All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
Hajj is one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, a religion that was sent to eradicate paganism and promote knowledge, justice, and goodness among humanity. It is inconceivable that a religion established to fight idolatry would contain elements of paganism within its core practices.
Therefore, any confusion some people may have about the presence of paganism in the rituals of Hajj is merely the result of a misunderstanding of Islamic law and a lack of clarity about the definition of the term "paganism." Interpretations of this term often vary among individuals. However, once an agreement on its meaning is established, the issue will, by Allah’s permission, be resolved.
In our Shariah, paganism is defined as attributing the power to bring benefit or harm, or any of the attributes of divinity, to anyone other than Allah, the Exalted. It also includes directing acts of worship and religious rituals, out of reverence and seeking closeness, to anyone other than Him, Glory be to Him.
The heart of a servant may become attached to multiple forces, perceiving them as sources of salvation, deliverance, and relief, instead of Allah The Almighty. This is when paganism arises, and a person becomes vulnerable to everything other than Allah. In contrast, Islam calls individuals to direct their attention and devotion to the One God, the Lord of the heavens, the earth, and all that is between them, the Creator and Owner of everything. As the leader of the prophets, prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), said: "Indeed, I have turned my face toward the One who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah" [Al-An’am, 80].
Undoubtedly, every act of worship must be associated with a specific place or time. If Islamic law designates certain places of worship, such as mosques or the sacred sites of Hajj, or certain times, such as Ramadan or the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, for special reverence, it would be a misunderstanding to consider these places or times as deities besides Allah. It would be erroneous to view such reverence as a departure from the principles of monotheism to the depths of pre-Islamic paganism.
The object of worship—feared, hoped for, revered, and believed to possess absolute influence—is Allah The Almighty alone. Anything else, whether related to time, place, or circumstance, is merely a context and not an end in itself. No one attributes to these things any of the exclusive attributes of divinity. People direct their acts of worship in or at these places and times, not to them. This distinction is subtle yet significant and crucial to understanding the essence of worship in Islam.
This can be clarified through a practical example:
Does respecting a memorial in any country—by displaying its image, placing its symbol on official documents, and similar actions—mean that it is being worshipped or that this is a form of pre-Islamic paganism? Does such an idea even cross people’s minds today? Or is there a clear and nuanced distinction that everyone intuitively understands between pagan religions and the reverence for certain places and symbols, whether they are religious, national, or cultural?
This is said while maintaining the Islamic reservation against images and statues.
Similarly, we say that Hajj, in its broader sense, is a journey directed toward Allah through supplication, remembrance, and sacrifice. These are all forms of devotion and worship that are exclusively directed to Allah, The Almighty. The places and times associated with Hajj are merely contexts and vessels in which these acts of worship are performed. They are revered because Allah has honored them, not because they possess any attributes of divinity.
Circumambulation (Tawaf) and the Sa’i (walking between Safa and Marwa) are physical acts of worship performed to draw closer to Allah. They include a great deal of remembrance and supplication. The Kaaba, Safa, and Marwa are merely places where these acts of worship are carried out. No pilgrim or performer of Umrah entertains the thought that these places have any special influence over the universe or any ability to bring benefit or harm.
Similarly, during the ritual of casting stones at the Jamarat, the pilgrim reflects on the actions of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) as he opposed Satan, rejected his whispers, and pelted him with stones. Ibrahim faithfully obeyed his Lord’s command and acted upon the vision to sacrifice his son, Ismail (peace be upon him). This act inspires the Muslim to turn away from falsehood and its proponents, and it motivates them to draw closer to Allah through worship. You find that with each stone cast, the pilgrim proclaims “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest) without attributing any divine or lordly qualities to the Jamarat themselves. So, where is the paganism in this act?
Kissing the Black Stone is an act of worship, performed by Muslims as an expression of closeness to Allah and in adherence to the example of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). For this reason, it is prescribed to say “Allahu Akbar” and “La ilaha illa Allah” when touching it, to eliminate any misconception of reverence for the stone itself. It was narrated from Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he came to the Black Stone and kissed it, saying: "I know that you are just a stone; you can neither bring harm nor benefit. Were it not that I had seen the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) kiss you, I would not have kissed you." [Transmitted by Bukhari & Muslim].
The scholars have said regarding this: "Umar said this because the people were still new to abandoning idol worship, and he feared that the ignorant might think that touching the Black Stone was a form of glorifying certain stones, as the Arabs used to do in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance. Therefore, Umar wanted to teach the people that touching the Black Stone is an act of following the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and not because the stone itself has the power to bring benefit or harm, as the people of ignorance believed about idols."
Qadi Iyad states: "This demonstrates that kissing the Black Stone is not an act of worship directed at it, but rather at Allah The Almighty, by complying with His command regarding it. It is similar to His command for the angels to prostrate to Adam. Additionally, the practice of saying 'Allahu Akbar' (takbir) was prescribed for the people to make it clear that this act is one of humility before Allah, not anyone else. Furthermore, the concepts of good and bad are determined by Sharia (divine law), not by human reason."
It is incumbent upon every Muslim to always turn away from the doubts raised by the enemies of Islam, whose intent is to cast doubt on the faith of Muslims and to divert people away from it. A Muslim should firmly believe that Islam—with all its rulings—is the religion Allah The Almighty has chosen for His servants because it ensures the betterment of all aspects of their lives. Allah says {what means}: "This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion." [Al-Ma’idah, 3].
It is important to note that the prescribed acts in this regard are limited to kissing the Black Stone and touching the Yemeni Corner. As for seeking blessings from the other corners of the Kaaba, its walls, or the pillar set on Mount Arafah (Jabal al-Rahmah), these are practices commonly done by the general public but are not established as recommended in authentic Sunnah. In fact, scholars have explicitly stated that such actions are incorrect. Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "One should not kiss or touch the two northern corners (the Shami corners) for the sake of adherence to the Sunnah"
However, embracing the Multazam (The area between Hajar al-Aswad and the door of the Kaaba where pilgrims make supplications) for the purpose of supplication and seeking Allah’s aid is permissible. And Allah The Almighty knows best.
