The Hajj- A Personal Account

 One of the most important religious experiences and a requirements of the 5 Pillars of faith for Islamic followers is the Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca). All followers are expected to makes this pilgramage once in their life. Javeria's parents were able to take this journey to Mecca. She interviewed her parents and shared their life changing experience with us. 

Mrs. Jordan

Background: Islam is the second largest growing religion in the world. Islam was emerged on the Arabian Peninsula during the seventh century C.E.  It was introduced by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), upon receiving revelations from Allah (God). Allah chose Muhammad (peace be upon him) to spread the message and word to the people of Saudi Arabia. Muslims are required to accomplish the 5 Pillars. One of them is going on the hajj pilgrimage, if physically and financially capable. Hajj is performed to commemorate Muhammad (peace be upon him)’s hajj, which was the first hajj performed. Last year, my parents completed their hajj. Not only were they affected by the experience, but me too. It left a big impact on me when they left and when they came back and told me all about it. I interviewed my parents about their experience, and we wanted to share it with you guys.

My Parents Hajj Experience:

What made you decide that it was the right year to go to Hajj?

We had been thinking about going to Hajj and thinking about it for about 4 years. However the timing was off. The biggest advantage to go last year was that our kids’ grandparents came to America for the first time and got our kids trained.

What were the reactions of people when you guys told everyone?

People were very excited and happy and congratulated us. Everyone was very happy, even the people at work were very happy. (Me: I was kind of envious that my parents got to go there.)

What kind of expectations did you have about going to Hajj?

When we were going there, there were several things…it is going to be very difficult to walk all around; there would be too many people there. We expected to do all the rituals, but most likely from a distance.

How did you prepare for Hajj?

We did research online. We took seminar classes, we studied several different books, and asked question to our friends who performed before us. They were very good guides and helpful for getting us prepared.

How did you spiritually get prepared for Hajj?

Dad: I started to think about it two or three months before…seriously I started thinking about it even before July. I did some research.

We stated praying more and making duas (supplication/wishes)…praying that we get visas and tickets done on time. We both made the intention that “Insha Allah (God-willing) we will perform Hajj, and made a connection with God. It was fortunate for us that he made us his guests there.

Was there any challenge you felt during your pilgrimage?

Well, we did not consider these as challenges, because they are part of Hajj. But it was a little different from what we thought. On the third day, we had to leave from Medina to Mecca. On the fourth day, we left late, and we got to Mecca and arrived at midnight. The next morning, we had to prepare, when we got there we had to live in a residence close to the Kaaba and instead we lived in a hotel in a different city. We had to take a taxi cab to the Kaaba.

How did you feel once you got there?

We had a lot of excitement and anxious. When we got there it was so surreal…we had to pinch ourselves. Spirituality was everywhere, and it was the best place on earth, especially for Muslims. We were very overwhelmed and were happy that we were his guests. We were very blessed to have his invitation.

Did you do anything special or see anything special?

We even got to touch the Kaaba…twice! It was the most amazing feeling, even words couldn’t describe it. You don’t see anything across the Kaaba, no planes, birds, animals. It is not allowed. We met many new people and became friends with them as well.

What was it like there? What was the weather like? Where did you stay at? What was the best part of it?

When we first got there, we went to Medina, and it is the city of the Prophet. We got there very late at night. The bus took us to the hotel from the airport. There were many people from around the world. It was fairly warm. We were looking forward to the Masjid-e-Nabawi. It was the mosque of the prophet. We were anxiously looking forward to it, but we saw minarets in the distance but it wasn’t very clear. When we got to the hotel, we changed our clothes and got prepared. Then we went to the masjid (mosque). Walking into the masjid was vey overwhelming. It was vey calm and vey peaceful. Our stay there was very nice and everyone there was very nice. It was very special.

(Dad): It reminded me that I had visited the masjid with my father. It was like a flashback in black and white. I was only 5 years old when I went there.

The best part about Hajj was everything, we couldn’t have asked for more. The most important thing was that we got an invitation from the Supreme. We got chosen out of so many people.

What rituals are performed there?

First you take a bath, and put on unstitched sheets to your body, Ihram. It’s a dress for males. Women can wear normal clothes.  Men have to wear white cloths. And then, you make the intention for Hajj. And then go towards Mecca. When you arrive at the Masjid-e- Haram, which means the “blessed masjid” in which the Kaaba is inside, the Kaaba is right in the middle. There are different doors. After you got inside the masjid, you make a special prayer. When you see the first sight of the Kaaba you make a supplication. Allah will accept the supplication. Then, we go towards the Kaaba. You go 7 times counterclockwise around the Kaaba, to circumambulate. This is called the Tawaaf. You pray two rakat (prescribed movements and words followed by Muslims while offering prayers to Allah) namaaz (praying). Then, you will Saai, which is running back and forth between the two mountains of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah. You run 7X between these two mountains. This is the commemoration of what Hazrat-Hajra (Hagar) Alai Salam (Peace be upon her). She ran between the two mountains looking for water for Prophet Ismail (Ishmael) peace be upon him. Left by Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) peace be upon him. Then we went back to our hotel.  Then the next day, we went back and performed another circumambulation counterclockwise 7x and prayed two rakats of namaaz. Then we ran the two hills again. And then the next day, we went to the city of Mina, the “tent city”. That is when the actual Hajj starts. You stay in that tent city for about four days. We stayed in Mina, and then the next day, we went to the plains of Mount Arafat. In that place we make special prayers and special supplications. And it is our belief that that time is the best time for us to make supplications to Allah and he accepts our duas. We stay there until sunset. After sunset we leave Arafat and we leave to Muzdalifah. And then we spent the night under an open sky. With no tent, and you pray and collect pebbles. I think we collected 21 pebbles. And we prayed there and made special duas and supplications. And after the Fajr prayer (early Morning Prayer) the next day, we returned to Mina. In Mina, then we went to perform the ritualistic stoning of Satan. This is to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s (peace be upon him) stoning of Satan, when he was taking his son to get sacrificed. The Satan tried to stop him. And Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) threw it (stones) at the Satan. We don’t see the Satan, but there are three stone pillars, Ramy al-Jamarat is what it’s called. The first one we stoned was the largest one. Then we came back to our camps, and then we did the sacrifice of a lamb or goats on our behalf by the trip organizers. It represents the prophet’s (PBUH) sacrifice of his son. But Allah quickly replaced his son with a lamb. Men would shave their heads and then we take off our ihram. And then you stay in the city of Mina fro two more days. We perform the Ramy again the next two days. But this time we throw seven pebbles at each of the three stone Satans. This is to stop Satan from distracting us from our tasks. After performing the Ramy on the third day, we went back to our hotel. And basically our Hajj is complete. We stayed in the hotel, and eventually got to stay in a residence near the Kaaba. We then performed two umrah (optional pilgrimage to Mecca) to pass time until our flight in the next days. Actually, Medina was more peaceful than Mecca.

How have things changed over time?

At first the Kaaba looked very small compared to everything else from far away. But once you get close you feel so small compared to it. But no matter, how tall the building are, the Kaaba in its own way is much taller.

How did you feel when you left?

We felt sad (laughs); we were also excited to see our children and parents. We were very relaxed and satisfied that our Hajj was complete.

How do you think this experience changed you?

The most important thing we learned is that everything that happens, whatever we plan to do, is not ever going to go according to our plans. If it is not good for us, Allah will not do it for us. God will make it possible for us. If something doesn’t go according to plan, it is happening for a reason. You may not even know why.

THANK YOU.

Questions to Ponder:

Why do you think Hajj is an important pillar of Islam?

Why do you think nothing flies or goes across the Kaaba?

About Me:

My name is Javeria Syed and I’m a sophomore. I love laughing and jokes, music, food, family, friends, and have fun. I really am devoted to Islam and I really have had a big impact religiously by my parents’ pilgrimage. Insha Allah( if God wills), my parents will take me and my sisters to complete umrah, a minor pilgrimage. I look forward to that day that I go to hajj, because it will the most spiritual experience for me. I chose this topic because I wanted to teach people about my religion. If you guys have any questions about Islam, I will be really happy to answer them as best as I can. Thanks to you

“A Day Which Will Live in Infamy”

Our next posting is by Sidney Luong. She shares her findings about the Pearl Harbor bombing. She gives a good overview of the event. 

Mrs. Jordan 

“A Day Which Will Live in Infamy”

December 7, 1941; a day that still haunts America’s history to this day, brings chills up my spine.  Over the past summer, my family and I got the privilege to take a family trip to Honolulu, Hawaii. For a good day, I spent my time honoring those who had died on this horrific day at the USS Arizona Memorial. Actually walking in the Memorial hall, the faces of strangers all had the same look, why and how could this have happened. The resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed on the USS Arizona the day of the attack. Why so many? Husbands, brothers, sisters, civilians. People. All who had no clue what was coming their way, their life and entrance in World War II.

Historical Content:

            The attack on Pearl Harbor corresponds with Chapter 37, New Conflagrations: World War II. Pearl Harbor was just one piece of the huge puzzle, World War II. Because of December 7, 1941, the United States had a reason to join the conflagration and initially turn the tide in favor of the Allies in the Atlantic.  There was no precedent to the scale of the devastation, the millions of dead, and the unimaginable barbarity. 

Summary:

The tensions between the two nations began to escalate when disagreements about China emerged. In 1931, Japan had conquered Manchuria and after unsuccessful campaigns in China, Japan decided to team up with Nazi Germany; by 1941 they had conquered the majority of Indochina. In the West, Roosevelt called for quarantine on aggressors. However no one really listened to his pleas, so when tensions increased with Japan and war broke out in Europe, the United States took action. The United States began instituting a cash and carry policy of supplying the British.  The cash and carry policy was a policy that allowed the British to purchase supplies from the United States but the only catch was that they had to carry the supplies on their own ships. Another policy that gained attention was the lend-lease program where the United States would “lend” destroyers and other goods to the British in return for the lease. This later extended to aid the Soviets, Chinese, and many more. At the same time, Japan had wanted to extend their powers to East Asia; however, the US also had economic and political interests in East Asia. They especially had their eyes out for Malaysia and the Dutch East Indies because of their raw materials such as: tin, rubber, and petroleum. In response, the United States government froze Japanese assets in the United States and imposed on giving oil to Japan. Because Japan lacked natural resources, they viewed this act as a threat against them. As a result, Japanese leaders began to revenge this act even if it would result in war against the US.

The Japanese commander of this attack was Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Yamamoto’s key elements in the attack was detailed preparations, the achievement of surprise, and the use of naval and aircraft carriers. Already in the spring before the attack, they were beginning their training. At dawn of December 7, 1941, the Japanese had approached undetected and began their attack. Luckily the US carriers were not at the base because they were either getting repairs done or out on delivers.  At six in the morning the Japanese sent their first wave of torpedo bombers, dive bombers, and fighters. The US Navy vessels did spot an unidentified submarine periscope, but did not see it as significant enough to take action. Once the Japanese attacked, they had achieved the element of surprise and bombed ships. The attacked finally ended a little before ten in the morning with 21 ships of the US Pacific Fleet either sunken or damaged. The number of Americans dead tallied up to 2, 403. With this number, the United States of America joined World War II on the Allies side.

            Even years after, the after effect of the surprise attack still shocks many today. Those 2,403 people did not die in vain; in actuality, they drove Americans to fight for the innocent and eventually win the war. As a reminder of the tragedy, on May 30, 1962, the USS Arizona Memorial was open. The day which will live in infamy is a blemish on the beauty on history of the United States. December 7, 1941.

Questions to Ponder

-          Why would the Japanese believe the United States was a threat just because they also had interest in East Asia?

-          If the Japanese aircrafts were detected earlier, would that affect the outcome of the conflict between the two nations? Or will the outcome be the same?

About the Author

            I’m Sidney Luong. As a current sophomore, I have a burning passion for music; whether it is classical or modern, I truly adore the dedication an artist puts forth. In the future, I hope to be able to travel to the places I’m currently learning about in my AP World History class. I chose to write about the Pearl Harbor because when I visited the USS Arizona Memorial, I was speechless. You look out to the ocean around the memorial and see the sunken ships that are still buried underwater. You look at the list of people who died during the attack and the only response that seems to come out is silence. A moment of silence is all an observer can do. I just wanted to take the time and give my respects to all of those who lost their lives on December 7, 1941, because what happened to them was truly unfair.

Early Hebrews

Our next blog is from Nnamdi Jogwe, He gives us a good historical background on the early Hebrews. A great refresher for one of the earliest ancient monotheistic religions. I hope you enjoy his insight.

Mrs. Jordan

Historical Context

            The early Hebrews correspond to Chapter 2, Early Societies in Southwest Asia and the Indo-European Migrations. This is because Mesopotamia was the most prominent civilization when the Hebrews arose around 1850 B.C.E.. The Mesopotamians had substantial influence on the Hebrews since Palestine was in constant contact with Mesopotamia. The early Hebrews even worshipped the same deities as the Mesopotamians. The account of an immense flood by the Hebrews also traces its roots to the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. Contrary to being enslaved by them, the early Israelites were also influenced by the thriving Egyptian civilization on the Nile Delta.

Summary:

Religion

Contrary to separate Middle Eastern religions of the time, the Hebrews practiced monotheism. The God the Hebrews worshipped was the omnipotent and omniscient Yahweh. The Torah is the book of worship for the Hebrews and the basis of their religion. The Torah is divided into five separate books which are the following: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Genesis begins with God creating the world in six days along with the first man and woman (Adam and Eve). Adam and Eve both sinned by listening to a demonic serpent and eat fruit from a forbidden tree. Since Adam and Eve were the first humans, sin descended to all later people. Although, humans began to excessively sin so God sent a deluge or great flood to wipe out the world’s population. Only Noah, his wife, and selected plants with animals were to survive. These were chosen for being the most pure and would repopulate the world after Noah built an arc to contain all of these. After numerous generations, God instructs Abram to venture to the land of Canaan. God then promises Abram a prosperous nation in the land of Canaan and has him change his name to Abraham. God also states that men should be circumcised. God also tests Abraham later to sacrifice his son Isaac to display his love for God. God then stops Abraham right before doing so. Exodus is the next book. Exodus begins with the Israelites escaping Egyptian slavery led by Moses and his brother Aaron. The Hebrews fled with the famous crossing of the Red Sea when the water is lifted for the people to cross. After that, the Hebrews reached Mount Sinai where God presents Moses with the Ten Commandments and the Torah orally. The Jews agree to follow God’s instructions and to be his people. At the end of Exodus, the Hebrews built the Tabernacle or first temple of worship. The third book Leviticus describes rules to the Jews pertaining to the Tabernacle. The laws of the clean and unclean also are rules explaining how to rightfully slaughter animals as a sacrifice and what food that should not be eaten. Jews follow a kosher diet which does not include pork. Yom Kippur (the most important Jewish holiday) or the Day of Atonement for sins is also established. Numbers initiates on Mount Sinai where the Jews are numbered and told by God to take the Promise Land. The Hebrews began complaining and losing faith, so God has them wander for forty years before reaching the Promise Land. Moses sins when God tells him to speak to a rock and defies Yahweh. God punishes Moses by stating that he will not live to see the Promise Land. Numbers ends with the Jews entering Jericho and planning how to overtake Canaan. The final book is Deuteronomy.  Deuteronomy begins with Moses establishing the Deuteronomic Code which was a set of laws to govern the Jews. Moses then chooses Joshua to be his successor and sees the Promise Land. Although, Moses vanished and is never seen again. Joshua then led the Jews to the successful conquer of Canaan. The Jews have several holidays which include Shabbat, the High Holy Days, Hanukah, and more. Jews also attend a Synagogue every Saturday to read the Torah. Jewish boys are converted to men at the age of thirteen with the Bar Mitzvah ceremony. Girls turn into women at the age of twelve with the Bat Mitzvah.  Once an adult, men and women are responsible for Jewish rituals that include tradition, prayers, law, ethics, and are allowed to partake in Jewish community events.

Technology

The Hebrews were very advanced when pertaining to technology during their time. The arc light is one of the most important inventions ever and was created by Ancient Hebrews. The arc light is an invention that allows light to pass from one side and project out through the other. The light occurs from ionized gas to create a spark. This is the earliest form of electricity in history. A picture could be placed on the side that the light goes through and project the image out through the other side. Early rabbis used the arc light in synagogues to display holy images of Moses and Abraham. The arc light also was used as a search light in the dark for stranded travelers. The most famous search lights were placed in King Solomon of Israel’s temple in the Torah. The Jews were extremely picky about cleanliness and hygiene. If a person was sick with a skin disease and touched by somebody else, the person touching the diseased person was deemed “unclean”. The new “unclean” person was forced to take a bath during the evening. The sick were also usually quarantined so the healthy people would not become “unclean.” Certain animals were considered unclean such as rats, lizards, moles, and more. A bath was required when touching these animals. Pigs were considered so unclean that the Hebrews weren’t allowed to eat or touch them. Anything that had mold growing on it was thrown out or abandoned. Anybody touching a dead body was considered unclean for seven days and was quarantined. They had to continuously bathe during that period. Carcasses were also burned during the first twenty four hours after death. When a person was sick, hyssop was used when popularized by King David. Hyssop is the main ingredient for the modern medicine penicillin. The Hebrews were the first to invent a stone cutter called the Shamir. The Shamir was a device with a large diamond utilized to cut other hard rocks or diamonds. This was used largely to build Solomon’s gold temple. Circumcision is the removal of foreskin in the male genital. Although this wasn’t as great as a feat compared to the day it was done on. Circumcision occurs on the eighth day of a child’s life during infancy. On this day prothrombin is at its highest level in a human’s entire life. Prothombin is at 110% and is what causes blood clotting, this would mean that there would be less bleeding than on any other day if performed on the eighth day of birth. The Jews were the first to determine food shelf life. After two days, meat was not to be eaten since it was considered unclean. Any animal that died of natural causes was not to be eaten. This was because the animal could have been infected. The diaphragm of an animal was also not eaten since it could be infested with worms and other unhealthy creatures.

Government

Hebrew law was very distinct. Abraham was the leader (patriarch) of the Hebrews for being granted land by God. He settled in Palestine after the city of Ur in Sumer had turmoil so he fled. The people followed Abraham’s wise and moral decisions. Since the Hebrews lived in Mesopotamia, they based some of their law under the current Mesopotamian law. This includes lex talionis translating to an eye for an eye as punishment. This literally means for whatever body part you damaged, you receive the same retribution. Although, the Hebrews followed instructions or laws from Yahweh who is the omnipotent and omniscient creator of the world, Yahweh would reward anybody who followed him but punish anybody or group that did not. The Hebrews followed the guidelines established by Yahweh because if they did, they could enter eternal salvation in heaven. Anybody not obeying the principles would be punished through eternal damnation in hell. Jewish law was strict since the possible consequence was eternal salvation, although Yahweh is merciful and can forgive you if you were truly sorry and wanted to repent. Hebrews did not really have structured laws, instead they followed individual moral values to be an honest enough person to enter heaven. Although, the Ten Commandments were the ten most vital decrees in the Jewish community. The Ten Commandments were sent by Yahweh to Moses on Mount Sinai during Exodus. The First Commandment pertains to idolatry or that separate deities besides Yahweh should not be worshipped. This was because at the beginning of the Hebrew religion, early Israelites still believed in Mesopotamian deities. God stated these were false imposters so should not be worshipped. The Second Commandment inferred that a sculptured image of yourself or any other object should not be built because there should only be holy sculptures. Since you or the separate object is not holy and only Yahweh is, graven images could not be built. The Third Commandment relates to the fact that the Lord’s name should not be used in vain. This is also known as blasphemy, and misusing the Lord’s name could be punishable by death. The Fourth Commandment in Jewish tradition meant that the Sabbath Day should be kept holy. This is because God created the world in six days and on the seventh day; it was set aside for his worship. The Sabbath in Jewish tradition is on Saturday unlike Sundays on many other Christian sects. Working on the Sabbath Day is disrespecting God and severe punishment can occur. The Fifth Commandment was the instruction to honor your father and mother. This is because you have three creators such as the following: your father, mother, and God. Although this also means to honor any peers such as older siblings or teachers. Not honoring these people is dishonoring God, which of course could be any severe retribution He decides. The Sixth Commandment meant that you shall not kill. Although the killing refers to any unjust and unlawful killing. To contradict this, certain killing is justified such as in war, self defense, or capital punishment. The Seventh Commandment refers to the fact that you shall not commit adultery. This means that if you are married, sexual relations should not occur with any other person because that means you are unfaithful to your spouse. Adultery is forbidden because sex is an act of procreation and love for your partner, having encounters with someone else would mean that you do not truly love your husband/wife.  Adultery at the time was a severe sin and could be punished by death on certain occasions. The Eighth Commandment is interpreted as you shall not steal. Not stealing relates to material possessions but people (through the form of kidnapping) and sex (rape) as well. Simply stealing material possessions as a punishment is demanded that the thief pays back the person with more than what they took. If the thief could not pay back what they sold, they were often sold into slavery for a short amount of time. Kidnapping or rape can result in execution. Amputation of limbs was common that they used to steal. The Ninth Commandment stood for not bearing false witnesses against somebody. This could be interpreted as not lying in general or not lying in a courtroom. Either way, punishment could be a death sentence or a lesser condemnation. The Tenth Commandment was you shall not covet. This means to not desire anything you cannot have such as another man’s wife or possessions. This does not really have a specific punishment, but natural consequences form God would usually occur. Not following the Ten Commandments was known as sin, and sinning without repentance or an excess of sin is followed by the worst penalty, eternal damnation. The Hebrews also followed any other decrees inscribed in the Torah. The Torah is known as the Old Testament for Christians and a compilation of stories occurring in the early Hebrew society spanning from Abraham, to Moses, and more. To the Jews, the Torah is fact and must be followed. Prophets usually carried out any Hebrew laws for being messengers of God, especially those of the Torah. For that reason, prophets were leaders of Hebrew society. Prophets made clear what the people should follow or oppose. Prophets usually encouraged studying scriptures and loving God. Prophets usually opposed greed, oppression, and more. For that reason, the Jews were obligated to assist anybody suffering from subjugation, injustice, or who was just unfortunate. After King Solomon died, the Hebrew land was split up between a diminutive kingdom named Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judea (or Judah) in the south. Assyria began expanding during the ninth century B.C.; by 722 B.C. the Assyrian Kingdom conquered the Kingdom of Israel. The Hebrews were forced out of Mesopotamia traveling even to Europe if they did not convert to the pagan polytheistic religion of the Assyrians. The Babylonian Empire then arose and conquered the former Israel and northern part of the Assyrian Empire. In 586 B.C., the Babylonians moved south to destroy Jerusalem and conquer Judah.

Questions to Ponder

What traces of Judaism are present in modern democracy and religion?

Did the early Hebrews hesitate to convert to monotheistic ways since the traditional religions present were polytheistic?

About the Blogger

My name is Nnamdi Jogwe. I come from Nigerian descent from my father’s side and Mexican heritage from my mother’s family. My father works as a physician at Yale University. I decided to compose an account of the early Hebrews since they drastically altered society with original concepts not just on religion. Being Catholic myself, I was fascinated by my ancestors who initiated the notions I pursue today. Hopefully the report on the archaic followers of Judaism has given you insight and you appreciate this revolutionary civilization in the midst of polytheistic Mesopotamia.