The Muslim Hajj – Day One
The Hajj is the pinnacle of life for Muslims around the world. All who can afford it will go on the Hajj, which begins on the 8th day of the 12th month of Dhul Hijjah in the Islamic calendar.
This year, the Hajj starts on September 21st and last for 3-4 days.
During these days, around 3 million Muslims from all over the world flock to Mecca to perform sacred acts and follow the steps of Muhammad, their prophet. Anyone who is not a Muslim cannot enter Mecca, and therefore cannot perform the Hajj.
Muslims go on the Hajj to be cleansed of sin and are told that their desire for forgiveness will be granted by the Hajj, which “if performed properly and sincerely for Allah, removes all sins.”
As they cross the pilgrimage boundary, the men will shout the Talbiyah, a Muslim prayer: “Here I am at Thy service O Lord, here I am. Here I am at Thy service and Thou hast no partners. Thine alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty. Thou hast no partners.”
In the past, the first day of the Hajj was spent collecting enough water for the next day of the Hajj. However, with the arrival of modern conveniences and running water, it has become a day of cleansing, visiting the Ka’aba in the Grand Mosque, and entering the mosque with their right foot first.
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Pray for the two to three million Muslims who have come together from all over the world for the Hajj. Pray for their spiritual pilgrimage to include dreams and visions of Jesus and for many to have life changing encounters wit the living Christ.
- Pray for the pilgrims as they enter the Grand Mosque and see the Ka’aba. For Muslims, this is like entering the most holy place on earth. Pray for them to know the presence of God, and that only in Jesus can they have an unblemished and clean conscience.
- Pray for protection for the millions crammed together during the Hajj, and for safety as they journey through these next few days.
Hebrews 9 vs 14: “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
Source: http://us4.campaign-archive2.com
