During the past few days, millions of Muslims around the world converged on Makkah to perform Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam. Hundreds of thousands of them are probably performing it for the first time in their life feeling the excitement that comes along with it, and having a unique experience while they mix with Muslims of different cultures, languages and places. Some may have come here overcoming innumerable obstacles, others may have come from countries shattered by conflicts and political turmoil. Despite all of that, they are here for pray and hope of a much more stable world, and to wish for a time when all these dire situations would vanish. No one argues that Haj is an impressive demonstration of Muslim solidarity. Muslims from different colors, ethnic and cultural backgrounds wearing the same white robes are in one place at a specific time. This sense of unity is even enhanced on the Day of Arafat when all pilgrims stay in the plain of Arafat, a component of Haj considered as the peak of all Haj rituals, and listen to a sermon outlining the general outlines of the Islamic faith. This famous sermon is a model for the one delivered by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who, 1400 years ago, stood at the same place and spoke to what is largely referred to as the “Farewell Sermon.” A lot of lessons can be inferred from that historic sermon which still highlights Muslims' path ever since. In one important sentence of that well-known, groundbreaking sermon, the Prophet reiterated the message of Islam by saying: “O People: your lives and your property, until the very day you meet your Lord, are as inviolable to each other as the inviolability of this day you are now on, and the month you are in. Have I given the message?” As it is clear form the above quote, the message of Islam is indisputably peace with its emphasis on tolerance, mutual respect and forgiveness of one for each other, despite the fact that sharp differences among fellow Muslims may exist. However, many Muslim communities have recently succumbed to violence and the counter-violence fueled by sharp and unbridled differences. Sectarian violence in Iraq and Lebanon is an example of a bloody confrontation by the followers of the same faith in which the grand teachings of Islam are largely overlooked. Another lesson that can be learned from that sermon is the Prophet's emphasis on respecting women's rights. “O People: verily you owe your women their rights, and they owe you yours….. So fear Allah in respect to women and concern yourselves with their welfare. Have I given the message? …. O Allah, be my witness.” Despite the fact that women's rights are institutionalized in Islam, no one doubts the fact that women's rights across the Muslim world are frequently violated and normally ignored. Reasons behind the rampant disdain of women's rights vary from one social setting to another. Some of these injustices against women take root in extreme interpretations of the Qur'an and Hadith, while others are deep-rooted in local customs and social norms which have nothing to do with Islam or its teachings. These inherent norms are taken by many as an excuse to persecute women, suppress them and prevent them from legitimate participation of building their countries. Examples of such unlawful stance towards women are quite legion, however. Many Muslim women are denied access to education, work and better health care. Other forms of injustices perperpetrated against women include unfair share in wealth and asking for their consent regarding marriage and family, just to name a few. The other great value that was well-established in the Prophet's farewell address is equality. During the pre-Islamic era, discrimination based on color, ethnicity and gender was commonplace. The Prophet (peace be upon him), in his aforementioned address, stressed the importance of equality through the implementation of law and order. He highlighted this by saying: “Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood.” Elsewhere in the address, he was keen to eliminate all factors hindering the emergence of a society where all people enjoy the same rights when he said: “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black; nor a black has any superiority over a white – except by piety and good conduct.” As Muslims retrace the footsteps of the Prophet, they realize in an indescribable inner peace enhanced by the Prophet's teachings that stress the importance of forgiveness, mercy, justice and humility. All in all, Haj is not an assortment of some rituals but, beyond that, is an occasion for millions of Muslims to gather around a symbol of Muslim solidarity that should reflect a deep commitment to the noble teachings of Islam: peace, equality and justice. __
