By: OnIslam & News Agencies
Source: http://www.onislam.net/
Though he is still in his twenties, young Australian Muslim Elias Attia can hardly wait for the day they he will embark on his spiritual journey to Makkah to perform hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars.
“The Hajj is like a once-in-a-lifetime journey. I don’t know whether I’ll do this ever again,” he told ABC on Monday, September 23.
“So I’ve made sure that I’ve made amends with everyone who I might have wronged in any slight way.”
As hajj season looms, Attia is one of around 4000 Australian Muslims who are expected to join more than 2 million Muslims in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform the life-time journey of hajj.
This year has seen a considerable increase in young Australian pilgrims making the spiritual trip.
Performing hajj for the first time in his life, the 26-year-old lawyer and community development worker from south-west Sydney is feeling anxious about pilgrimage.
Dubbing it the biggest spiritual journey of his life, Attia say it is an opportunity to refocus his priorities.
“The Hajj for me is an affirmation where you put God at the centre of your life,” he said.
Singer and psychologist Hameed Attai is also a first-time pilgrim.
“I’ve been longing to go for a long time,” he said.
The 28-year-old Afghan-Australian, who lives in Mt Colah in Sydney’s north, says the Hajj is a spiritual journey.
“This experience will mean a spiritual rejuvenation, revitalization and an upliftment,” he said.
“It’s about getting back in touch with yourself, with your God and with the people around you.”
Muslims, who have been in Australia for more than 200 years, make up 1.7 percent of its 20-million population.
Millions of Muslims from around the world pour into Makkah every year to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Hajj consists of several ceremonies, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.
Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.
Hajj is officially expected to fall between October 13 and 18.
Australian Youth
Shaykh Yahya Safi from the Australian National Imams Council notes that more young Muslims were keen on performing hajj in recent years.
“Nowadays, we can see the youth who go to the Hajj. Before we only (used to) see the old people attend Hajj,” Shaykh Safi said.
“The Hajj rituals teach patience, strengthen one’s faith in order to change oneself and to remember the sacrifice of prophets Abraham and Mohammed,” he said.
Hoping to strengthen their faith, more young couples were also planning to perform hajj this year.
Married couple Nazih Naboulsi and Ayat El Saedy are also attending Hajj for the first time.
“We don’t expect it to be easy,” Ayat, 24, said.
“It’s going to be a physical and mental struggle, but in the end it’s going to be worth it.”
The couple, who live in Prospect in western Sydney, have been busy with preparations, including asking family and friends for forgiveness.
“Before you leave, you’re meant to ask everyone for forgiveness – anyone that you’ve wronged in any way,” she said.
“Hopefully when we come back not only will we have a clean slate with our friends and family but with God as well.”
Ayat El Saedy says the pilgrimage will also help their relationship grow spiritually.
“I know for sure this will bring us closer together because it’s such a big journey we’re taking together.”
“I believe I’ll come back a different person”
Putting off his trip for five years, Attai too hopes to return a different person.
“They always say delay it, delay it, delay it,”
“I really think I should be going now. They’re half excited and half not,” he joked.
“I definitely hope and believe that I’ll come back a different person.”
