Supreme Leader’s representative in Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs;
Hajj has different educational, spiritual and socio-political dimensions, we should try to revive the real Abrahamic Hajj

As reported by Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Information Base, Supreme Leader’s representative in Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs and Head of the Iranian pilgrims Hojjat al-Islam Seyed Abdolfattah Navvab on the occasion of beginning Hajj week, in a speech on the Friday prayer sermons this week in Tehran, he explained the main philosophy of Abrahamic Hajj.

Pointing out that Imam Khomeini (RA) has said: "Hajj is the manifestation and repetition of all the love-making scenes of human being and a perfect society in the world,"Hojjat al-Islam Navvab said: If we look at the engineering of the great God in the system of servitude, we see that God has placed a series of worships in this system of servitude, each of which has its own conditions and framework. Some acts like prayers are daily , some of them Friday prayer are weekly and some like fasting and Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha prayers are annually. Also, khums and zakat are part of the annual acts of worship, but Hajj al-Tamattu’ perform only one time a lifetime, so that a person can store luggage for the rest of his life with this journey.

For many centuries, Hajj gradually distanced from what God Almighty had made obligatory and performed by Prophet Ibrahim (AS). In such a way that some people performed Hajj for fun and for this reason the Imam of Ummah said: The characteristics of Abrahamic Hajj must be revived, he added.

Explaining the philosophy of Abrahamic Hajj, Hojjat al-Islam Navvab said: three axes of" submission to God, fighting polytheism in all its forms and reforming oneself and society" are the basis of Abrahamic Hajj.

The first main purpose of Hajj is "complete submission to God." so, Haji should follow this lesson of Mr. Ibrahim, he added.

In the presence of God, Hazrat Ibrahim says, "O God, submit me and Ishmael to yourself, and let my children submit to you completely, not submit to his opinions." Mr. Ibrahim's dream about Ishmael is an example of this pure surrender who despite years of separation, the father said to Ishmael, "My son, in a dream I saw beheading you. Ibrahim asked his son’s opinion so that show the highest value of surrender by his choice. Ishmael immediately said his father to do God's command. This father and son came out proud in this divine test and received the reward of this goodness from God, so the late Imam considered such a model necessary for the real Hajj.

Amir al-Hajj of the Iranian pilgrims pointed out that Hazrat Noah was a follower of Hazrat Ibrahim and his heart was pure due to his divine submission. The essence of Abrahamic Hajj is pure submission to God Almighty. In such a situation, the pilgrim does not doubt why he should perform his deeds or rituals in this way, because he is in the pure worship of God.  

If a person is trained in Hajj on the basis of worship before God, it will be like the same in all of the life, like what was seen in Imam Khomeini, who despite being a high figure and leader of society, had complete worship in front of doctors, he added.

Hojjat al-Islam Navvb continued: the second pillar of Abrahamic movement is struggle against the worship of non-gods. It is also stated in the narrations that Hajj is of two types. One is Hajj for God and the other one is for non-God means for the servants of God. Some people may perform Hajj for the name and reputation of Haji, whose reward is with the same people, and on the day after the resurrection, it will be told to him to get the reward of his Hajj from the same people. But whoever performs Hajj for God, his reward is with God, and the teaching of Abrahamic Hajj is to abandon non-God in deeds.

The great message of Prophet Ibrahim in breaking idols is that people should wake up and put aside idols and everything other than God, he said.

He continued: Satan is always lurking in man and believers. When Ishmael surrendered to Ibrahim so he carry out God's command, Satan tried to tempt him in various ways in three stages, and dissuade him from his decision, which is now done by Haji as “Rami al-jamarat in three stages of stoning the devil.

Hojjat al-Islam Navvab pointed out: the interpretation of Imam Khomeini (RA) in this regard is as follows: walking around the house of God shows that you don’t go around other than God.

He addressed the third philosophy of Hajj trip and said: the third pillar of Hajj is social growth and reform. The basis of Hajj is to strengthen religion and the growth of society. In the Holy Quran, Prophet Ibrahim asks God to teach me the rituals and forgive our sins, and my children and generation need a mentor. This request shows that we must seek guidance and the path of goodness for our generation. God Almighty also answered the request of Mr. Ibrahim and sent the Holy Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (PBUH), from his descendants. Prophet Mohammad also said: "I am the answered prayer by Mr. Ibrahim."

Hojjat aI-Islam Navvab went on to explain the different dimensions of the Abrahamic Hajj and said: The Abrahamic Hajj is a different individual, social and political dimension. Late Imam has said: "Hajj without soul and movement and uprising, Hajj without disavowal of polytheists, Hajj without unity, and Hajj from which avoiding infidelity and polytheism do not arise, is not Hajj. Hajj is the center of divine knowledge, from which the content of Islamic politics should be sought in all aspects of life.

He continued: One of the social dimensions of Hajj is Muslims know each other. Consolidation of Islam, attention to Muslim affairs which was considered by the Prophet, consultation in the Islamic world for a better future and commanding the good and forbidding the evil, are in this dimension.

Imam Khomeini also says about the social and political dimensions of Hajj: "of all its dimensions, the most neglected is the political dimension of this great ritual, for which the traitors have been and will continue to work for its abandonment, Supreme Leader’s representative in Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs emphasized.

Imam Khomeini was believed, one of the main political aspects of Hajj is holding a ceremony of acquittal of the polytheists, it is necessary for the pilgrims to be acquitted of any oppression in performing this duty. Also a clear example of those who kill children and spread oppression is the global arrogance, namely the United States and the Zionist regime. Late Imam has said with complete wisdom that Hajj without acquittal is not Hajj because the enemy is no longer afraid of such a Hajj, he said.

In his speech, while also congratulating the Decade of Dignity, he said that the anniversary death of Imam Khomeini is the revival of Abrahamic Hajj and also the martyrs of 15^th Khordad uprising.

Hajj week is held every year on the eve of the pilgrims trip from the first to seventh of Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah with various programs. Iranian pilgrims will also begin their trip to the land of revelation this year from the third decade of Khordad, with the partial lifting of corona restrictions.