Hujjaj leaving from Cape Town were greeted by smaller than usual crowds at the airport Photo MK
One million international pilgrims, 1132 of whom are South Africans, are in earnest preparation for ‘the journey of a lifetime’. If you’re going to do hajj, ensure that you do it correctly, according to Ml. Obeidullah Bhoja.
The hajj, or annual pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia, is one of the world’s biggest gatherings of its kind. This season is a notable indication of the world’s emergence from COVID-19 lockdowns, as previous years saw meagre attendance.
Hajj 1443H is scheduled to take place between July 7 and July 12, 2022. The first South African pilgrims departed O.R Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg on Wednesday. Many more are set to leave in the coming weeks.
“What we need to understand is that we can only make a compulsory hajj once. Subsequent to that, even if you go again it will not be your compulsory hajj. So, when a person goes for their hajj, they need to ensure that they’re adequately prepared for the trip,” said Ml. Obeidullah Bhoja.
He explained that there are two elements of preparation to consider in preparation for the journey. These are spiritual preparation and physical preparation.
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Hajj – Spiritual preparation
Spiritual preparation is important ahead of the journey of a lifetime. In particular, Ml. Bhoja explained, one should be prepared to spend long durations in the masjid.
“We are not accustomed to it. Sometimes they say spend from ‘Asr until after ‘Isha. That’s a good three to four hours you have to sit in the masjid – what will a person do in that time? What are you going to do?” he said, adding tips to prepare.
“For now, make a habit of sitting in the masjid. Try and make the world of Qur’an, then create some sort of a routine of making the dhikr of Allah,” he said.
Ml. Bhoja advised pilgrims to start “reading some Kitab within the confines of the masjid and try and sit for extended periods in the masjid.”
He also warned that pilgrims must arrive for Jumu’ah at the Masjid-Al-Haram earlier than usual – before the crowds. This is only possible, he said, if they make a habit of arriving early for Jumu’ah prior to the pilgrimage.
Furthermore, Ml. Bhoja stressed the importance of embarking on the pilgrimage with pure intention, “Try to understand what you’re reading as well and make lots of dua.”
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Physical preparation
Ml. Bhoja explained that the hajj comprises of certain intense physical activities, such as walking long distances, which must be considered ahead of the pilgrimage.
“We’re supposed to be taking 6 000 steps every day for a healthy heart. If you’re not doing that already, you have to start now. It’s never too late to start, but make sure that you start now to prepare yourself physically,” adding that South Africans are not accustomed to the scorching temperatures in the holy lands.
“From the time you enter the haram until a person goes to where the imam is, is approximately 1 000 steps. When we go to the masjid, we’re going in the car. When we’re going to the shop, it’s in the car. We do very minimal walking.”
Bhoja advised pilgrims to replace short trips in the car, such as going to the masjid, with walking. “The first thing is to walk a lot – a person is going for salah five times a day in the haram, it’s minimum half a kilometre to two kilometres you will do per trip and if we are not accustomed to walking, definitely it becomes a problem,” said Ml. Bhoja.
