The first and foremost purpose of the different kinds of worship and acts of devotion is compliance with Allah’s Commands and fulfillment of His Rights. However, there are lots of good effects and great benefits of worship on human life both individually and collectively.

Pilgrimage is the most comprehensive kind of worship; and it embraces lots of cultic matters the wisdom thereof unlimited. It is also most effective on the life of Muslims, both individually and collectively. To this effect, Allah, Most Gracious, says: “And proclaim the pilgrimage among men; they will come to you on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways. That they may witness the benefits (provided) for them.” [XXII ; 27-28]

The above Quranic vendication of such a blessed journey as pilgrimage, on which people come all the way from all parts of the world, opens the way for contemplating the benefits thereof.

Pilgrimage to Allah’s Sacred Hous in Mecca provides Muslims with great spiritual enhancement. It fills their hearts with piety, fear of Allah, All-Mighty, and determination to obey Him, regret and repentance of disobeying Him. It enflames in them feelings of love for Allah, Most Gracious, His Messenger, and those who supported him and followed the Guidance which was revealed to him. It arouses in a Muslim feelings of brotherhood towards other Muslims in all places, and it kindles in his heart religious enthusiasm for his religion and earnest concern with the sanctities thereof.

The Sacrosanct Land of Mecca, with its great impact upon Muslims, both individually and collectively, and the inspiration it bears to their minds and behaviour, has a remarkable impact upon them. Therefore, after having performed the Hajj (pilgrimage) a Muslim returns from his journey with a purer heart, a nobler  character, and a stronger determination on performing deeds of righteousness and shunning evil ones. The more sincere and devoted pilgrimage is, the more obvious its impact on the Muslim’s future life is. This is because the spiritual and emotional enhancement he receives from pilgrimage changes completely his moral values and renders him a completely new person who is well-prepared to live a life of purity, holiness and peace. To this effect, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whosoever performs Pilgrimage without uttering or doing evil (things) returns as pure from sins and misdeeds as (he was ) on the day he was born.”[1]

Pilgrimage to Allah’s Sacred House in Mecca symbolizes completion of Allah’s Grace upon believers. This is because Allah, Most Gracious, made His Sacred House the place towards which believers turn their faces in their prayer at least five times a day. Allah, All-Wise, also willed that a believer’s heart should always be preoccupied with this Holy Place, even if he is far away, until he makes pilgrimage thereto.                                                      

Pilgrimage betokens completion of Allah’s Grace upon believers because they do not perform pilgrimage unless they enjoy both physical and financial abilities, which are definitely bestowed upon them by their Lord, Allah, Most Generous.

Pilgrimage bespeaks completion of Allah’s Grace upon believers in that their true faith in Allah, All-High, and firm belief in Him and His Messenger, Muhammad, (PBUH), are strong enough to make them leave their family, friends and homeland, and spend of their wealth and property to make such a unique journey to Allah and His Messenger.

Pilgrimage also reflects completion of Allah’s Grace upon believers because it comes after they have practiced all other kinds of worship and religious obligations such as Salat (prayer), Zakat (Almsgiving), the fast, and other acts of religious devotion, and after they have fulfilled all other duties and obligations towards their Lord, Most Merciful, and fellow humans.   

In fact, Pilgrimage is a comprehensive kind of worship that comprises all Pillars of the religion of Islam. It includes Salat (Prayer) because in pilgrimage one goes to the Holy House in order to pray therein. In this context, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “One prayer in my Mosque is better (rewarded) than one thousand prayers in another mosque except in the Holy Mosque; and one prayer in the Holy Mosque is better (rewarded) than one hundred thousand prayers in other mosques.”[2]

Pilgrimage contains Zakat (Almsgiving) as it requires spending money for traveling, lodging, eating, drinking, paying taxes and fees…etc. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Expenditure in pilgrimage is (rewarded) seven hundred times, just like expenditure for the Cause of Allah.”

Pilgrimage embraces the Fast as a pilgrim should abstain from lawful things like: wearing sewn clothes, putting on perfumes, having his hair cut, and paring his nails, athough such things are lawful outside pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage contains the meaning of the Shahadah [the testimony: “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”], For one goes to perform pilgrimage in compliance with Allah’s Order, as he says: “O Allah! Here I am at Your service! There is no partner unto You! Here I am at Your service!....” And he performs the rites of pilgrimage as the Prophet (PBUH) taught Muslims how to do when he said: “Learn the rites of pilgrimage from me”[3]

Pilgrimage also symbolizes servitude to Allah, the Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and the Lord of all worlds. Man’s servitude to Allah necessitates that he should keep away from displaying arrogance or haughtiness towards other fellow humans. In a mosque, for example, those who arrive first have the right to sit in the first row, and late-comers, regardless of their social status, have to sit in the last row. This kind of equality among Muslims is necessitated by their being all slaves to one God, Allah, All-Mighty. This feeling makes them shun arrogance and be modest. In other words, all Muslims feel that they stand on equal footing before One Great God, Allah, Who does not look at their appearance but rather at their hearts, innermost intentions, and deeds.

Moreover, Allah the Almighty wanted to make this equality and submission not limited within a certain environment, but rather universal and all-embracing so as to include all human beings. In other words, social differenes vanish in Allah’s Holy House, wherein we have to stand before Allah in absolute equality, as He has created us, and as we shall stand before Him on the Day of Judgment.

Pilgrimage teaches Muslims how to be well-behaved and polite not only to other fellow hmans but also to all elements of the universe. For one of the pre-requisites of a Muslim’s servitude to Allah as manifested in pilgrimage is that Allah has ordered a pilgrim to be polite with all things: with inanimate objects as he kisses the Black Stone of the Ka’bah, with plants as he abstains from cutting them, with animals as he refrains from hunting them, and with other fellow humans as he shuns quarrel and argument with them.

Weeping and shedding tears of regret and repentance in Allah’s Holy House is one of the requisites of servitude to Allah as manifested in pilgrimage. When a pilgrim enters Allah’s Holy House and circumambulates the Ka’bah, his eyes begin to shed tears of regret and repentance from previous sins and his mouth begins uttering invocations hopefully Allah will accept his repentance and forgive him. Such weeping symbolizes not only the pilgrim’s renunciation of arrogance but also his submission to his Lord, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. It is a kind of confession that the pilgrim has forsaken everything and turned to his Lord, Allah, with submission and veneration.                   

Although weeping is originally the token of weakness, helplessness and grief, it is not so in pilgrimage. In pilgrimage it is a deep feeling that the pilgrim has found true happiness in drawing nearner to his Lord, Most Gracious. To this effect, a righteous holy man said “If kings knew the happiness which we enjoy, they would fight us for it by swords.” Another one said: “O my Lord! What can someone who has lost You ever find?! And what can someone who has found You ever lose?!”

The feeling of being near to Allah and intimate to Him gives weeping a special spiritual delightful taste of happiness of getting away from sins, gaining Allah’s Good Pleasure, and being with Allah’s righteous servants.

The Station of Abraham comprises a number of clear Divine Signs, some of which may be listed as follows:

Ø Abraham (PBUH) was a whole nation by himself, because the good attributes that he enjoyed could not be found in one person but rather in a whole nation one of whose members is truthful; another is generous; a third is trustworthy…etc. But all such good traits were found in Abraham (PBUH). In this context, it can be said that the nation of Muhammad (PBUH) is infallible as a whole nation, but the Prophet (PBUH) is infallible by himself.

Ø Man’s value in the sight of Allah is proportional to his good deeds. And Abraham’s righteous deeds, which Allah helped him to achieve, are equal to those of a whole nation. In this context, it has been rightly said: “If you want to know your position (with Allah), see where Allah has stationed you.” This reminds us of Allah’s Words to His Messenger, Muhammad, (PBUH): “We sent you not but as a Mercy for all worlds.” [XXI ; 107]

Ø Abraham (PBUH) built the Ka’bah in answer to Allah’s Command. He (PBUH) built it in perfect precision, which reflects his great love for his Lord, Allah, Most Gracious and is a rminder of the Prophetic Hadith: “Allah verily loves that if one of you does something to do it well.”

Ø Allah has created the universe and made it governed by laws of cause-and-effect. Hence, whosoever makes proper use of causes gains the fruits thereof, whether he be a believer or a disbeliever. Nevertheless, there is a great fact that goes: the Creator of causes, Allah, the Almighty, has full control and power over them. If He, Most Gracious, desires to grant someone something, He does even without any causes whatsoever. Similarly, if He, All-Mighty, desires to withhold something from someone, no causes could ever help him get such thing. In other words, according to Islamic theology, causes do not bring about any effects unless by Allah’s Leave. Therefore, in his daily movements and activities man should by no means forget that He Who created causes has full power and control over them. Annals of human history record that Abraham (PBUH) brought his wife, Hajar, and his son, Ishmael, to the place of the Ka’bah, where there were no plants, water, or any fundamentals of human life. He left them at that place and went back; but as he was about to do so, his wife caught the rein of his camel saying: “O Abraham! Where are you going?! To Whom are you entrusting us?!” As he  gave no answer, she said: “Is it Allah Who has commanded you to do so?” “Yes.” He replied. She said: “Then He shall not neglect us!” Such is a great issue of Faith: If Allah, All-Mighty, orders you to do something that seems to be harmful or detrimental or to clash with your seeming interests, you should know for sure that He, All-Mighty, shall never let you down and that the world shall be subjugated to you and the final end shall be in your favor if you comply to His Command. You should also make sure that he whose major concern is the present world, Allah makes him see his poverty before his eyes and renders him in complete confusion and loss; and he shall not have of this world except that which has been decreed for him. And he who makes the Hereafter his major concern, Allah makes his richness within his heart, provides him with guidance and rectitude, and subjugates this present world for him. To this effect, Allah, All-Mighty, says in the Divine Hadith: “He who seeks refuge with anyone of my creatures instead of Me - I know that from his innermost intention - I make the earth unstable under his feet and cut him off the Upper World; and he who seeks refuge with Me instead of anyone of My creatures – I know that from his innermost intention – and (all those in) the heavens and the earth plot evil against him, I make for him a way out of all that.”        

Ø When Abraham was ordered to slaughter his sole beloved young son, Ishmael, he did not show the least hesitation in carrying out Allah’s Command although he was too old and his wife barren. He did not pray to his Lord to have mercy on him because of his old age and exempt his son Ishmael from such a trial, most grievous as it was. Nay, he rather commenced, without the least hesitation, to carry out his Lord’s Command to slay his dear young only son. Undoubtedly, such an act on the part of Abraham, (PBUH), shows clearly that he loved his Lord much more than the present world and all the things existing therein. In other words, Abraham’s love for his Lord was incomparable and most sublime. In this context, the Prophet (PBUH) says, “None of you believes unless I be more beloved to him than his father, his son, and all people.”[4]

Abraham’s and Ishmael’s most grievous trial teaches us that if we respond to Allah’s Commandments with contentment and obedience, we shall inevitably reap the good fruits of our obedience, and Allah’s Decree shall be removed. To this effect, Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, says, “So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah), and he (Abraham) had laid him (Ishmael) prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice). We called out to him, ‘O Abraham! You have already fulfilled the vision! Thus indeed do We reward those who do right!’ This was obviously a trial. And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice.” [XXXVII ; 103-107]

When a believer carries out Allah’s Order, which might seem to clash with his interests, preferring obeying Him and seeking intimacy with Him to the perishable pleasures and enjoyments of this present world, he will inevitably reap the good fruits of his obedience and intimacy, and by some secret Divine Law that we do not know, all his mundane interests will be fulfilled most properly. That is why it has been rightly said: “He who gives preference to his life of this present world over his Afterlife, he loses both of them; and he who gives preference to his Afterlife over his life of this present world, he wins both of them.” 

If a fellow human asks you to do something, you may ask him: “Why should I do that?” But if Allah, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, the Most Merciful, and the Most Compassionate, orders you to do something, you should obey his Order as much as you trust in His Infinite Divine Knowledge, Mercy, and Wisdom. Allah, the Almighty, desires only good for us; and He, Most Gracious, decrees nothing except good. Moreover, Divine Good is far beyond human coprehension or understanding. To this effect, Allah, Most Merciful, says, “And it is possible that you dislike a thing that is good for you, and that you love a thing that is bad for you. But Allah knows, and you know not.” [II ; 216]

When Allah, the Almighty, addresses His creatures, He does not address them by ordering them to do or not to do; but rather He calls them first to believe in Him and then enjoins His Commandments upon those who believe from among them. That is why all of Allah’s Commandments in the Holy Quran are preceded by His Words “O you who believe!” This is because when man makes a fiducial contract with Allah, this means that he has already believed definitely that Allah is Absolute and Perfect. Hence, if he receives an Order from Allah, All-Wise, and fulfills it, even without understanding the wisdom lurking behind it, he will find comfort in his heart, peace in his mind and felicity in his life. Also, when a believer fulfills Allah’s Order out of his trust in His Infinite Divine Knowledge, Mercy, and Wisdom, Allah unveils to him the wisdom of such Order; hence, a true believer gains two benefits: the reward of a worshipper and the understanding of a cognizant scholar.

Allah’s Holy House is located in the center of the earth and is surrounded by the different continents of both the ancient and new worlds. Such fact is proved by a most up-to-date research carried out by an astronomic research center in one of the Arab countries, using computers in calculating the distance between Mecca and a number of cities which lie on the edges of both the ancient and modern worlds. Calculations, however, show that the farthest edges of the ancient world in Europe, Africa, and Asia, are 8 thousand kilometers far from Mecca. Concerning the edges of the new world, which includes America, Australia, and the Antarctic, the edges of these three continents are 13 thousand kilometers far from Mecca. Moreover, there is no land in the opposite side of Mecca on the earth, but there is the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, by virtue of the above-mentioned research it has been proved that Allah’s Holy House is located in the geometric center of the earth. In this context, Allah, All-Mighty, says: “Verily, the first house (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka (Mecca), full of blessing and guidance for all kinds of beings. In it are Signs manifest; (for example), the station of Abraham; whoever enters it attains security; pilgrimage thereto is a duty that men owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey; but if any deny Faith, Allah stands not in need of any of his creatures.” [III ; 96-97]