Sharing Islam

A Letter from Hajj: One Pilgrim's Story of a Journey for Millions

Millions of our Muslim neighbors make the pilgrimage to Mecca, coming in late November in 2009. Unfortunately, because of the implosion of American news media and the dwindling numbers of religion writers, there is very little coverage of the Hajj in U.S. news media.
    Our pioneering approach at ReadTheSpirit is to blend traditional journalistic approaches in writing about religion and spiritual media — with an international network of readers and writers who lend their own voices and stories to enrich all of us.
    So, we can’t think of a better way to give you a taste of the Hajj than to share this “Letter from the Hajj,” written by Victor Begg, who is based in Michigan but is known nationally in interfaith networks as a Muslim peace activist.
    This isn’t a text-book entry. It’s one pilgrim’s journey among millions. He originally wrote this account for friends and the letter took on a life of its own. It has been the basis for sermons delivered by clergy who received the letter, including one rabbi. Overall, it’s the kind of personal approach we love to take toward important spiritual milestones like the Hajj.
    One note: Muslims honor the names of prophets by adding a reverent phrase, “Peace be upon him.” Often, this is shortened to (pbuh) after the names in print.
    So, here is …

A LETTER FROM THE HAJJ
By Victor Begg

Hajj is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, required to be performed once in a lifetime by able-bodied Muslims who are also financially able. Preparation for Hajj includes asking for forgiveness from friends, relatives and acquaintances for any unresolved offenses we may have caused. Muslims often bid farewell by asking for everyone's good will and taking care of their obligations before they leave for Hajj.
    One of the important aspects of the pilgrimage is making seven circles around the house of worship (Kaba) rebuilt by Prophet Abraham (pbuh). It is said that Kaba originally was built by Adam — the common ancestor of all. It is also said: Angels worship God by circling His throne. Thus the circling of Kaba, which we call tawaf, represents the “primordial form of worship,” even before we were created — like the electrons revolving in an atom or the planets revolving around the sun.
    Kaba has a black stone encased in a white silver case as one of the corner stones, at the point we initiate circumventing the Kaba. It is said that Angel Gabriel brought this stone from heaven when Prophet Abraham (pbuh) started to build this House of Worship of One God.
    During Hajj, men are mandated to dress in two pieces of un-sewn white cloth, one around their waist and one over their upper body, called “ahram” (similar to what Muslims are buried in upon their passing from this world). Dressed alike, divisions among people disappear as all pilgrims recite the same words in one language. We are praying together in Arabic. In English, it means: “I am here O Lord, the One and Only, Glory to You..."
    Malcolm X's views on race were transformed upon witnessing the sea of humanity echoing the same words, clothed alike. These are the words on our lips from the time we put on the ahram, as we must do that when we get within 40 miles of Mecca (which could mean that we take on the state of ahram often in the plane before it lands).

Here is a Sufi perspective on circling of the Kaba:

Holy Shrine
Outside of time
Dressed in black
Mortal beings
Heartfelt pleadings
Dressed in white
Gold gilded door
White marble floor
Heaven's own white/black stone
White shrouds abound
Circling round
Chanting prayers
Heavenly dance
Prayers enhanced
Rising up
Focused glance
Prayerful trance
Singing praise
Cries out loud
From the shrouds
Seeking grace
Beloved Lord
You've seen and heard
All that we hide
Accept our plea
Set the guilty free
Saved from the fire
Attachment lost
Illusions crossed
Subhan Allah (All glory to God)
All praises to Him
Without kin
Alone and One
Ya Rahman Ya Rahim
Ya Rahman Ya Rahim
Ih-dinus-sirat-ul-mustaqeem
(O Most Merciful One
O Most Compassionate One
Show us the straight path)

    After the tawaf, we drink from the well of zam zam that was created instantly by the will of God, according to our teachings, by Archangel Gabriel, to quench the thirst of Abraham's first born, left in the desert by father Abraham with his mother, Hagar. Water provided sustenance for baby Ishmael in answer to Hagar's prayers. I saw millions of pilgrims drink from the well and wash their faces, hands and feet in ablution. I was amazed how this water flows freely.
    We then pray at the spot where footsteps of Abraham (pbuh) are preserved. Next, we retrace the steps of Hagar running between the two hills called Safa and Marwa, looking for water or some caravan to help her newborn baby, Ishmael.

    In the next few days, there are other rites we must perform. Millions of people move after the morning prayers on the 8th day of the lunar month Zul-Hijjah towards the plains of Arafa and spend the night in the tent city of Mina along the way, just as the Prophet (pbuh) did more than 1,400 years ago. Next day, in Arafa, we gather where the Prophet (pbuh) gave his final sermon from a hill top. Muslims believe that the gathering in Arafa, clothed in white shrouds (no restriction for women but most cover themselves in white or plain color), represents the assembly of the resurrected humanity on the Day of Judgment. We pray more for forgiveness and for God's blessings.

     I prayed to God to grant me forgiveness and for my family, friends, and our communities and for peace in the world.
    Then the millions move again from the plains of Arafa to an area called Muzdalfa for night prayers where Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) spent the night. We pick up pebbles from the desert to demolish the Satan who tried to mislead Ishmael (pbuh) and Abraham (pbuh) on three different occasions. So, the next day, armed with those pebbles, we return to Mina to perform the rites (you know all about the throwing of these pebbles, thanks to CNN) and we live in the tent city spending the next 2 nights — praying and meditating and discarding the evil (Satan).

    Next, we return to Mecca to do our farewell tawaf. Men will shave their heads. Yes, including me as we are supposed to be newly born free of all sins upon proper completion of the pilgrimage. At the end of the pilgrimage, we sacrifice a lamb in commemoration of the sacrifice made by our great-grandpa Abraham (pbuh), in quest for submitting unconditionally to God's will.
    Prophet Abraham (pbuh) also prayed to God to bless this area with a city and the fruits to eat. We witnessed the bustling humanity, abundance of the fruits and goods from all over the world in the city of Mecca. God answered his prayers and continues to bless the desert city to this day. We pray, we meditate, we shop, we taste the international cuisine, we catch a few holy germs (I was still coughing upon arriving back at my home airport) but overall it is a great soul-satisfying experience. My wife absolutely lost herself in it.
    We had a large American contingent plus Canadian, European, Asian and African brothers and sisters who traveled with us. During Hajj, millions of people move from site to site over a period of days, which also makes one a very patient person.

    In spite of occasional mishaps, during this enormous gathering of pilgrims, Hajj is God's miracle in itself.

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    (Originally published at http://www.ReadTheSpirit.com/)

Andy Elder: "Like a reunion or homecoming of sorts"

Andy Elder compares his approach to Ramadan as similar to training for a marathon. The holy month is a delicate balance, he says, between the richness of homecomings—and the sometimes-agonizing self denial of the fast. Here are Andy's reflections ...

You prep for the long days the closer Ramadan gets. If you're running a marathon and you're early in training, you're running 6, 8, 10 miles.
    By the time Ramadan begins each year ... I'm ready. I've done my training.
    Everybody's got it in the back of their mind because they've done it before.
    I enjoy it because I see people during Ramadan I don't see throughout the year. I love that time. It gives you the opportunity to do something above and beyond, whether it's hosting a dinner or giving to charity.
    It's like a reunion or homecoming of sorts. It brings everyone together under one location. But it's not just about the food.
    It's about sacrifice. It's about fighting several times a day with the devil in your head. It's fighting temptation, which strengthens your mental resolve for life.

    Come back each day for more inspiring profiles of our Muslim neighbors in America. Email us to let us know your thoughts—or click on the Comment link (at right), please.

Mary Assel: A lifetime journey sorting out the wisdom of Ramadan

Mary Assel's spiritual journey into Ramadan began with a little childhood fasting. Growing up surrounded by Christian culture, Mary recalls associations with her friends' Lenten experiences. Read her story and you'll find a lifetime journey unfolding in a few words. Now, Mary has her own children. She's also director of the English Language Institute at Henry Ford Community College.

It started when we were children.
    My recollection of the word "fasting" coincided with Lent. There were children around me (when I began attending a public school) who would fast for Lent.
    As I began fasting, my recollection is that it was half a day and that none of us had to fast more than a half day. So, we could go home and eat at noon. My mother agreed to that because we were young.
    We celebrated the Eid (the festival at the end of Ramadan) by getting dressed and walking around with our little purses.
    As years passed, if it wasn't convenient to fast—I was young and didn't know it was one of the pillars of Islam—I didn't. I thought of fasting as a choice. Nobody really imposed it on me. It wasn't something that I cared too much to do, especially during my early years and early forties.
    But then, I began to think that this is serious and is one of the five pillars of Islam. I began to fast and mandate indirectly to the children that they needed to consider it.
    (Today, I feel the effects of Ramadan as I work) because I'm talking all day. It's hard for me to pull through the day, but I do. I find that having a good meal before sunrise helps me not get hungry or thirsty. My speech may be a little slower than normal. I'll have a lower tone. I'll try not to exhaust myself. I try not to workout and to avoid situations where I have to talk a lot or read aloud. I'll have the students do the talking.
    At the end of the month, I feel good about it.
    And I pray that one day I will have the energy to fast for a whole year to make up for the times that I didn't fast when I should have.

    Come back each day for more inspiring profiles of our Muslim neighbors in America. Email us to let us know your thoughts—or click on the Comment link (at right), please.

(Published in www.ReadTheSpirit.com)

Mike Mosallam: What's so funny? Folks don't get our love of Ramadan

Mike Mosallam is a popular Muslim comedian, actor and song-and-dance man. He lives in New York and usually he's poking fun at the injustices of daily life. Here, he gets serious—for just a moment—about Ramadan and family. And don't miss the cool link at the bottom to see a video of Mike in action with a grand piano.

One time on Facebook, I created a quiz about myself for my friends to take … because I’m not at all self-absorbed … and one of the questions was:
    Q: My favorite time of the year is:
    1. My birthday
    2. Christmas
    3. Ramadan
    4. New Year
    Much to my surprise, the majority of my “friends” picked No. 1 and not the correct answer, No. 3.
    The truth is: I LOVE Ramadan.
    I love everything about it. The reflection period, the Night of Power, the not eating or drinking, the bad breath, I swear I love it all.
    Mainly, I think I love it because of it’s comforting. It’s what I know, what I grew up with. It reminds me of my family, the time we share together during iftar (the breaking of the fast). Living in New York for the past 8 Ramadans, I haven’t had the luxury of breaking fast with my family as often as I would have liked to. I always made it a point, whether I was living in New York or on the road with a show, to come home for a least a week to be with family and friends.
    I look forward to being home this year for Ramadan in its entirety and breaking fast every night with my family … especially with Dad. What an incredible man; I’m honored to sit at your table sir. And Mom, thanks for cooking. You’re the best, too.
    Ramadan Mubarak. Here’s to a healthy and happy Ramadan experience to all!

    THIS WILL MAKE YOU SMILE: Want to catch a tiny sample of Mike's comedy, complete with some song-and-dance satire? Click here to jump to YouTube and watch Mike perform "Special" from the "The Muslim Musical."

    Come back each day for more inspiring profiles of our Muslim neighbors in America. Email us to let us know your thoughts—or click on the Comment link (at right), please.

(Published in www.ReadTheSpirit.com)

Fidaa Bazzi: "I know that I did something good in life."

Fidaa Bazzi is a college student and tae kwon do instructor. She talks about how the weeks of fasting work on one's will to discover that faith is about sacrifice. This is a powerful theme among many Muslims, especially those engaged in physical activity during the fasting hours.

    (Ramadan) is challenging with two jobs, college, and tae kwon do. But I look at it as if I'm getting some good out of it; good deeds. This is what God asks for. If, someday, something bad happens to me, I know that I did something good in life.
    But I try to get the bad feelings about the food and water out of my mind and convince myself that I could do this because I honor and respect my religion.
    The hardest part of fasting to me is the physical part because it feels like your body is tired and you want to give up on yourself. At work, I have to talk all day. I feel so tired. At the same time, if you do that, you feel thirsty and hungry.
    So, I think about it like, "Come on! You got a couple more hours to go!"
    I remember my senior year in high school, we had to run the mile. I was fasting that day. I told my teacher I was fasting and that i was tired. She said, "Try to do as much as you can." So, I ran two laps and gave up.
    But the whole time, my friend said,"You can do it."
    I tried another three laps, and then I felt the thirst. But I felt like I was able to keep going. I said a little prayer to myself and said, "God, please help me finish this." I finished in eight minutes.
    When I did, I thanked God. I felt like it was the best for me, and it's what God wanted.

    Come back each day for more inspiring profiles of our Muslim neighbors in America.

Yasser Kalkas: "Ramadan is like the Super Bowl ..."

What if you had to cook all day around a hot oven—while you were fasting and could not so much as take a sip of water?
    Yasser Kalkas, owner of Pizza Kitchen in Dearborn, faces precisely that challenge during each Ramadan season. Yasser's story about Ramadan is part of a series of profiles drawn from the ordinary lives of American Muslims. Here's his reflection on keeping the faith—on the job ...

    The first week, everybody is home cooking, so it's slow. The second week it really picks up. And by the fourth week, it's crazy (busy) because by that time people are sick of home cooking.
    Ramadan can be challenging for me because I'm here all day. You get tired.
    Remember, everybody wants to eat at the same time. So, we break our fast a half hour after everyone else. Then you're ready to go to sleep.
    Ramadan is like the Super Bowl for us. For that one hour leading up to iftar (the meal as Muslims break fast at night) we're really, really busy—for 30 days. Then you're ready to go to sleep.
    Some customers come in and say, "You're crazy for doing this while you're working."
    On real hot days, I start changing colors! You start working that oven, and it's the water that's the biggest challenge.
    But it's part of who we are. This is what I believe in.
    I do it because God willing I'll have kids and this is what I'll teach them.

    Come back each day for more inspiring profiles of our Muslim neighbors in America.

A Story about an Ordinary Man who is an Extraordinary Neighbor

Whatever your religious path may be, the story of Jack Seman will inspire you. He's the kind of neighbor we all wish we could meet.
    More importantly, he's the kind of neighbor we each can become. We may not have the time and resources to accomplish as much as Jack, but his tireless spirit of compassion and joy is the thing to emulate.
    What's more, Jack makes these spiritual connections with people—and with the natural world as well.

    We want to thank the journalist Raad Alawan, whose many professional accomplishments include video production and magazine writing and editing as well. You can read more about Raad by clicking on the link to "The Interfaith Story ..." (at right) or by visiting his magazine via the link (at right) to "Your Community Voice."

    You should see a video screen, below. Click to start the video and you'll meet Raad—who will tell you the story of Jack Seman, a story that just may move you to help a neighbor yourself today.