If you’ll take a look at your calendars you’ll notice today is Eid-al-Adha. While some of us may need
no reminder of the festivities that occur on this tenth day of the month there are many of us who are clueless to the
event and that of Hajj. Eid-al-Adha is a celebration of sacrifice, where Muslims returning from Arafat or Mount Mercy
will slaughter an animal to commemorate the preparedness of the Prophet Abraham. Beliefnet has a great short piece helping to understand
the religious festivity and more importantly Hajj.
A friend of mine recently re-explained what the event
was about and how she wishes to help send her mother there. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca and required for all
Muslims to attend at least once in their lifetime, if they can. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. From what my
friend describes and this article found in the Washington Post getting
there isn’t always easy and is extremely costly. Many pilgrims have started mixing business into their trips by selling
silk prayer rugs, wooden crafts, precious stones and even honey to help off-set the expenses involved with getting
there. The trip to Saudi Arabia for the average tourist staying in moderately priced hotels can cost up to $3,000 per
person with deluxe packages up to $8,000. With 2 million people expected to visit this year one can only imagine the
tourism dollars going into Saudi Arabia, but what could be more beautiful and sacred than people from all corners of
the globe gathered at the same place, time, in the same attire, doing the same prescribed acts, reflecting harmony and
fraternity?
No matter what the price many will always continue to travel to this holy ‘promised’ land.