By: Journalist Report from Madinah, Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
\u2018In essence, Hajj is man\u2019s evolution toward Allah\u2026 Hajj is the\nantithesis of aimlessness. It is the rebellion against a damned fate\nguided by evil forces\u2019 (Ali Shariati, in his book \u2018Hajj - The\nPilgrimage\u2019).<\/p>\n
While listening to a religious sermon after Maghrib by Ustaz Ariful\nBahri, an Indonesian preacher from the Islamic University of Madinah, at\nthe Prophet\u2019s Mosque in early May 2026, I first began to reflect on my\nexistence and role in the 2026 Hajj administration.<\/p>\n
In his sermon on Tuesday (5\/5\/2026), Ustaz Ariful Bahri, who has been\nconducting studies at Nabawi since 2019, delivered a stirring message\nregarding achieving a \u2018mabrur\u2019 (accepted) Hajj. \u2018A mabrur Hajj is heavy,\nnot light. It is not measured here (in the Holy Land), because here, it\nis easy for everyone to do good. The true measure is when we return to\nour hometowns,\u2019 he stated during the lecture.<\/p>\n
I found myself reflecting on those words. So many Indonesians save\nbit by bit and are willing to wait in queues for decades to perform the\nHajj. What is their purpose in doing this? Is it merely to fulfil the\nfifth pillar of Islam? Is it just to obtain the title of \u2018Hasting\u2019? Is\nit solely so they can be addressed with the prefix \u2018Haji\u2019 before their\nnames?<\/p>\n
Certainly, these are not the right questions. The answer to the\nreason for performing the Hajj pilgrimage should be much deeper than\nmerely \u2018religious obligation\u2019 or seeking a title. The responsibility\nafter returning from Hajj is undoubtedly greater than simply \u2018becoming\npious,\u2019 let alone just wanting to be addressed as \u2018Pak Haji\u2019.<\/p>\n
I found partial answers to these fundamental questions during the\npeak of the Hajj at Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina (Armuzna). In the place\nwhere the pillars of Hajj are performed by the pilgrims, I experienced\nfirsthand the struggle of performing the pilgrimage. During the\napproximately four to five days of the Armuzna rituals, pilgrims must\nbattle the scorching Saudi Arabian heat and various uncomfortable\nconditions, such as simple tents with limited capacity, basic food and\ndrink, long queues for toilets, and the necessity of walking long\ndistances to perform the stoning of the Jamarat.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/becoming-a-haji-1780884949", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }