Hajj Reflection on Its Rituals Paperback – January 1, 2007

At first I was confused about this book because the cover was different than pictured but soon found out that it was the same book. It arrived quickly so that was a huge bonus.

i love this book so much it is so deep and awe inspiring, It is a great book to have if preparing to go for Hajj

I wasn't impressed much with the way Shariati put his thoughts together. Yes its true that Hajj, like all other Islamic acts of worship have a spiritual aspect but it requires the proper references which Shariati fails to provide.

Great book

Was wonderful in forming a deeper understanding of Hajj and the rituals. Helped in forming the correct state of mind while at Hajj.

I’m trying hard not to say that this book was bad and that it really was my limitation that prevented me from being able to absorb the depth of the topic here, but either way, I cannot give this more than 1 star.This was suggested to me as a must-read to understand Hajj but it left me utterly confused with what Shariati was trying to say. Maybe some people will find it inspiring, and clearly, some have based on the 5-star ratings, and some, I’m sure, will be able to find meanings that, maybe because of my limitations, I have been unable to, but here are my biggest issues:1. The English translation was horrible; the translators did mention they tried to keep as close to the original Farsi as possible, so I'm assuming the original was bad too. I did not like the writing style at all -- it came off as very amateurish, sometimes atrocious. Topics seemed disjointed, and it seemed like Shariati kept saying the same thing over and over again but using different words each time. I don’t think the book was reread once he finished writing because there were statements he made towards the beginning which seemed contradictory in later chapters.2. Whether Shariati or the translator tried to be extra philosophical, I don’t know, but almost every time the attempt was made to be philosophical, it came out flat and appeared as though Shariati/the translator was trying too hard. His analogies on knowledge, consciousness, and love being represented by Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina -- the sequence of Hajj -- or the stoning of Shaitan at Jamaraat to a military campaign came across as silly and corny. He kept desperately trying to explain Allah’s (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) infinite wisdom through our human reasoning and feelings and emotions. Every page and almost every paragraph was littered with these bizarre metaphors and analogies.3. The text was littered with problematic/inaccurate statements. Here are a few examples: Towards the beginning, Shariati states that “Islam is different from Sufism. A Sufi lives ‘in the name of Allah’, and dies ‘for the sake of Allah’. But, a Muslim strives to approach Almighty God”. This statement is so absurd that I don’t even know where to begin. For a person writing about performing Hajj and how it is an act of renunciation of the world (at least when you’re in ihram), it is sad to see that he misses the Sufi fundamental, which IS renunciation, and through renunciation of the self, one finds the Truth (Subhana Wa Ta’ala). Also, a Sufi vs. a Muslim? And someone who "lives" and "dies" for Allah is different from Islam? A Sufi IS a Muslim! Sufism is not the same as the monastic life practiced in other religions. While there may be individuals within our Islamic brotherhood who consider Sufis to be deviants, not a single Sufi practitioner has ever claimed to not be a Muslim or claimed to be above the Shariah. And one group calling another group deviant is not something new: historically, many Sunni madhabs considered other Sunni madhabs deviants and many Shia madhabs considered other Shia madhabs deviants too -- for example, the Jariris (a now-defunct madhab) considered the Hanbalis deviants, the early Hanbalis considered the Hanafis misguided, everyone considered the Zahiris (which is making a revival again) deviants, the early Usulis considered the Zayidis and the Akhbaris (another one that's making a revival) deviants (even though these latter fiqhs had developed generations before the former and the Usuli fiqh itself had gone through quite a drastic evolution); so for modern day Salafis and some Shias and some Sunnis to feel that the Sufi way of life is deviating from the teachings of our Master Rasool’Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Alihi Wa Sallam) is not anything new; we all think our way of life is the only truth, but the real Truth (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) has many paths leading to Him (Subhana Wa Ta’ala). Sufism, by belief, definition, and practice, is a Muslim way of life confined by the rules of the Shariah; a Sufi cannot be anything but a Muslim. Sufism is a way of life where a Muslim renounces the frivolities of the Dunya and perseveres to live an Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala)-conscious life; it is not a sect, not a belief, not an idea outside of the Shariah.In another instance, Shariati talks about how Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) is one’s partner, that one shakes hands with Allah’s "right hand" when the Hajji points towards the Hajar-al-Aswad during tawaf, and other such bizarre statements. Shariati says “It symbolizes a hand - a right hand! And - whose right hand? The right hand of Allah!” I understand what Shariati is trying to say, this is a Hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas (RA), and also the Qur’an sometimes uses human qualities to help us better understand Allah’s (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) attributes but those are done in a more overarching way, not to be taken literally; to describe Allah’s (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) guidance using human limbs and qualities literally or to take the above mentioned Hadith literally (even if this Hadith was proved to be mutawatir, which, it is not) is cringeworthy.Another time Shariati uses words to express that Hajj is the celebration of “Hajar, a black Ethiopian servant” — again, I understand what he’s trying to say, but Hajj is not a celebration of anyone, neither Prophet Ibrahim (AS), nor Bibi Hajar (AS), nor our Master Rasool’Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Alihi Wa Sallam). We reenact Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his family’s struggles and journey, it incorporates going back to the origins of early monotheism as established by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) but Hajj is not a celebration of any individual. Again, I understand what Shariati is trying to say that after being disgraced and thrown out, it is Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) who controls the fate and destinies of us all, and it was Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) who honored Bibi Hajar (AS), and that honor will continue to the end of times, but I think Shariati could’ve used better language. Many of us growing up have heard the narrative of Bilal (RA), how certain racist elements among the Sahaba were opposed to Bilal (RA) giving the adhaan and so Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) delayed the time of fajr prayer -- fajr’s time would not come until Bilal (RA) gave the call to prayer [whether this incident is 100% authentic or not is not the point in contention; the bigger point is that we plan and then Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) plans and His plan is the best plan]. So, while the people tried to disgrace Bilal (RA), it was Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) who honored him. However, adhaan is not a celebration of Bilal (RA). Similarly, Hajj is not a celebration of Bibi Hajar (AS); Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) honored them both, raised them high in status, but ibadah is for Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) only — adhaan is given to call people to pray to Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) only, and Hajj is for Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) only. Shariati then goes on to mention how internally Prophet Ibrahim (AS) struggled with the decision to either follow Allah’s (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) command to sacrifice his son or to disobey Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) and save Prophet Ismael (AS); I’m not sure from where Shariati picked this up. In no narrative or literature have I ever read that Prophet Ibrahim (AS) struggled with the decision. One of the reasons Prophet Ibrahim (AS) is called Khalilullah, the friend of Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala), is because of his absolute, unshakeable tawakkul or belief and acceptance of Allah’s (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) Will. Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was tempted 3 times by Shaitan but at no time was there doubt in his mind about carrying out Allah's (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) command. In Surah Nahl, Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) clearly gives the example of Prophet Ibrahim's (AS) taqwa and tawakkul as a role model.There’s another instance where Shariati talks about Prophet Adam (AS) and Bibi Hawa (AS) and mentions Iblis as a “rebelling angel”! This was not a typo because Shariati mentions this many times that Iblis was a “fallen angel”. This is straight up Book of Genesis and not Islam — in Islamic belief, Iblis is not a fallen angel; angels don’t have free will and so cannot disobey Allah’s (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) command. Iblis was/is a jinn/jinn-kind. Surah Kahf clearly mentions that Iblis is a jinn. There are countless other inaccuracies, page after page.I’m never the person who’ll tell you not to read a book. Read if you want to — there are a few good points he makes but none profound enough or none that you can’t find anywhere else. I don’t think this book has much depth, is very poorly written/translated, comes across as trying too hard to create philosophical and spiritual connections to the rituals of Hajj and falling flat, and is full of inaccurate and cringeworthy statements.

On Hajj I don't think anybody has given such a brilliant and thought provoking analysis and reflections as did in this book by Dr. Ali Shariati. He has tried to give not only philosiphical answers for the Hajj rituals but has gone further and deep down in the psycological aspects as well, which were not touched by any one before. It is undoubtably a unique book on Hajj pilgrimage.