The Greater Pilgrimage

The Greater Pilgrimage, or Hajj, to the Holy House, or Kabah, in Mecca, which is located in Saudi Arabia, is the fifth pillar of Islam being the act of worship of a lifetime for Muslims and Sufis, the seal of all that is commanded, the perfection of Islam and the completion of the religion. Every year millions of people of every gender, age, nation and background, gather in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah sharing the single purpose to worship, serve and draw near to God. During Hajj, the pilgrims follow the outward and inward spiritual path of not only the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, but also Adam, Abraham and Ismael. In this immense spiritual practice, they literally retrace the footsteps of the Holy Prophets performing the same actions that they performed, reflecting inwardly to try to reach their inward states.

Allah said to Abraham, “And proclaim unto mankind the Pilgrimage. They will come to thee on foot, and on every lean camel, coming by every distant tract.” (Quran 22:27)

“Pilgrimage to the Sacred House is a duty to God for mankind, for him who is able to make the journey.” (Quran 3:97)

“And take with you provision for the journey; and indeed the best of provision is proper conduct.” (Quran)

The Prophet said, “Whoever performs Pilgrimage to the House without foul talk or iniquity is free from sin as on the day his mother bore him.”

The Prophet also said about Hajj:-

“One Pilgrimage which is accepted is better than the whole world and what is in it; a Pilgrimage which is accepted has the reward of Paradise.”

“Verily, the Angels shake hands with the pilgrims arriving in Mecca mounted on horses or camels, and embrace those arriving on foot.”

“Those who go on the Greater or Lesser Pilgrimage (Umrah) are a delegation of God Almighty. If they ask of Him, He grants them; if they beg His forgiveness, He forgives them; if they voice their supplication, it is granted to them; if they intercede on behalf of anyone, their intercession is granted.”

“Everyday one hundred and twenty mercies descend on this House, the Kabah. Of these, sixty are for those who circumambulate the Kabah, forty for those who merely pray before it, and twenty for those who merely gaze at it.”

Grand Shaykh Abdullah said, “Anyone who wants to go on Pilgrimage to God, or who wants to do any good deed, he must not associate anyone or anything with God. Don’t associate your ego there by getting angry or rejecting anyone on the way.” Grand Shaykh, whose heart was open from ten years of age, is teaching us through adab, excellent behavior.

He went on to say, “I went ten times for Hajj and ten times gave greetings to the Kabah and only one time the Kabah returned my greetings.” Mawlana Shaykh Hisham, “When you say ‘Assalam alaykh ya Baytullah’ and when the Kabah replies ‘Wa alayka assalam ya Abdullah’, then at that time you know what the Path means, you know what Shaykh means, you know what Guides mean and you understand the meaning of the Prophet.”