The pilgrimage to Mecca – Hajj

Selma’s grandpa talks about when he and Grandma went on pilgrimage to Mecca: Hajj. Grandma and Grandpa fly to Saudi Arabia. Here, Grandpa shaves, cuts his nails, bathes and dresses in two white pieces of cloth. One he wraps around his waist. And one covers his chest.

Grandpa wears shoes that show his ankles and toes. Grandma may wear whatever clothes she chooses, as long as they are loosely fitting, and cover all of her body, and head - though not her face. Neither men nor women are to cover their face or hands. They are also not to wear perfume, nor use a scented soap. These preparations are ways of stepping into a calmer awareness that some call sacred.

That all men wear the same clothes is a way of showing that everyone is equal in the eyes of God no matter how rich or poor in everyday life. Now Grandma and Grandpa go to the Kaaba. Wow, it’s crowded. Hajj is only performed one week a year so there are millions that wish to be here. There they are.

Grandma and Grandpa circle the Kaaba seven times anticlockwise. Here Grandpa and all other men show their right shoulder. The pilgrims try to touch a black stone in the Kaaba’s wall. Preferably they are to kiss it. It’s said that the black stone was brought here by Ibrahim – or Abraham as Christians and Jews call him.

It’s also said that Ibrahim and his son Ishmael built the Kaaba, on the place where a previous Kaaba stood. Now it’s time to walk seven times between two hills. For it’s said that Ibrahim’s wife, Hagar wandered here, looking for water for their son Ishmael. Then an angel appeared and let a well stream water from the ground. This well - Zamzam - still exists, and all the pilgrims drink from it.

After that all the men shave or cut the hair off their heads. Grandpa too. Grandma doesn’t need to cut that much off, a lock of hair is enough. In the evening Grandma and Grandpa go to Mina. A city of tents.

Some tents are for men, and some are for women. The next day Grandma and Grandpa go up the mountain of Arafat. A long time ago the prophet Muhammad held his last sermon here. The pilgrims stand still, and pray until the sun has set. After sunset, they walk to a place called Muzdalifah.

Here they hold their evening prayers and pick stones - 49 stones each. On the third day they return to Mina. This day is a holiday: Eid al-Adha. This day celebrates that when Ibrahim was prepared to sacrifice his son to God, God provided him with a lamb to sacrifice instead. In Mina stand three large pillars.

They are symbols for the devil. When Ibrahim was to perform his sacrifice, the devil showed up and tried to persuade him not to. Then Ibrahim threw stones at the devil who disappeared. Now Grandpa and Grandma are to throw some of their stones at the devil. They need to hit one of the pillars with seven stones.

When they’ve done this they sacrifice a sheep, and the meat is given to the poor. They don’t have to slaughter the sheep themselves. Grandma and Grandpa buy coupons, so that someone else does it for them. Days four and five they carry on stoning the devil. Now they are to hit every pillar with seven stones.

Luckily Grandpa has a strong arm. But he misses sometimes. Grandma doesn´t. On the last day they return to Mecca and Kaaba. And just like on the first day they circle the Kaaba and walk between the hills seven times.

Now Grandma and Grandpa have completed their Hajj. Grandpa has still got a strong arm. But he longs for grandma.