Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah that Muslims are required to undertake once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able to do so. It involves performing rituals at specific places and times, including spending a day at Arafat, throwing stones at pillars in Mina, and circling the Kaaba. Hajj traces its origins back to the time of Prophet Ibrahim and commemorates important events in Islamic history and the submission of Muslims to God. Undertaking the pilgrimage correctly erases past sins and has great religious merit and spiritual rewards.

1. Hajj

2. Hajj
The word Hajj, linguistically, means heading to a place for
the sake of visiting; in Islamic terminology, it implies
heading to Makkah to observe the rituals of pilgrimage.
Hajj is obligated by Allah upon every Muslim, male and
female, who is physically and financially capable. It is
obligatory only once during the lifetime of a Muslim.
Allah Almighty Says (what means): “…And *due+ to Allah
from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for
whoever is able to find thereto a way….” *Quran 3:97]

3. Hajj
The Prophet said: “Islam is built upon five (pillars): the
testimony that none has the right to be worshipped
except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allaah, the establishment of the prayer, paying
Zakah, Hajj to the House (i.e. Ka’bah,) and fasting in
Ramadhaan.” *Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]
Hajj was prescribed in the sixth year after Hijrah
(migration) upon the revelation of the following verse in
which Allah Says (what means): “And complete the Hajj
and ‘Umrah for Allah...” *Quran 2:196]

4. Hajj
Hajj is not a new institution introduced by Islam, rather it
is as old as the Ka'bah itself. Allah Almighty Says (what
means): "Indeed, the first House [of worship] established
for mankind was that at Bakkah [i.e., Makkah] – blessed
and guidance to the worlds.” *Quran 3:96]

5. Hajj
The whole origin of Hajj is rooted to the acts of devotion
of Prophet Ibrahim . This demonstrates that
Muhammad did not innovate this institution; all he did
was to clear it of all the evil practices that had crept into
it. After a few centuries of the death of Ibrahim and his
son Ismaeel people abandoned their teachings and
gradually went astray, like all other people around them.

6. Hajj
Hundreds of idols were installed in the Ka’bah, which was
built by Ibrahim and Ismaeel, may Allah exalt their
mention, as a centre for the worship of the One True
God. The descendants of Ibrahim who had himself
repudiated all idols began to worship idols. The Ka’bah
was turned into a type of temple for idol-worship and
superstition. This lasted for about two thousand
years, until the advent of Prophet Muhammad .

7. Hajj
Hajj is rightly said to be the perfection of faith, since it
combines in itself all the distinctive qualities of other
obligatory acts of prayer, patience, privation of amenities
of life, devotion, Zakah (alms), slaughtering the sacrifice
and supplication. In fact, the physical pilgrimage is a
prelude to the spiritual pilgrimage to Allah when man
would bid goodbye to everything of the world and
present himself before Him as His humble servant saying:
'Here I am before You, my Lord, as a slave.'

8. Months of Hajj
Hajj is undertaken in company with all the other pilgrims.
The months of Hajj are: Shawwal, Thul-Qi'dah and Thul-
Hijjah (the last three months of the Hijri calendar).

9. Hajj
The Makkan territory is sacred. The pilgrim enters this
territory in a state of Ihraam (a state in which one is
forbidden to do certain things that are otherwise
permissible).

10. Hajj
Ihraam, for men, entails
wearing a special
garment. A male pilgrim
is not allowed to wear
form-fitting clothes or to
cover his head or hands
with gloves, or his feet
with socks or shoes. This
is done in order to foster
a sense of humility and a
feeling of brotherhood
among the Muslims.

11. Cloths of Hajj
The male pilgrim's garment consists of two sheets of
white woollen or cotton cloth, of which one is wrapped
around the waist and reaches below the knees and above
the ankles, while the other is wrapped around the upper
part of the body. The head and the right shoulder are left
uncovered during Tawaaf. This attire is for
males, whereas females have to cover all of their body
except the face and hands.
Before donning this dress, the pilgrim is recommended to
take a bath (Ghusl). A man in Ihraam is consecrated. He
cannot hunt, pick plants, shed blood,.

12. Rituals of Hajj
In the forenoon of the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah, a pilgrim
purifies himself once again by bathing as he did before
‘Umrah in the place in which he is staying, if convenient.
He puts on his Ihram and says: "Here I am for Hajj. Here I
am, oh Allah, here I am. Here I am. You have no partner.
Here I am. Surely all praise, grace and dominion is
yours, and you have no partners.“

13. Hajj
If he fears that something will prevent him from
completing his Hajj he should make a condition when he
makes his intentions, saying: "If I am prevented by any
obstacle my place is wherever I am held up." If he has no
such fear, he doesn't make this condition.

14. Hajj
A pilgrim goes to Mina and there prays
Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha' and Fajr, shortening his four unit
prayers so as to make them two units each, without
combining

15. Hajj
When the sun rises, he goes to
Arafah and there prays Dhuhr and
Asr combined at the time of
Dhuhr, making each one two units.
He remains in Namira Mosque
until sunset if possible. He
remembers Allah and makes as
many supplications as possible
while facing the Qiblah.
The Prophet (peace be upon him)
prayed thus: "There is no Deity but
Allah alone. He has no partner. All
dominion and praise are His and
He is powerful over all things.

17. Hajj
At sunset he goes from Arafah to
Muzdalifah and there prays
Maghrib, Isha, and Fajr. If he is
tired or has little water, it is
permissible for him to combine
Maghrib and Isha. He remains
there, in Muzdalifah, making
supplications and remembering
Allah till just before sunrise.

18. Near sunrise, a pilgrim goes from
Hajj
Muzdalifah to Mina. Upon reaching
it he does the following:
He throws seven consecutive
pebbles at Jamrat Al-Aqabah which
is the closest monument to
Mecca, saying Allah is the
Greatest, as he throws each pebble.
He slaughters the sacrificial
animal, eats some of it, and gives
some to the poor. Slaughter is
obligatory.
He shaves or clips his hair; shaving
is preferable. A woman clips her

20. Hajj
These three should be done in the above order if
convenient, but there is no restriction if one precedes
another.
With that, one is allowed to come out of Ihram. He can
wear other clothing and do everything that was lawful
before Ihram.
He goes to Mecca to perform Tawaf Al-lfadah and Sa'i, also
for Hajj.

21. Hajj
With the completion of this
Tawaf and Sa'i, a pilgrim is
allowed to do everything
that was lawful before
Ihram, including engaging in
marital relations.
After performing Tawaf and
Sa'i, he returns to Mina to
spend the nights of the
eleventh and twelfth days
there.

22. Hajj
He stones the three Jamrah in the afternoon of both the
eleventh and twelfth days. He starts with the first
Jamrah, which is furthest from Mecca, then the middle
one, and lastly Jamrat Al-Aqabah. Each one should be
stoned with seven consecutive pebbles accompanied by
Takbir. He stops after the first and middle Jamrah to make
supplications facing the Qiblah. It is not permissible to
stone before noon on these two days. It is best to walk to
the Jamrah, but riding is permissible.

24. Hajj
When he is ready to return to his country, he makes Tawaf
Al-Wada', which is seven circuits around the Ka'bah.

25. The excellence of Hajj:
1. It is one of the best deeds:
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet was once asked:
“What is the best deed?” He replied: “To believe in
Allaah and His Messenger.” The enquirer then asked:
“What next?” The Prophet replied: “To fight in the cause
of Allaah.” He again asked: “What is the next best thing?”
He replied: “Hajj ‘Mabroor’ (i.e., the Hajj that is free of
sin and all its pillars and conditions are fulfilled).” *Al-
Bukhaari]

26. 2. It is a form of Jihaad:
Al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali and his father, said that a man came to
the Prophet and said: "I am a coward and a weak person.
Is there anything I can do?" The Prophet replied: "You
may go for a Jihaad that involves no fighting, that
is, Hajj." *‘Abdur-Razzaaq & At-Tabaraani]
The Prophet also said: "Hajj is the Jihaad for the old, the
weak and the women." [An-Nasaa'i]

27. 3. It wipes away past sins:
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said: "He who
performs Hajj seeking Allaah's pleasure and avoids all
lewdness and sins (therein) will return after Hajj free
from all sins, just as he was on the day his mother gave
birth to him." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]

28. 4. Pilgrims are the Guests of Allaah:
The Prophet said: "Pilgrims and those performing 'Umrah
are Allaah's guests; their prayers are answered and their
supplications for forgiveness are granted.” *An-Nasaa'i &
Ibn Maajah]

29. 5. The Reward of Hajj is Paradise:
The Prophet said: "All sins committed in between the
performance of one 'Umrah and the next are expiated
and erased, and the reward of Hajj ‘Mabroor’ is nothing
save Paradise." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]