Page 95 - World Religions I - Islam

non- Hajjis only.

o The Day of Arafat (the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar).
o The Day of Ashura (the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar).15
 Initially upon arriving in Medina, fasting was prescribed by Muhammad as obligatory after he
witnessed the practice of fasting by the Jews. It was later made optional when fasting during
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the month of Ramadan was prescribed.17
o As often as possible in the months of Rajab and Shaban before Ramadan.
o The first nine days of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah.
• There are specific days when fasting is prohibited.
o Eid al-Adha ("Festival of Sacrifice") and the three days following
o Eid al-Fitr ("Festival of Brea According to tradition, Muhammad stated, "Verily, Friday is an eid (holiday) for
you, so do not fast on it unless you fast the day before or after it." king the Fast").
o Fasting only on Fridays.
o Fasting every day of the year.
o A day or two ahead of the month of Ramadan.18

5. Hajj (Pilgrimage)
The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

• The Hajj is a religious duty that all Muslims who are physically able must perform at least once in their lifetime.
o The Hajj is a demonstration of solidarity amongst Muslims in their submission to Allah.
o "'And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind
of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways; That they may
witness the benefits (provided) for them, and celebrate the name of Allah, through the Days appointed,
over the cattle which He has provided for them (for sacrifice): then eat ye thereof and feed the
distressed ones in want. Then let them complete the rites prescribed for them, perform their vows, and
(again) circumambulate the Ancient House.' Such (is the Pilgrimage); whoever honours the sacred rites of
Allah, for him it is good in the Sight of his Lord." - Al- Hajj (The Pilgrimage) 22:27-30a
o Muhammad testified that performing Hajj is one of the best of deeds, overshadowed only by believing
"in Allah and his Apostle" and participating "in Jihad in Allah's cause."19
o Muhammad is also recorded to have said that if one performs Hajj perfectly, "he will return free from all
sins as if he were born anew."20 Despite the claim that only a perfect execution of the Hajj rituals will
warrant a sinless return, Muhammad didn't seem troubled at other times when pilgrims forgot various
acts or performed them out of order (Al- Bukhari 1:3:83, 84, 126; 2:26:779- 81).
• The Hajj occurs from the 8th to the 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar.
o The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and is around eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.
Thus, the Gregorian date of Hajj changes from year to year.
o Muslim pilgrims may make the pilgrimage to Mecca anytime of the year.
 The pilgrimage that takes place independently of Hajj No non-Muslim is allowed to visit Mecca
or witness the Hajj. is known as Umrah, and is sometimes referred to as the "minor pilgrimage" or
"lesser pilgrimage".
 Unlike the Hajj, the Umrah is not compulsory.
• Muslims believe that elements of the Hajj trace back to the time of Abraham, around 2,000 BC.21 Aside from
Islamic oral tradition, there is no historical evidence to trace the origin of the Hajj back to Abraham. Many of the
rituals of the Hajj predate Islam (see Al-Bukhari 2:26:635, 706, 726, 744) and are pagan in origin, including:
worship at the shrine which contained the Black Stone (known as the House of Allah at the time); circling the
Ka'aba seven times; throwing stones at Mina; and running between two idols, Isaf and Na'ila (which Muslims
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