Hajj is the fifth pillar of Al-Islam.  Fulfilling this obligation requires the participants to sacrifice many things.  The moment you make your decision to make the hajj, the sacrifices begin. 

·        The cost of the hotel and airline ticket requires a financial sacrifice.

·        Being away from your family and friends requires a psychological sacrifice.

·        The hardship of the journey requires a physical sacrifice.

Sometimes these sacrifices cause us to wrestle with the decision to go or not to go.  Shaitan plays with our mind.  You can’t afford to go on this journey.  Buy the new car or new house or furniture that you’ve always wanted and go next year. 

At that moment, you are on Hajj.  Hajj means to overcome or defeat or to argue.  Who are we arguing with, and who are we trying to defeat.   We argue against and fight against the weakness within ourselves. 

Whenever you have to choose one activity over the other and you perceive both choices to be pleasurable or beneficial, that choice becomes difficult.  Economists have a concept called Opportunity Cost.  The Opportunity cost  of undertaking an activity is the benefit forgone by undertaking that activity. Example:  The opportunity cost of  making Hajj is giving up the trip to the Bahamas or giving up the new car or new sofa. However, the opportunity cost of going to the Bahamas is missing the experience and blessings of  Hajj i.e. Praying in Masjid Al Haram, visiting Arafat and being forgiven for all your sins.

Things we perceive as sacrifices, Allah has determined them to be blessings or opportunities.  Prophet Ibrahim understood opportunity cost long before the term was devised.  It is part of our fitra to make the best decision. But sometimes we loose that ability by being overwhelmed by our own selfish desires. That is why we follow in his footsteps and his family on Hajj.  He knew Allah would never ask him to give up something without giving him something greater in return.  So let us look at the sacrifices or opportunities of prophet Ibrahim.

He had to choose between worshiping Idols or Allah. 

Slaughtered the idols (Story of idols and fire)

·        Placed in the fire for doing it. Didn’t worry about the consequences.

1. So his first sacrifice was himself. The lesson here is to choose what Allah has commanded over what our personal desires command of us.

2. He sacrificed his new family by leaving them in the desert.  In return for this Allah answered his prayer and established Mecca.

There are three terms associated with the sacrifice of Hajj. 

Zhabiha – Which means to slaughter.  This is the word used by Ibrahim when he told his son he saw in a vision that he was to slaughter him.

They both were willing to perform the sacrifice.

Haidi -  Allah says in Quran; fa man tamta’a bil’umrati ilal hajj,  fama astaysara minal haidi.  If any one wishes to continue the umra on to the hajj, he must make an offering (sacrifice) such as he can afford.

The word used here for sacrifice is haidi, means guidance; right way.  Idhninas, Hudan lil mutaqeem.  It also means gift or present.  Allah requires that we offer a gift if we want to make the hajj.  That sacrifice comes in the form of a sheep or cow but it is much more than that.  Completing the hajj requires that we give up our worldly possessions for a while, our comforts, our family and our lives for the pleasure of Allah.  This the real sacrifice of the Hajjis.  This sacrifice is what economist call Marginal cost.   A marginal cost is the cost over and above the cost you have already incurred.  Along with a marginal cost comes a marginal benefit. A marginal benefit  is the additional benefit above what you have already derived. 

 If you haven’t made hajj and you’re having a hard time reaching the decision to do so here is a simple formula to help you decide.   If the marginal benefit is greater than the marginal cost Do it.  Both Prophet Ibrahim and Ishmail knew this principal.  The hajjis should know this principal.  Whatever they are asked to do on the hajj, no matter how difficult it may seem, do it.  Look for the benefit instead of the burden.

Qurbani -  Comes from the word qareeb which means close.  It also means gift.

                   Allah is asking you to give up something close to you, something you love.  What is your Ishmail.  Whatever it is be willing to sacrifice it for the sake of Allah and he will give you a greater gift.  You get the true freedom from every type of slavery there is.

Built the Kaaba’

·        Reestablished worship the place of worship for all humanity

Miqaama – Station of Ibrahim

·        Commitment

·        Love and dedication

·        Principles and willingness to build a society based on those principals.

Tawaf

·        To walk around, circumambulate

·        Guide – in tawaf, Allah is guiding you

·        make the rounds,  low wall or enclosure (harem – protection)

·        Remain in tawaf after you return

Stoneing - Ramy

·        Means to throw, to toss aside, discard, lay aside.

·        Rid yourself of undesirable habits.  Break Satan's contro over you.