Today is the end of the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca known as the Hajj. Most major religions have some form of pilgrimage, a spiritual journey which is also physical, requiring a commitment of time, resources, and activity. There is often a degree of risk, and in the case of the Hajj it involves bringing two million people from around the world and putting them into a relatively small area. Pilgrimage, specifically the Hajj, is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with faith, charity, prayer, and fasting. It's expected that each Muslim will endeavour to complete the Hajj at least once in a lifetime.
There have been years when hundreds of people died because of stampedes and each year there are promises that steps will be taken to make venues safer. Unfortunately the Hajj can be quite dangerous for women, especially if there is any perception that they are unaccompanied. Men wear white as a symbol of equality. It's too bad that some of those men haven't taken this to heart when it comes to women.
I like the notion of an intentional, spiritual journey which is costly, in some form. We would all do well to put aside our striving and scurrying for a time and intentionally seek the holy. Our world is increasingly secular, but perhaps pilgrimage should be that much more important.
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