Lesson 8: Hajj

• Religious education
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

Lesson 8: Hajj

Program:

1. Welcome

2. Discuss homework

3. Rituals

4. Hajj

Lesson goals:

1. You can explain what the hajj and the rituals involvedare

2. You can explain what a ritual is and apply the characteristics to the Hajj

Homework

6. How did the historical disagreement over leadership after the death of the Prophet Muhammad shape the distinct religious practices and beliefs of Sunni and Shia Muslims today?

7. In what ways have political and cultural factors influenced Sunni-Shia relations over time, and how do these factors continue to play a role in contemporary conflicts?

6. The historical disagreement over leadership after the Prophet Muhammad's death led to the Sunni belief in a community-chosen caliph, emphasizing unity, while Shia Muslims believed leadership should remain within the Prophet's family, specifically Ali and his descendants. This division influenced religious practices, such as Shia commemorations of Karbala, and theological emphases, like the Sunni focus on communal consensus versus Shia reverence for their Imams' spiritual authority.

7. Colonial divisions, and modern nation-state rivalries, have deepened Sunni-Shia divides. These influences persist in contemporary conflicts, where sectarianism is often exacerbated by geopolitical struggles, such as in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, where competing powers like Saudi Arabia and Iran mobilize religious identities for political gain.

Rituals

A ritual can be described as a series of symbolic behaviors/actions that are considered necessary and meaningful in certain situations. The various steps of a ritual follow a fixed sequence. Religious rituals often refer to divine beings or ancestors whom the participant honors.

A ritual has multiple characteristics:

• It involves repetition (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).
• It has a fixed form and structure.
• It follows a specific sequence.
• It refers to a special/holy/unusual event. Distinguish between the usual en special events. 
• It possesses a powerful, supernatural, or divine element.

categories

1. Rite of passage: A ritual that symbolizes the transition from one life phase to another.
2. Rite of intensification: A ritual aimed at strengthening group cohesion.
3. Rite of divination: A ritual to obtain information or make predictions by invoking the gods.
4. Rite of preparation: A ritual performed to prepare for an important event.
5. Rite of protection: A ritual intended to offer protection.

Hajj

Pilgrimage =  journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life

Hajj = Pilgrimage to Mecca to be made once in a lifetime (if possible)

Pillar of Islam

Assignments Hajj

- We will watch a video about rituals.

- Now do assignment 1

- Continue with assignment 2 and 3