HAL/ IN 1953: A RARE COLLECTION The Hal s the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saud Arabla. ts currently the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and isthe fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. ‘The Hajj isa demonstration ofthe solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (lah in the Arabic language). The pilgrimage occurs from the Bth to 12th day of Dhu alHijah, the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar. Because the islamic calendar isa lunar calendar, eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar used in the Western world, the Gregorian date ofthe Halj changes from year to year. lInram isthe name given to the special state in which Mustims ive whist on the pilgrimage. ‘The Haljis associated with the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad from the 7th century, but the tual of pilgrimage to ‘Mecca is considered by Muss to stretch back thousands of years tothe time of Ibrahim (Abraham) Pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Haj, and perform a series of rituals: Each person walks counter-lockwise seven times about the Kalbah, the cube- shaped building which acts as the Muslim direction of prayer, uns back and forth between the hill of ALSafa and Al "Marwah, drinks from the Zam-Zam Well, goes to the plans of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, and throws stones in @ ritual Stoning ofthe Devil The pilgrims then shave thele heads, perform a rkual of animal sactifce, and celebrate the four day global festival of tid al-Adha, The name Mecca (Makkah) Is mentioned in the Holy Quran in “Surah-Al Fath: Ch-48: Ver-24", ast says that “And itis He Who has restrained their hands from you and your hands from them in the midst of Makkah, after that He gave you the victory over them. And Allah sees well all hat ye do.” Another name for Mecca is Baka, depending on the dialect of the tribe: ths is also mentioned once, in “Surah-Al Imran: Ch-3: Ver-96°, that Verily, the first house (of worship) appointed for mankind was that in Bakka (Mecca), full of blessing, and ‘guidance for allpeople.” ‘Amazingly enough, this word Bakka is mentioned by the prophet David (PBUH) n the Bible in “Psalms: Ch-84: Ver”, ich says that “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. Who passing through the valley of Baca make ita wel, the rain aso filet the pools.” The wall here is the well known well ofZam-Zam, sil present now, clos tothe Ka'bah; after thousands of year.About Mohammad Omar Farug (Milky): hitp:/omarfarugmilky. wordpress.com” BISES Faith Foundation Blog: hip./bisesfaithfoundation. wordpress.com About BISES Faith Foundation: hitp://bisesfaith{oundation. wordpress.com about-bises- faith-foundation-bff’ BISES Faith Foundation Newsletters (Peace & Destiny): huip://bisesfaithfoundation wordpress.com peace-and-destiny-pd’ BISES Faith Foundation Facebook Group. hnuip:/www.facebook.com group php? gid = 306628344012 BISES Faith Foundation Fan Page: hup. ww. facebook.com pages BISES-Faith- Foundation/117223451649502? ref-tsMornannap Onan Fasuo (MILBY) —FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, BISES FAITH FOUNDATION