Hajj is the fifth pillar of islam and as such it is a duty that every Muslim should perform if they are healthy and have the finances. In short hajj is a pilgrimage (religious journey) to Makkah, the birth place of the prophet Muhammad. On the pilgrimage Muslims are following in the steps of Muhammad who himself performed hajj and they participate in a number of rituals or activities that have special spiritual significance.
Day one of hajj begins in the Great Mosque of Makkah, home of the ka'bah and the hills of Marwa and Sa'fa. The ka'bah is a cubic building and pilgrims begin by walking round it seven times. This is called tawaf. As they walk around the ka'bah they pray "here I am" and present themselves to Allah. They reach out to the black stone in the corner of the ka'bah as they pass. Those who are close enough may kiss it, just as the prophet Muhammad did on his hajj. Following this pilgrims run between the hills of Marwa and Sa'fa. The hills are connected to the mosque by a covered walkway. This ritual is called sa'y. Pilgrims then drink from the spring of Zamzam. The water is believed to be holy and it is bottled and taken home.
A lot happens on day one and this can make it difficult to remember. Read through the above and check you understand each part of the day. To help order what you have learnt remember,
1.Tawaf (ka'bah)
2.Sa'y (Mawr, Sa'fa, Zamzam)
Try a virtual tour of hajj or read about it on the BBC website.
http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/H/hajj/virtual_hajj.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/practices/hajj_1.shtml
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