Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage
to Mecca, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out
at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and
financially capable of undertaking the journey.
Article
Taken: Wikipedia
Rites:
Pilgrims generally follow handbooks
and expert guides to successfully fulfill the requirements of Hajj. In
performing the rites of Hajj, the pilgrims not only follow the model of
Muhammad, but also commemorate the events associated with Abraham.
Ihram
When the pilgrims are about 6 miles
(10 km) from Mecca, they enter into a state of holiness – known as Ihram – that
consists of wearing two white seamless cloths for the male and Female wear ordinary
dress that fulfills the Islamic condition of public dress with hands or face
uncovered.
Tawaf and sa'ay
Tawaf means walking seven times
counterclockwise around the Kaaba. Upon arriving at Masjid al-Haram, pilgrims
perform an arrival tawaf either as part of Umrah or as a welcome tawaf. During
tawaf, pilgrims also include Hateem – an area at the north side of Kaaba –
inside their path. Each circuit starts with the kissing or touching of the
Black Stone (Hajar al- Aswad).
First
day of Hajj
On the 8th Dhu al-Hijjah, the
pilgrims are reminded of their duties. They again, don the ihram garments and
confirm their intention to make the pilgrimage. The prohibitions of ihram start
now.
Mina
After the morning prayer on the 8th
of Dhu al-Hijjah, the pilgrims proceed to Mina where they spend the whole day
and offer noon, afternoon, evening, and night prayers.The next morning after
morning prayer, they leave Mina for Arafat.
Second
day of Hajj
Arafat
On 9th Dhu al-Hijjah before noon,
pilgrims arrive at Arafat, a barren and plain land some 20 kilometers east of
Mecca, where they stand in contemplative vigil: they offer supplications,
repent on and atone for their past sins, and seek mercy of God, and listen to
sermon from the Islamic scholars who deliver it from near Jabal al-Rahmah (The
Mount of Mercy) from where Muhammad is said to have delivered his last
sermon. Lasting from noon through sunset, this is known as 'standing before
God' (wuquf), one of the most significant rites of Hajj. At Masjid al-Namirah,
pilgrims offer noon and afternoon prayers together at noon time. A pilgrim's
Hajj is considered invalid if they do not spend the afternoon on Arafat.
Article
Taken: Wikipedia
Muzdalifah
Pilgrims must leave Arafat for
Muzdalifah after sunset without praying maghrib (evening) prayer at Arafat.
Muzdalifah is an area between Arafat and Mina. Upon reaching there, pilgrims
perform Maghrib and Isha prayer jointly, spend the night praying and sleeping
on the ground with open sky, and gather pebbles for the next day's ritual of
the stoning of the Devil (Shaitan).
Third
day of Hajj
Ramy
al-Jamarat
Pilgrims performing Stoning of the
devil ceremony during Hajj.
Back at Mina, the pilgrims perform symbolic
stoning of the devil (Ramy al-Jamarat) by throwing seven stones at only the
largest of the three pillars, known as Jamrat al-Aqabah. The remaining two
pillars (jamarah) are not stoned on this day. These pillars are said to
represent Satan. Pilgrims climb ramps to the multi-levelled Jamaraat Bridge,
from which they can throw their pebbles at the jamarat. Because of safety
reasons, the pillars were replaced by long walls, with catch basins below to
collect the pebbles.
Animal
sacrifice
After the casting of stones, animals
are slaughtered to commemorate the story of Abraham and Ishmael. Traditionally
the pilgrims slaughtered the animal themselves, or oversaw the slaughtering.
Today many pilgrims buy a sacrifice voucher in Mecca before the greater Hajj
begins, which allows an animal to be slaughtered in their name on the 10th,
without the pilgrim being physically present. Modern abattoirs complete the
processing of the meat, which is then sent as charity to poor people around the
world. At the same time as the sacrifices occur at Mecca, Muslims
worldwide perform similar sacrifices, in a three-day global festival called Eid
al-Adha.
Hair
removal
After sacrificing animal, another
important rite of Hajj is shaving head or trimming hair (known as Halak). All
male pilgrims shave their head or trim their hair on the day of Eid al Adha and
women pilgrims cut the tips of their hair.
Tawaf
Al-Ifaadah
Pilgrims performing Tawaf around
Kaaba
On the same or the following day, the
pilgrims re-visit the Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca for another tawaf, known
as Tawaf al-Ifadah, an essential part of Hajj 2016. It symbolizes being in a hurry
to respond to God and show love for Him, an obligatory part of the Hajj. The
night of the 10th is spent back at Mina.
Fourth
day of Hajj
At noon on the 11 Dhu al-Hijjah (and
again the following day), the pilgrims again throw seven pebbles at each of the
three pillars in Mina. This is commonly known as the "Stoning of the
Devil"
Fifth
day of Hajj
On 12 Dhu al-Hijjah, the same process
of stoning of the pillars as of 11 Dhu al-Hijjah takes place. Pilgrims must
leave Mina for Mecca before sunset on the 12th.
Conditional
sixth day: 13th Dhu al-Hijjah
If unable to leave on the 12th, they
must perform the stoning ritual again on the 13th before returning to Mecca.
Tawaf
al-Wida
Finally, before leaving Mecca,
pilgrims perform a farewell tawaf called the Tawaf al-Wida. 'Wida' means 'to
bid farewell'. The pilgrims circle the Kaaba seven times counter-clockwise, and
if they can, attempt to touch or kiss the Kaaba.
Article
Taken: Wikipedia
Journey
to Medina
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