My Account Of The Hajj
After the folk involved from the book launch had left for a more formal occasion, Nick as well as I began talking about spiritual journeys. I knew via experience that will sitting silent atop of an inactive volcano watching the sun rise can give one a deep insight into our insignificance from the true scale of the universe, as well as that will in an urban environment such moments are rare as well as ephemeral.
This kind of will be being from the moment that will will be important to me: the gaze with naked eyes into a vast cloudless starlit sky, a musician dragging us into the depths of his or her soul, or the gasps of, “Oh, I say”, as Murray or Djokovic rake sublime shots past each different. Perhaps This kind of awe inspires fear, the knowing that will we are truly insignificant from the scale of the universe.
When Nick sent me a review copy of his recently published ‘diary’ of The pilgrimage of a white Anglo-Saxon Australian to Mecca as well as Medina, which he undertook with his wife as well as daughter in 1992, I wrote to him that will, as outlined above, my approach might be one of curiosity as well as with ‘a personal spirituality’ rather than being a follower of a particular creed.
His journey, he told me, “… was initially one of curiosity, then participation, as well as finally, a search for understanding leading to spirituality as well as deeper faith in an Almighty “. More importantly, I have focused on the spiritual dimensions of the Hajj without seeking, in any way, to proselytize/espouse the merits of Islam as a religion. My wish will be that will Westerners might better understand the rites of the Hajj through the eyes of a “White Anglo- Saxon Australian”, leading to greater intercultural as well as religious understanding.
“This kind of’s an on-going process. Creeds are the least of my concern; I think you will sense This kind of via the text.” as well as indeed I do. My school years were spent from the then predominantly Christian white surroundings of South London, the different side of the planet via Nick. My ‘heroes’ of the time included Richard the Lionheart as well as Robin Hood, who defended what we English were taught were our rights.
My knowledge of Islam was therefore limited to the Crusades which, for about two hundred years via 1095, had the stated goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in as well as near Jerusalem, as well as stamping out all traces of paganism as well as polytheism, which survives here as animism. This kind of struggle between Christianity as well as Islam continues to This kind of day, although the battlefields from the ‘War on Terror’ are at This kind of point worldwide, as the recently leaked Prism documents as well as occasional terror attacks here in Indonesia make clear.
Nick says in his Introductory Comments to the extensive bibliography, “Early Western scholars focussed more on the historical aspects of Islam. … Personal accounts of travellers to Mecca, such as Sir Richard Burton (1821-1890), have added some understanding of the Hajj from the West yet little to its religious as well as spiritual aspects.” as well as This kind of will be where Nick’s account of his journey proves of immense value. Each step of the way, each ritual arouses “a deep sense of empathy among the vast community seeking affinity with the Almighty.” that will vast community he speaks of numbered about two million, an immense logistical exercise. Fortunately, his diary, the core of This kind of book, has “provided a basis for … further enquiry as well as learning [which] continues to inspire a sense of spirituality as well as a deeper faith from the Almighty”. different pilgrims seeking their spiritual core in Islam, which literally means “submission to God”, or, indeed, in different religions, might do well to seek out This kind of modest book.
Each country will be granted an annual quota of pilgrims by the Saudi government. In 1992, Nick as well as his family were three among 107,000. Last year there were some 221,000 Indonesian pilgrims, a number that will has been reduced by 40,000 This kind of year because the construction of a mall as well as some hotels for the well-healed around the Masjidil Haram area will be still ongoing. The waiting list, already long at 12 years, will necessarily be longer. Given that will Indonesia has the largest population of Muslims from the planet, the Ministry of Religious Affairs which will be in overall charge of creating arrangements for the Hajj will be currently appealing the decision.
Local readers of Jakarta Expat can order a copy directly via Nick: nhbhughes@gmail.com. Sale cost: Rp.100,000 per book (postage, etc. extra). Rp.20,000 donation to Jl. Raden Saleh Mosque Orphanage welcome.
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My Account Of The Hajj
My Account Of The Hajj