outside reading 2 - tony pasquariello

The importance of the Hajj is immeasurable. The feeling of being one with God and having a clean slate is astonishing. The pilgrimage conserves, enhances, and reinforces Muslim ideologies in a world that is constantly changing. After participating in the rituals, many pilgrims achieve a sense that they are connected to a greater, transcendent whole that surpasses economic, cultural, and racial differences. The pilgrimage serves as symbolic affirmation of faith for converts and Muslims who want to renew their fait. In some societies, the Hajj transforms regular individuals into social elites. In some parts of Egypt, those who have completed the journey are sometimes even viewed as saint-like. After the pilgrimage is completed the pilgrims become saintly individuals who are free of all sins and deserving of paradise.