The largest concentrations of believers of any faith on earth on the occasion of Hajj provides tremendous opportunity to Muslims to exploit its political, social, ideological, economic and intellectual potentialities along with realizing its religious, spiritual and divine realities. Hajj is a tremendous show of untapped, unexploited and raw strength, which, if intelligently channelled can yield tremendous benefits to Muslim Ummah.

The swelling multitude of people fired by their devotion and dedication to a philosophy of life, enthralled and entranced by the sanctity and purity of time and place, going through a collective experience of an upheaval that is spiritual and transcendental in nature and in contents, can give a voice, a spirit, a hope, an inspiration, an enlightenment and motivation to Muslim Ummah currently bearing with trying circumstances.

Islam is an all-inclusive and comprehensive religion that takes in its pale all economic, social, cultural, ethnic, spiritual, political as well as foreign policy aspects and needs of human life and society. It furnishes a unique concept of prayers (lbadat) which is non-existent in any other religion of the present world. The most pronounced aspect of Islamic prayers is Tauhid (Unity) which finds expression in the "collectivism" which every prayer so jealously emphasizes. Islamic prayers are not just a jumble of disconnected rituals; instead, every movement, every action, every bending and every prostration establishes one fact: the Grandeur and Unity of Tauhid. If any prayer (Ibadat) fails to do so, it becomes a spiritless ritual that does not bring any benefits to its performer. Very cautiously, one has to say that Hajj of today leaves much to be desired. The "collectivism", an expression of Tauhid, which is projected there in the sacred days of Hajj fails to yield benefits to the Ummah as were promised to it. According to Dr Shariati, "…the performance of Hajj is a simultaneous show of many things. It is a "show of creation, a show of history, a show of unity, a show of the Islamic ideology and a show of the Ummah," however, we see that Hajj in its present shape is nothing more than a set of rituals. The message that the Haj rights inculcate and promote has been totally ignored. How did it happen? History is witness to the fact that political exigencies of Umayyad and Abbasid rulers robbed Hajj of its true spirit. They were despots, aggressors and usurpers and they feared that politically conscious the largest gathering of Muslims at the time of Hajj could rob them of their so-called legitimacy. To avoid this they began to project only the spiritual aspect of Hajj and it so happened that through the course of history the economic, social, cultural, political, and foreign policy dimensions, which also had religious moorings, were totally overshadowed by this aspect. There now remains only a semblance of "collectivism" otherwise individualism is so glaring and conspicuous that one does not need deeper insight to notice that. Hajj has been described as sure key to Paradise. Significant stress is being given to rituals as an end in themselves, the philosophy behind rituals, is being totally ignored. Hajj is the sublime apex of all Islamic emotions. Every Islamic prayer has been gathered /collected into Hajj Prayers, fasting, sacrifice and Alms giving all find significant expression in Hajj. Whereas no prayer (lbadat) in Islam is without its attendant social, economic, political, cultural and spiritual gains then how can Hajj only be regarded as a set of religious rituals? Hajj certainly entails tremendous cultural, social, economic, and religious dimensions to the Ummah and its benefits are so tremendous that they cannot be overestimated and overemphasised. The enemies of Islam fear Hajj, the largest concentration of human beings on earth. This is the blessing of God. Only Islam has such a show to tell the world at large that all Islamic prayers condensed in Hajj have a practical expression of Unity of faith, culture and ethnicity. They have discipline, brotherhood, accommodation and universal fraternity. Anyone who starts this journey towards Mecca, first divorces his identity, and everything which is regional, local, territorial, and myopic and become at once a member of a larger entity/whole which is one in dress, culture, behaviour, relation to God, in rituals, in language, in its call to God and above all in twenty-four hours routine. Now he is not an individual: he himself has become an expression of Tauhid — the message of unity and solidarity as against disunity and individuality, which is an expression of "shirk". No one who is not able to do that and remains an individual has certainly not touched the spirit of Hajj: and has not performed Hajj, has not fulfilled his responsibility as Muslim and thus may not deserve any reward.

Hajj provides a gigantic platform to the Ummah to make known to the world its true character and nature and express its identity of view on social, political, cultural, ethnic, economic and foreign affairs and thus relate the message of Tauhid to the contemporary challenges being faced by the Islamic World. It is high time that acceding to the Quranic teachings we acknowledged the vitality and potential of Hajj and frustrated the designs of the enemies of Islam who are doing everything within their means to neutralize the impact of this great Islamic congregation. In the Holy Qur’an God Almighty says, "You are absolved to trade for livelihood betaking yourselves to Providence for His bounty. And when you throng back from Mount Arafat then thankfully praise God at the Sacred Mount-Muzdalifa-and thankfully extol His glorious attributes for steering you to the path of rectitude although initially you were lost in the maze of error." 2:198. "God has made the Ka’ba, the sacrosanct House, the Mecca of mankind and the aspiration of one’s life to visit for material and spiritual reformation.’ 5:97. Islam enjoins both the corporal and the spiritual aspects of human existence and considers both of them as important constituents of a great paragon of beauty called "the best make" 95:4 and all acts of omissions and commissions respecting the commands of God are called Ibadat. According to the Holy Qur’an when people say, "Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire" 2:201 God says, "They shall have (their) portion of what they have earned, and Allah is swift in reckoning."

Even in the pre-Islamic times the month of Haj yielded tremendous benefits to the pagans as well as believing people of Arabia. People recognised sanctity of this month, and a general amnesty was declared for everyone that protected their trade and their caravans. It opened their markets and enabled them to exchange their merchandise freely. Islam further sanctified the peace and stability of Mecca and disciplined the life of Meccan during and after the month of Hajj for the whole year. It made all kinds of violence, bloodshed and aggression unlawful in the vicinity of Mecca. An absolute freedom from coercion, intimidation and fear was granted so that people pursued their intellectual, spiritual, economic and social etc. leanings in an atmosphere of peace and serenity. One cannot discount the fact that the Government of Saudi Arab is rendering invaluable services to Ummah by arranging for such a large number of Muslims across the globe to perform Hajj peacefully. At the same time, however, there is yet another greater responsibility laid on it to exploit fully the spirit of Hajj for aggrandising the stature, strength and dignity of Muslim Ummah through Hajj. Muslims come and display a great show of Muslim brotherhood, unity of the Ummah, and discipline.

Only these energies are to be channelled and given voice. Especially in the present times when Ummah is facing challenges of unknown magnitude we need to look at Hajj not only as a body of rituals but as an institution sustaining both power and virility as well as spirituality to Muslim Ummah. Hajj can yield tremendous political, cultural, social, economic and foreign policy benefits. Only we need to explore them. "…Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition." 13:11.