Questions about the Hajj

[butterfly_hajj]

Hello! Thankyou for the opportunity to join your forum! I am a student in my final year of high school, and I am researching the changing nature and role of the Hajj in the Muslim life. I have been interested in Islam for some time and as part of my research I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to hear from Muslim people from around the world about their opinions and experiences of the Hajj. It doesn’t matter whether you have performed the Hajj yet or not, it would be great to hear what you have to say about the following questions or the Hajj in general.

The questions below should take about 5 minutes to answer, depending on how detailed you want to be! Feel free to leave out any of the personal questions if you like- they will just help me to see whether the answers represent all the different types of people in the Muslim community (so please be honest!). Your answers will help me and those who read my final report to understand a little more of what Islam and the Hajj are all about.

If you would like to be involved with further research, can you also let me know? I would love to ask some more questions, particularly about how the Hajj has changed since the early centuries, and any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

You may find it useful to copy the questions to your reply and answer them that way.
1)Gender:
2)Age: (please choose from: under 18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+)
3)Country of Residence:
4)Country of Birth:
5)Would you consider yourself to be either Sunni or Shi’ite? If yes, please specify which one; or any other school of thought to which you adhere.

6)Do you believe all Muslims should undergo the Hajj at some point? How important is it to perform the Hajj?
7)What do you consider to be the purpose of the Hajj? What would you hope/ intend to achieve by undergoing the Hajj?

8)If you have performed Hajj before:
a)What do you regard as the best experience of your Hajj journey, and why?
b)Was there anything about your Hajj journey that was different to what you were expecting?
c)Was there any aspect of your Hajj journey which you found to be disappointing, or you think should have been organised (by the relevant authorities or travel agents) in a different way?
d)Do you intend to go again?

9)If you have not yet performed the Hajj, what has prevented you from going? Do you intend to go at some later date?

10)Would you be able to help me with further research? (This would involve answering some more questions, probably by email. Of course I would not disclose your email address to anyone).

Thankyou very much for all your help!

[abdushakur]

1)Gender:

male

2)Age: (please choose from: under 18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+)

19-29

3)Country of Residence:

UK

4)Country of Birth:

UK

5)Would you consider yourself to be either Sunni or Shi’ite? If yes, please specify which one; or any other school of thought to which you adhere.

Sunni

6)Do you believe all Muslims should undergo the Hajj at some point? How important is it to perform the Hajj?

Yes, and it is vital if u have the money and health. it is our duty to go.

7)What do you consider to be the purpose of the Hajj? What would you hope/ intend to achieve by undergoing the Hajj?

Purpose? - to draw closer to Allah and to perform a pillar of islam.
Hope to achieve? forgiveness of all sins and a new, improved lifestyle

8)If you have performed Hajj before:
a)What do you regard as the best experience of your Hajj journey, and why?

the circumambulation (tawaf) around the kaba because it is a unique act of worship (it cant be carried out anywhere else in the world) AND stoning the jamarat pillars at mina (same as previous reason)

b)Was there anything about your Hajj journey that was different to what you were expecting?

it was much easier than expected

c)Was there any aspect of your Hajj journey which you found to be disappointing, or you think should have been organised (by the relevant authorities or travel agents) in a different way?

yes, my travel group were a bunch of money makers and their service was very poor. but i dont hold grudges.

d)Do you intend to go again?

yes


9)If you have not yet performed the Hajj, what has prevented you from going? Do you intend to go at some later date?

n/a

10)Would you be able to help me with further research? (This would involve answering some more questions, probably by email. Of course I would not disclose your email address to anyone).

no problem


Thankyou very much for all your help!

no probs. all the best. show us the finished project if possible.

[suhayl]

1)Gender:

Male


2)Age: (please choose from: under 18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+)

19-29


3)Country of Residence:

UK


4)Country of Birth:

Zambia


5)Would you consider yourself to be either Sunni or Shi’ite? If yes, please specify which one; or any other school of thought to which you adhere.

Sunni - hanafi school of thought


6)Do you believe all Muslims should undergo the Hajj at some point? How important is it to perform the Hajj?

Yes, if you have the means of taking care of your family while you are away and have the means to help you for your own journey then by all means perform it.


7)What do you consider to be the purpose of the Hajj? What would you hope/ intend to achieve by undergoing the Hajj?

Understanding the purpose of my life and to become nearer to the creator and attain HIS happiness and be a means of salvation for the whole of mankind.


8)If you have performed Hajj before:
a)What do you regard as the best experience of your Hajj journey, and why?

Seeing the ka'bah for the first time (nothing in the world can prepare you for the emotions you face when you first see it). The reason being that the prophet said (to the nearest meaning) when a person sees the ka'bah for the first time, any supplication he makes (asks for something) it will be granted to him. I went this year and so far many of the things I have asked for have been granted and I am hopeful before death reaches me, all the worldly things I asked for will be fulfilled.


b)Was there anything about your Hajj journey that was different to what you were expecting?

The size of the ka'bah and the amount of people that turned up. The ka'bah was much bigger than I had anticipated and the amount of people was amazing... millions of people.


c)Was there any aspect of your Hajj journey which you found to be disappointing, or you think should have been organised (by the relevant authorities or travel agents) in a different way?

None... everything was briliant and even if there was hardhship I really enjoyed that aspect of it too, now I look back and really appreciate I went through that hardship. It is the tough things in life that you remember.

d)Do you intend to go again?


9)If you have not yet performed the Hajj, what has prevented you from going? Do you intend to go at some later date?

NA


10)Would you be able to help me with further research? (This would involve answering some more questions, probably by email. Of course I would not disclose your email address to anyone).

Sure

Thanks and all the best with your project :thumbsup: