Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
Revision 4.16 “The Hajj”

Revision 4.16 “The Hajj”

Last updated on: September 4, 2020 at 11:02 am by Dan Peterson

Revision 4.16 “The Hajj” 2020-09-04T11:02:17-06:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Ka‘ba in Mecca. (Wikimedia Commons public domain photo)
Although dating to pre-Islamic times, it has been the center of the Muslim world since the early seventh century.

It is incumbent upon every Muslim who can afford to do so to make the pilgrimage to “the Ancient House” (the Ka’ba) at Mecca at least once in his or her life.[1]Those who cannot afford to do so or are otherwise unable are exempt from the requirement.

Make the pilgrimage and visit the Sacred House for His sake. If you cannot, send such offerings as you can afford… Make the pilgrimage in the appointed months. He that intends to perform it in those months must abstain from sexual intercourse, obscene language, and acrimonious disputes while on pilgrimage … Provide [for] yourselves well: the best provision is piety.[2]

What this means, in practice, is that for a few days each year the population of Mecca swells by tens and hundreds of thousands. Muslims from around the world gather and dress in white to perform the complex multi-day rituals of the hajj. In premodern times, this was a remarkable opportunity for Muslims from Morocco to meet and share ideas with Muslims from Indonesia and Kenya. Many a coup was planned there, as well. It is a time of great international solidarity, when Muslims are reminded of the worldwide character of their faith and of the strength of their numbers. (In this regard, it somewhat resembles the annual general conference of the Latter-day Saints.)

Some of the rituals seem to be of astronomical origin. Others commemorate historical events such as the travails of Hagar and Ishmael in the desert. Unfortunately, for many years non-Muslims have been legally prohibited from entering either Mecca or Medina*—*on pain of death. Nevertheless, the rituals are not secret, and photography is allowed, so non-Muslim scholars in the West actually know a great deal about the hajj although we ourselves cannot observe it in person.[3]

[1] 22:33.

[2] 2:196-97.

[3] The intrepid nineteenth-century explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton managed to sneak into Mecca and Medina and to make the pilgrimage. He published a two-volume Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to al-Madinah & Meccah which is still available in paperback reprint from Dover Books. He was so courageous, in fact, that he even undertook an expedition to Salt Lake City in 1860, where, among other things, he met Brigham Young. In 1861, he published a book entitled The City of the Saints and Across the Rocky Mountains to California.

Richard Francis Burton

Previous Post

September 2, 2020

Our galaxy is "highly skewed toward fitness for life"

Next Post

September 3, 2020 "Were the Names “Mahijah” and “Mahujah” Inspired by Adam Clarke’s Commentary?"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Deuteronomy" mean in Greek?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Great Journey Many Stories Sacred Song Second Law