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hajj
The pilgrimage to Makkah �Mecca) performed
by Muslims is called the hajj. It is one of the five
fundamental Islamic principles. The first is the
Islamic testimony that `Only Allah deserves to be
worshipped, Muhammed being His Prophet'; the
second is the prescribed Islamic Prayer �solat); the
third contains prescriptions about fasting during
the month of Ramadan; the fourth describes the
Islamic tax �zakat); and the fifth prescribes the hajj,
the pilgrimage. This prescribed journey �according
to the lunar calendar) is obligatory for every
Muslim at least once in a lifetime, if he or she can
afford it. The hajj brings millions of pilgrims
�definitionally, tourists) each year to Saudi
Arabia, where this and other holy places are
located, and the pilgrims both on hajj and umrah
�done not on the prescribed annual date) form the
major part of foreign visitors to this country,
which is only now slowly opening its doors to
other types of tourist
SEMSO TANKOVIC, CROATIA
hallmark event see event; festival
handicapped
The term `handicapped' refers to a visible or
invisible physical or mental condition that substantially
limits at least one major life activity of an
individual. A tourist with such a disability may
require changed or different accommodations in
dining, lodging and other tourism facilities. Training
and education may be needed to remove
attitudinal and/or communication barriers when
hosting persons with disabilities.
handicraft
SHARON S. GIROUX, USA
Handicrafts are objects produced using hand
processes that are applied to a variety of materials,
including clay, fibre, glass, metal, skin, stone and
wood. Simple technology may augment the work
of the hands; indigenous aesthetics for colour,
motif and design are prominent. Throughout the
world, handicraft production is often householdcentred
and village-based. Whole villages may
devote their energies to a common product
category such as pottery, wood carving or rug
weaving. Handicraft product categories include
pottery, textiles, jewellery, metal work, hide items,
stained glass, carvings, basketry, furniture and
housewares. Handicrafts can serve utilitarian,
decorative or ritual purposes. In many societies,
handicrafts are deeply enmeshed with ethnic, local,
regional or national heritage. The grounding of
handicrafts in cultural heritage provides a platform
for commoditisation as tourism-oriented objects,
leading to a host of labels such as airport art,
ethnic art, souvenirs, and tourist art or crafts.
Production of handicrafts is linked to global
marketing or globalisation, development,