Hajj being scaled back, but the month still holy

MIDDLETOWN — “And announce unto mankind the Hajj Pilgrimage. They will come to thee on foot, and on every lean camel, coming by every distant track,” Quran 22:28.

The world is witness to how powerfully this miracle of Islam is fulfilled year after year.

It was, in fact, our father Abraham, Allah’s special friend (4:126) revered by Jews, Christians, Muslims, and perhaps even Hindus as Brahma, who first received this Divine revelation thousands of years ago to summon all people from all places to perform Hajj, a pillar of action among five in Islam.

Millions worldwide fulfill the Quranic verse and make pilgrimage to the most ancient and sacred House of Allah, the Ka’aba. This is our Qibla, direction, we face when we meet our Lord five times a day in Salat, worship.

It was originally built by the first prophet, our father Adam in the “mother of towns” (6:93, 42:8) and geographical center of the world; the sanctuary of Mecca.

Although this year Hajj will be scaled back to only 1,000 residing in Saudi Arabia due to coronavirus, the 12th and final lunar month of Zul Hijjah is still very much hallowed, and we’re already in it.

Prophet Muhammad said, “No good deed is superior and more rewarded than the one done in the first Ashra, ten days, of Dhul Hijjah” (Tirmidhi). His practice was to spend them in spiritual retreat, fasting, giving extra charity, and observing more worship (Abu Dawud), all spiritual exercises that we can do from our homes.

Since it’s impossible for anyone outside Arabia to do Hajj this year, let me bring the rights of Hajj to you. On the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah, pilgrims establish their intentions and enter into a state of holiness, Ihram, donning two unsown white cloths, reminiscent of shrouds worn after death.

They cleanse themselves with ablution and detach entirely from all materialistic distractions. Upon arrival at the most sacred Masjid, pilgrims perform Tawaf circumambulation of the Ka’aba seven times counterclockwise, evocative of planets orbiting the sun and solar systems orbiting galactic centers.

This act represents God’s indivisibility and oneness, as well as humanity’s unity and equality. Each circuit is marked with Istilam, kissing, touching, or pointing to the Black Stone, an originally white meteorite sent by

Since it’s impossible for anyone outside Arabia to do Hajj this year, let me bring the rights of Hajj to you. On the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah, pilgrims establish their intentions and enter into a state of holiness, Ihram, donning two unsown white cloths, reminiscent of shrouds worn after death. They cleanse themselves with ablution and detach entirely from all materialistic distractions.

Allah to show our parents Adam and Eve where to build this first Temple for mankind.

All the while, pilgrims keep their lips moist throughout the Hajj with God’s remembrance with Prophet Muhammad’s prayer “Here I am O Allah, at your service, here I am.”

Here I am, You have no equal, here I am. Surely all praise and favors are yours and the kingdom. You have no equal.” The pilgrims hasten between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times, called Sa’ay, emulating our patient matriarch Hagar, who desperately searched to quench her son Ishmael’s thirst after Abraham had left them in the deserts of Faran by God’s instruction.

Faran was also where Moses and the Isrealites spent part of their 40 years of wandering, and a place of refuge for King David. A spring miraculously erupted and flowed so profusely for Hagar and Prophet Ishmael that she commanded it “Zam zam” meaning “stop flowing.”

This account is recorded in Genesis 21:19, as well as Hadith, and still provides fresh limitless water to this day. Pilgrims then pray at the “Station of Abraham,” and on the ninth day, visit Arafat, where Prophet Muhammad delivered his famous farewell sermon declaring no child of Adam superior to another based on race.

This is also the “mount of mercy” where our parents Adam and Eve reunited after their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, and where Adam was forgiven. Fasting for non-pilgrims, like us, on this “Day of Arafat” expiates sins. Pilgrims then depart for prayers at Muzdalifa.

Back at Mina on the 10th day, pilgrims perform the symbolic stoning of Satan, who’s represented by three walls. It’s a symbolic reenactment of Abraham stoning Satan, who appeared to him in the form of three pillars tempting him to disobey God and preserve Ishmael. It’s on this day that the culmination of Hajj transpires. Muslims worldwide start the celebration of Eid ul Adha, the largest and longest Islamic holiday of the year, spanning three days. We sacrifice cattle in the name of Allah whose meat is given as charity to the poor in commemoration of Abraham’s greater sacrifice of his promised son Ishmael in obedience to his best friend, God.

On this day, I’ll have to observe the second and greater Eid service in my home with my immediate family. Pilgrims will then proceed to shave or cut their hair then revisit the Ka’aba for another round of Tawaf circumambulation.

On the 11th and 12th days, pilgrims repeat the symbolic stoning of Satan, this time all three pillars, and return to the Ka’aba for the farewell Tawaf circumambulation. That completes the Hajj.

Yet, some deeply devoted pilgrims choose to travel to Madinah — the city formerly known as Yathrib, whose inhabitants welcomed Prophet Muhammad as an immigrant after suffering a grueling decade of severe persecution, escaping hired hit men, and enduring a savage three-year boycott that took the life of his beloved wife Khadijah and Uncle Abu Talib.

It’s situated some 280 miles away from Mecca, but it’s also where the sacred tomb of Prophet Muhammad resides inside his Mosque, under the iconic Green Dome next to his closest disciples and rightly guided Khalifas, successors Abu Bakr and Umar.

How I wish to go and bring my family to this once-in-a-lifetime experience that radically transformed so many, including Malcolm X and El Hajj Malik El Shabbazz.

Islam is none other than the perfection of Abraham’s religion (22:79) who was neither Jew nor Christian (3:68).

Middletown resident Zahir Muhammad Mannan is chaplain for the Connecticut State Police and Meriden Police Department, and director of outreach for the Aman “House of Peace” Mosque in Meriden.