Hajj; The Spiritual Aspect of Hajj - part 1

Now that we are at the threshold of performing our auspicious religious precept of Hajj, it is necessary to consider its gnostic, spiritual, social, political and cultural aspects. Many dedicated friends have already dicussed the merits of the various aspects of Hajj and now I wish to make a brief and quick mention of some of its aspects hoping to serve as a reminder.

Since there are delicate gnostic and spiritual hints in these wonderful rituals, from the beginning of putting on a pilgrim's garb "EHRAM" through "TALBIYA" or "LABBEYK" (Lit, Here I am at Thy service), to the end, the details of which may not be explained in this discourse, I would only mention some indications of "TALBIYA".

Such repeated words of "LABBEYK" are only true from those who have perceived God's call with their insight and, so, they respond to Almighty God's call in thoroughness. The real issue is our presence before God, and the contemplation of his beloved glory; so much so that, one would say, the utterer has been transported with ecstasy and thus, he is repeating his response to the divine call, and consequently, he negates idolatry in its absolute sense, in a way very well known to the pure-hearted believers. Although negation of an associate to God means negation of all degrees of association, including the negation of the universe, in the view of the clearsighted, and includes all considerations of the commendables, as:

"Praise be to Thee and blessings are of Thee... ", appropriates the praise and blessings to the most sacred Supreme Being and negates any associates, and this is the ultimate monotheism which means that every praise and blessing that is realized in the world of existence is praise to God and blessing of Him alone, and the same is true in every station, wit, intelligence, motion, repose and act and other than that is but idolatry in its general sense, and all of us, the inwardly blind, are afflicted with it.

*  *  *

The Spiritual degrees of Hajj, being the assets for eternal life which bring man close to the horizons of monotheism and doxologies may not be attained unless the Hajj rituals are observed and performed properly and precisely and the honorable Hajjis and clergymen of the caravans must make their concerted efforts to teach and be taught the Hajj rituals and the learnedmen are bound to be watchful lest their companions violate the rules. The political and social aims of Hajj may not be achieved unless the spiritual and religious duties are fulfilled and your "LABBEYK" is true response to God's call; get attired in pilgrim's garb for access to the threshold of Almighty God; while repeating "LABBEYK", negate the existence of any associate to God, whatsoever, and depart from your own ego, which is the biggest origin of idolatry and polytheism and depart towards Him, the Almighty, The Glorified, and hopefully, the demise of the seekers of this degree will be after they have attained their departure, and gained what reward they are entitled to, from Allah. But if the spiritual aspects are ignored, you will hardly free yourselves from the clutches of the carnal desires of your ego, and as long as you are bound to your egotism, you will not be able to fight for the cause of God and defend God's sanctuary.

You dear ones! beware! Look at those brave warriors of the Islamic Republic who obtained God pleasing victories for Islam and the Islamic country and now, a group of their "Living Martyrs" are accompanying you in the Hajj ritual, and you should learn your lesson from the tremendous change that has brought about so much self-sacrifice in them. The Muslims should know that, unless they experience such change, their inner satans of carnal desires as well as outer satans will not let them think of Muslim peoples and the wronged people of the world.

Throughout the Divine MIQAT and at sacred stations, by the blessed House of Almighty God, observe the rites of attendance at the sacred presence of the Almighty God, and free your hearts from any bondage to other than God, and empty them out of other than the Friend and illuminate them with the rays of heavenly lights so that your rites and rituals in this pace towards God be adorned with the Abrahamian Hajj concepts and, afterwards, with the Mohommadan Hajj concepts. And relieved of natural acts of God and love of the Beloved, return to your homelands with your hands full of eternal souvenirs instead of the perishable material objects. Join your martyrdom-loving friends with your hands full of Islamic humane values for the cause of which, the grand prophets-from Abraham, God's friend (Khalilollah), to Muhammad, God's beloved (PBUH)--were assigned. It is these values and motives that can save man from bondage to malevolence and dependence on the West or East and lead him the blessed tree of "No EAST, NO WEST."