- As has happened every year for the past 14 centuries,
pilgrims from around the world gather in Makkah to
perform the Hajj - the religious high point of every
Muslim's life. The Hajj is celebrated in the second week
of Zul Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Muslim lunar
calendar. This year the pilgrimage will take place in
April from the 26th to the 30th. Though the rites the
pilgrims perform have remained unchanged, the setting has
undergone dramatic transformation. Whereas worshippers
accepted hardship as part of the pilgrimage in the past,
today the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provides a vast array
of services and facilities to ensure a safe and
comfortable journey for the two million Muslims who
gather in Makkah for the Hajj.
- Performing the Hajj is a unique and moving experience for
a Muslim, who is obligated to make the trip at least once
during his or her life. All Muslims are required to
"make their way" to Makkah, the birthplace of
Islam, if they are able financially and physically. Not
to be confused with Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage which
can be performed at any time, the Hajj is performed once
each year. The different rites of the Hajj take place at
the holy sites of Arafat, Muzd'alifah and Mina, areas
located near Makkah, and in the Holy Mosque in the city.
The Hajj is one of the religious duties known as the Five
Pillars of Islam; the others are Shahadah (declaring that
there is no God but God and that Muhammad is the
Messenger of God), Salat (the daily prayers), Zakat (giving
alms to the poor) and Sawm (fasting during the holy month
of Ramadan).
After completion of the latest expansion project,
the Holy Mosque in Makkah (above) can now accommodate as
many as one million worshippers at a time. Below, the
mosque as it appeared in the late 19th century.
-
- Beginning the pilgrimage means donning the Ihram. The
Ihram is the white garment each pilgrim wears throughout
the Hajj. For men, it consists of two seamless pieces of
cloth, one covering the body from waist to ankle and the
other draped around the shoulder. Women usually wear a
simple dress and headcovering. The white garments
symbolize purity and also represent the equality of all
Muslims before God, rich or poor, regardless of race or
gender. After bathing and dressing in the attire, the
pilgrim enters a state of purity. This peaceful state of
mind, also called Ihram, is a sign of the pilgrim's
intent to perform the Hajj.
- Once dressed in the Ihram, the pilgrims then recite the
talbiyyah as they officially embark on their religious
journey:
Here I am at Your service, O Lord,
here I am.
Here I am. No partner do You have.
Here I am.
Truly, the praise and the favor is Yours, and the
domain.
No partner do You have.
- As the sun rises on the ninth day of Zul Hijjah, pilgrims
move out from Makkah toward Arafat, the starting point of
the pilgrimage. Waves of people make their way towards
the Plain of Arafat for the wuquf, "the standing,"
the central rite of the Hajj. The massive gathering
reminds the pilgrims of the Day of Judgment and of the
Prophet Muhammad's pilgrimage to the exact same place.
Many climb to the Mount of Mercy where the Prophet
delivered his Farewell Sermon and enjoy the brotherhood
of Muslims from around the world. The day at Arafat is
emotional and pilgrims leave feeling renewed and joyful,
asking God for forgiveness on the sacred spot where the
Prophet Muhammad once stood. After sunset, the mass of
worshippers move towards Muzd'alifah, an open plain about
halfway between Arafat and Mina, where they spend the
night in prayer and reflection.
- The dawning of the next day, Yom Al-Nahr, the Day of
Sacrifice, is welcomed by further meditation and prayer.
This day is also the first day of Eid Al-Adha, the Feast
of Sacrifice, which is a three-day celebration that is
shared by all Muslims around the world. Pilgrims
sacrifice a goat or a sheep in commemoration of Abraham's
readiness to sacrifice his son in accordance with God's
wish. This rite serves as an offer of thanksgiving to God
and is a reminder to share with those who are less
fortunate. Muslims who are not in Makkah celebrate with
their families at home, but they are reminded of those
who are a part of the festivities in the holy sites. With
the increasing number of pilgrims, the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia recognized a need for a facility to process and
package the large amounts of surplus meat during the Hajj
season and in 1982 established a plant which successfully
distributes the meat to needy people around the world.
Bridges, roads and tunnels facilitate the
movement of two million pilgrims to the holy sites
outside Makkah (above). Pilgrims arrive from all over the
world at
- the Hajj Terminal of the King Abdul Aziz Airport
in Jeddah (below).
-
- Traveling back to Makkah, the worshippers visit the Holy
Mosque to perform the Tawaf Al-Ifadah, the
circumambulation of the Ka'abah seven times. The Ka'abah,
a cube-shaped structure located in the center of the
mosque, was originally built by Abraham with his son
Ishmael. Rebuilt over the centuries, it is the Ka'abah
that the world's one billion Muslims turn to five times a
day in prayer. The only piece of Abraham's original
structure which remains is the Black Stone, now encased
in silver and located in a corner of the structure.
Symbolizing God's oneness at the center of all things,
the Ka'abah and the Black Stone are not objects of
worship. Rather, they represent a shrine consecrated to
God. As worshippers move in unison around the cube, the
Ka'abah stands as a symbol of unity between God and
mankind.
- While at the Holy Mosque, pilgrims commemorate an episode
in the life of Abraham's wife, Hagar, who ran between two
hills, Safa and Marwah, praying to God for help as she
searched for water for her son Ishmael. Miraculously,
water gushed forth out of a rock at the feet of the small
child and still flows today from the well known as Zamzam.
Pilgrims celebrate Hagar's faith in God by "running"
back and forth between the hills, a ritual known as the
Sa'y. Afterwards they drink from the well. A long
building, the Masa'a, has been constructed enclosing the
hills so that pilgrims can comfortably perform the Sa'y
protected from intense heat and harsh weather.
- The next three days, known as Ayam Al-Tashreeq, are spent
in Mina. Each afternoon the pilgrims cast seven small
pebbles at three stone pillars that represent Satan's
temptations. This is symbolic of the attempt to cast away
evil and affirm faith in God. Pilgrims clip a lock of
their hair as a symbolic end of Ihram. The pilgrimage
culminates with the Tawaf Al-Wida, a farewell
circumambulation of the Ka'abah.
Meeting the needs of such a large gathering of
people as the Hajj requires a massive logistical
undertaking, one which Saudi Arabia successfully conducts
every year.
-
- After performing the rites of the Hajj in Makkah, it is
common for pilgrims to visit the city of Madinah and the
Prophet's Mosque where the Prophet Muhammad is buried in
a simple tomb under a green dome. The second holiest city
of Islam, Madinah was the administrative center of Islam
in the early part of the seventh century. It has always
played an important role as a major educational center
for Islamic scholars, and it holds a special place in the
heart of Muslims as the city that welcomed Muhammad when
he left Makkah in exile.
- In the past, Muslims often performed the Hajj through
much hardship. During the Middle Ages, the trip was long
and dangerous for pilgrims traveling from afar and
sometimes extended into many years. Gangs of bandits also
frequented the pilgrimage routes and extorted payments
from the travelers. However, during the early part of
this century, performing the Hajj became much safer for
all Muslims with the foundation of the modern Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia.
During the latest phase of expansion, launched by
the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Bin Abdul
Aziz in 1985, the total area of the Holy Mosque in Makkah
was more than doubled and the number of worshippers it
can accommodate almost tripled to more than a million.
-
- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always placed great
importance on its role as custodian of the holy cities.
When the founder of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
King Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saud extended his
rule to the Hijaz, he took steps towards stabilizing and
securing the pilgrimage routes. He later appointed his
son, Prince Faisal, to improve the conditions for
visiting pilgrims. Ever since King Abdul Aziz, each Saudi
ruler has similarly dedicated himself to the development
of the holy sites and pilgrim services. The result today
is a logistical achievement of impressive proportions as
the number of pilgrims has dramatically increased with
the dawn of jumbo jets and international airlines.
- Although some pilgrims still arrive from neighboring
countries by land and by sea, much like the pilgrims from
hundreds of years ago, more than 90 percent of pilgrims
coming from abroad arrive by air. King Abdul Aziz
International Airport, located 11.8 miles from Jeddah,
boasts three terminals; one for domestic flights, one for
international flights, and one devoted solely to pilgrims
entering the Kingdom.
The world's largest air-conditioning project was
completed at the Holy Mosque to allow pilgrims to perform
the holy rituals in comfort when the Hajj coincides with
the hot summer months.
-
- An expanded transportation infrastructure has been built
to accommodate the massive influx of visitors, and to
move the pilgrims from their points of entry to the
different areas where Hajj events take place. Extensive
walkways and bridges allow for comfortable movement on
foot and protect pedestrians from the cars, trucks and
buses which crowd the streets around the holy sites.
Great effort has been exerted to ensure that everyone is
not only transported, but guided and instructed on the
precise schedule of the Hajj. Safely moving two million
people from one place to another all at the same time, in
addition to providing adequate food, water, shelter and
medical care, is a monumental undertaking which requires
months of preparation and logistical planning.
- All pilgrims must be registered with an official
government-supervised guide establishment which is in
turn responsible for the pilgrims throughout their visit.
Once in the Kingdom, pilgrims are housed in various
residential complexes or in large tent-cities, but always
in accordance with strict health and safety standards
established by the Pilgrimage Higher Committee. The tent-cities
are equipped with all necessary services including
sanitary facilities, traffic police and medical centers.
To further ensure the safety of all worshippers, the
pilgrimage staff overseeing the entire complex are
equipped with two-way radios, closed-circuit televisions
and helicopters.
The latest expansion of the Prophet's Mosque in
Madinah (above) has increased its size by ten-fold,
allowing a million worshippers to simultaneously visit
the second holiest site in Islam. The recent expansion
work took a decade to complete.
-
- In addition to the comprehensive development around
Makkah, improvements to the actual buildings have also
continued. Each monarch since King Abdul Aziz has taken a
keen interest in expanding the public area of the Holy
Mosque. The first Saudi expansion of the mosque began in
1955 and included the construction of the new Masa'a, the
building enclosing the hills of Safa and Marwah. New
drainage systems were installed to protect the complex
from floods and much of the marble on the walls and
floors was refurbished. After the first expansion, the
mosque could accommodate half a million worshippers in
the courtyard and on the upper roof. The previous complex
had had an area of 27,000 square meters (288,900 square
feet) while after the project the space topped 152,000
square meters (1,626,400 square feet).
- Since the original Saudi expansion, other projects have
included the repair and refurbishment of the Ka'abah, the
installation of a ventilation and cooling system and the
opening up of the central space around the Ka'abah to
allow more area for pilgrims to perform tawaf, the
circumambulation.
- Under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Bin
Abdul Aziz, the expansion continued with the goal of
maximizing every possible space to provide more room for
worshippers in and around the mosque. One aspect of the
project was the construction of two buildings for
escalators each with the capacity of carrying 15,000
persons per hour to the roof. This is in addition to the
existing stairs. The floors were covered with a cool,
heat-resistant marble to keep the building comfortable
and air filters, fans and windows were installed to
circulate the air and achieve maximum cooling.
-
- A radio network and state-of-the-art sound system were
installed throughout the entire complex so that
worshippers in the mosque, on the roof and in the public
areas outside can all be a part of the worship and
prayers.
- Accessing the waters of Zamzam has been made easier by
the construction of a new plumbing system which carries
the water throughout the mosque to different locations.
The pumping and cooling is controlled by computer and the
water is treated with ultraviolet rays for extra
sterilization. In 1984, the King Fahd Cooled Water
Charity Factory was established in Makkah. One-liter
capacity plastic bags of cool water are produced at the
factory and distributed free of charge to pilgrims and
visitors. In addition, water trucks move through
locations where pilgrims gather to ensure that everyone
can take advantage of the available water services.
Huge awnings open at the push of a button to
provide shade and shelter from the elements for
worshippers in the large courtyards and open areas of the
Prophet's Mosque.
-
- King Fahd announced in February of this year that over
the last decade alone, the government of Saudi Arabia has
spent more than 70 billion Saudi riyals (18.66 billion U.S.
dollars) on the development of the two holy cities of
Makkah and Madinah, including the expansion of the two
holy mosques, development of the areas around them and
improvement of the networks of services, tunnels and
roads. Chairing a meeting of the Council of Ministers,
King Fahd said: "When the Kingdom allocates part of
its national income for expenditure on the Two Holy
Mosques, it feels that by doing so, it is investing its
money for the service of Islam and Muslims. We believe
that it is a great honor to spend our money in this way."
- The total area of the Holy Mosque in Makkah has increased
from 152,000 square meters (1,626,400 square feet) to 356,000
square meters (3,809,200 square feet) including the areas
on the roof and the space surrounding the mosque. With
the expansion, the mosque now can accommodate one million
worshippers. At peak times, such as Hajj and Ramadan, the
capacity can be nearly doubled, according to King Fahd.
- Special attention has also been directed towards the
development and expansion of the Prophet's Mosque in
Madinah. The mosque was built with the help of the
Prophet Muhammad soon after he emigrated from Makkah to
Madinah in the year 622. The original construction of
bricks and palm trunks was rebuilt and expanded many
times over, but by the 20th century the structure could
no longer hold the many pilgrims who visited it. Under
the direction of King Abdul Aziz, plans were made for the
first Saudi expansion project which commenced in 1951.
Under the late King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz the second
Saudi expansion took place, opening up 35,000 square
meters (374,500 square feet) of space around the building
itself. The third expansion which occurred under the late
King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz added 43,000 square meters (460,100
square feet) of covered prayer space in the open areas
next to the mosque.
- The most recent expansion, under the personal direction
of King Fahd, began in 1984 and increased the capacity of
the mosque itself ten-fold, from 16,500 square meters (176,550
square feet) to 165,500 square meters (1,770,850 square
feet). The monumental project included the addition of
six minarets, bringing the total to ten, and the
construction of a series of domes which can be
electronically opened to the sky, an engineering feat
never before implemented in a mosque. In addition, the
complex was equipped with modern technological facilities
such as escalators, advanced lighting,a radio sound
system and air-conditioning. Commenting on the expansion
of the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, King Fahd said the
total capacity of the mosque, including the shaded public
squares outside the building, is 700,000 worshippers
which can rise to one million during peak times.
- Anyone who takes part in the Hajj festivities bears
witness to the commitment the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
upholds as custodian of the two holy cities. This
commitment is one the people of Saudi Arabia take pride
in as close to two million people from around the world
congregate in the spiritual center of the Islamic World
every year to share and celebrate their faith. Due to the
Kingdom's continued expansion and development of services
in recent years, an even larger number of Muslims can now
make the journey of a lifetime.
The above article was taken from the Spring 1996
issue of Saudi Arabia magazine.
Reproduced with permission of Saudi Embassy (http://www.saudiembassy.net)
