What is Hajj?
Hajj literally means "to visit, to attend." In Islamic terminology, it refers to the pilgrimage to the Holy Places during specific days. The person who performs Hajj is called "Hajji."
"Pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to Allah by all who can make their way to it." [Quran 3:97]
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayers, paying the Zakat, fasting in Ramadan, and making the pilgrimage to the House." [Bukhari, Muslim]
Time of Hajj
For Hajj to be valid, certain conditions must be met. One of the most important conditions is performing it at the correct time. Muslims must be present at Arafat in ihram on the Day of Arafah (9th of Dhul Hijjah) to perform the standing.
Obligations and Requirements of Hajj
The completion of Hajj depends on fulfilling its obligations and requirements. A requirement (wajib) linguistically means something that is strongly necessary. An incomplete requirement means incomplete worship.
Types of Hajj
- Ifrad Hajj: Performing only Hajj without Umrah
- Qiran Hajj: Performing both Umrah and Hajj with a single intention and ihram
- Tamattu Hajj: Performing Umrah first, then Hajj
Tawaf in Hajj
Tawaf, meaning to circle or circumambulate, involves circling the Kaaba seven times, starting from the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad). Each complete circle is called a shawt.
Conditions of Tawaf
- Making intention
- Performing Tawaf at the correct time
- Circling around the Kaaba
- Completing at least four circuits
Standing at Arafat
Standing at Arafat is one of the pillars of Hajj. The Dhuhr and Asr prayers are combined and performed at Dhuhr time (Jam' Taqdim). After prayers, pilgrims stand facing the Qibla with raised hands to make dua.
Standing at Muzdalifah
Muzdalifah is located between Arafat and Mina. Pilgrims spend the night here and combine Maghrib and Isha prayers at Isha time (Jam' Ta'khir). Here, they collect 49 pebbles for the ritual of stoning the devil.
Stoning the Devil
During Hajj, pilgrims perform the ritual of stoning at three locations in Mina during the first, second, and third days of Eid al-Adha: Jamrat al-Aqabah, Jamrat al-Sughra, and Jamrat al-Wusta. This is one of the requirements of Hajj.
Places to Visit
Places to Visit in Makkah
Nearby Visits
- Birthplace of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
- Masjid al-Jinn
- Jannat al-Mu'alla
Distant Visits
- Mount Thawr
- Arafat
- Muzdalifah
- Mina
- Mount Hira
Recommendations for Pilgrims
- Spend most of your time in worship at the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque
- Try to perform the five daily prayers in the Sacred Mosque
- Be patient with the hardships of Hajj
- Don't focus on others' ways of worship or their shortcomings
- Be one who covers faults rather than seeking them
- Focus only on your own mistakes and shortcomings
- Don't waste time with worldly matters like shopping