India Banks
Introduction to Islam
Sullivan
December 7, 2015
Critical Exploration Essay
Mecca is located in the hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia. Mecca is the birthplace of Islam because it is the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad. Mecca used to be a sanctuary city for many religions including Christians, Jews, Nestorians, Zoroastrians and even tribal polytheists. Before Islam, the Ka’ba hosted many idols of many deities. The Quraysh tribe had control over the dealings that took place within the holy city of Mecca. They provided food, shelter and entertainment for the pilgrims that visited the holy city. Because of this, the city of Mecca proved to be a very lucrative business for the Quraysh tribe. When Muhammad began to establish a following
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The Ka’ba is the central focal point of Mecca and it is where all Muslims are supposed to direct their prayer. The qibla is located in all Mosques and is intended to guide Muslims in prayer toward the direction of the Ka’ba in Mecca. The Five Pillars of Islam are wajib, or obligatory under Islam. One of the pillars is salat which means daily prayer. Muslims are required to pray five times a day which means that five time a day Muslims, regardless of their location, must direct their attention toward Mecca and pray toward the Ka’ba. Another pillar of Islam is the hajj. All Muslims who are able, are required to make the journey to Mecca to symbolize Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Medina centuries ago. The hajj to Mecca is a monumental achievement for all Muslims who are fortunate enough to be able to make the journey. Some people save up for a large portion of their lives in order to be able to make the voyage, because of this, many people are only able to go during the latter portion of their …show more content…
The country of Saudi Arabia is rich in oil and is a relatively wealthy state. Rapid architectural expansions have been made throughout the city and there are plans to expand the city even further to accommodate more worshipers during the time of hajj. There is a giant clock tower that is sticking directly up from the center of the city, which looks somewhat out of place if you ask me. Parts of the city look very extravagant which I would think goes against the whole idea of modesty, but who am I to judge. The number of people who make the hajj every year to Mecca has expanded and continues to expand. The city of Mecca is small and probably was not originally meant to be able to hold such a vast number of pilgrims. Roughly 2 million people gathered in Mecca this past year for the hajj, and nearly 25 million people have made the hajj to Mecca in the last decade. These numbers are staggering. I don’t think the Saudi Arabian government currently has the means to accommodate such vast numbers of people and, making the pilgrimage to Mecca has proved to be increasingly more dangerous for the pilgrims. Mecca, during the time of the hajj, is usually very hot and also very crowded. Many pilgrims are elderly, in poor health, and other pilgrims simply suffer from exhaustion and dehydration which naturally comes with the whole experience. Not to mention the communicable health hazards associated with so many people
This shows that Mecca is in the middle of many trade cities, as a result of this trade moves through the city. Trade allows people to interact and move around, when they move around they bring their religious beliefs with them. Mecca was also the home to the most famous pagan shrine, the Ka’ba(Document A).This proves that many people come to Mecca, they came seeking the Ka’ba for their own religions that were important to them. , while they were in the city they began to trade. The people came seeking the Ka’ba but they may hear some Islamic people talking about their own religion.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, no one imagined that the next great world power would emerge from Saudi Arabia. Especially, because ancient empires thought that the land was worthless, but they didn’t know that it had great trade routes. Trade brought them in connection with other civilizations and that’s how the city of Mecca, located in Saudi Arabia, became known. The city of Mecca was a mix of religious beliefs, they used to worship many gods and had their own rituals. The world of Islam took place in Mecca, where Muhammad was born in 570 CE.
The Hajj or pilgrimage to Makkah is one of the five pillars of Islam "arkan-al-Islam”- Its purpose is essentially to facilitate the act of submission to Allah which is pinnacle to all followers of Islam. "Perform the pilgrimage and the visit [to Mecca] for Allah" Surah 2:196. It has enormous significance, not only for the pilgrim undertaking the Hajj but also for the wider Muslim community, the Umma, as it allows for all individuals to gain unification of faith.
Resources were not the only thing exchanged by the Muslims, but also culture and ideals.According to Document A, the muslim city of Mecca, was one of world's most popular trading centers, connecting with many cities around this area of earth. Because they traded plenty of people, they were able to effectively trade their religion with other people. In Document A, Mecca is referred as the site of Arabia’s holiest pagan shrine. Mecca was not only a trade center, but also a spiritual center. Coming and going through the city, foreign traders were bound to take notice of the religious matters happening around the city or buy some sort of religious material. Islam was a free sample in the Meccan markets, that everyone took a piece
What Happens When Muslims Perform the Hajj Before entering Mecca during the hajj Muslims pilgrims must follow certain requirements. Muslims should first say the Talbiya, recited Arab words used for centuries. Then they should first take a bath as this symbolises purity. Then they should change into the required clothing for the hajj, for men this is two sheets of unsown white material and for women it is a clean plain dress, this symbolises equality for all Muslims, by all wearing the same clothes the differences of wealth between all Muslims during the Hajj becomes irrelevant. Muslims performing the hajj have to follow certain rules while performing the hajj:
The generalization of the pillars of Islam takes on a very personal meaning to the individual Muslim. The individual is obligated to pray five times per day, pray recitations, and attend special Friday Services at the Mosque (Corduan, 2012). Living out this prayer life becomes the foundation of the Muslims lifestyle and time.
As I had began my journey across Africa, and the Islamic holy land of Mecca, I envisioned flourishing commerce and busy streets, and that is exactly what I had foresaw. The streets were bustling with markets and shops for the purpose of buying and selling. I can still remember the vibrant and strong smell of the spices hitting my nose as I pass by numerous stands. My restless pilgrimage to the Middle East was one worth remembering. The richness in the Islamic culture found throughout my
3) Five Pillars of Islam- The Five Pillars of Islam are five important actions that all Muslims must complete during their life. Muslims must recite the profession of faith, pray five times a day facing Mecca, give alms, fast during the month of Ramadan, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca. The Five Pillars of Islam are the base for the whole religion of Islam. The pilgrimage to Mecca is the only one that is not required; if a person is not able to go at all, they are not required to.
The Pillars are a list of rules that give five key practices that the observant Muslim should follow. An individual must follow these five rules: openly declare devotion to their god, Allah, pray five times daily facing towards the holy city Mecca, fast and abstain from secular pleasures during the month of Ramadan, pay an alms tax for the welfare of the poor, and make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during one’s life if circumstances allow (Smart 290). These guidelines provide an obvious way to distinguish the religious insider from the outsider and work to reinforce a continual sense of community among the insiders (Smart 291). The concept of jihad works to legitimize the expansion of Islam. Jihad, or the “struggle on behalf of the faith” resulted in two different interpretations (Smart 299). Firstly, the Qur’an states that it is the duty of religious adherents to fight against polytheists, Christians, and Jews until they pay the jizya, or tax, acknowledging Muslim supremacy (Smart 299). However, a branch of Islam called Sufism softened this doctrine to imply that jihad is not a physical conflict, but is instead an internal struggle to eliminate temptations and foster obedience to God (Smart 300). This concept is shown in action when examining the chronological expansion of Islam. In the classical and medieval periods of Islam, stretching from the early seventh
... path to Byzantium and Syria with goods of incense, spices, ivory, cereals, pearls, woods, fabrics, and medicines.(MAPOOT loc 220) The Quraysh established all of this and remained neutral so to gain the maximum amount of profits from all sides. They established the Haram, a zone near the Kabah where violence was forbidden and made deals with the Bedouin to cease attacks on caravans during trade seasons. (MAPOOT loc 241) Many trade routes were abandoned in Syria and Mesopotamia due to wars between Persia and Byzantium. Mecca filled this void and allowed the Quraysh to become more powerful. (MAPOOT loc 300) The business practices established by the Quraysh and the fortune of geography allowed the practice of trade to expand Islam as this allowed it to reach men from all corners of the known earth. Trade and religion were now indistinguishably combined through Mecca.
There were two serious incidents this year on annual pilgrimage; crane collapsed at Mecca's Grand Mosque and tragedy of Mina that make thousands of pilgrims mortality and morbidity. Every Muslim is required to visit Mecca during the Hajj at least once in his or her lifetime, if able to do so. During the month of the Hajj season, Mecca should cope with as many as about more than two million peoples1. Trauma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality at the Hajj2.
When one thinks of Saudi Arabia, one immediately conveys an association with Islam. While this association is warranted and overwhelmingly reflects the reality of the country, it does not adequately reflect the history or the struggles experienced by minority religious groups, particularly Christians—the group this essay will focus on. Christianity in Saudi Arabia can be dated back to the earliest years of the religion. However, due to the fact that Islam originated in Saudi Arabia and was the earliest place that it gained a stronghold, it is not surprising that Islam quickly overshadows Christianity to the point where Christianity becomes completely put in the dark. While much of what is known about Christianity in Saudi Arabia is still coming to light due historical
Mecca is also known as Makkah and its full name is Makkah al-Mukkaramah. Mecca is a city in the Hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia. It is known as the holiest site in the Islamic religion. The history of Mecca goes back as early as the fifth century. It was an independent and powerful city in pre-Islamic times. It is the religious center for Islamic people and it houses the Kaaba and the Great Mosque. It is also the birthplace of Muhammad, the first capital of caliphate, and the center of present day mosques. In 630 Muhammad and some of his followers went into the city of Mecca and captured it. Mecca is said to have started one of the most important religions in the world and it brings together the Islamic religion.
The second of the five pillars is Salat. This is the name for the mandatory prayers which are to be performed five times a day. The prayer is a direct link between the worshipper and God. The is no authority like a priest, so the prayers are said by a person who is well familiarized with the Qu’ran, which is chosen by the worshippers. The prayers contain versus from the Qu’ran but the personal supplication may be said in one’s own language. These prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and nightfall.
On Hajj The religion of Islam is held up by five pillars, known as the five. pillars of Islam. These are five ritual duties that Muslims view as central to their faith. These are: (1) pronouncing the confession of faith (shahada); (2) performing the five daily prayers (salat); (3). fasting during the month of Ramadan (saum); (4) paying the alms tax.