THE FIFTH PILLAR OF ISLAM SPEECH

Hajj is a symbolic expression of man's full surrender before his Lord.

Mr. President and worthy audience, the word "Hajj" means worshiping Allah by performing the Hajj rituals which are defined as specific acts performed at a specific time and place in a specific way. Performing Hajj is an obligation once in a lifetime upon every Muslim. The indigent and the sick or disabled are excused. Allah, the Almighty, says:

وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ - 3:97

"Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah' those who can afford the journey: But if anyone denies faith, Allah stands not in need of any of His creatures." Allah made Hajj an obligation to the Muslims in the ninth year after Hijrah. The Prophet ("Peace Be Upon Him") performed only the farewell Hajj.

The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "The superstructure of Islam is founded on five pillars: Among these pillars the Prophet mentioned the Hajj. The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "The Hajj which is accepted will receive no other reward than paradise. " The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "He who performed Hajj and neither spoke indecently nor did he act wickedly would return free of sin as on the very first day his mother gave birth to him."

The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "O people, Allah made Hajj obligatory for you; so perform Hajj. Thereupon a person said, "Messenger of Allah, is it to be performed every year?" The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) kept quiet, and the man repeated these words thrice, whereupon Allah's Messenger said, "If I were to say: yes, it would become obligatory for you to perform it every year and you would not be able to do it."

Mr. President, Hajj is obligatory and that it represents the fifth pillar of Islam. It is an obligation that should be performed as soon as possible. The seven obligations of Hajj are:

1. Performing Ihram from Miqat.

2. Standing by Arafat.

3. Spending one night in Muzadalifah.

4. Spending one night in Mina.

5. Shaving the head or cutting hair short

    (shaving is recommended).

6. Throwing pebbles.

7. Farewell.

The servants of God make a covenant of giving themselves entirely up to their Creator. Their live will revolve around God alone. The are prepared to make any kind of sacrifice for the Almighty.

Mr. President, during the rites and rituals of Hajj, the pilgrims recall the sacrifices made by the architects of the Kaaba, The Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. The pilgrims also visit those historical places which relate to the life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The spend a few weeks in such surroundings, the scene of early Islamic history. In this way, the Hajj becomes a means of linking the pilgrim to God and his messengers, and reminds him of the upright lives led by the pious servants of God. In effect, it creates the possibilities of live contact whit the history of Islam.

Worthy President, over above this, Hajj unites worshipers the world over. It refreshes the minds of the believers with the reality that although they belong to different races and nations, the belief in one God serves as a strong basis for universal unity. However, the country or nation to which they belong, with respect to their being worshipers of God, the are all one and will always remain united. Hajj is in essence an act of worship, but in practice it affords many benefits affecting the entire Muslims brotherhood.