Lebanese Scholar Highlights Potential of Hajj to Revive Islamic Identity
Speaking to IQNA, Sayed Bilal al-Wahabi referred to verses 27-8 of Surah Al-Hajj, “Proclaim the pilgrimage to the people. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they shall come from every deep ravine; that they witness profitable things for them …” and said Hajj is among the most important acts of worship in Islam.
He said according to this verse, man’s profit is the first reason for divine rules and thus everything in which there is a benefit for people, God orders it.
Hajj is among the acts of worship that have many profits, including worldly and next-worldly benefits, the scholar stated.
Enumerating different benefits of Hajj would take a lot of time, al-Wahabi said, adding that it suffices to say that Hajj is a comprehensive act of worship that is inclusive of prayer, Zakat (alms-giving), sacrifice, patience, and getting free from Nafs (self) and worldly desires.
Highlighting the powers of Hajj, he said the first power of this annual ritual is its great role in reviving Islamic identity and principles.
“Hajj pilgrims who come from nearby and far-away places are guests of God. They focus all their beings on God so as to stay away from worldly desires and so that what they want becomes what God wants.”
He noted that Ihram, which is one of the rituals of Hajj, means abandoning everything except God, adding that Hajj pilgrims make efforts to do and want what God wants them to do and want.
The Quranic scholar further said that Hajj has also great civilization-making power because it portrays a civilized example of Islamic and human society.
The human society today needs to present a civilized, divine and Islamic image of Hajj that can revive human dignity, he stated.
Al-Wahabi also stressed the important role that Hajj plays in promoting fraternity and unity among Muslims from different schools of thought.
Around one million pilgrims from different countries performed Hajj in Mecca this year, after holding the ritual with a limited number of pilgrims in the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca that every able-bodied and financially able Muslim is obliged to undertake at least once during their lifetime.
