Majalah Santunan edisi November 2011 - Kementerian Agama Prov ...

Bahasa Inggris
The city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia has always been
the spiritual center of the Islamic faith: the world’s
1.3 billion Muslims genuflect in its direction during
prayers. But in the final months of the year, Islam’s holiest
city becomes even more vital, as an estimated 2.5 million
pilgrims make their once-in-a-lifetime journey to the site.
This pilgrimage, known as the Hajj, is one of the Five
Pillars of Islam (the others are the profession of Allah as
the only God and Mohammed as his prophet; fasting during
Ramadan; charitable giving and ritual prayer) by which every
practicing Muslim must abide. This year, the Hajj from Aceh
starts on October 1, 2011; through Sultan Iskandar Muda
International Airport. it takes place annually between the
8th and 12th days of Dhu-al-Hijjah, the final month of the
lunar Islamic calendar, a time when God’s spirit is believed
to be closest to earth.
The Hajj ritual was considered ancient even in the time
of Muhammad in the 7th century and it was part of ancient
pre-Muslim paganism. Pilgrims would join processions of
tens of thousands of people, who would simultaneously
converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform
a series of rituals, centered around the Kaaba. Each person
would walk counter-clockwise seven times about the Kaaba,
kiss the Black Stone, run back and forth from the Zamzam
Well near the Kabah back and forth between the hills of Al-
Hajj
Written by Mulyadi Idris, S.Ag, M.Hum
48 Santunan NOVEMBER 2011
Safa and Al-Marwah, then go to the plains of Mount Arafat to
stand in vigil, then proceed to Muzdalifah to gather pebbles,
which they would throw at a rock in Mina to perform the
ritual of the Stoning of the Devil. The pilgrims would then
shave their heads, perform an animal sacrifice, and celebrate
the three day global festival of Eid ul-Adha.
The Hajj is an obligation that must be undertaken by
every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so, at least
once in their lifetime. It demonstrates the solidarity of the
Muslim people, and their submission to God. We pray to
Allah that all of us can go to Mecca to do pilgrim as soon as
possible, Amen Ya Rabbal ‘alamin.
Glossary:
- genuflect (v) : bertekuk lutut (memuja)
- estimated (v) : diperkirakan
- pilgrims (n) : haji
- holiest (adj) : yang paling suci
- abide (v) : dipakai
- ancient (adj): kuno
- converge (v) : berkumpul
- vigil (n) : berjaga-jaga
- gather (v) : berkumpul
- shave (v) : bercukur
- sacrifice (n) : korban