to Miqat, the entry station to the Hajj, where they bathe, put on special clothing, and make a formal statement of intent. Next they enter the Masjid al Haram complex to do Tawaf, a rite which involves circling the Kaaba seven times while reciting prayers. After this takes place, it's encouraged to sip water from the Zam Zam well, then walk between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times.

Next, the formal Hajj ritual begins with another declaration of intent. Pilgrims then travel to Mina on the 8th of Dhul al Hijjah and stay there until dawn prayer the next morning. Following the prayer, the faithful travel to the valley of Arafat to stand in the heat and praise God. The day concludes with travel to Muzdalifa and the gathering of small pebbles. A symbolic stoning of the devil occurs at Mina the next day, along with the animal sacrifice which is part of Eid al Adha. Male pilgrims will shave their heads after this occurs. Next, pilgrims return to Mecca to do the Tawaf again, along with the crossing between Safa and Marwa 7 times. Another trip to Mina then takes place, along with more symbolic stoning, before the faithful can return to Mecca to do a farewell Tawaf. Continue reading

Sources

• Huff Post Religion
• Image: All Empires History Forum