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"I
think it's so important for all of us to understand each others cultures.
This Presentation is a wonderful way to introduce students to Islam.
It's a fantastic presentation"
Teacher-Scott
Elementary School
"I never knew I could learn so much about one culture in so little time."
Student-Hinsdale Central High
School
"I thought the presentation was very imformative it was great to have clarification
on topics related to Islam. Next time I will have my students prepared with educated
questions."
Teacher-Lake Park High School
"The
presentations were really interesting . It is nice for the students
to hear about the culture/ religion of Islam from someone who closely
follows the religion/ way of life. (The speaker) taught my students
things that I could not, through sharing her experience."
Teacher-Lake Park
High School
"I
learned a lot from the presentation. It was a lot good information
that was easy to understand."
Student-Lake Park
High school
"Thank
you for taking the time for to enlighten us. Knowledge erases fear."
Faith
Lutheran Church
"I like that it opened my eyes to other cultures such as the Muslim and
Sikhs."
Student-Northwest Indiana Law
- Enforcement Academy
"I thought the presentation was very informative and explained and cleaned
up many questions I had about Islam. It was good to listen to someone who knew
and was from the culture."
Student-Lyons Township H.S
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 Hajj
(Pilgrimage) & Eid-ul-Adha
2006
The Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. It is the fifth pillar of Islam.
Joining
1.5 billion Muslims around
the world, Muslim Americans
will celebrate Eid Al-Adha
(Festival of the Sacrifice)
on January 11, 2006. This
event occurs on the third
day of the Hajj.
What
Many American Muslims are joining millions of Muslims from around the
world in preparing to make a journey of a lifetime - the Hajj
(Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca).
The
basic rituals of Hajj last for
4 days during the 12th month
of the lunar Islamic calendar
called Zul-Hijjah.
From
the Chicagoland
area, an estimated total of 1,500 Muslims will
leave
around January
1st for Mecca (in Saudi Arabia). The group will
include
Americans who
have recently embraced Islam, young and old,
men and women,
from different
nationalities & backgrounds.
The pilgrims from America will
be part of the world’s
largest religious
gathering --
about 2
million people
coming from
every corner
of the world.
Muslims from
Chicagoland
will return
the third
week of January.
Eid
ul-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice)
is celebrated by Muslims
world-wide on the last day of the
Hajj. The Eid celebration begins
with a special prayer in the morning,
followed by a sermon. After the
sermon, Muslims are recommended
to sacrifice a lamb or goat, re-enacting
the story of Ibrahim (Abraham)
who was ready to sacrifice his
son in obedience to God.
When:
American Muslims will leave
around January 1st. Expected dates
for Hajj are January 9th - January
12th. The expected date for Eid ul-Adha
is January 11th.
Where:
Eid prayers will be held
across all American Muslim Communities.
Note:
Because the
beginning
of Islamic
lunar months
depend on
the actual
sighting
of the new
moon, the
start date
for the beginning
of Hajj, & therefore
Eid ul-Adha, may vary by one day.
Purpose
(1) The ultimate
goal of Hajj
is the forgiveness of sin. The pilgrim journeys
as a humble
penitent, wearing
only 2 simple, white pieces of cloth, seeking
approach
to God’s grace. The prophet
Muhammed said that a person who performs
Hajj properly "will
return as a
newly born
baby (free
of all sins)."
(2) The
pilgrimage’s
great gathering
of Muslims, representing
every nationality
in
the world,
wearing the
same simple
white garment,
demonstrates
and symbolizes the remarkable
diversity and
unity of Muslims.
(3) The
Hajj also re-enacts
and commemorates
the story of Ibrahim (Abraham),
who journeyed
from the land of idols,
was
ready to sacrifice his son
in obedience to God’s
command, and who build the
first house of worship to
the one God.
When
The Hajj takes place
in the month of Zul-Hijjah, the
12th month of the lunar Islamic
calendar. The main rituals of the
Hajj take place for three days,
beginning on the 8th day of the
month, climaxing on the 9th day,
and ending on the 11th day. However,
pilgrims usually arrive about 1-2
weeks before the Hajj actually
starts, and they usually stay a
week afterwards in order to visit
the Prophet Muhammed's mosque in
Medina.
Who
goes?
As the fifth pillar of
Islam, every Muslim is obligated
to make pilgrimage at least once
in their life time as long as it
is possible.
Terms
To Be Familiar With Before
Reading On
Ka’bah
A small, square (Ka’bah
means cube) building that was constructed
by Abraham and Isma’il (Ishmael),
and described in the Qur’an
(divine scripture, Final Testament,
and Islam’s holy book) as
the first house of worship dedicated
to the one God. Although the Ka’bah
is the place of pilgrimage, it
is not an object of worship. The
Ka’bah is covered by an elaborate
black covering with gold lettering.
The precincts of the Ka’bah
are a sanctuary
where no
living creature
can be harmed.
Black
Stone
Resting at the corner of
the Ka'bah, the Black Stone was one
of the original stones of the structure
built by Abraham, and is said to
have descended to earth from Paradise.
The Black Stone is not an object
of worship.
Tawaf
Tawaf refers to circling
the Ka’bah. Upon arriving
at the Ka’bah, the pilgrim
circles the Ka’bah
seven times
in a counter
clockwise
direction.
Sa’i
Hurrying between the small
hills of Safa
and Marwah. After tawaf the pilgrim proceeds
a short distance
to the adjoining
small hills of Safa and Marwah where the pilgrim
makes
seven circuits
between the two hills, re-enacting the Biblical
and Qur’anic
story of Hagar’s
desperate search
for life-giving
water for
her son Ismail.
Leaving
Making Hajj is a great
honor in the eyes of Muslims. Therefore,
Muslims who intend to make Hajj
are often made honored guests of
special dinners and seen off at
the airport by relatives, friends
and Masjid members. Upon their
return some mosques organize special
dinners, allowing the pilgrims
to recount their journey.
Ihram
The state of ritual consecration
that the pilgrim
enters when he removes his worldly clothes and
dons the
pilgrim’s garb of 2 seamless,
white sheets. Women pilgrims do not
wear the white sheets. Instead they
wear dresses that are simple and
white. Pilgrims put on the Ihram
before entering Mecca, at which time
pilgrims begin the chant, "Here
I am at your service. O God Here
I am." The
white garments
of Ihram are
symbolic of the
death shrouds
used in Islamic
burials and also
the garments
of the brotherhood/sisterhood
of all Muslims.
While in Ihram,
the
pilgrim cannot
harm any living
thing, cut the
hair or nails,
wear perfume
or have sexual
intercourse with
their spouse.
1st
Day
8th day of month, or
January 9th. On this day the pilgrims
leave Mecca and camp at Mina, which
is near Mecca.
2nd
Day
9th day of month, or January
10th, called
Day of Arafat. This day is the real climax of
the Hajj.
Pilgrims move
at sunrise from Mina to the plain of Arafat where
they
spend the entire
day in earnest supplication and devotion. It
is a time of tears
and forgiveness.
At sunset the pilgrims move and camp at Muzdalifa,
which
is a site between
Mina and Arafat. (It is highly recommended for
Muslims
around the world
to fast on the day of Arafat in spiritual union
with
the pilgrims
who are standing on the plain of Arafat seeking
God’s
forgiveness).
3rd
Day
10th day of month, or
January 11th.
The pilgrims return to Mina on this day, and
first
they throw
7 pebbles at a stone pillar representing the
devil.
Then the
pilgrims sacrifice a sheep re-enacting the story
of Ibrahim
who slaughtered
a sheep after he was prepared to sacrifice his
son
in obedience
to God’s command.
In recent years the slaughtered
meat is airlifted to poor Muslim
countries. After the sacrifice,
the pilgrim returns to Mecca to
end the formal rituals of Hajj
by making tawaf and sa’i.
The
Hajj Experience
Most accounts of Hajj speak
of the great spiritual exaltation,
wonderment at the mind boggling diversity
of Muslims, and the extreme hardship
of the journey.
Eid
ul-Adha
The Eid al-Adha (Festival
of the Sacrifice)
is a major religious event in the life of Muslims.
Eid
al-Adha occurs
on the 10th day of Zul-Hijjah, or January 11th,
which is
the same day that pilgrims
sacrifice
an animal. The Eid celebration begins with a
special prayer in
the morning,
followed by a sermon. The theme of the Eid is
Ibrahim’s
example of
unconditional surrender to God. Afterwards or
on the following
weekend,
a community celebration takes place that involves
food,
games, and
gifts for children.
Sacrifice
Each family is recommended
to sacrifice a lamb on the Eid as
a re-enactment of Ibrahim’s
sacrifice. The meat of the sacrifice
is divided up between one’s
family, relatives, or the Masjid
and the poor. In most instances today,
the actual sacrifice is done by a
trained butcher, although Muslims
often assist in the sacrifice.
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