110 Cities

Sacred Act 1: Ihram (cleaning, preparation day)

Pilgrims must enter into the state of Ihram (purity) which involves ritual washing and then
wearing white, plain garments. These garments indicate that all pilgrims are equal. Following
this cleansing, pilgrims are officially on the Hajj.
As they cross the pilgrimage boundary, the men will shout the Talbiyah, a Muslim prayer: “Here I
am at Thy service O Lord, here I am. Here I am at Thy service and Thou hast no partners. Thine
alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty. Thou hast no partners.”
During this day of cleansing, pilgrims visit the the Grand Mosque in which the Ka’aba is located.
The Ka’aba is a black building in the center of the Mosque that is considered to be the Bayt Allah
(“House of God”), the most sacred site in Islam. It is equivalent to the Holy of Holies in the Jewish
Tabernacle and Temple. After leaving the Grand Mosque, many pilgrims will walk to the tent city
of Mina to spend the night.

Key Scriptures to Pray
“But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the
greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, not a part of this
creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy
Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and
the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are
outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve
the living God.” Hebrews 9:11-14

Going before the Father

• Pray Muslims would know that only the Lord Jesus Christ provides the “purification for sins”
  that they desire. Pray for their spiritual journey to include dreams and visions of Jesus.
• As Muslims walk into the Grand Mosque and see the Ka’aba, they feel like they are entering
  the most holy place on earth. Hebrews 9:11-14 says the Lord Jesus entered the “Most Holy
  Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption”. Pray that pilgrims
  would know that only in Jesus can they have an unblemished conscience and eternal
  redemption.