Hajj is one of the pillars of the religion of Islam. It is a social as well as a spiritual pillar. It disciplines the soul, purifies the heart, and washes away the filth of evil. It is a social meeting, an Islamic means of acquaintance and a gathering of believing souls on affection, mercy and spirituality in the shade of the Sacred House and in the holy lands. It is in those lands which Allah honored by making them a place of return for the people and a place of security, divine gifts and radiance for the soul, and where wakefulness of the conscience takes place. Such radiance lights and encompasses both the body and the soul.
Such spirituality begins by assuming the intention of Ihraam (ritual consecration) at the Meeqaat. The Meeqaat is the place where the pilgrim wears the clothing of Ihraam.
Each direction of entry has a certain Meeqaat as if these Meeqaats - which surround the Sacred Mosque like the halo around the sun - were the borders between worldly pleasure and the soul’s life and pleasure. These Meeqaats are the borders for the assigned place by Allah to spiritually host His believing slaves who come from all parts of the world. The pilgrims discard all the material aspects of their hearts and bodies in order to enjoy the honor of being the guests of this divine banquet and spiritual provision.
There are some statements that were narrated from the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention), while assuming Ihraam through which he taught us how to be purified from worldly desires and earthly behavior and to be attached to Allah. It is narrated that he would say upon assuming Ihraam: “O Allah, I seek a Hajj that is free from ostentation and from seeking reputation.” He repeated these words so that we would learn how to rid ourselves of ostentation and seeking fame and reputation.
Ostentation is the blight of worship that keeps it away from the lofty spiritual ranks. It is the hidden form of Shirk (polytheism). Therefore, the Prophet said:
“Whoever prays out of ostentation commits Shirk. Whoever fasts out of ostentation commits Shirk. Whoever gives charity out of ostentation commits Shirk.”
Ihraam admits the believer to the setting of the spiritual realm and the spaciousness of hospitality. Hence, the pilgrim has to declare that he enters this sacred valley of spirituality, the valley of the hospitality of Allah. Therefore, the pilgrim says, “Labbayka Allahumma labbayk; Labbayka la shareeka laka labbayk; Inna al-hamda wa'n-ni‘mata laka wal-mulk; Laa shareeka lak. (O Allah, I hasten to You. You have no partner, I hasten to You. All praise and grace belong to You as well as sovereignty; You have no partner).” By this call, which is the announcement of Hajj or the manifestation of its spirituality, the pilgrim enters the position of being the guest of Allah. This elevates the pilgrim from the descending earthly steps to the ascending heavenly ranks. Hajj is a representation of accepting the invitation of Allah to this holy event. The pilgrim repeats the announcement of Hajj upon ascending or descending every high and low place in order to be in a permanent state of remembrance and not to forget that he is being hosted by Allah, the Most Merciful.
During this spiritual activity, a Muslim has to relinquish factors of adornment and earthly matters. A pilgrim should not wear perfume or adorn himself by cutting or shaving his hair. Pilgrims, at this time, are in a state of spiritual devotion and it is improper to be busy with material appearances. Also, the life of the spirit necessitates equality; that all humans are equal before the greatness of the Creator and there is no preference for an Arab over a non-Arab, for the strong over the weak, or for the poor over the rich.
Adorning oneself contradicts equality because not all people can afford or do these matters. Hence, equality in preventing all pilgrims from this is quite proper and beneficial. Adornments and wearing luxurious clothes can lead to haughtiness. As a result, this would negate the spiritual meaning of Hajj and the absolute equality that people should have before Allah. No one has preference over another before Allah in this blessed land.
Traveling long distances, discarding lusts and desires and keeping only the necessary requirements of the body that keeps one alive; the first place to be headed for is the Sacred House, the Black Stone, and the Maqaam (standing place of Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention). This reminds the pilgrim of the Prophetic memoirs. A pilgrim should remember that at this place the Prophet started the declaration of his Da‘wah (call) when he stood on Mount As-Safa. It should come to the pilgrim’s mind that the Prophet would go around the houses of Quraysh calling people to worship Allah alone and would bear the harm of the disbelievers patiently while arguing with them in kindness. Before the Maqaam, one should think of Ibraaheem (Abraham), may Allah exalt his mention, who built the House of Allah and the unity of the heavenly revealed religions that were not distorted and that all of them have one law because they were sent down by the only one true God, Allah, who neither begets nor was begotten.
At this, the pilgrim feels the greatness and holiness of this House and remembers the supplication of the Prophet : “O Allah, increase this House's honor, sublimity, respect and reverence, and grant all those who come to it for Hajj or ‘Umrah more honor, respect, dignity and righteousness.”
At this blessed situation, there will be no barrier between the slave and his Lord as the person frees himself from the filth of desires, fancies and corruption and becomes purely sincere to Allah.
Therefore, the Prophet gave us the glad tidings that Allah The Almighty answers supplications in these spiritual moments. The Prophet said: “The gates of heaven are open and a Muslim’s supplication is answered upon seeing the Ka‘bah.”
After the believers end Tawaaf (circumambulation) around the glorified House, finish Sa‘y (walking) between Mounts As-Safa and Al-Marwah and stay for a while in the holy places where the Quran was revealed, they leave for the greater scene and awesome congregation at ‘Arafah where the last Prophet of Allah declared the conclusion of his message in the Farewell Hajj. At this precinct, Muslims meet from all over the world and feel the call of Allah who hosts them: {Indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.} [Quran 21:92] In this breathtaking scene, it is as if they elevate themselves to heaven and exalt themselves above every sort of disagreement, having purified their souls, tongues and deeds from disputes.
Ending their rituals in ‘Arafaat and the nearby precincts, pilgrims proceed to Mina where their final battle against Satan takes place. They support themselves with a spiritual weapon and rise above earthly characters which give Satan a way to penetrate their souls. The symbol of victory is to cast pebbles at Satan saying, “Bismillaah; Allahu Akbar; Rajman lish-shaytaan, wa ridhan lir-Rahmaan Allahumma-ij‘alhu hajjan mabroran wa sa‘yan mashkoora (In the name of Allah; Allah is the Greatest. This is casting pebbles at Satan for pleasing the Most Merciful. O Allah, make it an accepted Hajj and a rewarded effort!).”
Then, people end their Ihraam to go down from this spiritual stance to the earthly battleground of life after being well-armed and having washed their souls from sins just as clothes are washed from dirt. Hence, they win the promised reward about which the Prophet gave them glad tidings: “The one who performs Hajj without having sexual relations, speaking indecently or acting wickedly will return (free from sin) as on the very day his mother gave birth to him.”