Going on haj is a spiritual exercise, people claim

JAKARTA (JP): The annual pilgrimage to the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia is the world largest Moslem festival; with some 2.5 million people making the trip this year.

Many Moslems believe that haj is a purification rite, one which should be started by clearing one's heart and mind from impure thoughts. Otherwise, it would be nothing but visiting packed cities and mosques under the scorching sun.

"Going on the haj pilgrimage is an exercise of death," described Adi Sasono, the secretary-general of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals, of his trip in 1992.

He described the permanence of Kaaba, the Holy Shrine in Mecca, as the symbol of the Eternal One, Allah, while the hundreds of thousands of people who circle it during the thawaf rite are a symbol of the transience of human beings.

"I learned about how men are created equal, that nothing is eternal but Allah," he said. "There, during the haj, men learn how to be humble."

Four people reflected on their haj experience in the following excerpts:

H. Rosihan Anwar, 74, senior journalist:

"It's a journey to return to my faith. I went on the pilgrimage in 1957 when I was a bad Moslem. I did not say my prayers, I did not fast during the holy fasting month of Ramadhan," he said.

The former chief editor of the Pedoman daily, which was banned by first president Sukarno, has gone on the pilgrimage four times.

"The pilgrimage taught me to be more humble, which, for a journalist, is a necessity," he said. "All great journalists are humble people."

The most significant rite for Rosihan is the ihram, when he donned two length of seamless white cloth which he said reminded him of a death shroud.

Rosihan puts the letter "H" before his name, meaning Haj. "Not to show off to people that I'm a haj, but to remind myself constantly to live according to the moral values of Islam."

Didin Hafidhuddin, a lecturer at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture:

"I learned about the real values of men in the holy land," he said. "Whenever we go on haj, we dispel all of our worldly coverings -- status, position, wealth -- they all mean nothing."

"We start the haj as a mere human being," according to Didin who has gone three times.

The arduous rites are a reflection of life itself, he said. "The constant moving of haj pilgrims during these rites is a symbol that human beings move toward Allah."

"This is what we should contemplate on when we stand on the Plain of Arafat," he said. "Life should be like that. Constantly on the move, but always with room for contemplation."

Whether or not a person can be considered mabrur (successful) in his haj can be determined if he returns a renewed, better person.

Moslems should go on pilgrimage only with optimum preparation, physically, spiritually and with adequate knowledge of the rites.

"Unfortunately," Didin noticed, "there are too many people who are more serious about shopping. Indonesians are famous in Mecca and Medina as champions of shopping."

Danarto, 52, author, poet:

"Close your eyes, shut your mouth and become deaf in the Holy Land," was how Danarto described his effort to shut out worldly temptations and tend to his religious duties when he went on pilgrimage in 1983.

Danarto, who then wrote about his spiritual experience in a book called Orang Jawa Naik Haji (A Javanese Man Goes on Pilgrimage), said Moslems should be grateful for anything they experience during their pilgrimage.

"This gratitude toward Allah will help us through the rituals," he said.

Danarto wrote in his book: "Oh Allah, how happy I would be if You took my life now, here in this Holy Land. Take me oh Allah. There are times for journeys, there are times to return home...

"Oh Allah, only death could return my troubled soul to peace."

Koes Lawinningsih, 51, a housewife and mother of four children:

"I went on the pilgrimage because I wanted to become a better Moslem.

"I had just completed doing the thawaf (circling the Holy Shrine) and was whispering my prayers, when suddenly I started weeping uncontrollably. I didn't know why."

Suddenly, Koes said, an elderly woman in white approached her, touched her handbag and asked why she was crying. Koes, who went on the haj 16 years ago with her husband, father and stepmother, said she had suddenly remembered her less than clean past.

The elderly woman said, "Prostrate in gratitude, then."

Koes did. When she raised her head again, the woman was nowhere to be seen.

"I spent my days in the Holy Land praying to Allah to forgive all my sins, and to show me the right path," Koes said. (Wisnu Pramudya/swe)