How to Perform HAJJ

HAJJ Video and FAQs

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.!!!!

Introduction

Hajj is a spiritual duty and fifth pillars of Islam, meaning that Hajj must be performed by every Muslim at least once in their lifetime, so long as they are financially, physically, and emotionally able to do so. Going more than once during your lifetime is permitted whilst sincerely seeking Allah’s (SWT) (which means ‘The Most Glorified, The Most High) pleasure.

Each year millions of Muslims from across the world travel to and perform Hajj in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It takes place during the same time each year in the sacred month of Dhul Hijjah – the twelfth month in the Islamic Calendar. The rituals of Hajj are performed within a span of five to Six days officially beginning from 8th of Dhul-Hijjah till 13th of the same month.

Hajj is performed in seven simple steps. All these steps are believed to be a microcosm of greater reality and events which have happened in the past. Each and every ritual of Hajj is an ode to those prophets who had actually lived through some harrowing incidents on the command of the Almighty.

There are three forms of Hajj, i.e. Tamattu, Ifraad and Qiran. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) encourages people to perform Tamattu form of Hajj.

It short it consists of:-

Preparation and Intention

You need to make niyyah or intention before going to perform Hajj.

Going into the state of Ihram

Next you will go into the state of Ihram

When you arrive in Makkah

You need to first perform Umrah. You will need to do Tawaf and Sa’i.

Safa and Marwa

When you have performed Tawaf, you will need to perform Sa’i. This includes walking and running particularly between the two hills that are of Safa and Marwa.

Clip or shave the hair

When Sa’i is completed, the men need to get their hair clipped or shaved. A women will clip her hair which will be to the length of her fingertip. When this is done, the completion of Umrah occurs. You can then leave Ihram till the 8th of Dhul Hijjah.

Resting plus praying

When Umrah has been performed, for the rest of the month, you will remain in Makkah to finish the Hajj. You should perform sincere acts of worship at this time. The Hajj will start on the 8th Dhul Hijjah.

Re-entering the state of Ihram

The 8th day of Dhul Hijjah will be the start of the days of Hajj. It will be the next stage of the spiritual journey. You need to purify yourself then go into the state of Ihram again.

Arrive at Mina

Here you will go to your allocated tent. You need to pray Salah or obligatory prayers. This will encompass Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, ‘Isha and Fajar. You need to shorten the four-unit prayers to two units each. This is without combining them. You will stay the night and pray, reading the Qur’an. You will prepare for day two.

Day of ‘Arafat

On 9th of Dhul-Hijjah after sunrise you will go to the plains of ‘Arafat” and upon reaching their they observe Zuhrain. This act of standing before the Almighty is called waquf which is observed near Jabal al Rahmah. Jabal al Rahmah is believed to be the place where the Messenger of Allah delivered his last sermon.

Arrival in Muzdalifah

After sunset you will leave ‘Arafat and go to Muzdalifah. When you reach Muzdalifah you need to perform Maghrib and ‘Isha Salah. You can collect pebbles from here to perform Rami.

Qurbani and Eid al-Adha

This will be on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. You will offer Qurbani or sacrifice.

Shaving the head

After the Hady you will shave or trim the hair if you are a man. A woman will trim her hair that will be by the length of a fingertip. You can leave Ihram now.

Tawaf al-Ifadha and Saai’

Now you will go to Makkah where you will perform Tawaf al-Ifadha. Then another circuit of Saai’.

Second day or Rami

On the 11th of Dhul Hijjah you will carry out second day of Rami.

Spend night in Mina

When the second Rami is done, you will go to your camp in Mina then spend the time in worship.

Third day or Rami

On the afternoon of the 12th of Dhul Hijjah will be the final stoning day.

Tawaf al-Wida

This Tawaf will be performed before leaving the boundaries of the Haram.

All the rituals of hajj should be performed with utmost dedication because they are an ode to the teachings and sufferings of our Prophets, those Prophets who are epitome of purity and sanctity, and those prophets who sacrificed themselves for the salvation of their ummah.

It is recommended to validate the above HAJJ procedure and seek further guidance from Islamic Scholars to ensure that the entire HAJJ rituals are carried out correctly and in accordance with Islamic teachings…Rest Allah Knows the Best…!!!

How to Perform Hajj Watch Video Here

Frequently Asked Questions About Hajj

Why are the rituals of Hajj important?

The rituals of Hajj are important as they make pilgrims enter a state of spiritual purity referred to as “ihram” which aims to get rid of symbols of materialism. The pilgrim gives up worldly pleasures so as to focus on their inner self instead of their outward appearance. The rituals test pilgrims’ patience as well as tolerance.

What is the most important ritual in Hajj?

On the 9th Dhul Hijjah before noon the pilgrims come to Arafat which is a barren and plain land. Here they stand in contemplative vigil. They will offer supplications, will repent for sins they have committed, and seek the mercy of Allah. They will listen to the sermon carried out by Islamic scholars. Lasting from noon through sunset, or known as wuquf, it is said to be one of the most important rites of Hajj. The pilgrims will offer noon and also afternoon prayers at Masjid Al-Namirah together at noontime. The pilgrim needs to spend the afternoon on Arafat or else the Hajj is regarded as being invalid.

What are the significance of Hajj?

The Hajj is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam. All able-bodied Muslims need to perform it at least once in their lifetime. Hajj allows one to wipe clean their past sins and begin fresh. Many people aim to deepen their faith and some ladies take on “hijab” or the Islamic hair covering when they return from Hajj.

What is Hajj when and how it is performed?

Hajj is the greater Muslim pilgrimage that occurs to Makkah. It happens in Dhul-Hijjah the last month of the year. The rituals of Hajj are performed within a span of five to Six days officially beginning from 8th of Dhul-Hijjah till 13th of the same month. All Muslims need to at least perform Hajj once in their lifetime, if they are able to afford to do so. It is also one of the Five Pillars that Islam has.

There are three forms of Hajj, i.e. Tamattu, Ifraad and Qiran. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) encourages people to perform Hajj e Tamattu.

What is Mina and why it’s important to visit and stay in MINA?

Mina is a valley that is surrounded by mountains. Pilgrims spend the nights of 8th, 11th and 12th of Dhul Hijjah here. They occasionally can spend the night of the 13th here also. Mina Hajj is even an important symbol for the stoning ritual because it is where the three stone pillars of Jamarat are present.

It is important to stay in Mina because pilgrims spend a full day as well as night within the tents located at Mina. This is known as Layali al Tashriq. Pilgrims will read the Holy Quran and offer prayers. They will worship Allah SWT and perform Zikr. They also listen to Islamic lectures.

Why do Muslims go to Mina during Hajj?

At Mina three hard stone pillars get struck by pilgrims. This is part of the ritual of stoning the devil.

How many days Muslims stay in Mina during Hajj?

Pilgrims spend two or three days in Mina.

Where is Muzdalifah in Saudi Arabia?

Muzdalifah consists of an open and level area close to Makkah in the Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia. It is southeast of Mina and on the route present between Mina and Arafat.

Why going to Muzdalifah is important?

The 9th of Dhul Hijjah is spent at Muzdalifah. This will be under the open sky. Here pilgrims will gather pebbles to throw at the pillars of Jamarat.

What happens in Muzdalifah during Hajj?

When at Muzdalifah the pilgrim can pray to Allah SWT. They will ask for blessings and forgiveness. Here they can rest so that they are prepared for the next three days of Hajj.

When can you leave Muzdalifah?

Before sunrise the pilgrims will leave Muzdalifah for Mina.

Why Muslims go to Arafat? Which day during Hajj?

The Day of Arafat occurs on the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah. Muslims go to Arafat to pray and supplicate to Allah SWT. The following ayah was also revealed on this day therefore it is even regarded as being important “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” (Surah Al Maa’idah 5:3)

Why Arafat is important?

The Day of Arafat is when many Muslims’ sins get forgiven by Allah. It is known as the day that Allah perfected Islam. The above verse was also revealed on this day.

Significance of Arafat?

It commemorates the finality of revelation as well as the completion of the Hajj.

What happens at Jamarat?

Muslim pilgrims will throw pebbles at three walls known as Jamarat.

There are three Pillars which are known as:

Jamarah al-Aqaba or Jamarah al-Kubra (The Big Pillar).
Jamarah al-Wusta (The Medium or Middle Pillar).
Jamarah al-Ula or al-Sugra (The Small Pillar).

What is the meaning of Jamarat?

Jamarat means a small piece of a pebble or stone.

How many stones do you throw at Jamarat?

Seven small stones are thrown at Jamarat.

What are the minimum days needed for Hajj?

Hajj includes a series of rituals which occur in and around Makkah and are over a period of five to six days.

INFORMATIONAL FAQ’S

What is the significance of Makkah to Muslims?

The Holy Prophet Muhammad was born in Makkah and it is considered one of the two holiest cities for Muslims. It is where the Kaaba is located. One must visit Makkah to perform a pilgrimage as it is a city of immense spiritual significance.

What is the significance of Medina to Muslims?

Medina is one of the two holiest cities for Muslims. It is where Muslims from all around the world travel to perform the pilgrimage. The Masjid e Nadwi is an important site for Muslims to visit as it is the first mosque that the Prophet Muhammad constructed and is also where he is buried.

Why is the Kaaba so important to Muslims?

The Kaaba was built by Prophet Ibrahim and Islmail as a place of monotheistic worship. Muslims from all around the world visit the Kaaba to perform pilgrimage, which is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. The Kaaba was once filled with statues and became a centre of polytheistic worship by local tribes but that changed after the conquest of Makkah. When Muslims pray they face the direction of the Kaaba.

Why do you spend time in the valley of Mina?

When performing pilgrimage, the visit to Mina, a valley located 5 km from Makkah is visited. At Mina, Muslims are required to throw 49 stones over three days at the three pillars of Jamarat. This is a representation of Prophet Ibrahim stoning the devil and rejecting his temptation.

Why do Muslims visit Mount Arafat during the pilgrimage?

Mount Arafat is located about 20 km from the city of Makkah and you must visit this site when performing the Pilgrimage. Muslims are instructed to visit Mount Arafat at dawn while trekking and remain there until nightfall. This has spiritual significance as is known to bring you salvation and spiritual renewal.

Why do Muslims visit Muzdalifah during the pilgrimage?

The night at Muzdalifah is a part of the pilgrimage that Muslims perform. After gathering at Mount Arafat, pilgrims are required to spend a night at Muzdalifah. By staying under the open night sky, Muslims are asked to seek repentance and contemplate equality.