Lowering The Risks Of The Hajj

Mecca's central location was imperative to the success the city had in terms of trade, which is a major key to the expansion of Islam. In the article Great Ages of Man: Early Islam, Desmond Stewart writes, "it [Mecca] was at the crossroads of lucrative caravan trade" (Document A). The centrality of the location of Mecca allowed for people from all over the Middle East and Asia to be introduced to the new religion of Islam. The ideas and customs then spread along these routes. As well as being located on land routes, Mecca was also located on sea routes which also increased trade.

“ Headed north on the way from Yemen to the markets and headed east from the Red Sea across the desert to Iraq” ( document A paragraph 1). This quote shows how far the trade routes went, because of the easy access to the trade routes the Muslims were able to spread their religious ideas. The Muslims would pilgrimage to Mecca to worship an ancient shrine called the kaaba, because that was part of their religion, so Mecca was important to the Muslims and to the Muslim religion. They worshipped in religious place call the mosque. In Mecca the Muslims were able to spread Islam, not only because of the trade routes , but also because of the geography.

Hajj is a once-in-a-life time obligation upon Islamic adherents whose health and means permit it. It is an essential part of Muslim faith and practice as it is the fifth pillar of faith, symbolises central concepts of Islam and commemorates the trials of the Prophet Ibrahim. Hajj provides individuals with the opportunity for spiritual rebirth through developing a closer relationship with Allah as well as fulfilling the five pillars of Islam. The global Islamic community are also united through submission to the will and communal worship of their “one God” Allah.

Trade and trade routes played a crucial role in the spread of Islam. Mecca, the birthplace of Islam, was a very prominent trade hub. Due

In the “Arabian Peninsula Trade Routes” (Doc. A) it shows how Mecca was very busy with all kinds of trade. Since Mecca is where Islam would start in the upcoming years, traders would come and go taking the teachings of Muhammad with them. Mecca was both the center of trade and the center of Islam which leads to the quick spread of faith through the many traders and merchants that

the 5 Pillars of Islam. You must believe that Muhammad is the only prophet of god and to support

Trade was a large part in why Islam spread so quickly. Mecca had several trading routes. “By the middle of the sixth century… Mecca was … prosperous and important (Doc A).” They were trading through the two main empires: Byzantine and Persian. East Africa, Spain, India, and China also traded with them. Mecca being at the center of the trading system, they brought in many tourists to see the famous holy shrine. With the help of communication people interested in Islam were also drawn because goods were not just traded, but the Islamic culture as well.

It was a crossroad for caravan trade and an added advantage was that Mecca was home to the Ka’ba, a holy pagan shrine that many people the follows the Five pillars make a pilgrimage to sometime during their life. Many cities were easily reached from Mecca because of several surrounding trade routes, land and sea, that connected Mecca to multiple nearby locations. Mecca was a central location of the Arabian Peninsula and was very easy to get to. Not only this, Mecca also had surrounding bodies of water that were very important for trade that led to cultural diffusion. The Surrounding large empires, once conquered would add large additions to the current Islamic empire of the time. This could cause the fast spread of Islam since they were such big areas. (Doc A) Islam stretched across several regions. In the 600’s it spread North to France and out East towards India. Islam was the fastest spreading religion ever and it’s military was able to conquer many areas within a very short period of time. Followers of islam were not only devoted to sharing their religion but they were also well-organized and skilled in fighting. (Doc C) The Byzantine and Persian Empires were nearby and the Muslims were able to take over those areas because the empires were weak from their own battling. (Doc D) The Byzantine Empire tried to resist the expansion of Islam however, the people of the Hims in

traveling to the East and going in search of the land of the gods. There was the belief

obliged to follow the ‘Five Pillars.’  They are 1) Muslim profession of faith or shahada, 2) Ritual

It had easy access to the Red Sea and other populated cities, such as Aden, Alexandria, and Muscat. The city began as “the crossroads of the lucrative caravan trade” and grew into an even busier area for vendors to prosper (Document A). Merchants from throughout the region carried merchandise, such as spices, perfumes, precious metals, ivory, and silk, in and out of the city (Document A). Mecca was not only a significant trade center, but became the home of the Ka’ba, the holy site of Islam. As visitors stopped by the area and the holy shrine, they became exposed to the religion and its teachings. Traders then brought Islam’s teachings along trade routes to areas beyond the peninsula. As ideas spread, a variety of people from all over the western world either learned about or experienced Islamic culture. The trade routes, on both land and sea, brought goods and the religion of Islam to areas as far as India, East Africa, China, and Spain (Document

A term used to refer to Muhammad 's flight from Mecca to Medina, this marks the beginning of the Islamic religion.

One of the Five Pillars keep the people from sinning and actually enforce that you do good for society. Other Pillars include rules such as fasting or praying. One of the Five Pillars is Shahadah, sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith. It is the same as how Christians get baptized. The person going through Shahadah will recite the profession of faith, which, in english, is, “There is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger” (Muslim 1). When one says the Shahadah, he or she is stating that he or she believes the Allah is the only god, Allah never had a son, and that he is indivisible. Then there is the Hajj, another Pillar of Islam. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hajj is an event held from the 8th to the 12th of the last month on the Islamic calendar which is Dhu al-Hijjah. It is considered mandatory for any Islamic adult who is financially stable to participate in the Hajj. If one fulfills those circumstances they are considered mustati. “During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals such as: each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around

The five pillars of Islam are the basics of the Muslim life. The first pillar is called the Shahada or Witness. It is a profession of faith that states simply that “there is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” Someone becomes a Muslim by stating this declaration of faith. It is also used daily in prayers. The second pillar of Islam is called Salat or Prayer. It describes the ritual prayers muslims are called to pray five times throughout the day. The prayers are made in position facing Mecca. The third pillar is called Zakat or Giving. It is the act of charity Muslims do by setting aside about 2.5 percent of their total income and give to the poor. The fourth pillar of Islam is called Swam or Fasting. Every year in the month of Ramadan, (the ninth month of

Causes of the air pollution, there are so many causes of air pollution that we couldn’t believe that it can be because of