Information and Resources for Hajj
Sheila Musaji
Posted Dec 18, 2006 •Permalink • Printer-Friendly Version
Hajj Information and Resources 2006/2007
compiled by Sheila Musaji
Hajj will begin December 29, 2006 and Eid will be on December 31, 2006.
In preparation for pilgrimage in 2005, I found that it is difficult to find all the basic information especially about practical issues.
I am sharing the information I have found so far, in the hope that it will help others. As more information is found I will add to this list of practical resources. Please leave comments and let us know about other resources and advice.
Checklist of Things to Take for Hajj and Umrah
Health Information for travelers to the Middle East
Hajj Visa Form and requirements (Saudi Embassy)
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN IHRAM (from Sound Vision website) The Ihram consists of two pieces of white, unstitched, plain cloth, either 100% cotton or light terry-cloth. The sizes of the two pieces are as follows: Bottom: 45” wide material x 120” (3 1/3 yd). Top: 45” wide material x 72” (2 yd). 1) Tear off two strips that are two to three inches wide and of a sufficient length to be used to tie as a belt from the same material. Use one as a belt to secure the Ihram. Keep the other as a spare. An ordinary belt or fanny belt may also be used for the same purpose, but a strip of Ihram cloth is a lot more practical, and unobtrusive. It keeps the Ihram firmly in place and, unlike a fanny belt or pouch, does not have to be inspected by the police at the entrance to the Haram ash Shareef. 2) Tear off an eight to ten inch wide strip of sufficient length from the same material. Use it to secure money, credit cards, airline ticket, etc. around your midriff under the Ihram. Use a plastic sandwich bag inside this make-shift pouch to keep these things dry, and secure. This is as pilfer-proof as possible and,unlike a belt or fanny pouch, does not attract the unwanted attention of pickpockets and thieves. You may still use a fanny pouch to carry other things such as medication, pen, a handkerchief, and a small amount of money for daily use. Your fanny pouch will be inspected by the police at the entrance to Haram ash Shareef in Mecca and Medina. Be patient and understanding as the police are only doing their job.
ARTICLES ABOUT HAJJ
Call of Abraham, M. Al-Shareef
Hajj and Umrah Information Portal
Hajj Call Off Urged If Bird Flu Detected
Hajj:// Islam’s Journey of Faith, CNN Special Report
Hajj Information for Public School Teachers
Hajj:// the Magnificant Journey
Hajj Requirements, Saudi Embassy
Handbook for Hajj and Umrah (online or to purchase)
Interior Life in Islam, Seyyed Hossein Nasr
PERSONAL STORIES OF HAJJ
An American Muslims Pilgrimage to Mecca,
A New York Woman’s Story, Rabia Hershey
Fatima’s Hajj, Fatima Tasleema
Hajj Experience, Sheila Musaji
Heading to Hajj, Suad Abdul Kabeer
Makkah, Where Duty and Dream Meet, Richard Scheinin
My Journey of the Soul, Marjorie Cowan
Pilgrims at Heart Ibrahim Moosa
Preparations for Hajj: Before You Leave
Preparation for Hajj, Abdal Haqq Bewley
So That You Might Glorify God Dr. Hesham Hassaballa
Spiritual Benefits of Hajj, Abdal Haqq Bewley
Spiritual Aspects of Different Acts of Hajj
There Is not a Day That Goes By Dr. Hesham Hassaballa
Virtual Hajj, PBS from Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet
BOOKS ABOUT HAJJ
- Difficult Journey, Ahmad Thomson
- Getting the Best out of Hajj, Abu Muneer Ismail Davids
Hadj:// An American’s Pilgrimage to Mecca, Michael Wolfe Personal narrative.
- Hajj, F.E. Peters By collecting the firsthand accounts of these travelers and shaping their experiences into a richly detailed narrative, F. E. Peters here provides an unparalleled literary history of the central ritual of Islam from its remote pre-Islamic origins to the end of the Hashimite Kingdom of the Hijaz in 1926.
- Hajj from A to Z, Mamdouh N. Mohammed
- Hajj: A Reflection on Its Rituals, Ali Shariati Discussion of spiritual dimension of Hajj.
- Mecca the Blessed, Medina the Radiant : The Holiest Cities of Islam, Seyyed Hossein Nasr
- One Thousand Roads to Mecca: Ten Centuries of Travelers Writing About the Muslim Pilgrimage, Michael Wolfe A collection of more than 20 accounts of the Hajj spanning ten centuries. The writers collected in this anthology reflect the geographic diversity of Islam. These pilgrims come from all over the world: Morocco, India, Persia, England, Italy, and the United States.
- Road to Mecca, Muhammad Asad Personal narrative
- Staying Healthy on Hajj and Umrah, A.H. Lugman
CD’S ABOUT HAJJ
External and Inner Dimensions of Hajj, Imam Mokhtar Maghraoui, available from Zawiyah Productions
PURCHASING SUPPLIES Some resources for finding supplies online. Note: It is very easy to find most items in Saudi Arabia also, and at fair prices.
- women’s 3 piece white Hajj garment
- women’s elbow length al amirah hijab in soft t-shirt type cotton, many solid colors
- portable chair that is also a cane
VIDEOS ABOUT HAJJ
- Hajj: Journey of a Lifetime, Hamza Yusuf
- Hajj, Nightline Special with Michael Wolfe
originally added 12-5-2004 — updated 12-05 and 12-06
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