Hajj - The journey of a Lifetime

HAJJ, one of the five pillars of Islam, is obligatory on every adult Muslim once in his lifetime if he is financially and physically capable to undertake the journey. Allah (God in Arabic language) said in the Qur’an (God’s final revelation to mankind through Prophet Muhammad ﷺ): And pilgrimage to the house is duty upon mankind owed to Allah for whoever can find a way there (Qur’an 3:97) Hajj rituals commemorate the events that took place during the time of Ibrahim (Abraham) عليه السلام, one of the prophets of Allah. Ibrahim عليه السلام perfected his faith in Allah and showed complete reliance on God during the many trials and tribulations in his life. His life is worth reading about before going for Hajj or if you simply want to understand Hajj better. When Muslims perform Hajj, they are reminded of his powerful legacy which recharges their commitment to the religion and thus helps them attain pure faith in God. The fact that Hajj has been going on every year for thousands of years of human history shows that it has to be divinely legislated. Human beings are incapable of starting such a movement. Many of us who go for Hajj focus a lot in learning the rituals, and of course we must. However, preparing the heart for the pilgrimage should not be any less important. We must prepare our heart to attain the purpose of Hajj. [Ref: http://www.muslimink.com/dawah/299-purpose-hajj-importance-muslims]