Dr. Howayda Al-Hajj Hassan, a psychological consultant, confirmed to Okaz that the Hajj pilgrimage is one of the best actions that a Muslim can do to draw closer to God Almighty from all psychological and social aspects.
She said: God Almighty has enjoined various acts of worship at specific times regularly so that the believer learns patience, bearing hardships, striving against the self, controlling its whims and desires, and acquiring the benign qualities that provide the person with the elements of sound mental health and protect him from mental illness.
It stated that the Muslims’ performance of the Hajj has many great mental health benefits that immerse the pilgrims with a divine feeling of security, tranquility and spiritual happiness, the most important of which is the visit of the pilgrims to the Sacred House of God in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, and the Mosque of the Noble Messenger, upon him be the best prayer and peace, and in that the hearts of the believers are filled with a divine spiritual energy. It is a great thing that removes from them the anguish of life, its worries and problems, so that a person’s connection with his Lord increases and he feels psychological serenity, transcendence and tranquility.
She added that Hajj helps pilgrims rid their souls of strife, hatred, hatred and envy towards all people in general.
Howaida noted the deep psychological significance of the white dress for pilgrims, which is the color of Ihram that men wear, based on the saying of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him: Wear white clothes, for they are among the best of your clothes. The psychological connotation of it is purity and serenity, suggesting comfort, tranquility and serenity, and this color symbolizes optimism, pleasure, love and purity, and the pilgrims wear white clothes that are devoid of adornment, an appearance that indicates the equality of Muslims despite their different scientific, social and cultural classes, which spreads equality and non-discrimination between them and makes them more unity and cohesion.
The psychological consultant concluded by saying, that a scientific study proved that belief in God Almighty, maintaining prayer, paying zakat and alms, fasting Ramadan, Umrah, Hajj and reading the Holy Qur’an are an effective treatment for all psychological diseases that may affect a person, including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, headache, fear. From illness, insomnia.