Every year millions of Muslims from every
corner of the globe gather in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. Nearly every one of them arrived as part of
a mass pilgrimage to the holiest site in Islam, a journey known as “Hajj”. This ritual is one of the largest temporary
migrations in the world, so we wanted to know: what is the significance of the Hajj, and
why do Muslims travel to Mecca? Well, the Hajj is a deeply religious event
which occurs every year from the 8th to the 12th or 13th day of the last month of the
Islamic lunar calendar. This month is known as Dhu al-Hijjah, and
since the western Gregorian calendar and the Islamic calendar do not follow the same time
keeping standard - the Gregorian is solar - this date is different for Western cultures
every year. Although there is a Hajj every year, Muslims
are only obligated to make the journey once in their lives. In fact, one is only allowed to go if they
are an adult, physically able, and can make sure their family is provided for in their
absence. The location and journey itself hold deep
religious significance. Mecca is considered the birthplace of Islam’s
prophet Muhammad, and the area of his first revelation; however, it is believed that the
Hajj has been practiced since the days of Ibrahim, some 2000 years earlier. The journey and rituals are based on a number
of rituals performed by Ibrahim after being commanded by God to leave his wife and child. Eventually, Ibrahim built the Kaaba, a sacred
black structure, directing Muslims to travel to it, a journey first officially completed
by the prophet Muhammad around 628 AD. Pilgrims who arrive in Mecca must perform
a number of rituals to complete the Hajj. They begin and end at the Kaaba, which today
is an enormous black cube in the center of Mecca. Pilgrims must walk counter clockwise seven
times around it, after which they go back and forth between two significant hills, then
drink from a particular well, hold a vigil at Mount Arafat, sleep in the open air, where
they collect 49 stones to later throw at three pillars to symbolize stoning the devil. These regions are several miles away from
each other, and pilgrims are expected to travel among them by foot, although in recent years
a monorail system has been put in place by the Saudi government. Near the end of the journey, male pilgrims
shave their heads and perform an animal sacrifice, and the Hajj finally culminates in an enormous,
multi-day festival called the Festival of Sacrifice. Those who have completed the pilgrimage often
add the title “Hajji” to their names, as a sort of social signifier. However, with literally millions of pilgrims,
topping out at more than 3 million in 2012, some of these rituals are approximated due
to logistical issues. Pilgrims used to kiss the black stone of the
Kaaba, now they must simply point at it if they cannot reach it. Instead of pillars, visitors now throw stones
at long walls. And the animal sacrifice is no longer performed
by individuals, it is instead done by the Saudi Government on behalf of all the pilgrims. The huge number of attendees is also somewhat
dangerous. In 1990, a stampede in a tunnel killed more
than 1,400 people, and a similar stampede in 2015 resulted in even more deaths, according
to the Associated Press. As of 2016, the Saudi Government has even
implemented GPS bracelets to keep track of pilgrims, and to notify them of the appropriate
times to perform the rituals. For many, the pilgrimage signifies a sort
of “rebirth” of their faith. The yearly event holds deep and significant
ties to Islamic history, and despite its slow evolution to accommodate the massive number
of attendees, the Hajj effectively remains a requirement for all Muslims.
