SUNDAY STORY:Holy Pilgrimage

Imam Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini has made the journey of a lifetime — 30 times.

In December, Al-Qazwini again ventured to Mecca — joined by 38 members of his local mosque, the Islamic Educational Center of Orange County in Costa Mesa — to make the pilgrimage, or hajj, to the holy city of Islam.

As one of the five pillars of the religion, every able-bodied Muslim man and woman with the financial means is obliged to make the sacred journey at least once. During the time of the pilgrimage, which occurs around the holiday Eid al-Adha in the final month of the Islamic calendar, about 3 million people visit Mecca.

Despite the physical and mental rigor of the pilgrimage, Muslims do not view it as a burden but instead an exceptional opportunity to visit the house of God.

“This is not an ordinary trip; this is an extraordinary journey,” said Al-Qazwini, who most recently made the pilgrimage with his 11-year-old daughter Maha. “Nothing could bring people to this place and these harsh circumstances other than their love for Allah.”

The expedition, which takes about 10 days and costs roughly $4,000 to $5,000, consists of several rituals, each symbolizing a central aspect of Islam and solidarity among Muslims around the world.

During one ceremony, called tawaf, pilgrims circle the Kaaba — the holiest building in Mecca — several times to demonstrate that God is the center and focus of their lives. The sayi, an act in which Muslims walk the almost-500-yard distance between the hills Safa and Marwah seven times, represents God’s compassion in answering prayers.

“Every step that you do on Hajj has a different type of feeling,” said 39-year-old Mohammad Alkhuder, who recently completed his first pilgrimage. “The whole time, you feel you’re so close to God. You want to talk to him directly.”

Possibly the greatest lesson Alkhuder took from hajj was patience. When his luggage didn’t arrive at the airport in Saudi Arabia, he learned to live without instead of getting frustrated. And since he returned to his home in Pomona, he has applied the lesson in both his personal and business life.

“I am trying to change in a way so I don’t pass judgment so fast and try to become wiser about things,” he said. “Hopefully, I will succeed.”

Traveling to Mecca was a trial in itself for Dannesh Kassamali, 20, but it was a sacrifice he was more than willing to make. It took more than four days from the time he left his home in Irvine until he reached the holy city, due to stopovers and delays.

“This isn’t a vacation,” said the San Diego State University student. “Hajj, to me, is the biggest sacrifice and a beautiful one.”

After seeing images and hearing stories of hajj all his life, Mahdy Talai, 26, never fully understood the magnificence of the religious rite until he experienced it for the first time.

Like Alkhuder, he described the trip as a test of patience. And upon its completion, he believes pilgrims have a better understanding of life — of their own strengths and weaknesses — and leave with a sense of accomplishment.

“This experience helps you create a good foundation to live the rest of your life on,” the first-time pilgrim said, thankful for the opportunity to go as a young man. “It opens your eyes and helps you understand the bigger picture.”

For Talai, one of the defining moments on hajj occurred while visiting the Mosque of the Prophet in the nearby city of Medina. Walking near the tomb of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, he wished he had his prayer beads, or tasbih, which he had left at home. Though he didn’t share his thoughts with anyone, an older man from another group approached him, dropping tasbih in his hand without saying a word.

When Talai looked at him, mystified, the man said nothing, pointed to the sky and continued on his way. At that point, Talai said he knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

But not every moment of enlightenment during hajj occurs in such an enchanted way. One of the physically wearing tasks of the journey is also one of the most meaningful for many pilgrims.

Al-Qazwini recalls spending the night outdoors in a desert just outside Mecca barely large enough to house the millions assembled there, most of whom were unable to sleep due to the freezing cold. Not concentrating on their discomfort, they instead remembered the homeless and poor who endure such conditions night after night, he said.

The imam said the entire experience of hajj is a humbling one, as Muslims of all nations, classes and ages join together for a common purpose. He shed his traditional turban and robe to wear an ihram, the simple clothing worn by all pilgrims on hajj that demonstrates the equality of all people in the eyes of God.

In the 39-member group from his mosque, 10 countries were represented — including India, Morocco and Iraq.

“Despite the diversity of origins, they stand shoulder to shoulder wearing maybe the simplest materials,” said Al-Qazwini, who prayed next to Tariq Al-Hashimi, the vice president of Iraq, while in Mecca.

“You can’t distinguish who is who on the basis of wealth or lineage or power.

“We all come from one beginning and we share the same earth and destiny.”