JEDDAH, 31 January 2004 — The imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah yesterday called upon pilgrims not to violate the sanctity of Haj by shouting un-Islamic slogans. He also said they should refrain from actions that would undermine security and peace during the pilgrimage.
“It’s not allowed to transform the Haj to anything that would be contradictory to its objectives,” Sheikh Saleh Al-Taleb told the faithful who packed the large mosque complex in Makkah for the Juma prayer.
“There should not be any call except to God and no slogans except the slogan of monotheism and the Sunnah. A true believer will not harm his fellow Muslim brethren or terrorize peaceful people,” the imam told the pilgrims.
The authorities have deployed more than 25,000 police and paramilitary personnel in Makkah and other holy sites to ensure the security of the pilgrims, officials said in Mina yesterday. They said new measures have been taken to ensure a smooth flow of pilgrims from Mina to Arafat today.
Sheikh Saleh highlighted the importance of Haj in Islam, cleansing the faithful from their sins.
“A pilgrim who performs the Haj in the right form returns home cleansed from his sins like a new born baby,” he said, quoting a saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Referring to the Holy Kaaba, the imam said that it is “the symbol of monotheism and submission to God and His law,” adding that living in accordance with God’s law is the only way to victory.
“Haj does not mean performance of certain rituals or visiting certain places. On the other hand, it’s a great school that teaches pilgrims many important lessons and reminds them of past history,” he explained.
“When a pilgrim walks between Safa and Marwa, he demonstrates his humility before God and his need of the Almighty — like Hager, the mother of Ismail, felt at that difficult time when she was in search of God’s help,” he said.
He also urged the faithful to obey God like the Prophet Abraham (PBUH), who made history by showing his readiness to sacrifice his only son for God.
Sheikh Saleh advised the faithful to perform their religious duties perfectly following in the footsteps of the Prophet. “They should ask the scholars if they have any doubts on the rituals.”
Haj is the climax of spirituality. “It teaches us good morals such as patience and perseverance and the readiness to bear and forgive and spend, teach the ignorant and advice people to engage in righteous deeds. Thus it purifies minds and liberates them from the clutches of mundane desires,” he said.
Haj makes people humble as pilgrims, and through wearing seamless white robes makes them equal. “These actions and thoughts should change the pilgrim’s attitude toward life,” he said.
The annual gathering also tells Muslims they can stand united in the face of challenges.
In his Juma sermon, Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Qassim, the imam of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, also reminded the faithful of the majesty of the annual pilgrimage. “Paradise is the reward for a blessed Haj,” he said.
