Hajj, or Pilgrimage, according to Islam, means a visit to the House of Allah, that is the Ka’aba in Makkah and its environs, performing special types of devotional acts of worship at specified times. It becomes compulsory once in a life-time upon those who have the capability of performing it.

Allah (s.w.t.) states clearly in the Qur’an, in Chapter 3, Verse 97: "And Pilgrimage to the House is a duty on mankind to Allah, whoever is able to journey towards it."

According to Imam Bukhari (r.a.) and Imam Muslim (r.a.), the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) had stated five Pillars of Islam, among which Hajj or Pilgrimage is one of them. Hajj, being a duty towards Allah, and a Pillar of Islam, illustrates clearly to us its importance and significance in the lives of Muslims. Our attitude, therefore, towards Hajj must be of a positive nature. As Muslims, we should always be eager and anxious to visit the House of Allah for Hajj and should never delay it when Allah blesses us with the means. Indeed, to delay Hajj because of feeble excuses as: "I am too young to go to Hajj", "I am not ready for Hajj", "I want to enjoy life and then perform Hajj", "I don’t think I can keep up the Hajj", etc, is actually weakening a Pillar of Islam rather than establishing it.

Hajj has been ordained by Allah (s.w.t.) for the spiritual uplift of mankind since the time of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.). Ibrahim (a.s.) with his son, Ismail (a.s.), over four thousand years ago, built the Ka’aba, and inspite of the passing of time, with relevant maintenance, the Ka’aba still stands firmly as the point of direction for Salaah (Prayer) from all over the globe. Throughout the year, it is constantly surrounded by worshippers performing Salaah or Tawaaf, i.e. circumambulation in the Sacred Mosque of the Ka'aba.

Think of those two labourers, father and son, who built the House of Allah. What sincerity and devotion did they have? Allah reminds mankind until the Day of Judgment in the Holy Qur’an about those two masons, who, while building the Ka’aba, begged Allah to accept their progeny to be Muslims, submitting to the Laws of Allah.

Allah (s.w.t.) states in the Qur’an, in Chapter 2, Verse 127: "And remember when Ibrahim raised up the foundations of the House, together with Ismail: "Our Lord, accept this from us. You, only You, are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing."

Please think and ponder! Let us perform Hajj without delay and negligence. Let us visit the House of Allah and establish that great Pillar of Islam. Weakening or destroying that Pillar will jeopardize the spiritual and material uplift of the individual as well as the general Muslims.

It should be known, that after Ibrahim (a.s.) built the Ka’aba, he was commanded by Allah to proclaim the pilgrimage among mankind.

Allah has stated in the Qur’an in Chapter 22, Verse 27: "And proclaim to mankind the Pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every deep valley."

Therefore, let us answer the call of Allah, the call of Ibrahim (a.s.) and the call of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and perform Hajj at least once in a lifetime. Let us encourage and advise others to undertake this sacred journey. Those who have already performed the Hajj, may visit the Ka’aba as much as possible for other Hajj or Umrah.

Let us inculcate the urge for Hajj and Umrah in the minds of our children. The desire of our children and our family members should be to visit the Ka’aba in Makkah, the plains of Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina; to drink of the Zam Zam well; to dress and adopt the restricted state of Ihram for the sake of Allah, and to visit Madinah, the city of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). Such urge and desire inculcated in the minds of children from a tender age will serve as an important element in the upbringing of our children and in establishing the Hajj - a Pillar of Islam.

According to Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said: "Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of Allah, and utters no word of evil and commits no evil act, shall return like the day in which his mother gave birth to him (that is, free from sins)."