A Pathway to Peace: How the Hajj Reveals the Diversity in Unity

Every year, some two million pilgrims make the spiritual journey to the Kaaba, “the

House of Allah,” in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. One of the Five Pillars of Islam,

the Hajj is a mandatory religious duty that must be carried out at least once in a Muslim’s life by

those who are physically and financially able to do so. The annual pilgrimage is a testament to

the solidarity of Muslim people and their willingness to submit to Allah. While people outside

the Muslim faith cannot participate in the Hajj, we all can still learn something from the unity

and compassion that is displayed as part of the pilgrimage.

Of more than 2 million participants each year, only 600,000 thousand attendees are local

while 1.5 million come from outside Saudi Arabia. These pilgrims, all donned in white ihram

clothing, perform a series of rituals reformed by Muhammed representing the time of Abraham.

Visitors to Mecca will see Aa sea mass of people in white can be seen walking seven times

counterclockwise around the Kaaba, kissing the black stone on the corner wall of Kaaba, and

walking back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times. Then these pPeople

will drink from the Zamzam well, stand in vigil in the plains of Mount Arafat, sleep in the plain

of Muzdalifa, and perform a symbolic Stoning of the Devil. After the sacrifice of cattle, men

shave or trim their heads and women cut the tips of their hair. A four-day global festival of Eid

al-Adha follows, and the Hajj is complete: the performer’s soul is cleansed of all worldly sins.

An impressive display of faith and religiosity, the Hajj is also a testament to the diversity

found in the unity of worship. When American civil rights activist Malcolm X performed the

Hajj in the 1960s, he described his experience as follows:

 There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all
colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating
in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood.

These pilgrims cross borders, both physical and social, to find solidarity in Islam. Divisions of

race, color, language, and culture are shed when the Hajj is performed. Muslims around the

world are united under faith in their God. It is an incredible feat of human connection and a

global example of peace and fellowship that we can all certainly learn from.

It’s clear that compassion is at the center of the pilgrimage. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of

Health ensures that the journey is accessible for all with the provision of clean water and

sanitation facilities, food, transportation, medical care as well as accommodations for the elderly,

the sick, and those with disabilities. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, pilgrimages were

severely restricted to keep people safe, and as the world began to recover, in 2023 as the world

has begun to recover, nearly 1.3 million pilgrims were able to reach Mecca safely in 2023. The

country hasre have been made efforts made by the country to reduce the environmental impact of

the Hajj, (including the initiative Hajj without Plastic, that which aims to decrease environmental

harms), improve the management system of solid waste, and preserve pilgrims’ and camps’

safety.

The impact of the Hajj also manifests itself in social equality. Muslim communities

become more accepting and positive after the Hajj. A 2008 study by David Clingingsmith, Asim

Ijaz Khwaja, and Michael Kremer titled “Estimating the Impact of the Hajj: Religion and

Tolerance in Islam’s Global Gathering” found that participation in the Hajj increases belief in

equality and harmony among ethnic groups and Islamic sects, more favorable attitudes toward

women, and an increased belief in peace, equality, and harmony among followers of other
religions. The global impact of the Hajj goes beyond the borders of even Islam; it encourages

love for all.

So what can we learn from the Hajj? Regardless of ourne’s religious affiliations, if any,

we can all look toward this Islamic pilgrimage and apply its principles to our own lives.

Religious or not, we can travel with a spiritual intent. We don’t have to perform the rites of the

Hajj to be purposeful with our travel. Any destination can be a sacred one if we go with the

intent of being globally mindedglobally-minded and compassionate to all humans that we cross

paths with. Traveling is a wonderful opportunity to find both diversity and unity. As we explore

cultures and languages different from our own, we can look to find the humanity that connects us

all regardless of social divisions. Create your own pilgrimage in your day-to-day life.

Approaching your life with mindfulness and purpose can reveal the sacred details in the

mundane. You don’t have to make a thousand-mile journey to find it.