Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mr. Womack, and I am delighted to be learning with you today.

I've just got a feeling that we're going to do a really good job.

So let's get started, shall we? Today's lesson is called "Hajj: The Impact on Believers," and it comes from the unit "Pilgrimage." Why might some people visit Jerusalem, Ka'bah, or Makkah? By the end of the lesson, you'll be able to explain how Hajj has an impact on believers' lives before, during, and after Hajj.

And these are the keywords that we're going to use today.

We're going to practice saying them now together.

I'm gonna say them first, and then you are going to have a go.

We'll start with the first one: Eid ul-Adha.

Eid ul-Adha.

The Festival of Sacrifice in Islam.

Hajji.

Hajji.

And that's a Muslim man who has been on Hajj.

And finally, Ummah.

Ummah.

And that's the worldwide community of Islam.

Keep your eyes peeled because we'll be coming back to these keywords throughout the lesson.

Here is the lesson outline.

In the first part of the lesson, we're going to look at: what is the impact on believers before Hajj? And in the second part, we'll look at: what is the impact on believers during and after Hajj? We're going to start with: what is the impact on believers before Hajj? Here is Laura.

Laura explains how we use social science in religious education.

Laura says, "Social scientists are interested in how people live.

They consider how context, such as where they live or when they lived, affects this.

We can better understand people's worldviews by looking at photographs or analyzing data.

We can survey or interview people to find out more about their worldview.

In this lesson, we will be listening to someone with a Muslim worldview to help us learn about the impact of the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah.

Here's Iqbal.

Iqbal has a Muslim worldview.

He explains the importance of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Iqbal says, "Muslims are required to make the Hajj at least once in their life if they are physically able and could afford to do so.

The pilgrimage has a huge impact on pilgrims' lives before, during, and after the event." Iqbal explains the impact of the Hajj pilgrimage on his own life.

Iqbal says, "The impact of the Hajj began before I had even left home to go to Makkah.

Going on Hajj involves a lot of preparation and planning.

There is a lot to think about." "Going on Hajj can be very expensive.

For British Muslims, it can cost approximately 11,000 pounds.

Many Muslims will save up so a family member can go." Money is needed for: flights to Saudi Arabia, transport to Makkah, and then, when you arrive, accommodation, too.

So lots to pay for there.

Iqbal continues.

"Before leaving on Hajj, I prepared myself spiritually as well as physically.

I tried hard to pray more and to read the Qur'an regularly to help me draw closer to God before beginning my pilgrimage.

So let's take a moment to check our understanding.

Which of these is not an impact Hajj has on Muslims before they leave for Hajj? So which one is not an impact? Is it A, saving up to afford the pilgrimage? B, reading the Qur'an? C, buying new clothing to look smart on Hajj? Or D, praying more regularly? Going to want to pause the video now whilst you think which one of these is not an impact Hajj has on Muslims? The answer is C.

Buying new clothing to look smart on Hajj is not an impact Hajj has on Muslims before they leave.

Well done if you got that answer right.

Look at this photograph of the Ka'bah in Makkah during Hajj.

What do you notice about all the people? You might want to pause the video now, whilst you take a moment to inspect that photograph in more detail.

So I wonder what you noticed.

Well, there are thousands of people circulating the Ka'bah, and they come from all cultures and nationalities.

Iqbal tells us that at least two million pilgrims go on Hajj every year from all over the world.

So let's take a moment to complete a true or false question.

True or false? There can be around two million pilgrims going on Hajj each year.

You're going to want to pause the video now, whilst you think is the answer true or false? And why? The answer is true.

The number of Muslims going on Hajj each year has reached two to three million.

That's a lot of people, isn't it? So there are approximately two billion Muslims in the world, and they could not all go on Hajj at once, as this would place people in danger and overwhelm Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has given each country a quota, a number of people that are allowed to go on Hajj from that country.

It is linked to the number of Muslims who live in those countries.

The Saudi Arabian government has set up a website to help people apply for Hajj.

And this is to stop too many accidents happening with lots of people in the same place.

So look carefully at this data on the Hajj quota.

What is it telling us? Does it surprise you? Indonesia has the largest number of Muslims in the world and so is allowed the highest number of pilgrims. The UK, however, has a much smaller number of Muslims than countries like India and Pakistan, but it has a larger percentage of Muslims than the United States.

And you can see the United Kingdom Hajj quota on the screen there.

So let's take a moment to check out our understanding with a true or false question.

True or false? Any Muslim in the world can make Hajj whenever they choose.

Is the answer true or false? And why? You're going to want to pause video now whilst you think of your answer.

The answer is false.

Muslims need to book their visit through the Saudi Arabian Hajj website 'cause every country has a quota for the number of pilgrims. The data shows that some countries have a larger quota than others.

Really well done if you got that answer right.

So it's time for us to complete a task now.

Here's Izzy.

Izzy explains how she thinks Hajj impact believers before pilgrimage.

Izzy says, "Going on Hajj is quite easy.

Any Muslims can go when they choose.

Most Muslims do not do anything special before they leave." Well, your job is to explain why Izzy is incorrect.

And you can see the sentence starter there: "Izzy is incorrect because.

." You're going to want to pause the video now while you help explain why Izzy is incorrect, and I look forward to seeing what you put.

Well, I wonder what you put.

You might have said something like this.

Izzy is incorrect because going on Hajj can cost around 11,000 pounds, so many Muslims will have to save up to go.

Saudi Arabia limits the number of pilgrims from different countries, so Muslims have to apply through a special website.

And you might have said that many Muslims like Iqbal will prepare spiritually before Hajj.

They might pray more regularly or read the Qur'an more.

Really well done for putting in lots of effort to complete that task.

So that brings us to the second part of the lesson: what is the impact on believers during and after Hajj? Here is Laura again, and Laura explains more about social science in religious education.

Laura says, "Listening to a real person's experience is a helpful way of learning how religion impacts people's lives.

It is important to remember that each person talks about their own experience, and other people may have different feelings.

So let's take a moment to check our understanding with a true or false question.

True or false? Hearing about one person's experience of Hajj can tell us about what every Muslim may feel.

Is the answer true or false? And why? You're going to want to pause the video now whilst you think about your answer.

The answer is false.

Everyone will have different feelings and experiences, but we can learn a lot from hearing about someone's real experience of Hajj.

Really well done if you got that answer right.

Laura says, "Iqbal went on Hajj last year.

I would like to find out more about his experiences on Hajj and the impact it has had on him." Laura asks Iqbal, "How did you feel before you set off on your pilgrimage?" Iqbal says, "Even getting to Makkah was a bit of a test of my faith, as there was so much to do to get ready.

But when I got there, I felt completely unplugged from all the worries of my daily life." What does Iqbal say about how he felt before Hajj? How did he feel when he got there? Well, Iqbal found that all the preparation tested his faith as it is so difficult.

Remember, he said, "Even getting to Makkah was a bit of a test of my faith, as there was so much to do to get ready." But when Iqbal arrived, he felt he could leave all his worries behind.

For some Muslims, Hajj can mean they unplug from daily life.

Laura asks, "How did you feel when you saw the Ka'bah for the first time?" Iqbal says, "Seeing the Ka'bah for the first time, I instantly felt goosebumps.

Tears rolled down my cheeks.

It was a blessed moment when I finally got to go for Hajj! I felt excited and grateful to be there." So how did Iqbal feel when he saw the Ka'bah for the first time? Well, seeing the Ka'bah had a huge impact on Iqbal.

He said, "I instantly felt goosebumps, and tears rolled down my cheeks." He felt blessed and grateful to be there.

And this shows what powerful feelings Hajj can create.

So let's take a moment to check our understanding.

Which two of these statements reflect how Iqbal felt about Hajj? Will you choose A, he got goosebumps when he saw the Ka'bah? B, he was worried about how much Hajj cost? C, he left all his worries from daily life behind? Or D, he felt upset, and this made him cry? So which two of these statements reflect how Iqbal felt about Hajj? You're going to want to pause the video now whilst you think which two of these you need to choose.

The answers were A, he got goosebumps when he saw the Ka'bah.

And C, he left all his worries from daily life behind.

Really well done if you got that answer right.

So Laura continues asking Iqbal questions.

Laura asks, "What was the impact of stoning the Jamarat?" And Iqbal says, "Throwing stones at the Jamarat was a blessed moment.

It was like I was throwing all my sins away.

I felt so new, and my faith seemed so much stronger." So what does Iqbal say was the impact of the Jamarat? Well, at the Jamarat, Muslims remember Abraham throwing stones at the devil.

Iqbal felt like all his sins were being thrown away.

And this shows that Hajj might make people feel forgiven and their faith stronger.

So let's take a moment to check our understanding again.

Which two of these statements reflect how Iqbal felt about stoning the pillars at Jamarat? Will you choose A, he felt goosebumps? B, he felt he was throwing his sins away? Or C, his faith felt much stronger? You're going to want to pause the video now, whilst you think which two of these you need to choose.

The correct answers were B, he felt he was throwing his sins away, and C, his faith felt much stronger.

Well done if you got that answer correct.

The Muslim community around the world is called the Ummah.

Iqbal explains his feeling of connection to the Ummah during his celebration of Eid ul-Adha.

Iqbal says, "Celebrating Eid ul-Adha at the end of my pilgrimage was such an inspirational moment.

I felt connected to all the Muslim people around the world.

This is true Ummah." So let's check our understanding with a true or false question.

Pilgrims might feel like part of the worldwide community of Muslims when making Hajj.

Is the answer true or false? And why? You're going to want to pause the video now, whilst you think about your answer.

The answer is true.

Iqbal said he felt connected to all the Muslim people around the world.

This is called the Ummah.

Really well done if you got that answer right.

So here's a picture of Iqbal and his family at the end of their pilgrimage.

After returning home to the UK, Iqbal can now be known as a Hajji.

This title signifies a Muslim man who has completed Hajj.

Similarly, a Muslim woman who has completed Hajj is known as a Hajjah.

Laura asks, "How do you behave or think differently now that you are a Hajji?" Iqbal responds: "Every day on Hajj, I pray to Allah to give me the best in this world and the afterlife.

I promised I would spend more time in prayer.

A year later, I still feel closer to Allah and do at least one extra prayer a day." This is Mr. Rehman.

Mr. Rehman is another British Muslim who recently completed Hajj.

He is also a Hajji.

Like Iqbal, listening to him provides us with more information about the impact of Hajj on Muslims. Listen to Mr. Rehman explain how he felt Hajj made a difference to him.

<v ->My name is Mr. Rehman</v> and I went on the Hajj a few years ago.

The impact that journey has had on me is quite profound because it's made me realize what a true Muslim would be.

It's made me think about what my life is all about and how I submit myself to God.

It's made my prayers feel more real because when I pray, I feel like I'm communicating with God, and that makes me feel more realistic.

And just overall, I feel like it's made me into a better person because it kind of makes me put everything into perspective and to understand what the important things are in my life.

And for me, my faith is the most important.

<v ->So, can you think of three things that Mr. Rehman said</v> about the impact Hajj has had on him? Laura says, "It made him think how he submitted himself to God." Jacob says, "He felt it made his prayers feel more real." And Izzy said, "He felt it made him into a better person." So let's take a moment to check our understanding with a true or false question.

True or false? Hajj does not have an impact on a Hajji when they return.

Is the answer true or false? And why? You're going to want to pause the video now, whilst you think about your answer.

The answer is false.

Iqbal talked about how he had drawn closer to God and prayed more since he returned from Hajj.

Well done if you got that answer right.

So it's time for a task now.

Describe the impact that Hajj pilgrimage might have on Muslims. You need to write two sentences about the impact during Hajj and write two sentences about the impact after Hajj.

And you can use the following quotes to help you.

You're going to want to pause the video now whilst you complete this task, and I look forward to hearing what you put.

Well, I wonder what you said.

You might have said something like this.

The Hajj pilgrimage can have a huge impact on Muslims. For example, Iqbal said that Hajj made him feel connected to the Muslim community and that stoning the Jamarat was like throwing his sins away.

You might have said that when Muslims return from Hajj, it still has an impact.

Iqbal said that he feels closer to God and still does one extra prayer a day.

Really well done for putting in lots of effort to complete that task.

Well, that brings us to the end of our learning today, so let's summarize what we've looked at.

Firstly, we've learned for many Muslims, Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it requires careful preparation and planning.

We've learned that Hajj will have a physical and spiritual impact on many Muslims' lives.

And we learned that Hajj continues to have an impact on people's lives after it is over.

And finally, listening to people's experiences can help us understand the impact of Hajj.

Well, I've really enjoyed learning with you today.

You've done a fantastic job, and we've covered lots, haven't we? I look forward to working with you again soon in the future, but bye for now.