R.E. -Year 5 Week 5 The Five Pillars of Islam – Pillar 5 4/5/20 - 7/5/20 Shahadah Salah Zakat Sawm Hajj The Five Pillars of Islam Hajj – Pillar Five 1. This is the pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca). Makkah is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and was also central to the story of Prophet Ibrahim. 2. Muslims are expected to perform this at least once in their lifetime if they are physically able and can afford to do so. 3. It is a challenging journey, which requires great dedication. It brings Muslims closer to God and can lead to forgiveness of sin. LO: I understand why pilgrimage, the Fifth Pillar of Islam, is so important to Muslims. The History of Hajj • Mecca is the place where the Islamic religion started. It is According to Islamic tradition, God significant for two main reasons: ordered Abraham to leave his wife, Firstly, it is where the prophet Hagar, and his son, Ishmael, in the Muhammad was born. desert near ancient Mecca. Secondly, it is where he Hagar ran seven times between the two received the first revelations hills of Safa and Marwah to find water from Allah (Allah is the Arabic but was unable to find any. word for God) that went on to become the Qu’ran - the When she returned to Ishmael, she saw holy book read by Muslims. him scratching the ground and a water • All Muslims pray in the direction of fountain sprang forth beneath his foot. a sacred building called the Later, God commanded Abraham to Ka'bah, one of Islam's holiest sites, build Ka’bah in Mecca, which he did which is found within the Great with the help of Ishmael. He invited Mosque of Mecca. people to perform pilgramage there. 11-year-old Sara is planning to go to Mecca on Hajj one day. Let’s watch this video and learn with her what it is like. What is Hajj? What Do Muslim Pilgrims do during Hajj? During Hajj, millions of pilgrims arrive in Mecca and perform a series of rituals. The pilgrims visit the Ka’bah in Mecca and walk around it seven times. • They run between two mounts called Safa and Marwa. • The pilgrims go to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil and spend a night on the plain of Muzdalifah. • They camp in Mina and throw seven small stones at three stone pillars, which symbolise the devil. • The men shave their hair and sacrifice an animal as performed by the prophet Abraham. • Finally, the pilgrims return to Mecca to the Ka’bah and circle it seven times again. TASK TO DO: Imagine you could visit one place on earth to help you to be a better human being. Where would you go? North Pole, the rainforest or a tiny island in the ocean… anywhere. Make a 4 point plan for your journey including: 1. Who would go. 2. How you would travel. 3. What you would take. 4. What you would do when you got there. .