Virtual Hajj

Thursday night, October 27th, started the first 10 days of Zuhl Hijjah, the last lunar month on the Islamic calendar. These are the best 10 days of the entire year. During part of these 10 days, the Hajj is performed, and Eid Al Adha, the feast of Sacrifice, is celebrated. For more information you can click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hajj. On Saturday, we took the Professors to a local mosque that holds a Virtual Hajj exhibit, put on by the students of the Islamic Sunday School. This was our first year going and we had a great time! 

To start our 'Hajj' we first had to purchase our travel Visa's.

Then we entered the Virtual Hajj. There was a group tour, or you could do the stations on your own.

The Kaaba.

The Professors were upset they could not go inside the Kaaba, but settled for feeling the cloth and the bricks, and making tawaaf around it.

Meeqat Ibrahim.

The well of Zam Zam. 

 Zam Zam water.
Each Professor got to have a small cup of authentic Zam Zam water.

The running between the moutains of Safaa and Marwa.

The Professors enjoyed this station, but jogged more than ran.

The standing of Arafa'
(This will take place on Satruday, Nov. 5th. insha' Allah)

The Stoning of the Jamara.

The stones were made of tin foil (brilliant idea!) and the Professors loved it! We did this station multiple times, and had a few warnings from Security, and Parents, for Professor #3 not to climb inside the display.

Tent city at Mina.

The sacrifice.

This poster of a sheep represented the sacrifice. The poster was pretty worn out, and had lost a few clumps of wool. The Professors enjoyed petting it.

This year, Eid Al Adha, the feast of Sacrifice will fall on Sunday Nov. 6th, and the Standing of Arafah' will be the day before, Saturday Nov. 5th.

EID MUBARAK.