By: Imam Shamsi Ali
Upon reading the verses where Allah talks about hajj we will find that all those verses use the term “mankind” and not “believers” or “Muslims”.
Allah for example says: “And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass -"
Allah also said: "And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way” (Al Imran: 97).
All these are telling us that hajj is truly the representation of the global and universal face of this diin and its followers. We have mentioned several times before that the whole concept of Islam is universal in nature.
From the concept of God, to Muhammad, to Al-Qur’an, all are global in nature. Allah is Rabbul alamin and Rabbun naas, Muhammad is “kaafatan lin-naas” and “rahmatan lil-alamin”, and the Holy Qur’an is certainly “hudan lin-naas”.
Beside the universal nature of its teachings, the followers of this diin are also global and universal. In other words, Islam’s followers called Muslims are all types of people from diverse backgrounds.
They are diverse in race, ethnicity, nationality, skin colors, cultures and also languages. From Indonesia to Morocco, and now from USA to New Zealand. Muslims are all over the world, deeply diverse but believe in one diin; Al-Islam.
This is one of the most important moral teachings we should learn from the ritual pilgrimage (hajj) which is an annual ritual performed by millions of Muslims from all over the world gathered in one place as one community for one purpose; seeking the pleasure of their Lord the Almighty.
Islam and the fight against racism
The obligation of hajj in Islam one of the important affirmations about how Islam not only teaches human equality, but In fact actively fights against one of the oldest human societal sicknesses called racism.
Racism had existed since the beginning of human creation and has become one of the most dangerous human enemies of all times.
We learn from the holy Quran that when Allah created Adam, He commanded the angels to prostrate in respect of Adam (peace be upon him).
Iblis was among the ranks (gathering) of the angels, and so he was included in the commandment (to prostrate). However, he rejected Allah’s order.