Hawzah News Agency- Mari al-Ali, a Syrian cultural activist, was speaking at the specialized forum titled "Hajj: Rendezvous of Unity," held on Wednesday by the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought. She stated that Hajj represents one of the greatest manifestations of human and spiritual gathering, in which the unity and cohesion of Muslims are brought to life.
She noted that this obligation is not merely a religious ritual performed once in a lifetime, but an annual global congress where millions of hearts from diverse races, languages, and cultures gather under a single banner with a single call: "Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik."
"In an age when hate campaigns against Islam have been launched and Islamophobia is spreading in certain Western societies and media, Hajj emerges as a civilizational and human message, stressing that Islam is the religion of unity, peace, and convergence among nations," she continued.
The Syrian cultural activist pointed to official statistics released by Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics, which show that the number of pilgrims in recent seasons has surpassed one and a half million annually — pilgrims who travel from dozens of countries and create, each year, an unparalleled scene that demonstrates Islam's capacity to bring its followers together regardless of national and cultural differences. This immense human gathering bears no resemblance to any other global event, for Muslims assemble on the basis of shared beliefs and values, free from ethnic, racial, or class considerations.
Al-Ali noted that among the most profound meanings of Hajj is the erasure of distinctions between human beings. In Hajj, there is no difference between rich and poor, Arab and non-Arab, white and black. All don the same attire of Ihram, perform the same rites, and stand in the same place — a practical embodiment of the principle of human equality proclaimed by Islam more than fourteen centuries ago. This global image, repeated every year, refutes the numerous claims that seek to portray Islam as a closed, discriminatory faith rooted in civilizational conflict.
She drew attention to the work of the late Muslim thinker Dr. Ali Shariati, who in his renowned book "Hajj" offered a profound reading of the pilgrimage. He held that Hajj is not simply a collection of devotional acts, but a "display of unity" and a "world congress of the Islamic Ummah." The Kaaba symbolizes the focal point of spiritual unity for all Muslims, while Tawaf around it represents unity of purpose and shared destiny. The Ihram embodies liberation from social and material distinctions, allowing the human being to return to his pure, true self.
"Hajj is not only a spiritual journey but also an experience of civilizational and social awakening, in which the Muslim feels that he is part of a great Ummah that transcends borders, geographies, and languages," al-Ali stressed. "Thus, the cultural and human message of Hajj is made manifest, offering the world a true image of Islam as a faith replete with unity, justice, and tolerance, while frustrating efforts to tarnish the image of Muslims or depict them as fragmented and conflict-ridden communities."
The Syrian cultural activist stated that at a time when Islamic societies are targets of increasingly intense distortion campaigns, the significance of Hajj as a spiritual and moral platform for consolidating the concept of a "single Ummah" is doubled. She cited recent European reports indicating a marked rise in discrimination and hatred against Muslims, as well as a visible surge in anti-Islamic discourse in recent years — making the need to present the true face of Islam and its human values ever more urgent. International human rights organizations, she added, have reported an increase in Islamophobic incidents and verbal and physical attacks against Muslims in several Western countries, particularly in the wake of political and security events that certain currents have exploited to project a negative image of Islam. In the face of these campaigns, Hajj offers an entirely different picture — the picture of an Ummah where nations coexist, cooperate, and interact, free from racism, extremism, and hatred.
"Hajj not only fortifies the spiritual dimension of Muslims but also reinforces within them the culture of peace, tolerance, and human cooperation," she said. "When millions of people stand on the plain of Arafat in identical clothing and with a single prayer, the greatest scenes of human fraternity unfold before the eyes of the world. These scenes affirm that Islam gathers, not disperses; builds, not destroys; stands with love against hatred, with equality against racism, and with moderation against extremism."
Al-Ali recalled that the successful management of millions of people each year with precise and peaceful order reflects the civilizational dimension of Islam and confirms that these rites are not merely a religious congregation but a universal model for human organization and cooperation. Today, crowd management during Hajj, given the immense number of pilgrims and the complexity of human movement during the rituals, has become a field for scientific study and modern technologies.
The Syrian cultural activist pointed out that Hajj contributes to the formation of a collective consciousness within the Islamic Ummah, such that the Muslim feels that the issues of Muslims in any part of the world form part of his human and moral responsibility. "Hajj is therefore not only an individual act of worship, but an annual declaration of Muslim unity and civilizational cohesion — a universal message affirming that Islam is the religion of convergence, peace, and human justice."
In her concluding remarks, al-Ali stated: "Amid the intensification of Islamophobic discourse on a global scale, Hajj remains a living witness to the spiritual and human power of Islam, and proof of the truth that Muslims, however diverse their homelands, colors, and languages may be, constitute a single Ummah capable of cohesion and of defending its identity and values against campaigns of distortion and hatred. Hajj shall forever remain the symbol of Islamic Ummah unity and a global platform that proclaims each year that Islam is the religion of mercy, unity, and peace."
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