A sea of people dressed in white flood the streets of Mecca each year as millions of Muslims gather to worship and ask forgiveness from God.

White symbolizes unity among Muslims, who wear two simple white cloths — one covering the top half of the body and one to cover the lower half — during their pilgrimage to Mecca.

Islamic law requires every Muslim to complete the hajj, or pilgrimage, at least once in their lifetime if physically and financially able.

"I was in Mecca with 4 million other of my brothers and sisters," said Mehdi Jafri, a physiology senior,. "We went there for the sole purpose of worshiping God, obeying God, repenting for our sins and trying to reestablish a connection with God.

"Regardless of your race, regardless of your social status, regardless of what country you are from, you are all same in front of God. That's the message of hajj, and the only thing that is important is your obedience to God."

During winter break, the following four MSU students completed this important step in their lives as Muslims.

"House of God"

The pilgrimage to Mecca, a city in Saudi Arabia, is the fifth and final pillar in the Islamic religion. The pillars are the foundation of Islam, which governs Muslim religious practices.

Muslims pray five times a day, beginning at 5 a.m. at Mecca and ending in the evening. During those daily prayers, hundreds of lines of worshipers radiate outward facing the Kaaba.

Mecca is home to the first holiest site in Islam — the Kaaba — or "House of God," which God commanded Abraham to build, said Mohamed Mahgoub, public outreach committee representative for the Islamic Center, 920 S. Harrison Ave.

Another important city in the history of the hajj is Arafat, where the prophet Mohammed gave his final sermon before he passed away.

"This is where it is said you are supposed to pray the most because it is said all of your supplications are accepted," said Farhan Bhatti, a 2006 MSU graduate.

Khasim Jafri, a physiology freshman and Mehdi's brother, said Arafat is one of the most emotionally straining places he went to during the pilgrimage. People there are continually asking for forgiveness, he said.

"It is a place where people are crying, no one is talking and no one is arguing," he said.

"Here I am, oh Lord, here I am."

When everyone arrives at Mecca, they circle the Kaaba — a mosque resembling a black stone cube — counterclockwise seven times, while chanting, "Here I am, oh Lord, here I am" continuously.

Circling the Kaaba is intended to be a representation of your life, Khasim Jafri said. During the task, Jafri said he focused on protecting his family throughout his life.

"It symbolizes unity of people of all colors, all places, all languages, all conditions going around Kaaba and coming to Mecca for nothing more than serving God," Mahgoub said.

Because more than 4 million people attend each year, most of the students said it was hard to stay patient and calm when circling the mosque.

"If you're with a group, you are probably going to get lost or at least get separated," Bhatti said.

But by chance, Mehdi Jafri met two other MSU students, who he didn't know were going.

Sabtain Khan, a finance freshman, said he has seen people die because of the heat, and the amount of people who participate in the pilgrimage makes it even more physically and mentally draining.

The physical hardships, however, were not what the students took away from the hajj.

In fact, Khan, who has completed the hajj once before, said the weather was nice for the duration of the trip and said God made it easy for him to complete the tasks of the hajj.

After circling the Kaaba, Bhatti said, everyone had to walk seven times between two nearby hills and then continuously drink out of the flowing well, called Zamzam.

"If you make a prayer before drinking the water, your prayer will be accepted," he said.

To continue their journey, Muslims travel to three places outside Mecca.

Three days are spent in the city of Mina, which is about six miles away from the holy city.

In Mina, Mehdi Jafri threw pebbles against three giant stone pillars — set in a row and 600 feet apart — that represent the devil.

"You are symbolizing that you are here to get away from Satan's influence and get him away from your daily life," Mehdi Jafri said.

From Mina, everyone travels by foot to the city Arafat, which is more than five miles away.

After sundown, the students and others participating in hajj proceed into the Muzdalifa valley, which is surrounded by mountains and has millions of people sleeping outside, exposed to the elements of the desert, Mehdi Jafri said.

"It humbles you because in a way, you get to see what it's like to be a homeless person," he said. "You sleep not in a hotel, not in your home, but under the open sky of the desert."

Bhatti said the night everyone had to sleep outside in the desert was one of the most challenging times of hajj for him because you can only have a sleeping bag to keep warm.

"You don't get any sleep because it is freezing" he said. "There is nothing to protect you except the stars in the sky. You are totally at God's mercy."

The night is a chance for Muslims to rest, but Bhatti slept little because of the cold and was still exhausted when he arose for morning prayer.

After the prayer, Muslims head back to Mina to stone the pillars for two more days.

Hajj is completed upon the return to Mecca, Bhatti said. For one more time, everyone walks between the two hills seven times and drinks out of the well of Zamzam.

"In Islam, we believe when you go to Mecca and perform the rituals of hajj, you come back as newborn with all your sins wiped clean," Mahgoub said.

Tara Thoel can be reached at thoeltar@msu.edu.