Glencoe World History © 2010

Chapter 6: The World of Islam

Student Web Activity Lesson Plans

The Hajj

Introduction

The hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is not a single ritual, but a defined set of rituals that are observed at a set time each year in and around Makkah. Each able-bodied Muslim is expected to participate in the hajj at least once in his or her life. In this activity, students will explore the hajj in detail and gain a greater appreciation for how the hajj reinforces values and stories that are central to Islam.

Lesson Description
Students will go through a virtual hajj, the rituals it comprises, and its symbolic value for Muslims. Students will answer four questions about what they have read. They will then compose a brief essay on the role of the hajj in Islam.

Instructional Objectives

  1. The learner will be able to summarize the symbols, stories, and rituals around the hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
  2. The learner will be able to apply their knowledge of the hajj rituals to a specific period of Islamic civilization.

Student Web Activity Answers

  1. Muslims believe Abraham visited Mecca and Abraham and his son Ishmail built the Kaaba (Kabah) there.


  2. "The Stoning" is a ritual in which pilgrims toss pebbles at a series of three pillars which are meant to represent Satan.


  3. Tawaf is a counter-clockwise procession around the Kabah (Kaaba), performed as one of the hajj rituals. It is a form of prayer performed only in Mecca.


  4. The white clothing symbolizes a state of human equality and unity before God, in addition to the pilgrim’s purity.


  5. Students' answers should reflect an understanding of the hajj rituals and their meanings.

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