Every year, millions of Muslims from around the world gather in Mecca to participate in Hajj, the sacred Islamic pilgrimage. Hajj became mandatory for every able-bodied Muslim adult with the financial means to do so, following Prophet Muhammad’s final pilgrimage in 632 AD.
During the pilgrimage, the Kaaba, a black silk-clad stone structure situated in the heart of the Grand Mosque, is the focal point. It is believed to have been built by Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael.
This year’s pilgrimage is happening from June 26th to July 1st and involves several stages.
The Hajj pilgrimage is a physical, emotional and spiritual challenge that tests the patience and temperament of the pilgrims. The pilgrimage occurs in Dhul-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, between the eighth and 13th day.
The first ritual of Hajj is for the pilgrims to make a pure intention and enter ihram. Ihram is a pilgrim’s sacred state that requires wearing plain clothing and following certain rules.
Next, the pilgrims perform tawaf, where they circle the Kaaba seven times in an anticlockwise direction, followed by sai. This involves running between the Safa and Marwa hills.
After this, the pilgrims travel on foot or by bus from Mecca to Mina, a tent city outside Mecca. They spend a day in Mina, mostly in prayer and supplication.
The Day of Arafat is considered the most important day of the Islamic calendar. Pilgrims make the 15km journey from Mina to Mount Mercy to spend the day in reverent prayer and standing before Allah, known as wuquf.
Next, it’s time to move again to Muzdalifah, just after sunset, where the pilgrims spend the night under the stars. They collect 49 pebbles for the next day’s rites before departing before sunrise.
Eid al-Adha, the greater of the two Muslim holidays, is on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah. The first rami entails throwing seven pebbles at the largest of three columns called Jamarat al-Aqaba, symbolizing a stoning of the devil based on historical tradition.
On this day, pilgrims also sacrifice an animal and distribute the meat among the needy while either buying sacrifice coupons/vouchers or performing their own sacrifice. The act of throwing stones is repeated for the next two days.
Upon completion of rami on the 12th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the men shave their heads or trim their hair while women can trim it by the length of a fingertip.
Finally, the pilgrims perform a farewell tawaf in Mecca before returning to their campsite in Mina, marking the completion of Hajj. Many also visit Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, before heading home. Medina is not part of the pilgrimage but is regarded as the site where Prophet Muhammad is buried.
