Is anyone interested in participating in a virtual Hajj to Mecca in Second Life?

[Rita J. King]

We will be scheduling this event soon, and it will be part of DIP's Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds project. We welcome comments about the concept of a virtual Hajj, and participants. In order to participate you will need a registered avatar in Second Life and the ability to operate the avatar. This event will be recorded for the creation of machinima.

[CFW Rietveld]

Dear Rita,

In the pilgrimage two things are important, the road and the goal.

Regarding the goal, Maulama Rumi had a very nice saying in the 12th century.

In those days, every body would collect in Damascus, and wait for the Ottoman Khalifa. After some time he would come and everybody would go, the ones who could afford it with a camel, shared between pilgrims or for rich people alone. Through the empty quarter invested by highway men. People would be killed. People would be robbed. In the end after two - three months people would arrive at Mecca. Exhausted.

Now Rumi said: "People go on Hajj and all they do when they get to Mecca is circle a heap of stones."

Meaning that circling the Qaaba, without spiritual awareness that you are circling an emanation of God, it has been a useless exercise. Goal is not to circle a heap of stones, or to circle because it has been ordered.

Regarding the road, the suffis consider it more important then the goal. Sometimes the goal of the pilgrimage becomes unimportant, because so much is acquired on the road. Think again about the suffering of the 12th century pilgrim. Struggling with thirst, long roads, bandits. It is the road, the being alone with God on that road, which is important. He starts thinking, praying, talking. He acquires much.

So a virtual Hajj would be a misnomer. You could very well in a hypothetical situation set up a virtual Haj and even include the images of the places visited on the actual road. But two things would be missing: The road and the goal.

It would be a sightseeing tour. Not a Hajj.

Warmest

CFW Rietveld

[Rita J. King]

Dear CFW:

What an incredibly thoughtful insight, and greatly appreciated! Do you think it is possible, within the framework of having a road and a goal, to create such an atmosphere virtually? While the road is not "real" in a virtual space, it is a place where real people can share their spiritual insights, often in a far more candid manner than they might in the physical world. There are several reasons for this, including the fact that a "real" road requires a different level of attention (ie thirst, physical motion, tired limbs, distance between oneself and others) while a virtual experience allows people to concentrate on one another.

[CFW Rietveld]

Dear Rita,

What is the objective, wisdom or knowledge? I would say that DIP would rather be a forum for the aqcuisition of knowledge, not of wisdom.

"Where am I? The universe can not contain me, yet the heart of a true believer can." Maulama Rumi took this to its logical conclusion and started circling himself, hence the whirling Dherwishes.

In another example disciples shifted the direction of their prayers from the Qaaba to their teacher in trance, because with the teacher annihilated God remained.

Point being that an image, virtual or a postcard of the Qaaba, is but an image and that in the absence of the real thing, your own heart is the better solution.

The road (Tariqa) leads inwards, the goal being the annihilation of self, leaving the beloved in the embers of self. Suffering is but a tool for the annihilation of self and the acquisition of wisdom. Sufis in the old days, made them self despised in order to enhance their suffering and lose themselves.

The goal is losing one self in the face of God. Hence the person is annihilated in the Hajj in the crowd of pilgrims.

A sufi once said, "I am God" and was treated a heretic. His point was that he had annihilated himself and only the beloved, God remained. Truly an audacious claim!

Interaction is necessary for the acquisition of knowledge, annihilation is necessary for the acquisition of wisdom.

If the objective is acquisition of knowledge the current forum would suffice. If the goal would be the acquisition of wisdom the universe would not suffice.

In a way, what your are hitting on is the difference between 'east' and 'west'. Tired limbs are essential.

Warmest

CFW Rietveld