As we all know, it is the duty of every human being to research about true religion and then follow it. As Muslims, we have recognized Islam as the true path among all religions. Thus, we need to study various Islamic denominations and schools, each of which considers itself the true Islam, and adhere to the one which is the best according to the verses of the Holy Qur’an and the Prophetic narrations. One of the most important differences between Islamic denominations is the issue of the Prophet's succession.

Rebecca Masterson
E-mail: [email protected]

School of Oriental and African Studies
Published online 8 August 2008
Journal of Islamic Studies 20:1 (2009) pp. 21-45
doi:10.1093/jis/etn031

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The following is the whole Arabic text and English translation of the famous supplication made by Imam Zayn Al Abideen on the day of Arafat.

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ

.1الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

1- Praise belongs to God, Lord of the worlds!1

2. اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ

The following is a concise set of religious regulations concerning Hajj. It is recommended to refer to the more detailed books of jurisprudence, or to a religious authority in order to gain a thorough understanding of the religious rules which the Muslim pilgrim is duty-bound to seek.

This Diagram Makes Clear The Direction Of Circumambulating The Ka'ba.

Wajib - obligatory, necessary, incumbent. An act which must be performed. You will be rewarded for performing it and punished for neglecting it, e.g., the daily prayers, the Hajj (pilgrimage) , Jihad (struggle for the sake of Allah) , the fasting of Ramadhan.

Haram - forbidden, prohibited. It is necessary to abstain from the acts which are haram. If someone performs a haram act, he will be punished, e.g. eating pork, drinking wine, lying, betraying.

وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ

And proclaim among men the Pilgrimage: they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path, (Holy Qur’an, 22:27).

Since the Qur’an calls on Muslims to perform Hajj, wor­shippers respond to this eternal call. They begin by humbly repeating the call of love, loyalty, and faithfulness to Allah:

“Labbaika Allahumma labbaik.
Labbaika la sharika laka lab­baik.
Inna al-hamda wa an-na'mata laka wa al-mulk.
La Sharika lak.”

(Here I am, my Lord Here I am
Here I am, You have no partner.
Here I am, Praise, grace, and the kingdom is for You.
You have no partner.)

Hajj is a collection of rites and observances. It is a number of action and recitation. They are all combined to be performed within a certain time and place. The result is worship, and an enlightening action conducive to the building up of the Muslim character. It effectively rebuilds the personality, corrects its course in life, and focuses its direction toward Allah.

Hajj is a bodily and spiritual journey. Itis man's migration towards Allah's grace and pleasure.

It is the abandonment of one's relatives, wealth, and worldly comforts, and enduring a host of difficulties, troubles and hardships for the creator's sake.

وَأَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ 

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَنْ نَعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ

“And when Ibrahim said: My Lord! Make this city secure, and save me and my sons from worshipping idols:” (Holy Qur’an, 14:35).