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can try, within itself, to lay claim to the deed and thereby puff itself
up about that deed in the soul’s ‘internal chatter’, this eventually
giving rise to spiritual pride. During fasting, however, the body and
the ego themselves are deprived of their sustenance and their hold
on the soul is mitigated (in principle at least) for a certain period
of time, giving the soul a chance to ‘grow’ spiritually.
(5) The Pilgrimage (Hajj)
The Hajj—which every able-bodied Muslim that has means to
perform it is obligated to do so once in their lifetime—is a pilgrimage
to Mecca for a certain day every (lunar) year. God says:
And proclaim unto mankind the pilgrimage. They will come
unto thee on foot and on every lean camel; they will come
from every deep ravine, / That they may witness things that
are of benefit to them, and mention the name of God..../ Then
let them make an end of their unkemptness and pay their vows
and go around the ancient House. / That (is the command).
And whoso magnifies the sacred things of God, it will be well
for him in the sight of his Lord.... (Al-Hajj, 22:27–30)
Though the Hajj has one central rite—standing on Mount
‘Arafah on the ‘Day of ‘Arafah’22—it contains many other rites and
recommendations (‘sunnah’ acts), and a number of regulations. The
rites and recommendations include: settling one’s debts, asking
forgiveness of one’s acquaintances and preparing oneself as if setting
off for death; travelling to Mecca; dressing in the ihram (two white
strips of unwoven cloth) and consecrating oneself therein; saying
“labayk Allahumma labayk!” (“here I am O Allah, at Your service”);
performing the tawaf (circumambulating the Ka‘bah); performing
the sa’i (running between the rocks of Safa and Marwah); praying
at the maqam of Ibrahim or the hijr of Isma‘il ; touching
the Black Stone (on the corner of the Ka‘bah) or the Multazam
22 The Prophet Muhammad said: “The Hajj is ‘Arafah…” (Sunan Al-Tirmidhi, no.
889; Sunan Abu Dawud, no. 1949).
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