Over 4,300 Ghanaian pilgrims are in Makkah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform this year’s Hajj, Hajj board source told Ghanaian Times here in the Holy City of Makkah yesterday.
The first major Hajj rituals, after COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, begins today (Monday) with spiritual journey to Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat for the all important rites and supplications.
About 20 pilgrims from diverse professions in Ghana are part of 1,300 pilgrims from 90 countries who are also undertaking the Hajj as guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, two million pilgrims across the globe have converged on Makkah for post COVID-19 full pilgrimage.
Ahead of the real Hajj rituals, millions of the pilgrims in their Ihram (white garment) converged on Masjid al-Haram (the Grand Mosque) to perform Umra, chanting and circumambulating the Kabba built by Prophet Abraham and son, Ishmael, and embedded with the Devine Black Stone- Islam’s most revered relic.
The pilgrims are also commuting between mount Safar and Marwa seven times as did by Hagar, wife of Prophet Abraham, in looking for water in the desert for her new born, Ishmael.
The pilgrims will climax the Hajj rituals tomorrow (Tuesday) at Mount Arafat, where the Holy Prophet Mohammed was commanded by Allah (God) to deliver His last sermon to others on the 9th Day of Dhuhul- Hija 632 A.D, declaring the perfection of Islam as religion for humankind, spending the better part of the day supplicating and asking for Allah’s forgiveness and mercies.
The rest of the Muslim world will mark the Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, the next day.
As part of the spiritual journey, the pilgrims will also pelt the devil with pebbles at Jamaraat, a re-enaction of the deviance of Prophet Abraham, as Satan tried to influence him not to sacrifice his son as commanded by Allah.
The pilgrims will then make a sacrifice of a ram in commemoration of the obedience of Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son when Allah offered him a ram in replace for his obedience.
Hajj is a commemoration of the life history, tribulation and obedience of Prophet Abraham and acts of Prophet Mohammed, and it is obligatory for every Muslim who is sane and has the means to undertake the journey.
It is the belief in Islam that one is cleansed of his sins and attains Allah’s blessings and mercies after completing the various acts and rites with the purest of heart.
FROM SALIFU ABDUL-RAHAMAN, MAKKAH, SAUDI ARABIA
