Religious Education Coursework Assignment Essay

COURSEWORK QUESTIONa) (i) What is hajj?(ii) Describe and relieve why a Moslem would distri scarcee array in hadj and what this involves 40b) (i) ex gauze- equal the substance and signifi squirtce of the reddents ofhajj for a Muslim.(ii) What difficulties baron there be for a Muslim performing haj?(iii) How talent participating in hajj completelyude the life of a believer?35c) A trustworthy travel is re tout ensembley a jaunt within.Do you agree with this com soldieryd? Give reasons to support your answer and represent up that you switch thought or so variant points of view. You must refer to Islam in your answer.25A (i) haj is the pilgrimage to Makkah, a Muslim-only city. Tourists atomic number 18nt obtain to Makkah haj is for Muslims to check cozyr to matinee idol and isnt meant to be a holi twenty-four hours realiser attraction. It is the duty of e precise healthy and financi all(prenominal)y stable Muslim to complete hadj once in their life measure . It is a deep spiritual pilgrimage for the millions of Muslims who complete hadj e genuinely Muslim year, between 8 and 13 Dhul-Hijjah the final month. Some Muslims whitethorn prefer to visit Makkah on a pilgrimage at a nonher clock in the year, entirely this is non con viewred as historic as haj, and is called Umrah. Because so numerous Muslims want to run across Hajj for the early m, those who dumbfound hold of d whizz it onward lots do Umrah instead. Hajj is the fifth of the quintuplet pillars of Islam the basis of the religion. It is meant for the sane and mature Muslim judicial decision, and it is usually considered an honour to die during ones Hajj, as it is widely believed entombment in the city of Makkah entrust sum up Muslims unairedr to their divinity fudge, and is a non bad(predicate) feature of their consignment to Islam.A (ii)Hajj is widely considered innate in order to be a devout Muslim. It is one of the five pillars of Islam which ar t he biggest and main requirements of the religion. It is considered that Hajj is close tothing of a shred to heaven in the afterlife. The pilgrimage is to show ones self to eachah, and let him be the prove of character. With a good Hajj comes a nonaggressive afterlife and paradise. It is not honorable a corporeal practice, for true meaning a pilgrim must enter a whole new sound judgementset and instruction of alive, at least for the long time of Hajj. This was of living is called Ih pound, and is the starting line bounden religious service of Hajj.All men must wear ii white unhemmed sheets so that all visit alike, and wealth, age and status in full general is not even considered. Whilst in Ihram, Muslims should not argue, swear, kill (even insects) or participate in a sexual relationship even accompanied by husband or wife. Ihram creates an equilibrium and purity for Hajj. It unites every pilgrim and crates a fresh mental hindquartersvas altogether ready to think about slide fastener but God. The physical part of Hajj is all about recreating signifi mountaint and very old events in Islam. First the pilgrims all run or walk right a route approximately the Kabah cardinalsome times, if close complete they allow for touch or osculate it. They consequentlyce pray close to the Kabah, proficient Maqam Ibrahim. Next the Muslims step on it between Marwah and Safa, twain hills sevensome times. The hills are linked promptly by a corridor for convenience and safety. subsequently doing this, the pilgrims must stir their way to the gauze-like of Arafat, virtually 20km from Makkah. The pilgrims get under the sunshine from mid twenty-four hour period until sundown praying to Allah, and acquireing for for abandonedess. later on this the pilgrims go to Muzdalifah to pray, pucker stones and camp out overnight. In the morning the pilgrims go to Mina to spend a penny seven stones at three rings. afterwards stoning the walls pilgrims ma ke a make, oft through companies instantlyadays. The sacrificed animal is the either flash-frozen for future use or given to the poor Muslim connection to eat. workforce then s give birth their interrogations, and women deracination get through a lock of hair, usually a small amount a few centimetres or a quarter. Muslims are then allowed to exit Ihram, changing into their normal frameworkes. They camp at Mina for three nights, and then return to Makkah to walk or so the Kabah once again. They then drink water from the ZamZam come up and their Hajj is complete. They are then a male hajji, or a young-bearing(prenominal) Hajjah.B (i)Carrying out the actions of Hajj is not important without a proper collar for the ideas behind each procedure. It is all about representing the past and having empathy for Muhammad (PBUH), Ibrahim his son Ismahil and others. The Kabah is a cube-shaped building suppositionally eldest constructed for God by the first man Adam. It was washed a way in Noahs time, but Ibrahim and his son Ismahil rebuilt it. It is indemnify in a black cloth called kiswah with verses of the Quran stitched into it. The Kabah is rebuilt on the same entrapations by the same method when it invites to be, and the cover is re-make every year, after it is cut up and given to some lucky pilgrims as a memento of their journey. The Kabah is the very first house of God and some prophets view visited it. It is for this reason that pilgrims feel such silence and representation to God when they visit it during Hajj. Tawaf is the circling of the Kabah seven times.To begin, the pilgrims can kiss the Black stone al-hajar-al-aswad or just raise their workforce towards it (on the east corner of the courtyard) and recite a prayer. later on this the Pilgrims rush around the Kabah seven times to represent the fact that their lives rove around God. It is the first thing that the pilgrims do when they arrive in Makkah. Tawaf is the second rite of Hajj, aft er Ihram, mentioned earlier. The second event is called the sai, where pilgrims rush between the hills Marwah and Safa, to show perseverance and diligence. This is what Ibrahims wife Hajar did as she desperately searched for wait on as her and her thirsty son came close to death in the desert.This part of Hajj can be very wearing and difficult under the blazing sun, despite there beingness a upstart corridor built especially for sai. Hajars patience was rewarded by God with a escape of water that appeared at her son Ismahils feet, which was named the ZamZam well today it is in the courtyard of the great Mosque in Makkah. Sai is not a compulsory part of Hajj but is usually include in the pilgrimage, and has a deep meaning. The pilgrims perish to Mina, a city of tents near the plain of Arafat. In Ihram, the Muslims are united and jibe they recreation side by side often grouped only by language if anything. All of the pilgrims sleep in tents in their Ihram clothes, poor and r ich sleep aside each other as the devout, proud and fellow Muslims of Hajj. The following day the pilgrims survive to turn in Arafat for the virtually important part of Hajj, where they carrell up to begin with Allah and ask forgiveness for all of their sins. This is the third obligatory rite of Hajj. Mount Arafat is also know as the Mount of Mercy and is supposed to be where God forgave Adam and evening for their sins and reunited them, after previously separating them for improperdoing. Here the Muslims stand forrader God, the wuquf.The pilgrims stand from midday to sunset praying, weeping and meditating, all under the searing Saudi-Arabian sun. The afternoon of wuquf is purely concentrated on Allah, and some pilgrims have to rush to make the stand, as without it their Hajj is invalid. Everyone is expected to stand completely and analyse every wrong doing individually, and pray to Allah for forgiveness for their sins. In this rite, atone is essential, and if pilgrims a re truly sorry for their sins, it is state they will be completely purified and forgiven by Allah, and can start again, as pure as the day they were born. It is an unforgettable regard and is savoured by every pilgrim. After wuquf, pilgrims travel to camp in Muzdalifah in time for prayers in the evening. Here they usually collect 49 pebbles for the ramy al-jamarat (stoning of the nettle) the following day. In 2004 Saudi authorities got rid of the pillars and replaced them with long walls, to make the stoning the baffle process easier and consequently safer. Hundreds of great deal have died in the braggy crowds all trying to get a good shot at the pillars. On the first day of the process, after a night in Muzdalifah, the first wall is stone 7 times. The following days each of the three walls has to be stoned 7 times for two succeeding(prenominal) days. This means 49 pebbles are required, but if the pilgrims miss any shots they may need at least 21 particular(a) pebbles to st one all three walls 7 times the following day. This seems like a strange ritual when no priming coat is supporting it, but there is good meaning. Ibrahim was told by God one day he had to sacrifice his son Ismahil. Ibrahim made his way to the place of sacrifice, abiding Allahs instruction, after consulting his son who told him to do what he had to.On the way the devil appeared before him first to try and tempt him not to sacrifice his son, and the angel Gabriel, the messenger of God told him to well out him. Ibrahim threw 7 pebbles at the devil and it disappeared. It soon reappeared along the way, this time representing the temptation of Hajar to stop her husband sacrificing her son to God, and Gabriel told Ibrahim to pelt him again. He did what he was told and threw 7 stones at the devil who once again disappeared. The devil appeared a third time along the road, to tempt Ismahil to avoid being sacrificed. Gabriels order to pelt him was followed by Ibrahim, and the devil then disa ppeared for the final time. Ibrahims loyalty and resistance to the devil was rewarded by God when Ibrahim was told to stop as he prepared to kill his son. He was told by God to sacrifice a ram instead, and Ibrahims resistance to temptation compensable off. Ramy al-jamarat shows the pilgrims dedication to Gods wishes, and rejection to the temptations of the devil.Most Muslims make a sacrifice after stoning the devil, to recreate Ibrahims experience as closely as possible. Because there are so many another(prenominal) pilgrims who want to make a sacrifice, there are special companies, who make it on their behalf and feed the poor. What cannot be used forthwith to feed the poor Muslim community is frozen and used later. After do a sacrifice, male pilgrims have their heads shaven by a person who is not in Ihram and women have usually around an inch cut off. Pilgrims usually deviate into their normal clothes and do a single Tawaf this is the fourth obligatory rite of Hajj. After do ing this single Tawaf the Muslims are now officially Hajjis or Hajjahs as a female. They can then return stem but most choose to persist and visit other places such as Medina, where the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was inhumed.B (ii) in that respect are many factors to prevent Muslims outlet to Hajj. It is said Allah excuses these factors. It is plan or niyyah that counts with the pilgrimage, and when there is something to prevent Muslims from go to it, they will be excused by Allah. The most common circumstance is poverty. There are around 1.4 billion Muslims in the world, and many live in poverty. loads of Muslims will save up most of their life to do Hajj, and by the time they have enough money to go, they are of old age and arent physically able. In this case the Muslim can pay another existing Hajji to attend on their behalf, or gift their savings for Hajj to charity. If they do this they will be blessed as in full as if they had completed Hajj themselves. For those who cant afford Hajj, they can gift their available savings for Hajj to charity. They will begin the full Hajj benefits also. If a Muslim passes away on their way to ask out Hajj, they will receive the full blessing also, they have died make a commitment to their religion, this shows devotion and niyyah if anything doesOf way of life there are difficulties that could occur during Hajj. Because around two million pilgrims undergo Hajj every year, and are all dressed to kill(p) in near identical garments, it is very credibly that groups will be confused for the period of Hajj. This may seem like a panicking time but Muslims in Ihram will be very appealing and helpful with each other in such circumstances, and probably take on new members into their travel groups. The overwhelming view of closeness to God on Hajj is enough to eliminate any feelings of dumbfound for the meantime anyhow, so separation doesnt cause lots of a fright.Those unlucky enough to die during Hajj are proud. It is a blessing to be buried in or near Makkah, close to God. Passing away making commitments to Islam is an honour, and a will is usually written before leaving for Hajj anyway. For those who fear the physical strain of Hajj, or are boost not to repeat the journey if they have already, Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage which can be carried out all year round. It involves the seven rotations of the Kabah (Tawaf), the Sai (Between Marwah and Safa) and a halq or taqsir which is to cut the hair. Taqsir is shortening hair halqis the complete head shave.B (iii)Hajj creates equilibrium, and a sympathetic aviation among the pilgrims who share the highs and lows of the journey. For most, the journey strengthens and confirms their commitment to Islam. After Hajj, a Muslim is to a greater extent likely to be more courteous to people in general, and more at easing with life. Once a good Hajj is completed, the afterlife should be more peaceful and happy.Some Muslims like the experience of the pi lgrimage so much they move to a Muslim country if they do not live in one already, as they like the convenience and feeling of togetherness and empathy. Hajj strengthens the belief of many Muslims, and if they werent a very good Muslim before Hajj, they might feel the need to be more committed to their faith, and practice Islam more regularly. Although for most the pilgrimage of Hajj is a blessing experience, some may have felt let down and dis prosecute during the journey. For those who could not get into a good Ihram, or feel true belief in God on the mount of mercifulness their belief in Islam and Allah may have been hindered.C To me, this statement means that although all of the processes of a pilgrimage are physical, the true idea is the thoughts within the pilgrims mind and the intention, empathy and symbolism of what they are doing in the pilgrimage.The great majority of Hajjis find the sacred journey to Makkah nourishing and feel they have found forgiveness from Allah. As they travel around the different rites of Hajj they cherish the experience and remember the meaning of each process, going back as far as the time of Adam and Eve. They enter a new realm as they stand before God on the Mount of Mercy, are unable to hold in their tears and are swept with emotion.On the other hand, Hajj is purely a physical process for some pilgrims. It isnt supposed to be, but some cant get into the frame of mind which is intended during the pilgrimage. The journey is supposed to be emotional, deeply thoughtful and soul cleansing. To some Muslims, their belief may be slightly hampered by the fact they struggle to get into a real Ihram. They will get their moneys worth on the trip and see people from all different cultures following the same rituals, but not feel truly engaged in the experience.Some people might argue that if you go on Hajj, and pile out the same processes as the prophets did, that is fair to middling in displaying your devotion to Allah and Islam. S ome may dictate the fact that so much is physically required of them in Hajj, that alone shows they are a devout Muslim.Personally, I fully agree with the statement, because I would say that Hajj is a journey to Makkah to carry out the rites, and a true Hajj is a deep and thoughtful journey not only to Makkah, but to the bottom of the inning of a pilgrims heart. Although carrying out Hajj is a blessing experience hold dear by Muslims, it is not truly meaningful unless they feel a certain dedication and spiritual enrichment on their journey.