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LESSONS FROM HAJJ
All Muslims Are Brothers, All Muslims Are Equal
By Benny Ohorella BANDUNG, Indonesia

When our beloved Messenger received the last revelation during his last hajj, he gave his last sermon.  One of the important points in his last sermon is Muslim brotherhood and equality among Muslims.

So, Hajj is not only a ritual obligation, but it also a time to remember our beloved Messenger's last sermon.  His last sermon before he left us for a long time until the judgment day.

There is no place on earth that we can meet with Muslims from diverse origins at once except in Makkah (and it's surrounding) during Hajj time.  Come together with the same intention, same activities and even same dress (the
ihram dress).

However, did we follow what our Messenger told us hundreds of years ago?
Something that he felt very important so he must said it before he died.
Did we follow his message that all Muslims are brothers and all Muslims are equal?
Some of us did, but some didn't.

Hajj is a Test
Hajj is a test indeed.  During Hajj, you don't experience normal life.  You will be tired physically, and for some of us, also mentally. We have to perform "thawaf" (walk in a circle seven times around the Ka'abah) at least three times, when you arrive for the first time in Makkah, in Hajj itself and before you leave Makkah for your home journey.  You have to perform Jumrah,
throwing stones to three poles representing satans in Mina which recreates what Prophet Ibrahim A.S. (Abraham) did in his time.  You have to perform sa'i at least once (during Hajj), run and walk between Safa and Marwah hills back and forth seven times which both hills are separated with about 1 mile distance, again which recreates what Prophet Ibrahim's A.S. wife, Hajar, didwhen she tried to find water.
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Mina and Arafah

Outside those rituals, you have to live a life together with Muslims from allover the world for at least two weeks or even months (depending on your Hajj program). For several days, you have to camp with those people in Mina and Arafah.  From some people, it can be a time of never ending complaints and swearing, because you know, there must be something which not match with your taste or standard when you meet with total strangers.  Also, there's a lot of activities and movement during Hajj time, millions of people perform certain activities almost at the same time, millions of people move from place to
place almost at the same time. So, you are tired, quite dusty, possibly meet people with don't really match your taste, traffic jams which can go for hours, shared facilities (toilets, beds, rooms, water, etc, especially in Mina and Arafat), all went on under the burning hot sun and arid climate and you only wear Ihram clothes.  A perfect time to test your temper.
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A wise man said, if you want a snapshot of the Muslim world look at them during Hajj.  You can get everything, it's quite accurate sampling I think.

The largest number of pilgrims are representing the largest Muslim.

How Muslims from a country behave usually represent Muslims behavior and quality from that country.

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