Participating in a spiritual journey like Hajj is an incredible desire of every Muslim whether he is capable of it or not. Although it is important to follow some of the parts of this journey, the intention is the first part of starting this journey. Hajj is occurring every year, and a lot of guidance and information about it becomes a means of making Hajj popular and comfortable, including the best and Cheap Hajj Packages. Here are some important details for our brothers and sisters in Hajj facts so that they can know the important rituals of Hajj.
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What Is Hajj?
- Hajj is the fifth and last of the five pillars of Islam.
- Every Muslim must perform Hajj at least once in his life.
- The Hajj journey takes place from the 8th to the 12th of Dahul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar
- Hajj is an optional title that Muslims choose for each other after completing their pilgrimage.
- Pilgrims perform all Hajj rituals in Makkah and its environs over 5 to 6 days.
How Do You Prepare for Hajj?
Before crossing the meeqat limit, Muslims must wear the appropriate ihram dress after entering the state of purity. For men, this dress will be two simple white sheets with which they will cover their bodies. Men wear it with the right shoulder exposed. For women, there is no choice of white sheets even no colour restriction. Women can wear modest clothes without covering their faces and hands for this trip.
Before entering the state of ihram, a Muslim must purify himself by cutting his nails and cutting his hair under the armpits and navel, and if ghusl is possible, it is better, otherwise, ablution is obligatory
The intention will be made on the meeqat only after wearing the ihram. After that, the Talbiyah will be recited. After the completion of all these mentioned rituals, the pilgrims will enter the state of ihram and this state is also known as Muhrim.
What Happens at Hajj?
On the first day, the pilgrims must arrive at Mina on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah before nightfall. Some people have completed the 5 km walk from Mecca to Mina as the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) did. Upon arrival, the pilgrims stay in white camps day and night and spend the day listening to Islamic lectures, offering prayers and reciting Talbiyah.
Mount Arafat
The next day, the pilgrims arrive at Mount Arafat, where the Prophet (PBUH) delivered his last sermon. Which emphasises human rights, how men should treat women, and how women should treat men. All Muslims are brothers to each other without distinction of any colour or nation.
Fasting on the day of Arafat is not obligatory, but it is a great sunnah. However, those pilgrims who climb Mount Arafat should not fast that day. To perform the waqf of Arafat properly, the pilgrims must spend some time in the field of Arafat from the afternoon of the second day to the beginning of the dawn of the third day.
This day is spent performing Zuhr and Asr prayers together, reciting Talbiyah, asking for supplications, and reciting the Qur’an. The day of Arafat is considered to be the most important part of Hajj. Pilgrims should not waste time talking or resting and eating here.
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Muzdalifah
The next day, after sunset, the Muslims will have to leave Arafat for Muzdalifah, where you will offer the Maghrib prayer. The Maghrib prayer performed in Arafat will not be counted, so it will have to be performed again in Muzdalifah. It is better to leave for Muzdalifah before sunset. However, pilgrims should not cross the border of Arafat before sunset.
Note: Pilgrims perform Maghrib and Isha prayers together in Muzdalifah.
The third day is the first day of Eid-ul-Adha and it is called the day of sacrifice because of the large scale animal sacrifice all over the world.
Jamra al-Aqaba
The first ritual of this day will be to throw stones at the Jamra al-Aqaba pillar and on this day only the big pillar will be stoned. This pillar is located in Jamrat, closest to Mecca.
There are three pillars in the place where Abraham (AS) throws pebbles at Satan.
After Rami on the Jamra Al-Aqaba pillar, the ritual of animal sacrifice is performed. This ritual is usually performed under arranged by tour groups which the pilgrims receive in their respective Hajj Packages. Sacrifices include goats, sheep, cows or camel cattle.
After the sacrifice, Muslims perform the ritual of halq (complete shaving of hair) or taqsir (trimming of hair) and for women only the ritual of taqsir is necessary. Muslims can perform this ritual anywhere in Mina, Mecca or Muzdalifah.
After completion of the sacrifice, cutting the hair and performing Tawaf, pilgrims can leave the spiritual state of ihram. After leaving the state of ihram, you should return to Mina, provided you have no good reason to stay in Makkah.
Day of Celebration
The fourth day is called the day of celebration, but there are still some rituals that must be completed.
Between the afternoon of the 11th and before dawn on the 12th, the pilgrims stone three pillars. The recommended method is to start from the smallest pillar (Jumarat-ul-Aali) and then to the middle pillar (Jamra-ul-Wasta) and then to the largest pillar (Jamra-ul-Aqaba).
Then go back to your Mina camp and engage in the obligatory worship for the rest of the day.
The pilgrims also repeat the same ritual on the fifth day. Before leaving for Mecca, it is obligatory to complete Rami by the 13th Fajr. If any are still in the Mina when the Fajr prayers begin on the 13th, then it will be obligatory to Rami on the sixth day.
On the sixth day, the last farewell Tawaf or Tawaf Al-Wada ritual. Walking around the Kaaba seven times and reciting two rakats and drinking Zamzam water are the stages of this last ritual like Tawaf of Umrah.
After this farewell tawaf, Hajj is complete.
Why Is Hajj Important?
- Hajj is an obligatory act of worship. Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) performed Umrah 4 times and Hajj once in his life.
- The state of ihram at the beginning of the Hajj journey is a sacred state for Muslims because during this time both the human mind and body are in a pure state.
- Hajj is a tradition that is thousands of years old and all able Muslims have to follow it.
Other Hajj Facts:
Hajj is an obligatory act of worship because it is one of the five pillars of Islam. But it is a great religious carnival for Muslims, as the festival of Kumbh for the Hindu religion. During this journey, Muslims visit ancient sites that have existed for thousands of centuries. The Kaaba is the oldest building in the world where Muslims perform their Tawaf. According to Islamic teachings, this building was first built in the world by the first man Adam (AS) and the first woman Eva (AS).
During the Hajj ritual, Muslims walk on the monumental mountains where Hajra (AS), the wife of a prophet and the mother of a prophet, used to run in search of water. Zamzam well water is the pure water of the world which has been flowing continuously for thousands of years. Each of us can’t eat meat, but sacrificing cattle allows everyone to eat meat during these days of Hajj. Hajj and Umrah are important sources of income for Saudi Arabia.
