Animoto about Islam

An Animoto video about the fifth pillar of Islam, the Pilgrimage to Mecca:



The fifth pillar of Islam is called the Hajj. It refers to the duty of every able-bodied Muslim to make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca, a city in Saudi Arabia. Mecca is a holy city of Islam; in fact, only Muslim people are allowed in it. The pilgrimage reflects a similar journey that Muhammad made. Upon reaching Mecca, Muslim people perform various rituals and ceremonies, similar to ones a catholic person might make when they go to the Vatican in Rome. One of the most prominent features is the gigantic black stone in the center of an enormous mosque. This stone is known as the Kaaba, which predates Islam and is considered the most sacred site in the religion. One of the many things a Muslim person is to do there is to walk around the stone seven times counter-clockwise. This is what every Muslim person faces when they perform their prayers, no matter where they are. This increases the connection between every Muslim person since all the prayers are at the same time and facing the same direction.