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Hajj sees millions of Muslims converging on Makkah in worship of Allah. The act of pilgrimage is emphasized by most religious traditions. JUDAISM The second book of Samuel tells how Prophet Dawood captured Jerusalem and brought the Ark of the Covenant there. To Jews, the Ark was the symbol of God's presence in their midst, so Jerusalem became central to them. There were three festivals in Jerusalem every year, and Jews were commanded to undertake a pilgrimage to the city to participate in them (Deuteronomy 16:16). These three festivals came to be known as pilgrimage festivals. Musjidul Aqsa in Jerusalem was the center of Judaism until its destruction in 70 CE, and all who were able
Islamic Focus
Issue 75
Igniting the Spirit of Islam
were under obligation to visit it and offer sacrifices during the festivals. CHRISTIANITY The key to Christian pilgrimage is devotion to the memory of Jesus . Pilgrims visited places filled with memories of his life. For Christians, Jerusalem was associated with the life of Jesus . Pilgrims traveled to Palestine to experience firsthand the places in which biblical events occurred. HINDUISM Pilgrimage is deeply embedded in Hindu culture. There are hundreds of pilgrimage sites in India attracting millions of people annually. The city of Varanasi served as a center of Hindu pilgrimage for 3,000 years. ISLAM In Islam the Hajj or pilgrimage is based on events from
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the sacrifices of Ebrahim and his family in the worship of Allah. The significance of the destination of Hajj to Makkah is that it is the site of the first house built for the worship of the One and Only God of the universe; while other pilgrimages derive their importance exclusively from their connection to events in the life of a prophet or saint. TAWAAF One of the elements of the Hajj is Tawaaf or circling around the Ka’bah. The law of the universe is that the earth, moon, stars, all galaxies revolve around a centre. Likewise, electrons move around an atom in an orbit. Since all matter consists of atoms, this means that the law of revolution applies to everything. While Tawaaf is done in submission to Allah, it reflects this law of the universe.
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