Washington, November 04: As nearly three million Muslims are preparing to start the annual hajj on Friday, November 4, American Muslim children are being taught about the ritual of the fifth pillar of Islam.
“We take them through every step just as if they’re [going through it],” Hafsa Abdelrahman told Voice of America.
Abdelrahman teaches a number of young children of the Dar Al-Hijrah weekend school in Washington about the rituals of hajj.
Leading them into a mock-up of the holy city of Makkah at a Washington area mosque, she gets the children to circle the Ka`aba as the pilgrims do.
They also stone the pillar that represents the devil.
“Their parents come also because they get a chance to learn about the steps, and we teach them all the steps, the historical significance, the background story, everything that goes with it,” said Abdelrahman.
“You’re going to start in Safa, you’re going to walk to Marwa, and you’re going to come back and you’re going to do it seven times.”
Muslims from around the world pour into Makkah every year to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Hajj consists of several rituals, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.
Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.
Changing Lives
Abdelrahman believes that the training will help the children get a better knowledge about the Islamic rituals.
“And so I think it’s really important for them to get a chance to see it here,” she said.
“And hopefully from these activities will build a love within them that they will strive, they’ll save up the money, they’ll do everything that it takes, so that they do end up performing the Hajj.”
Abdelrahman, who has performed hajj, says that the spiritual journey has totally changed her life.
“And I can really say that it changed my life, completely changed my life,” she said.
“I had the chance for the first time – here in the US being a Muslim and being covered – you’re a minority.
“But for the first time, when you’re in Hajj, you’re surrounded by thousands of men and women from all over the world that are dressed like you, and you no longer feel like an outsider.”
–Agencies