Religion Research

The Rig-Veda is one of the 4 Vedas. It is also the largest text of the Vedic collection. It has 1028 hymns and it is divided into ten books called mandalas. It has many metaphors and allusions that are hard to interpret. The Sama-Veda has 1549 stanzas and some are like the Rig-Veda, but are they are arranged differently since they are meant to be chanted. The Yajur-Veda is divided into the White and Black Yajur-Veda and contains descriptions on how to perform religious rituals and sacrifices. It has 1875 verses. The Atharva-Veda contains charms and has a more folk style. It has 760 hymns.

The practice of indulgences is a way to pay the church money in order for your venial sins. The thought behind it was that if you pay money then your less sins will be forgiven which means you won't have to spend more time in purgatory. I think Martin Luther disagreed with indulgences because he didn't believe paying money had any connection to Gods image of us. 
http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his101/web/37luther.htm

Hajj is a pilgrimage by Muslims to the holy city of Mecca. This journey is annual and a mandatory religious duty. The pilgrimage rite begins on the the last month of the Islamic year and ends on the 12th day.  Its one of the 5 pillars
.When the pilgrim is about 6 miles from Mecca, they enter the state of holiness known as ihram. They then wear garment and the ones for for men they consist of two white seamless sheets that are wrapped around the body, while women may wear sewn clothes. They are to then enter Mecca and walk seven times around the sacred shrine called the Kaʿbah, in the Great Mosque, kiss or touch the Black Stone Male pilgrims heads are then usually shaved, and female pilgrims remove a lock of hair. After throwing seven stones at each of the three pillars at Mina on three days , the pilgrim returns to Mecca to perform the farewell of the Kaʿbah before leaving the city.