Washington, November 10: American mosques are taking a leading role in preparing Muslims for hajj, arranging seminars and workshops that educate would-be pilgrims and ready them for the soul-searching journey.
“We will have the classes every night until November 18 that relate one way or another to hajj,” Imam Abdul Rafaa Ouertani, of ADAMS Islamic Center in Sterling, Virginia, told.
“It is offered to everybody, and anybody is welcomed to come.”
In many mosques, hajj lectures, workshops and seminars are in full swing to help people embarking on the spiritual journey about the rituals and its meanings.
“There are the daily classes, and some of them encourage people to go on hajj and tell them of benefits and dimensions of hajj, while other classes talk about the fiqh of hajj,” explains Ouertani.
“There are other seminars that we offer in the weekend to get to everybody and to those who can not attend the classes on the weekdays.”
Every able-bodied adult Muslim — who can financially afford the trip — must perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, once in their lifetime.
According to agencies estimates, between 12,000-14,000 American Muslims embark on hajj every year.
Around three million pilgrims from over 160 countries are expected to perform hajj, which is expected to climax on November 26.
Not far away from ADAMS, in Falls Church, Virginia, the Dar Al-Hijrah mosque is holding similar seminars for its sizable community.
A summary of the seminar is also posted on the mosque’s website for those who want to read it.
Dar Al-Noor Islamic Community Center in Manassas is doing the same.
“We basically invite Muslims, not only from our area but from the entire metropolitan area, to come and learn about hajj,” Sheikh Gamal Helmy told.
He added that the sessions, which are ongoing for nine years now, developed over time.
“But just as the rituals get modernized in Saudi Arabia, we also update and modernize the workshops, so we have slides, pictures, movies so that people can feel like they are there,” he explained.
“We also provide them with any material to help them know about hajj they need like books and pamphlets.”
“A mosque must always be a center for the community,” says Qureshy.
Anab Ali, who attends the ADAMAS seminars, says the mosque has been informing would-be pilgrims on everything they might come across during the most sacred journey.
“They have been all from the beginning sending constant e-mails telling us how the process is going and what we need to do to prepare,” added Ali, who will go to hajj this year with her husband.
“Now they are holding classes too. I really appreciate that they are preparing us step by step for the journey.”
Ali says the lectures were very helpful to her and all other attendees, many of them are embarking on hajj for the first time.
“Every time the imam talks and explains to us hajj I have tears ion my eyes because I feel as if I am already there.”
Badee Al-Rahman, who is also going with his spouse this year, also appreciates the hajj services mosques are giving, although he performed hajj twice already.
“I attend the mosque sessions every year. This time I am taking my wife with me,” he told.
“The lectures are very knowledgeable and very informative. I don’t think without these classes we would be able to make the right hajj.”
Mosque leaders affirmed that the hajj workshops are part of the role mosques play in the lives of American Muslims.
“We are trying to make the mosque just as the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, a place for all the community,” asserted imam Ouertani.
Tena Huntley Qureshy, who is performing hajj for the first time, agrees.
“I think this is the purpose of the mosque,” she said.
“A mosque must always be a center for the community to go in order to be educated, not only on spiritual matters, but also on matters of everyday life.”
–Agencies–