Today I read the step-by-step guide by Aljazeera on how to participate in what is known as the Hajj (the Muslim pilgrimage). In my previous GHS class Modern Middle East and North Africa (a great GHS class to take by the way if you need one more GHS to satisfy the GHS curriculum), we talked briefly about what the Hajj is in a broad sense, but not exactly getting down to the nuts-and-bolts about the important little things of it. Not that it means anything, but we were supposed to go over it in class in the middle of the semester, but thanks to some unfortunate winter storms, we never were able to hear the professor delve deeper in the topic.
This guide was a quick read about the what seemed like a long and somewhat tiresome process of paying homage to the Prophet Muhammad. It was a good baseline i’d say for the documentary i watched over it. It showed devout practitioners of Islamic faith and those looking to complete the ‘journey of a lifetime’, people who were willing to be in such close proximity to other because of their faith. I found the most interesting part of the Hajj was the stoning of the devil, symbolic for Allah casting away the devil. I saw some people chuck the rock, while others just tossed it. I took it as people trying to truly emulate their God would try to throw it harder (maybe i’m just overthinking it?). I found the gesture strange, but the fact that everyone was doing it made it seem normal.
Overall, the documentary was the best way for me to bolster my understanding of this incredible pilgrimage. It gave me the impression that many followers of Islam have an unwavering faith in their religion, and the Hajj is the perfect example of such devotion.