Hajj pilgrimage: Millions to make once-in-a-lifetime journey
El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Allah’s mercy be upon him)
(Malcolm X)‘s Letter from Hajj
Listen to Malcolm X’s powerful letter from Hajj. Narrated by Brother Abu Bakr:
El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Allah’s mercy be upon him) Malcolm X’s Letter From Hajj
by Malcolm X updated on August 12, 2016
Back in the 1960s, American civil rights activist and popular figure Malcolm X performed Hajj. This was a period when the American society was rife with racial tensions, and there was rampant segregation between Black and White. Initially, Malcolm X was associated with a group called Nation of Islam, which considered the white man to be the root cause of all problems. Eventually, Malcolm X reverted to mainstream Sunni Islam.
In Islam, Malcolm X found the answer to all his questions, especially on the issue of racial divide. Racism, which was often justified in USA by using a number of excuses, found no room in Islam. For Muslims, all human beings are equal, irrespective of the color of their skin. This thought impressed Malcolm X beyond limits, and he immediately realized that it was only through Islam that issues such as racism could be fixed.
In 1964, Malcolm X described his thoughts on the issue of racism, the Islamic solution, as well as the spirit of Hajj in a letter. Given below in bold is verbatim text of that letter — even though it was written years ago, it remains relevant and true even to this day.
Malcolm X’s Letter From Hajj
Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this ancient Holy Land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other Prophets of the Holy Scriptures. For the past week, I have been utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see displayed all around me by people of all colors.
I have been blessed to visit the Holy City of Mecca. I have made my seven circuits around the Ka’bah, led by a young Mutawaf named Muhammad. I drank water from the well of the Zam Zam. I ran seven times back and forth between the hills of Mt. Al-Safa and Al-Marwah. I have prayed in the ancient city of Mina, and I have prayed on Mt. Arafat.
There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.
America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered ‘white’; but the ‘white’ attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.
You may be shocked by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to re-arrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions. This was not too difficult for me. Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which is necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of intelligent search for truth.
During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug) — while praying to the same God — with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the actions in the deeds of the ‘white’ Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan, and Ghana.
We were truly all the same (brothers) — because their belief in one God had removed the white from their minds, the white from their behavior, and the white from their attitude.
I could see from this, that perhaps if white Americans could accept the Oneness of God, then perhaps, too, they could accept in reality the Oneness of Man — and cease to measure, and hinder, and harm others in terms of their ‘differences’ in color.
With racism plaguing America like an incurable cancer, the so-called ‘Christian’ white American heart should be more receptive to a proven solution to such a destructive problem. Perhaps it could be in time to save America from imminent disaster–the same destruction brought upon Germany by racism that eventually destroyed the Germans themselves.
Each hour here in the Holy Land enables me to have greater spiritual insights into what is happening in America between black and white. The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities–he is only reacting to four hundred years of the conscious racism of the American whites. But as racism leads America up the suicide path, I do believe, from the experiences that I have had with them, that the whites of the younger generation, in the colleges and universities, will see the handwriting on the walls and many of them will turn to the spiritual path of truth–the only way left to America to ward off the disaster that racism inevitably must lead to.
Never have I been so highly honored. Never have I been made to feel more humble and unworthy. Who would believe the blessings that have been heaped upon an American Negro? A few nights ago, a man who would be called in America a ‘white’ man, a United Nations diplomat, an ambassador, a companion of kings, gave me his hotel suite, his bed…. Never would I have even thought of dreaming that I would ever be a recipient of such honors — honors that in America would be bestowed upon a King — not a Negro.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds.
Sincerely,
El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Allah’s mercy be upon him)
(Malcolm X)
Taken from “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” (New York: Grove Press, 1964)
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حج مارتن لينغز 1948 – رحلة مليئة بالمفاجآت (1)الجزء 1: أداء العمرة
Martin Lings’ 1948 Hajj – A Journey Full of Surprises (1)
Part 1: Performing Umrah
Circling the House of Allah: Martin Lings Narrates His Hajj Journey (The Faith)
Martin Lings (24 January 1909 – 12 May 2005), also known as Abū Bakr Sirāj ad-Dīn (Allah’s mercy be upon him)
30 May, 2024
Hajj i.e. Pilgrimage, the fifth pillar of Islam, is sacred and obligatory for every able adult Muslim. It is an extraordinary opportunity for you to embark on a profound spiritual expedition, a journey to the holiest city in Islam, Makkah.
Our first taste of the Pilgrimage (Hajj) had been at the very end of September 1948, when we saw the Kiswah, the brocaded black hangings of the Ka’bah, being carried in a festive procession through the streets of Cairo.
Ever since the Middle Ages, this rich silk and cotton cloth has been specially woven in Egypt.
The expert weavers do no other work, for as soon as they have finished one Kiswah they start on the next, a new one being sent as offering to the Holy House every year.
A few days after this procession, we set off by boat from Suez down the Red Sea.
But I did not realize until we reached Jeddah that we had had the honor of traveling with the Kiswah itself, which was on board with us.
We decided to make the Visit (Umrah) first, so when the time came to con¬secrate ourselves, as our boat drew level with a little oasis midway between Madinah and Makkah, about thirty hours after leaving Suez, we made the greater ablution, put on pilgrim’s dress, prayed a special prayer and formulated the intention of entering the state of ihram in order to perform the Visit.
Arriving in Jeddah
The boat anchored outside Jeddah the next morning.
We were traveling in a group of pilgrims who were all connected in some way with the University of Cairo or with that of Alexandria—lecturers, students and servants.
The Kiswah, together with its body guard, naturally had to be taken on shore first, which meant, owing to other delays also, that we did not leave Jeddah until after sunset.
Some two hours later, the cars drew to a standstill, and we were instructed to get out and perform the ablution, as we were about to enter the Sacred Precinct, al-Haram, which comprises not only the city of Makkah but also the country for a few miles all round it.
Makkah – Finally
On reaching the sacred city itself we were taken straight to an old school where we were to lodge.
They gave us three or four empty rooms and we each took a small floor-space and spread out our bedding.
Then we set about praying what prayers were due.
It must have been about midnight when our mutawwif (one who arranges for the lodgings and tents of the pilgrims and who tells them, if they require it, what to do and say) came to take us to the Ka’bah.
As we went through the narrow streets, we met one or two groups of pilgrims coming back—Indians, Javanese, Chinese—who chanted in greeting to us the pil¬grim’s invocation labbaik Allahumma labbaik,” here I am at Thy service, O Lord Allah, here at Your service.”
We entered the Great Mosque by the Gate of Peace.
We went straight down to the Black Stone, which is built into one of the corners of the Ka’bah.
It is the sunnah to begin each of the seven circuits by kissing the Black Stone three times, but even so late at night, in the small hours, there were so many people that I could do no more than put my hand on it and then to my lips.
After the seventh circuit we stood and prayed in front of the door of the Ka’bah which is a little to the right of the Black Stone.
The Station of Abraham and Zamzam Well
Then we withdrew to the edge of the central precinct where, enshrined like the tomb of a saint, there is a small rock which has in it the imprint of feet.
This is Maqam Ibrahim, the Station of Abraham (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). It was originally beside the Kaaba but was moved a little distance away—at the order of the Caliph Umar (Allah is pleased with him), so I was told.
It is said that while building the Ka’bah Abraham was stand¬ing on this rock and Ishmael handed him a stone the weight of which caused his feet to sink into the rock.
I prayed in front of the Maqam and asked for many blessings.
Then I went to the Well of Zamzam which is just beside it and I was given a large vessel of the holy water.
When I had drunk I poured what was left over my head so that it ran down over my clothes and body.
Zamzam was a Divine gift to Hagar and Ishmael after Abraham ((peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had left them at Makkah.
The sacred spring is said to have gushed forth miraculously when Ishmael thrust his foot into the desert sand while his mother was searching for water nearby between Safa and Marwah.
Mounts Safa and Marwa
We left the mosque by the Gate of Safa in order to visit Safa itself which is a rocky mound about two minutes’ walk away.
From Safa we went to Marwah, a similar rocky eminence about a quarter of a mile distant, and then back again to Safa going between the two seven times, mostly walking but always breaking into a run between two points where the land was lowest.
As we went back again to Safa we met, coming back to Marwah, those who had been going to Marwah when we were going to Safa, and at each course we would pass almost the same pilgrims moving in the opposite direction.
It was like a strange and marvelous dream; many of the white-robed figures that we met face to face might have stepped out of the pages of the Old Testament.
One might have expected them to say: La ilaha illa ‘Llah, Ibrahim Rasulu ‘Llah (There is no god but Allah, Abraham (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah).
At last we completed our seventh course, which ended at Marwah.
Then those of us who were performing the Visit had some hairs cut from our heads, as an alternative to having our heads shaved, and the rite was completed.
Those who were already on the Pilgrimage kept their state of ihram and did not have their hair cut until the first day of the Feast.
Five Days in Makkah
We stayed in Makkah for the next five days.
Every morning at day-break we were woken by the call to the dawn prayer, which we prayed in the Great Mosque.
One of the most beautiful things in the world, and one of the great glories of Islam, is the call to the prayer.
But the beauty of this, as of so much else, is ruined by the use of microphones which that very year they had installed at Mecca for the first time.
However, most fortunately, they were not always able to make them work; and without them, as I heard it once or twice, the call was indescribably moving.
The chief muezzin (i.e the caller or announcer to the prayer) calls from one minaret and he is answered by six other muezzins calling simultaneously from six other minarets.
I usually went to the Mosque about an hour before the noon prayer, but the most pleasant time to be there was between the mid-afternoon and sunset prayers.
Then there was no need to sit at the edge of the Mosque under cover of the roof, as after mid-afternoon the Western side of the open courtyard was mostly in the shade.
I used to take my prayer mat and spread it out on the pebble stones as far away from the people as I could.
Martin Lings’ reflections on Hajj with video footage of his 1948 trip to Makkah
(This is an abridged version of “Pilgrimage to Mecca”, an essay by Martin Lings, Abu Bakr Siraj as-Din, which appeared in the journal “Studies in Comparative Religion” 1967, Autumn Edition (Vol. 1, No. 4). (3)
References:
(1) https://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/living-islam/martin-lings-hajj-a-journey-full-of-surprises/#:~:text=Martin%20Lings%E2%80%99%20reflections%20on%EE%80%80%20Hajj%EE%80%81%20with
(2) Martin Lings – Wikipedia
Martin Lings (24 January 1909 – 12 May 2005), also known as Abū Bakr Sirāj ad-Dīn, was an English writer, Islamic scholar, and philosopher. A student of the Swiss metaphysician Frithjof Schuon and an authority on the work of William Shakespeare, he is best known as the author of Muhammad: His Life…
(3) http://www.studiesincomparativereligion.com/uploads/ArticlePDFs/29.pdf
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