Author: M. Asim Ismail Zahi
The Wisdom and Philosophy of Hajj and Its Hidden Secrets (Part Nine)
Makkah Must Always Represent the Islamic Way of Life and the Ideal Islamic Society
Hajj is an annual religious gathering in which Muslims are brought to a common level of belief and emotion. They come together in a divine and spiritual atmosphere with a shared goal. From this gathering, they draw fresh strength and renewed spiritual energy. In it, they correct the deviations that have entered their beliefs, the corruption that has crept into their worship and religious symbols, and the distortions and weaknesses that have arisen due to the influence of foreign civilizations, non-Islamic philosophies, and the imitation of surrounding nations or those they live among. They return all these matters to their original source and root, and drink from the pure, untainted fountains of religion.
For this reason, by the judgment of reason and logic, and by the spirit of Islam and the philosophy of Hajj, it is necessary that the city of Makkah — al-Balad al-Ameen (the Secure City) — where Hajj is performed, be a custodian of the pure and original Islamic way of life. It should reflect that life in all its aspects, features, and outward expressions, so that anyone who enters it — even if only for a short stay or with limited understanding — can feel it and taste its flavor. This is because Allah the Exalted has decreed that this city will, until the Day of Judgment, remain the center of Hajj and a refuge for Muslims — Muslims who, every year, come to it from across the world, with the belief that they are arriving at a place that is a source of purity, the birthplace of the religion, and the spiritual capital of Islam. Everything the traveling Muslim, who lives far from the cradle of Islam, sees and hears in that area becomes for him a proof and testimony. In the view of the broader Muslim community, after the actions of the people of Makkah and Madinah, no further proof remains necessary.
This act of using the conduct of the residents of the religious or civilizational center as evidence is rooted in human nature. It cannot be overcome through logic, reasoning, speeches, or eloquence. In fact, this kind of reasoning applies to the fields of language, literature, civilization, and jurisprudence as well. For this reason, the language of Quraysh — and after that, the language of Arab Bedouins — is regarded as authoritative in the Arabic language. Their styles of speech and dialects are accepted as valid sources of linguistic evidence. Likewise, the practice of the people of Madinah is considered a valid legal proof in some schools of Islamic jurisprudence — such as the Maliki school — just as the practice of the people of Cordoba was recognized as a source of legal authority by many scholars of the Maghrib (Northwest Africa) during the period when Cordoba was at its height of scholarly and cultural influence, serving as a center of scholars and judges.
People — both in the past and in the present — use the customs and traditions of the capital city and the center of civilization as a point of reference, and they compete with one another in imitating them. They view them as ideal models and examples of refinement, sophistication, and beauty. As a result, Islamic callers and reformist leaders often struggle and face difficulty when trying to remove or correct practices that pilgrims have witnessed in the very heart of Islam and the land of revelation — practices that are not in line with the rulings and etiquettes of Islamic law. Reforming these practices becomes extremely difficult.
Makkah Must Follow a Distinct Path, and Hajj Must Embody the Spirit of Struggle and Asceticism
A deeper dimension of this issue is that the city of Makkah — al-Balad al-Ameen — despite the passage of eras and generations, and the growth of modern conveniences and comforts around the world, must retain certain features of natural simplicity and asceticism. This is so that visitors from all corners of the world may recall the atmosphere in which the earliest Muslims carried out their rituals, and feel a sense similar to theirs — or at least something close to it. They should feel as though they have been transported from one world to another, from one atmosphere to another, and from one way of life to another. This feeling leads to detachment from past habits and readiness to embrace something new. It produces a kind of spiritual vitality that they may not have experienced in their home countries.
But if only the Kaʿbah and the Sacred Mosque retain their traditional character, while everything around them changes, and Makkah and its surroundings begin to resemble parts of Europe and America, and Western civilization — with all its strengths and weaknesses, principles and excesses — becomes dominant, and the pilgrim (whom Islamic law describes as disheveled and dusty) is instead immersed in luxury, comfort, and indulgence, moving from one ease to another and from one luxury to an even greater one, then he will not experience the transformation and spiritual renewal that the Hajj is meant to instill.
This is precisely why Hajj is considered equivalent to jihad.
Imam al-Bukhari narrated from Ayesha (MABH) the following hadith: «عن عائشة أم المؤمنين رضي الله عنها أنها قالت: يا رسول الله، نرى الجهاد أفضل العمل، أفلا نجاهد؟ قال: لا، لكن أفضل الجهاد حج مبرور» Translation: “Hazrat Ayesha, Mother of the Believers, said: O Messenger of Allah, we consider jihad to be the best of deeds. Should we not then go forth in jihad? He said: No, but the best form of jihad is an accepted Hajj (Hajj Mabroor).”
So, if the city of Makkah develops in a way that fully embraces Western civilization, adopting all its tools of comfort and luxury, and provides pilgrims with all the conveniences available in the major capitals of the West, then pilgrims will inevitably feel a kind of spiritual emptiness, dryness, and a tangible deficiency in the benefits and spiritual impact of Hajj on their souls and lives.
Continues…
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