Everything will perish save His countenance.

Everything will perish save His countenance. Qur’an 29: 88 You started from Mecca and came directly to Arafat. Now you move from stage to stage back to "Kaaba". Lo we are Allah's and Lo' unto Him we are returning. Qur’an 2: 56 All that is discussed is "movement", a going movement (turn) and a coming movement (return). There is always a movement "toward" something and not "in" something! This is why Hajj is an absolute move. It is not a journey since every journey comes to an end.

Hajj is an absolute goal and external movement toward that goal. Therefore, it is not a destination that one may reach, but a goal that one tries to approach! This is why on your return from Arafat you are left in Mina behind the wall of Kaaba and not inside the Kaaba. This is what "to approach" not "to reach" means. In returning to Allah, there are three stages (Arafat, Mashar, and Mina) through which you must pass. They are NOT three places that you visit.

It is important to be aware of the emphasis placed upon the periods of stopping at each stage as well as the decision to pursue these stages. What do these three stages signify? Allah Himself has already given them their heavenly names: Arafat means: "Knowledge" and "science"! Mashar means: "Consciousness" and "understanding"! Mina means: "love" and "faith"! Go from Mecca to Arafat (Lo' we are Allah's) and then return from Arafat to Kaaba (Lo' unto Him we are returning).

Arafat represents the beginning of man's creation. In the story of Adam (creation of mankind on earth), it is said: After Adam's descent onto earth, he met Eve at Arafat, it was there that they were acquainted with each other". The descent was when Adam was instructed to leave heaven (after he rebelled). That heaven was not the one which is promised for the hereafter (paradise). It was the heaven on earth as well as Adam's birthplace.

Covered with shrubbery and trees, Adam ate drank, enjoyed himself, lived without any responsibilities and had no Job obligations. He was quite satisfied until Eblis, the angel who also rebelled by not prostrating to mankind, started to inspire evil suggestions to him. Man inspired by Allah, both the righteous and debauched, was persuaded by Eblis to transgress his "limitations", to rebel and eat "the forbidden fruit".

Eblis told man that by doing so he would live a longer and more enlightened life. "Wisdom" alone did not affect man; Adam refused to, eat the forbidden fruit.