Eid-ul-Zuha, festival of Haj and sacrifice

Normally, the rituals of Haj pilgrimage begin on the 8th day of Zulhaj and on the 10th day of Zulhaj, the Islamic calendar, Eid-ul-Zuha is celebrated.

The Prophet Ibrahim (Alai) had a son called Ismail when he was very old. One day, God commanded Ibrahim to leave his wife Hajira and Ismail in the desert and walk away, which he duly did. Thirsty, the baby wailed for water. The worried mother ran between the mounts of Safa and Marwa, searching for water. Meanwhile, the baby kicked his legs while crying, and water gushed out of the earth, quenching his thirst. Hajira stopped the gushing water by saying, zam zam and that brook is still called Zam Zam.

Years later, Ibrahim had a dream where God asked him to sacrifice Ismail. When the son was informed, he readily agreed and even asked his father to leave him face down, so that he would not have a change of heart, seeing his face. As the father was about to sacrifice, Allah was satisfied and a goat was sacrificed instead. Hence, pilgrims celebrate Bakrid (goat festival) by sacrificing a goat, in memory of the sacrifice of a pious father, mother and son.

This khurbani (sacrifice) is found in Sekkizhar’s Periyapuranam, where siruthondar paranjothi sacrificed his son Seeralan to Lord Siva. The story is also found in the Bible, in the story of Abraham.

Haj means to set out on a pilgrimage.

Pilgrims, after trimming nails and removing unwanted hair wear a special dress shram (ihram), with a view to perform Haj on the 8th day of Zulhaj at Mecca. After wearing ihram, devotees perform a special prayer at Mecca and reach their tent at Mina, which is 7km away from mecca, on the 8th day of Zulhaj.

While they are in ihram, they should not quarrel with each other, or argue with anyone. They should speak the truth. They should refrain from conjugal relationship.

They should not fell even a leaf of a tree; they should not go to war and or have any wound. They should engage themselves in prayers and dua (supplication). They should repent for their sins and ask God to forgive their sins and crimes.

On the 9th day of Zulhaj, the pilgrims will reach Arafa, a ground with lakhs of tents, hardly 7km from Mina and stay there, performing prayers and dua with tears. The pilgrims will then move to Muzthaliba, which is 5km from Arafa, and spend the night, offering namaz. At Muzthaliba, the pilgrims will pick seven small stones. On the 10th day of Zulhaj, the pilgrims will start from here early in the morning and reach Jamrat, at Mina and pelt stones upon jamrathul uqba, a pillar symbolising Satan. On the same day, the pilgrims will sacrifice cattle or a goat or a camel. Male pilgrims will shave their heads and change to festive clothes. The pilgrims will perform thawaaf (circling the Kaaba), the first mosque in the world at Mecca, seven times in the anti-clockwise direction, which is called thawaaful ziara. Afterwards, the pilgrims will proceed to perform sayee (a walking prayer), seven times, starting from Mount Safa to Mount Marwas, a distance of 2 km. The Haj twaaful ziara and sayee should be performed between the 10th and 12th day evening.

On the 11th and 12th days, the pilgrims usually stay at Mina tent and pelt stones upon jamrathul uula, jamrathul ustha and jamrathu uqba —the big, middle and small Satans, respectively. After this, the pilgrims usually proceed to the Kabba to perform thawaaful vida (farewell thawaaf) on the 12th day, with which the Haj rituals come to an end. The pilgrims should chant, Thalbia labbaik; allahuma labbaik;labbaik la sharika laka labbaik;innal hamdha van niqmathika la val mulk (Oh god. I have come, I have come. All praise to You only. All grace gifts to You and all kingdom is yours. Nobody is equal to you).