A True Pilgrimage is Really a Journey Within a Muslim
I agree that Hajj is a journey within a Muslim, but there are parts of
Hajj that will greatly take a physical toll on a pilgrim. I have
already described how each event is both a physical and mental
challenge but I do also believe that some Muslims may be used to the
hot climates that may be faced. This would not be seen as a challenge
to them. Also a Muslim may do a lot of exercise so therefore some
vents may not be a great deal of effort for such a person. The same
would apply for the Stand, in some cases one pilgrim may be used to
standing for long hours in the heat.
Though if a true pilgrimage were just a journey within then there
would be no need for the physical side of events such as the Sai and
the Stand. Without doing the physical side of these events you would
not be following the example of the Prophet Muhammad.
The physical part of the events also helps to make a pilgrim realise
the pain, suffering and effort that other Muslims before them had to
face. These events are supposed to trail all the way back to God, if
you do not do them properly then you are not living by God's
intentions.
It is true to say that Hajj is a journey within for if you do not have
the correct intention then there is no point in taking part. The same
applies for the physical side though. If there was no physical side of
Hajj then a Muslim may forget their experience. Plus only in extreme
cases will a Muslim not find any of the events challenging.
The physical can aid the mental side of Hajj. Ihram for example means
that a Muslim will put on their Ihram garments and be reminded
mentally of the Day of Death and the Day of Judgement. This will make
them realise they must be good in life and by doing this will help
Throughout all texts discussed, there is a pervasive and unmistakable sense of journey in its unmeasurable and intangible form. The journeys undertaken, are not physically transformative ones but are journeys which usher in an emotional and spiritual alteration. They are all life changing anomaly’s that alter the course and outlook each individual has on their life. Indeed, through the exploitation of knowledge in both a positive and negative context, the canvassed texts accommodate the notion that journeys bear the greatest magnitude when they change your life in some fashion.
Rituals are held as a very important part of any society, including ours. They go back to ancient times or can be as simple as maintaining one’s hygiene. Non-western societies have rituals that may seem very foreign to us, but they have been engrained in their communities and are essential to their social structure. This interpretation will focus on the Great Pilgrimage, a ritual performed by Quechuan communities. We will be looking specifically at a community in the area of Sonqo.
What is a Crusade? How did a Crusader crusade? What caused him to seek “holy war?” Is a Crusade a Holy War or a Pilgrimage? Did a crusader only leave to find his own economic benefits? What caused the success of the first crusaders? These are some of the many questions that laid before me when I started my research. The crusading movements are such widely debated among the modern historian that they leave many readers confused about what actually caused the crusades, and what a crusade actually entails. In the coming pages I hope to give my reader something to ponder, understand, and acknowledge about it’s origins, and eventually lead my reader into the first crusading movement. Thus, the argument I intend to make examines the events in previous centuries, and the culmination of political and moral changes, as well as economic ones that occurred before Urban’s call for crusade. We will explore Feudalism, it’s war-centric society and how this caused Urban (as well as some Popes and religious figures before him) to seek a peaceable solution that would ensure safety for the clergy, the peasant, and the non-violent. Furthermore, Pope Urban sought to continue Pope Gregory's (and Cluniac) reform to solidify Papal authority over Christendom, and respond to years of Muslim raids along the Mediterranean and upper Italian Coastlines that threatened Italian unity. In effect, the first crusading movement represented and embodied the European culture, society, and ideologies of the time.
What is a Journey? If a person off the street was randomly asked this question, he or she would say it would involve taking a trip to a distant location, perhaps as a vacation. For instance, going to Hawaii or the mountains to hike or ski. In “Gestalt’s Paradoxical Theory of Change” by Reg Harris, the idea of a journey referring to a long distance vacation is not the intent of Harris. To him, a journey begins with a person having an open mind, who is willing to take a closer look at themselves after critical analysis undergoes transformation. I agree that the journey is a way to find yourself, but I personally think a journey is more than just looking into yourself. A journey is a collection of events on which the exposure leaves impressions
If you are ready to leave father and mother, and brother and sister, and wife and child and friend, and never see them again… then you are ready for a walk. -Henry David Thoreau (Haberman 12)
may not always be seen to be a good thing as pilgrims spend much of
“The Hajj, The Journey of a Lifetime.” Calliope. Vol. 7 Issue 3. Jan. 1997. 38. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 Nov. 2011.
Islam the complete ‘surrender to Allah’ is a living religious tradition with the principal belief in one God – Allah. Islam has remained the same in its principle beliefs of Allah, His Angels, His Prophets, His Books, The Last Day and his complete authority over destiny and has also changed over time to ensure that Islam remains a living religious tradition. Over its history Islam has had many significant people including Al Ghazali and Aisha Bint Abu Bakr who have ensured that Islam remains living in the hearts and minds of its adherents. In addition to significant individuals participation in the Five Pillars e.g. the Hajj ensure that Islam will continue to be the living religious tradition that it is.
...believe in the reasoning behind the structure of Mecca and the evidence based in the Holy Qur’an. In Christianity and Islam, reason is found in experiences. Believers in these religions also seek reason in their texts for what occurs on Earth because they contain faith in their higher purpose.
The Prophet Muhammad died in 632 CE. He was believed to be the Seal of the Prophets, meaning the last prophet; therefore his grave is a very sacred place (A Concise Introduction to World religions, 210-215). Visiting the Prophet’s grave is a controversial issue. Scholars have different perspectives on traveling to his grave, each based on the Islamic Law, shari’ah. Al-Nawawi and Bin Baz each have differing yet similar rulings on the proper way of Pilgrimaging to the Prophets place of burial.
This poem by Robert Frost was first read to me in the last year of my high school experience. Back then, not only did I have absolutely no interest in any literary work, but moreover, had no intension to lye there and analyze a poem into its symbolic definitions. Only now have I been taught the proper way to read a literary work as a formalistic critic might read. With this new approach to literature I can understand the underlying meaning to Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken". In addition to merely grasping the author's intension, I was able to justly incur that this poem, without directly mentioning anything about life's decisions, is in its entirety about just that.
Motives for Pilgrimage Many questions are raised when flipping through the history of the religion of Christianity. Why did Christians fight so long against Pagan rulers? Why did their religion mean so much to them, they would risk their lives for it? Maybe by narrowing the questions down, possible answers can be developed.
In some religions pilgrimage is not an important commitment for all believers, but in Islam it is essential. The word pilgrimage means to set out with a purpose or journey to a sacred world. The world is a world. For Muslims this sacred place is Mecca and the purpose is to follow in the footsteps and actions of the prophet Muhammad as he entered Mecca and to show complete submission to Allah. Unlike the minor pilgrimage to Mecca (Umrah), which can be performed.
In Geoffrey Chaucer’s writing, “The Canterbury Tales”, he writes of a pilgrimage and describes every character that is involved, some more in depth than others. Keep in mind that this writing is dated back in the 1300’s, so there is going to be some distinction between those he described on the pilgrimage compared to how one would describe people of today. If Chaucer did write about people today, three people he would most likely choose would be a teacher or professor, a professional athlete, and a song artist.