The Importance of Pilgrimage

 During the COVID pandemic so much activity around the planet shut down, including the on-person life of faith communities. Even the Haj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, was reduced to a token number of Saudi Muslims for the sake of continuity.

This year the number of pilgrims will be about two million with participants arriving from every part of the planet. Pilgrimage is an aspect of different religions including Hinduism and Christianity. We know from the gospels that Jewish Jesus made the journey to the temple of Jerusalem for the Passover where observant Jews from many nations were gathered. In Christian tradition there are a number of history pilgrimages -- think Canterbury Tales and El Camino. 

It occurs to me that it is Islam that includes pilgrimage as one of the five pillars of faith, with the expectation that every Muslim will undertake the Haj, if financially able and physical health allows. 

Pilgrimages are transformative for many participants because of the intention and physicality and time for spiritual reflection and renewal. I'm aware that Malcolm Little, who became Malcolm X was changed by his experience of the Haj. He left the Nation of Islam organization in the United States with its militancy and hatred of Whites in large part because he saw people from many cultures and skin colours participating in a communal act of devotion. 

There is an effort this year to make the Haj "green", or at least greener in terms of the massive waste generated by so many people. 

We can pray that this year's Haj is meaningful and safe for its participants. 

Here again is a portion of a letter written by Malcolm X about his experience: 

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’ba, 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 blondes 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.