Along with closeness to God and achieving His pleasure...

Along with closeness to God and achieving His pleasure, there are many other benefits for fasting, such as strengthening one’s determination, reminding people of God’s blessings such as the food that they enjoy everyday which they may take for granted, remembering the hunger and thirst of the Day of Judgement, helping the rich to understand what the poor experience in order to awaken their sense of benevolence and sympathy, weakening one’s appetites and lower desires, and letting rational understanding and spiritual awareness flourish.

In general the Qur’an says: O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). (2:183) 3 . Pilgrimage to Mecca Every Muslim who has attained puberty, and is financiall y and physically capable, must once in his lifetime perform pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) in the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar.

In Mecca is situated the most important Mosque for the Muslims all over the world called Masjid al-Haram, which is the sanctuary of the Ka’bah. All Muslims direct their face and body towards the Ka’bah in their prayers. The Ka’bah is the cubical construction built by the Prophet Abraham and his son, Prophet Ishmael, on the foundations of what had originally been built by the Prophet Adam.

Indeed, to a great extent, pilgrimage to Mecca is a symbolic Reconstruction of what the Prophet Abraham, the arch monotheist went through in this very place about four thousand years ago. After a long journey, when Abraham arrived in Mecca he was asked by God to make preparation for people’s pilgrimage to Mecca. The Qur’an says: Do not associate with Me anything, and purify My house for those who circle around it and stand to pray and bow and prostrate themselves.

And proclaim among the people the pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel from every remote path that they may witness the benefits for them and mention the name of God during the appointed days over what He has given them. (22:26-28) Most surely the first house appointed for men is the one at Bekka, blessed and a guidance for the nations.

In it are the clear signs, the standing place of Abraham, and whoever enters it shall be secure, and pilgrimage to the House is incumbent upon men for the sake of God, (upon) everyone who is able to undertake the journey to it; and whoever disbelieves, then surely God is Self- sufficient, above any need of the worlds.