Neglected Aspect of Hajj

Also published in DAILY TRUST

Hajj is obviously one of the Pillars of Islam, and Muslims from all over the world aspire to perform it as many as possible, even though it is obligatory only once in one’s lifetime, and only to those who are fit and wealthy enough to undertake it for that matter.

Hajj has two fundamental aspects i.e. spiritual and socio-political. The spiritual aspect of Hajj is of course the most obvious, because it is often addressed substantially sometimes at the expanse of its socio-political aspect, which is equally important. And though no amount of addressing its spiritual aspect is excessive per se, the other aspect is equally significant hence needs equal attention.

It is noteworthy that, Hajj derives its socio-political significance from the essence of the cycle of congressional prayer sessions, which Islam prescribes at different times and occasions. For instance, though the five daily congressional prayers are intended to draw Muslim faithful together in particular vicinity to pray congressionally, it is also designed to provide daily platforms for them to discuss issues of collective interest related to their particular vicinity. Issues like local education, environmental sanitation, marriage, juvenile delinquency in the vicinity, small charity fund to cater for the destitute in the locality, arbitration etc, could be discussed and addressed on regular bases after congressional prayers.

Equally, the weekly Friday Prayer is among other things intended to enable Muslim communities within a particular catchment area to meet once a week, discuss their issues in a bit wider perspective. Issues of local politics and how to lobby for appropriate developmental projects from the local government authorities, etc could be addressed.

Similarly, the occasions of annual congressional Eid prayers are intended to provide wider platforms for the Muslim faithful from several communities to interact with one another, and enable their respective stakeholders discuss issues of collective concern. State level socio-political issues as well as how best the state’s interests could be served and promoted in national level could be addressed.

Along this line, Hajj represents the annual grand convention of Muslims from all parts of the world. It was basically intended to afford Muslim faithful from various parts of the globe the opportunity to meet with one another, share their experiences and above all discuss the strategic interests of the Muslim Ummah at large.  It is designed to reflect global Islamic brotherhood and cohesion. After all, the prescription of a uniform dress for all the pilgrims and other ritual worship practices at the same specific points and circumstances, say it all.

Interestingly enough, in all the aforementioned occasions, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had addressed issues of appropriate relevance during his lifetime, and some of what would later come to pass. In fact his holy mosque in Medina also served as his administrative headquarter, where he among other things adjudicated, discussed socio-political issues and received foreign delegates and international diplomats including non Muslims for that matter.

Moreover, during the only Hajj he was able to perform, where he delivered his famous last sermon, he summarized his mission in this world in which he dwelt significantly on social interactions and other strategic interests of the Muslim Ummah.

However, nowadays and despite the Saudi authorities’ highly commendable efforts in providing gigantic infrastructure, efficient services and facilities to make Hajj much easier, as well as their efforts in raising the pilgrims’ awareness on how to perform Hajj rituals, it is obvious that, the socio-political aspect of Hajj is conspicuously lacking, which by implication strips it of one of its major objectives, and indeed deprives the pilgrims from one of its most memorable tests.

Though the population of Muslim pilgrims performing Hajj is increasingly going up, it is ironic that, interaction between Muslims of various countries and cultures during Hajj is at the minimum. Granted, Hajj top officials from various countries are scheduled to meet with their counterparts from various countries and the host country’s officials, such meeting is too formal in nature and it does not include any agenda for free deliberations on the Ummah’s issues. Likewise, there are no organized programs where the pilgrims or at least their representatives would interact together over the Ummah’s collective interests.

It is pretty noticeable that, the pattern of lodging the pilgrims in both the holy cities, the way they are encamped in gated tent camps in Muna and Arafat as well as the arrangement of transporting them around, hinder the much needed unrestricted yet regularized intermingling between Muslims from divergent cultural, national and racial backgrounds during Hajj. Surprisingly, even pilgrims from the same country largely go through such restrictive arrangements on the bases of their respective states ‘affiliations.

These restrictions predictably reflect themselves even where there are no official restrictions e.g. worship sites and other public places, where all one can see are dotted small crowds of people of largely the same racial, cultural and national identities. Though this is quite natural, however, there should be deliberate arrangements to encourage intermingling between the pilgrims, so as to fully reflect how Islam binds people of divergent identities and locations together, towards the same goal, which is the Pleasure of Allah the Almighty.

Interestingly enough, the possible inconvenience in interacting with total strangers and exposure to unfamiliar habits, attitudes and behavioral practices of some of them, would fade away over time, to pave the way for friendship between one another, which could be nurtured to develop into the kind of spiritual brotherhood that Islam seeks to establish between its adherents. 

As a matter of fact, even tolerating one another’s excesses, which are bound to happen in such an occasion, is worth it, after all, Hajj itself is all about a series of sacrifices, ranging from sacrificing one’s business schedules, comfort, convenience, privacy etc, all of which symbolically culminate in the ritual sacrifice of animals, which pilgrims and indeed all Muslims who can afford it are expected to do.

Incidentally, I do understand the Saudi authorities’ uncompromising stand against exploiting the Hajj occasion in promoting any political propaganda. After all in the past, some unscrupulous infiltrators had posed unnecessary security challenges during Hajj occasions under some silly pretexts, which even led to bloodshed between them and the Saudi authorities at some points.

Nevertheless, this does not negate the significance of arranging well supervised platforms in which competent stakeholders from various cultural, intellectual and professional backgrounds could brainstorm over some sticky issues bothering the Muslim Ummah in general, and thereafter issue a declaration in the name of the Muslim Ummah. I believe this will go a long way in influencing the official policies of Muslim countries’ leaderships, most of which unfortunately don’t represent the aspirations of their teeming Muslim populations.