Page 97 - World Religions I - Islam

Muslims.
• Millions of pilgrims visit the Zamzam Well each year in order to drink and collect its
water.
 Sa'i used to be performed in the open air, but is now entirely enclosed by the Masjid al-Haram
("The Sacred Mosque").
 "Surely Safa and Marwa are among the signs appointed by Allah; so whoever makes a
pilgrimage to the House or pays a visit (to it), there is no blame on him if he goes round them
both." - Al-Baqara (The Cow) 2:158a
o On the second day of Hajj (the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, also known as "the day of standing"), pilgrims
travel by foot to Mount Arafat, where they stand in contemplative reflection and read and recite the
Qur'an from noon until sunset.24
 Mount Arafat is the location where Muhammad gave his last sermon before he died.
 A pilgrim's Hajj is considered invalid if they do not spend the afternoon on Arafat.
 Pilgrims remain on Mount Arafat until after sunset, at which point pilgrims leave for
Muzdalifah, an area between Arafat and Mina, where they will spend the night under open sky.
o Pilgrims wake up on the third day of Hajj (the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah) and gather pebbles for the
ritual of stoning of the Devil.
 The stoning of the Devil (Ramy al-Jamarat) takes place in Mina.
 Pilgrims throw stones at three walls called jamarat in a representative act of defiance against
the Devil (Shaitan). The three jamarat (singular: jamrah) were three tall pillars until 2004 when
Saudi authorities replaced them with 26 meter (85 foot) long walls for safety purposes. The
account of Abraham pelting the devil with stones is not recorded in the Qur'an.
• According to Muslim tradition, Satan tempted Abraham when he was commanded by
God to sacrifice his son (who is unnamed in the Qur'anic account, but generally believed
to be Ishmael).
• According to the Muslim historian al-Azaraqi: "When he [Abraham] left Mina and was
brought down to (the defile called) al-Aqaba, the Devil appeared to him at Stone-Heap
of the Defile. Gabriel said to him: 'Pelt him!' so Abraham threw seven stones at him so that
he disappeared from him. Then he appeared to him at the Middle Stone-Heap. Gabriel
said to him: 'Pelt him!' so he pelted him with seven stones so that he disappeared from
him. Then he appeared to him at the Little Stone-Heap. Gabriel said to him: 'Pelt him!' so
he pelted him with seven stones like the little stones for throwing with a sling. So the
Devil withdrew from him."
 After the stoning is finished, pilgrims must cut their hair or shave their head.25
 Pilgrims revisit the Ka'aba for another tawaf (circumambulation).
o The 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah also marks the first day of Eid al- Adha ("Festival of Sacrifice"), a 3-day
holiday commemorating the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son in obedience to God's command.
 "Then, when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, [Abraham] said: 'O my son!
I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!' (The son) said: 'O my father!
Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills one practicing patience and
constancy!' So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he had laid him prostrate
on his forehead (for sacrifice), We called out to him "O Abraham! Thou hast already fulfilled the
vision!" - thus indeed do We reward those who do right. For this was obviously a trial and We
ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice." - As- Saaffat (Those Who Set the Ranks) 37:102-07

While the Qur'an never explicitly names Ishmael as the intended sacrifice in this passage, it is
assumed since the birth of Isaac is announced several verses later. The commemoration of
Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son is the only major element of Islam that contains a

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