Mecca Research Paper

Along with the central location of Mecca, it was also a center of pilgrimage trade. People from other areas of Arabia, often entered Mecca in hopes of visiting the Ka'bah (Document A). The Ka'bah, at the time, was one of the holiest Pagan sites, thus bringing in many people of different religions. While on pilgrimage, people would trade and interact with those who had converted to Islam. In examining Arab trade routes in 570, many would conclude that Islam spread quickly because of the ideas that spread along existing trade

The location of Mecca made it easier to access other areas to spread the word of Allah. It was able to spread through the trade routes that went from Mecca to

Mecca was known as a trading city, for its camel caravans that would constantly visit, and an important religious shrine known as the Ka’ba which was economically beneficial since traders would pay to visit it and its other idols. Islam would begin with the teachings of Muhammad: monotheism, support for the weak and the poor, and that Muhammad was allah’s prophet. Muhammad would be unaccepted by the people of Mecca because his teachings threatened their economy and he wanted to eliminate idol worship. Muhammad fled to Medina and began to create a following known as the Ulma and later developed into a political leader. Eventually, Muhammad would return and conquer the city of Mecca, establishing Islam and destroying everything but the Ka’ba.

The spread of Islam throughout the world was among the most significant worldwide movements in history. Beginning as the faith of a small community of believers in Arabia in the seventh century, Islam rapidly became one of the major world religions. The core beliefs and culture of this faith is the belief that Muhammad (570-632), a respected businessman in Mecca, a commercial and religious center in western Arabia, received revelations from God that have been preserved in the Qur'an. The core of Islam remains the same today after 1396 years. Islam still translates to “submission” and Muslims still live by the Qur’an and follow the 5 Pillars of Islam. However, throughout the Pre-Islamic, Umayyad, and Abbasid

Islam began, as stated, in the desert land of Arabia. Due to the Arabs’ tribal nature, they were skilled at navigation and long-distance trading. They became the guides and couriers of the trade routes going to and from Africa and Asia. Thus, towns began to form, including the famous pilgrimage site, Mecca. Arabian tribes often worshipped the Black Stone, kept in the Kaaba, which was located in Mecca. Thus, those that controlled the shrine controlled the entire economic and spiritual life of the region surrounding Mecca. From this group came Muhammad, who founded Islam and changed the course of the Arabs worship. After experiencing a spiritual epiphany in, or around, 610, Muhammad made a decision to worship only the most prominent god in Arab faith, Allah.

Probably my favorite book that we read in BIFL this semester was Ali-Karamali’s “The Muslim Next Door”. Before reading this book, I had no clue what Islam was or what sort of traditions Muslims practiced (I have done an extremely poor job of being informed with the events and people of the world). Reading about a totally different religion than my own gave me the opportunity to question the religious practices that I participate in. Hajj seemed like such a silly thing when we first started reading about the 5 pillars of Islam, but once we watched the National Geographic video, something clicked for me. I began to realize how incredible it must feel to be surrounded with people from all over the globe that gather together to do the same religious-based activity. Further, I began to recognize just how beneficial the Qur’an was for women of that age. Ali-Karamali states that, “if Islam so greatly raised the status of women fourteen centuries ago, when women’s rights were inconceivable and implementation of them was a Herculean task, then the message of Islam itself must be feminist” (123). Here I am, a privileged, intelligent, white female trying to raise the bar for women all over the world like I was the first one to think of that. It’s incredible to think that religious texts were trying to do this work at a time it was unheard of!

Secondly, the use of the Ihram garments during the Hajj also reflects core Islamic beliefs, particularly Umma. The white garments are worn by everyone during the Hajj, resulting in it being impossible to differentiate a wealthy man from a poorer one, or a sinful man from a cleaner one. This equality is synonymous with the idea of Umma, the unity of the Islamic community as one religious body with similar views. Through the Hajj adherents learn to live together and co-operate in the name of Allah by also giving up certain mutual activities such as sex. This unification and sacrifice further allows the adherent to become closer with Allah and also reflects the Muslim way to live with one another especially during times like Ramadan, where certain actions are haram.

For the hajj, Mansa Musa had to make two crossings of the Sahara, which was very large and dry. Mansa Musa’s hajj was motivated to some extent by religion, but also by secular reasons such as social motives and most importantly economic purposes. Being one of the five pillars of Islam, the hajj is something that is religious, and

Muhammad: the holy land is an important site for my faith because mecca is my birthplace and the site where i had my first revelations of the qur’an. it also is important muslim takes a trip mecca.

Aliyahland was assembled to ensure all citizens of a safe yet fun place to reside. The current society as of today has a few cons. For instance, the murder rates are increasing daily. Each day, someone is getting their life taken away. The current society has dishonored our trust by stating that all men are created equal. But in reality, there are injustices of local enforcements being televised of killings of unarmed citizens. There is a demand to form a more perfect society because rules of the modern day civilization are not being enforced. Aliyahland does offer some of the same characteristics as the current society such as consequences as the result of your actions. There will never be a “perfect” society but Aliyahland is pretty close. Aliyahland provides various opportunities for its citizens through education and government.

For five weeks in 1964 Malcolm X completed the Hajj, a mandatory Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. When he returned from this trip, Malcolm had a different outlook and preached not to just African-Americans but to muslims of all races. It changed Malcolm’s world view and gave him hope for a better future.

If a caucasian person is involved in a shooting, it is not made a big deal, but if a Muslim person is involved in a shooting, they must be a terrorist. Ever since the crusades, there has always been hard feeling between Christians and Muslims. But after various terrorist attacks in the name of Muslim religion, it seems that there are hard feeling between the whole world and Muslims. Muslims are vilified, hated, and even called terrorists. But, is it justified to profile Muslims as terrorists? No, it is not justified to profile muslims as terrorists. Those on both sides all have their own opinion and reasons, being justified or not. Those who say yes are forgetting that not all terrorists are muslims, the muslim religion is not about terrorism, and Islam is actually very similar to Christianity. Common sense tells us that a few terrorists do not define a religion, and Muslims are just as angered at terrorists as everyone else. Profiling all Muslims as terrorists, as natural as it is for some, is contrary to the very basics of the freedom of religion in this country, along with what most consider common sense.

From the text is says, “Mecca was prosperous and was a trading center with spices, perfumes, precious, metals, and Chinese silk.”(Doc A) Some more evidence that was in the text stated,”In the town of Mecca was also the Kabah which was Arabia’s Holiest pagan shrine so many would visit it to pray.(Doc A) Many people would visit Mecca because of the trade and the Ka’bah and many people would be intrigued by the religion’s practices of Islam where they then thinks it’s interesting and then

dramatically. The hajj is a journey of a lifetime; it is one of the 5

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