Hundreds of thousands of worshippers are descending upon Mecca to perform one of Islam’s toughest yet most rewarding experiences, the annual pilgrimage of Haj.
There are a lot of things to remember when performing Haj. Besides reading up on its rituals and taking prayer books with you, and lists of Duaas (supplications) that you’ll make on behalf of loved ones, there are practical things to consider that could really make a difference to your experience.
First of all, pilgrims should clear any liabilities and pay off all debts and dues before the spiritual journey. You should also write a will before departure. The crane collapse last week at the Grand Mosque that killed 107 pilgrims and injured another 200 is an example that anything can happen. In the past people have died from stampedes and suffocation because of the crowds.
Some pilgrims take the shroud (kafan) in which they would like to be buried. It is part of the experience to let go of all things we are attached to in this life, repent and start afresh with a clean slate and new perspective.
The most important piece of advice I received from a pilgrim who’d performed Haj before me, was: “Never ever stop and bend down to retrieve whatever you may have dropped.”
I realised the significance of this when one of my slippers slid off and for the half-second that I slowed to bend down, I felt a human tsunami push me forward with such force that I crashed into the row of people in front of me. If I had actually stopped to pick it up, I probably would have been crushed under the feet of the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims.
And so, having spare slippers – two or three pairs, particularly crocs – is the most useful advice I can give anyone planning to undertake the journey of a lifetime.
For one thing, you can easily perform Wudu (ablution) given the many holes in the bulky classic crocs. Over the past few years, male pilgrims have been spotted wearing interestingly coloured crocs, like pink and baby blue, perhaps to stand out from the sea of white-clothed pilgrims.
As you have to leave your slippers as you enter the Grand Mosque, it’s best to carry them in a plastic bag because it’s almost impossible to find them later outside amid thousands of other pairs.
Upon entering Ihram, the sacred state of purity during which pilgrims must avoid certain things in order to carry out the necessary rituals, pilgrims must also dress in a special way. Men wear two white sheets and women must wear clothes that completely cover their head and body (with their face and hands showing); many opt to wear an abaya. Bring at least two extra Ihram sets of clothing, if not more.
The prohibitions in the state of Ihram include forbidding pilgrims from causing harm to any creature, even an insect, or wearing perfume or make-up, and maintaining a peaceful state of mind.
There are many challenges to test such mindfulness, for example sharing washrooms that have been used by crowds before you; to being crushed and shoved about; to the litter that piles up and which you may step on; to some unwelcome visitors at night in the tents (rats and cockroaches). But all these inconveniences are overcome as pilgrims move in one great wave after another, and pray together inside Bait Allah, the House of God.
Browsing through social media and searching for advice from former pilgrims online, all are united in the importance of both baby and anti-bacterial wet wipes. You can never have enough.
First aid kits, Band-aids, bandages, face masks, disposable gloves, and medicine such as painkillers, anti-diarrhoea tablets and immune-system boosters such as zinc tablets, are a must. Even if you have been vaccinated against a range of nasties from yellow fever to meningitis, right down to flu, expect to fall ill at some point. Given the deadliness of MERS, the Saudi Ministry of Health says it has taken all necessary measures to control disease.
For women, it is advisable to take medication to delay the menstrual cycle during the Haj.
Watch out for pickpockets, especially when making Tawaf (circumambulating the Holy Kaaba). Wear an identity bracelet at all times: the Saudi authorities stress the importance of every pilgrim wearing one around your wrist showing your name, your age and the nature of your illness.
Power bars, water, biscuits, adapters and your own razors (men have to shave their head) for hygiene reasons, are all important. Women should also carry an extra pair of small scissors (women must trim their hair), as someone is bound to want to borrow yours and they will probably be passed around and not returned.
For those used to wearing trousers, a pilgrim who blogged about his experience on JourneytoHajj.com writes: “Vaseline! This may sound really awkward, but it really is helpful. Slather some on your thighs when you’re in Ihram before heading out into the heat. It’ll save you from painful chafing/rashes later on.”
But whatever physical trials you may experience, bonding with family, friends and strangers during prayer is priceless.
Haj is, after all, a test of your faith in Allah, and in many ways, a test of yourself.
Rym Ghazal is a senior features writer at The National.
