BBC - Religions - Islam: Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca Women must not cover their faces, even if they would do so in their home country. Men may not wear clothes with stitching. Bathing is allowed but scented soaps are frowned upon. Umra The Hajj is a real pilgrimage - a journey, with rites and rituals to be done along the way. You begin at a place just outside Mecca called the Miqat, or entry station to the Hajj. There you bathe, put on the Ihram (the special white clothes), make the intention for Umra and begin reciting the Talbiya Du'a (prayer). Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at your service! You have no partner. Here I am at your service. All praise and blessings belong to you. All dominion is yours and You have no partner. Talbiya Du'a Then you go to the Masjid al Haram and walk around the Ka'ba seven times repeating du'as and prayers. This is called the Tawaf. Afterwards you should sip some Zam Zam water.

Zam Zam water is water from the Zam Zam well, the sacred well which opened in the desert to save Hajira and Is'mail from dying of thirst. Next you go to the walkway between the hills of Safa and Marwa and walk back and forth between them seven times. This completes the Umra portion of the Hajj rituals and some of the Ihram restrictions are relaxed. Hajj Now make your intention for the Hajj and put on the Ihram garments again. Travel to Mina on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah (a date in the Islamic calendar) and remain there until Fajr (dawn) next morning. Then you travel to the valley of Arafat and stand in the open praising Allah. The heat of Arabia at midday provides a hint as to what the Day of Judgement will be like. At the end of the day, travel to Muzdalifa for the night. Gather together 49 or 70 small stones together to use the next day. One of the pillars of Jamraat © In the morning you return to Mina and throw the stones at pillars called Jamraat. These represent the devil.

Then a sacrifice called a Qurbani should be made in which a lamb or sheep is slaughtered and the meat distributed among the poor. After this, men's heads are shaved and women cut a lock of their hair. Then return to Mecca and make a Tawaf (this is the ritual of walking around the Ka'aba seven times). Then it's back to Mina for 3 or 4 days, stoning the pillars each day. Finally do a farewell Tawaf in Masjid-al Haram on the twelfth day of the month of Dhul Hijjah, ask Allah's forgiveness, make du'a and the Hajj is finished. Many people then go to the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, but this is optional. A man who has completed the Hajj is called a Hajji, a woman who has completed it is called a Hajjah. At the end of the Hajj, Muslims from all over the world celebrate the holiday known as the Eid ul Adha or Festival of the sacrifice. This festival commemorates the obedience of the Prophet Ibrahim when he was ordered to sacrifice his son Is'mail. Ibrahim proved his love and devotion to Allah by showing his willingness to kill his beloved son if Allah wished it.

In the end Ibrahim did not have to kill his son as Allah gave him a ram to sacrifice instead. Hajj - ReligionFacts ReligionFacts Bowker, John (ed.) Hajj Hajj refers to a Muslim's pilgrimage to Mecca and is one of the five pillars of Islam. At least once in his or her lifetime, each Muslim is expected to undertake this pilgrimage the sacred city of Islam. This holy journey is called the hajj in Arabic. While a visit to Mecca is beneficial any time of the year, it must take place during the month of Dhu al-Hijja (the last month of the Islamic year) to fulfill the requirements of the hajj. As with the sawm (fasting), exceptions are made for those who are physically or financially unable to fulfill this obligation, and one is actually commanded not to make the hajj if to do so would cause hardship for his or her family. However, those unable to go themselves may fulfill their obligation by sending someone in their stead.

The hajj is commanded in the Quran - "And pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto God for mankind, for him who can find the way thither" (3:97) - and its rites were established by Muhammad, but Muslim tradition dates it back to Adam and Abraham, who were instructed by angels in the performance of the rites. The hajj was one of the last public acts of worship performed by Muhammad before his death. In part, the hajj commemorates the stories of Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael and it has been assigned various other meanings throughout the centuries. For many Muslims, one of the most meaningful aspects of the pilgrimage is the unifying effect of bringing together believers from all over the world to meet and worship together. Upon arrival at the boundary of Mecca (about six miles from the Ka'ba), pilgrims enter the state of ihram (purity) in which they will remain throughout the hajj. Males entering this pure state don the ihram garments - two white, seamless sheets wrapped around the body - and sandals.

This aspect of the rite not only signifies the state of holiness the pilgrims have entered, but it serves to contribute to a sense of equality and unity by removing visual indicators of class, wealth and culture. Requirements for women are less stringent, but they usually dress in white with only faces and hands uncovered. While in the state of ihram, pilgrims must not cut their nails or hair, engage in sexual relations, argue, fight or hunt. When he or she enters the city of Mecca, the pilgrim first walks around the Ka'ba seven times (the tawaf, or circumambulation) while reciting the talbiya, then kisses or touches the Black Stone in the Ka'ba, prays twice towards the Station of Abraham and the Ka'ba and runs seven times between the small mountains of Safa and Marwa. The second stage of the hajj takes place between the 8th and 12th days of Dhu al-Hijja, beginning with a sermon (khutba) at the mosque on the 7th day. On the eighth day and night, the pilgrim stays at Mina or Arafat.

On the ninth day, the ritual of wuquf ("standing") takes place at the small hill of Jabal al-Rahma in Arafat. The pilgrim then returns to Muzdalifa, a small town within the Meccan boundaries, to stay the night. The tenth day is Eid al-Adha (The Feast of Sacrifice), a major holiday observed by all Muslims. For those participating in the hajj, the day is spent in Mina, where the pilgrim sacrifices an animal to commemorate Abraham's sacrifice and throws seven small stones at each of three pillars on three consecutive days (the pillars represent sins and devils). The pilgrim then returns to Mecca, where he or she once again performs the tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka'ba). The head is then shaved or the hair is trimmed, which marks the end of the state of ihram. About 2 million Muslims complete the hajj each year. The government of Saudi Arabia has contributed significant resources to maintain the holy places and manage the crowd of pilgrims. Despite the large numbers seen in Mecca each year, only a small percentage of Muslims have fulfilled the duty.

Those who have done so may add the title hajj or hajji to their names. With such a vast number of people in one place at one time, failures of crowd control and other problems have sometimes led to disaster. Some of the recent tragedies associated with the hajj have included: On July 31, 1987, Iranian pilgrims riot, causing the deaths of over 400 people. On July 9, 1989, two bombs exploded, killing one pilgrim and wounding another 16. Saudi authorities beheaded 16 Kuwaiti Shiite Muslims for bombings after originally blaming Iranian terrorists. On July 2, 1990, a stampede inside a pedestrian tunnel leading to Mecca led to the deaths of 1402 pilgrims. In 1994, another stampede killed 270 pilgrims. On February 1, 2004, 244 Muslim pilgrims were killed and another 244 injured in a stampede during the stoning of the devil ritual. Perceived failure to prevent these events, or to react appropriately to them, has led to strong criticism of the Saudi Arabian authorities by Muslims.

It should be said that such events are common enough across all religious celebrations. In January 2005, for example, Indian Hindu rituals resulted in a stampede when worshippers outside a shrine learned that their relatives had been crushed after slipping on the coconut milk that had been exploded upon an altar as an offering to the god. We can also remember the funeral of Ayatollah Khomeini, when the frenzy of thousands of mourners reached a dangerous peak and the body fell out of the casket. The other pillars of Islam are: Daily confession of faith (shahada) Daily ritual prayer (salat) The Hajj: a Muslim's pilgrimage to Mecca THE HAJJ: PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA Overview: One of a Muslim's duties, as described in the Five Pillars of Islam , is to go on Hajj at least once during his or her lifetime. This is a pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia. Approximately two million Muslims went in 1999, of which about one million were from Saudi Arabia, and 6,000 were from the U.S.

1 Council on American-Islamic Relations estimated in 2006 that "some 10,000 American Muslims go on Hajj each year." 7 The number of American pilgrims is increasing yearly. Followers of Islam who cannot go on a Hajj because of ill health or lack of money are excused from the obligation. If one assumes that Muslims go on Hajj a maximum of once during their lifetime, that the number of Muslims in America are about 6.5 million, and that the typical age span for pilgrims is 60 years, then fewer than 10% of American Muslims take part in the pilgrimage.

The Council on Islamic Education states: "The Hajj consists of several ceremonies, meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of prophet Abraham and his family...Prophet Muhammad had said that a person who performs Hajj properly 'will return as a newly born baby [free of all sins].' The pilgrimage also enables Muslims from all around the world, of different colors, languages, races, and ethnicities, to come together in a spirit of universal brotherhood and sisterhood to worship the One God together." 2 Many Islamic terms have multiple spellings when translated into English. We indicate alternative spellings below with (brackets). Preparation for the Hajj Each pilgrim first enters into ihram. This is a spiritual state of purity during which the person must not quarrel, commit any act of violence or engage in sexual activity.

Men signify the state of ihram by bathing, and wearing two pieces of unsewn white cloth: "one covers the body from waist to ankle and the other is thrown over the shoulder." 4 Women usually wear a simple white dress and "a head covering, but not a veil." 4 "The white garments are symbolic of human equality and unity before God, since all the pilgrims are dressed similarly." 2 The pilgrim will then repeat the Talbiyah (Talbeeyah) prayer. One English translation is: "Here I am, O God, at Thy Command! Here I am at Thy Command! Thou art without associate; Here I am at Thy Command! Thine are praise and grace and dominion! Thou art without associate." The pilgrim enters the Holy Mosque at Mecca, right foot first, and recites the prayer: "In the name of Allah, may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. Oh Allah, forgive me my sins and open to me the doors of Your mercy. I seek refuge in Allah the Almighty and in His Eminent Face and in His Eternal Dominion from the accursed Satan." The pilgrim performs the tawaf.

This is a counter-clockwise procession which circles, "the Ka'aba, the [cube-shaped] stone building Muslims believe was originally built by Abraham and his son Ishmael... It is a symbol of unity for Muslims because all prayers, wherever they are performed, are oriented in the direction of the Ka'aba." 4,6 The pilgrim then performs the sa'i. He hurries seven times between two small hills near the Ka'aba, called Safa and Marwah. This commemorates the desperate search for water and food by Hagar, one of Abraham's wives. Sponsored link: The Hajj: The Hajj formally begins on the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah (Zul-Hijjah) - the 12th month of the Muslim lunar calendar. Dr. Monzur Ahmed writes: "Islamic months begin at sunset on the day of visual sighting of the lunar crescent [following the new moon]... Although it is possible to calculate the position of the moon in the sky with high precision, it is often difficult to predict if a crescent will be visible from a particular location...

Usually the moon has to be at least 15 hours old before it can be seen from somewhere on earth." 3 On this first day of the Hajj, the pilgrims walk a few miles to Mina and camp there overnight. This will occur about 2000-MAR-14. It falls on a date about 11 days earlier each year. The pilgrims spend the "Day of Arafah" (ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah) in Arafah, an empty plain. They commit the entire day to supplication and devotion. In the evening, they move to Muzdalifa. They camp there overnight and offer various prayers. On the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah, they return to Mina and throw seven pebbles at a pillar that symbolizes Satan's temptation of Abraham. (The Qur'an describes how Satan tried to persuade Abraham to not ritually murder his son Ishmael, as commanded by God). The pilgrims then sacrifice a sheep, recalling how Abraham sacrificed a sheep that God had provided in place of his son. The meat is distributed to friends, relative and the poor.

Afterwards, they return to Mecca and perform a final tawaf and sa'i. They symbolize the completion of the Hajj by cutting their hair. Muslims worldwide gather for communal prayers on the first day of Id al-Adha (Eid-ul-Adha) -- the Feast of Sacrifice or Day of Sacrifice. The first day of this celebration is held on the 10th day of Duhl-Hijja, the last month of the Muslim year. This is the second of the two major Muslim annual holidays. In most areas, this event is celebrated over several days. Sponsored links: References: The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today. "American Muslims to begin pilgrimage season," media advisory, Council on American-Islamic Relations, issued 2000-FEB-22. "The Hajj: Information for teachers," Council on Islamic Education, at: Dr.

Monzur Ahmed, "Islamic calendar based on predicted lunar visibility." at: "Hajj: The journey of a lifetime," IslamiCity, at: "Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha," at: This website has many links to web sites with Hajj information. It also includes a map of the area involved in the Hajj. A very beautiful three dimensional view of the Ka'aba can be seen at: "More U.S. Muslims expected to take part in Hajj. CAIR reminds pilgrims of their rights, offers 'hotline' for bias reports," CAIR, 3006-DEC-12 news release. Pilgrimage (Hajj) Pilgrimage Previous Next Pilgrimage (Hajj) Hajj literally means, “to continuously strive to reach one’s goal.” The Hajj, or Pilgrimage to Mecca, is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for those who have the physical and financial ability to undertake the journey. The Hajj is essentially a re-enactment of the rituals of the great prophets and teachers of faith.

Pilgrims symbolically relive the experience of exile and atonement undergone by Adam and Eve after they were expelled from Heaven, wandered the earth, met again and sought forgiveness in the valley of Mecca. They also retrace the frantic footsteps of the wife of Abraham, Hagar, as she ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa searching for water for her thirsty baby (which according to Muslim tradition, God answered with the well of Zam Zam). Lastly, the pilgrims also commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son for the sake of God. God later substituted a ram in place of his son. Performing the rituals of Hajj provides a reminder of how the great prophets and teachers of faith established a deep and personal relationship with God. As the pilgrim makes his supplications to God, he realizes that He is asking of the same God that answered the prayers of those before him. These reminders are an important part of strengthening one’s faith, trust and dependence in God. The faithful hope that the Hajj will bring about a deep spiritual transformation, one that will make him or her a better person. If such a change from within does not occur, then the Hajj was merely a physical and material exercise devoid of any spiritual significance.

As all great religions teach, we are more than mere physical creatures in that we possess an essence beyond the material world. Indeed, this is why all great religions have a tradition of pilgrimage. In the Islamic tradition, Hajj encapsulates this spiritual journey toward this essence. Hajj teaches one to show sincerity and humilty in one’s relationship with God. The result of a successful Hajj is a rich inner peace, which is manifested outwardly in the values of justice, honesty, respect, generosity, kindness, forgiveness, mercy and empathy. These are the articles and videos covered in this section: The Significance of Mecca to Islam The Significance of Mecca Mecca is the original English translation of the Arabic. Historically, the city has also been called Becca. In the 1980s, the Saudi Arabian government, and others, began promoting the spelling Makkah (in full form, Makkah al-Mukarramah), which more closely resembles the actual Arabic pronunciation. According to Islamic tradition, the history of Mecca goes back to Abraham when he built the Ka'aba with the help of his son Ishmael around 2000 BC.

According to other Islamic tradition, Abraham was to have rebuilt the Bait-ul-Allah (House of Allah), a building which had been originally constructed by Adam. Today it is called the Ka'aba, a building in Mecca towards which all Muslims around the world face in prayer, five times each day. Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570, and thus Islam has been inextricably linked with Mecca ever since. Muhammad was born in a minor faction, the Hashemites, of the ruling Quraysh tribe. Islamic tradition states that he began receiving divine revelations there in 610 AD, and began to preach monotheism against Meccan animism. Animism is the belief that all life is produced by spiritual forces separate from matter, and natural phenomena and objects (rocks, trees, the wind, etc.) are alive, and have souls. See section "Muhammad, Background & History. Mecca was cleansed of all its idols, and all the cult images, in the Ka'aba when Muhammad conquered Mecca in 630 AD.

He therefore, ended the Quraysh's tradition of idol-worship by smashing the statue of Hubal along with the other 360 idols (perhaps, one for each day of the year) at the Ka'aba, and re-dedicated the structure to ALLAH, the one God. His triumphant return to Mecca is depicted in the picture to the right. It needs to be noted that Arabs had been making the pilgrimage to Mecca-to the enormous granite Ka'aba, the old shrine at the center of the city-for hundreds, possibly thousands of years, before Islam to pay tribute to these 360 gods represented inside the Ka'aba's walls. Muhammad destroyed all but two - that of the Virgin Mary, and that of Christ. However, even those representations would eventually be banned under Islam's subsequent prohibition of images. This prohibition was not endorsed by the Prophet. Controversies have exploded over images depicting the Prophet Muhammad, namely his depiction as a turbaned terrorist in one of a dozen cartoons by Danish artists. Muslims explicitly prohibit images of God, Muhammad, and other prophets. Islam prohibits the representation of the human figure in art. But does the Qur'an actually ban representations of Muhammad, or others?

The answer is no. There is not a single verse in the Qur'an that explicitly prohibits images of Muhammad-or of ALLAH, or God, for that matter, or any other human figure. In any event, up until that time, Mecca's most important god was the god Hubal (an idol god worshipped in Arabia), having been placed there by Muhammad's ruling Quraysh tribe. Historians state that the Ka'aba became the repository of these 360 idols and tribal gods from all of Arabia's nomadic tribes, and Hubal was the most senior of these 360 god idols worshipped in the shrine. Muhammad declared Mecca as the holiest site in Islam, ordaining it as the center of Muslim pilgrimage, one of the faith's five pillars. Despite his conquest, however, Muhammad chose to return to Medina, leaving behind Attab bin Usaid to govern the city.

Muhammad's other activities in Arabia led to the unification of the peninsula (using a combination of force and diplomacy), putting an end to the wars that had disrupted life in the city for so long Islamic history states that Zamzam Well was revealed to Hajar, the wife of Abraham and mother of Ishmael, around the year 2000 BC, when she was desperately seeking water for her infant son. See the section on Islamic history. The name of the well comes from the phrase Zomâ Zomâ, meaning "stop flowing," a command repeated by Hajar during her attempt to contain the spring water. Top ^ The Ka'aba The focal point of Mecca is the Ka'aba, the "House of God" believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael, and which is covered in a gold-embroidered black fabric. The sole reason was to honor ALLAH, and its sole purpose is to worship ALLAH alone. As Abraham raised the foundations of the shrine, together with Ishmael, they prayed: "Our Lord, accept this from us.

You are the Hearer, the Omniscient." (Quran, 2:127) Inside The Ka'aba - A Virtual Tour A Pilgrim's Eye View from Inside The Mosque Overlooking The Ka'aba The Ka'aba is 40' cube style building made of granite, and rests on a marble base. Located in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, it is the most sacred site in Islam. The building predates Islam, and, according to Islamic tradition, the first building at the site was built by Abraham. The building has a mosque built around it, the Masjid al-Haram. All Muslims around the world face the direction of the Ka'aba during prayers, no matter where they are. Islamic tradition narrates that Abraham's subsequent visits to the Arabian region, after leaving Ishmael and Hagar (in the area that would later become the Islamic holy city of Mecca), were not only to visit Ishmael, but also to construct the first house of worship for God, the Kaaba — as per God's command. "Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as ALLAH wished, and called on them afterwards.

He saw Ishmael under a tree near Zamzam, sharpening his arrows. When he saw Abraham, he rose up to welcome him (and they greeted each other as a father does with his son, or a son does with his father). Abraham said, 'O Ishmael! ALLAH has given me an order.' Ishmael said, 'Do what your Lord has ordered you to do.' Abraham asked, 'Will you help me?' Ishmael said, 'I will help you.' Abraham said, 'ALLAH has ordered me to build a house here,' pointing to a small hill higher than the land surrounding it.' The Prophet added, 'Then they raised the foundations of the House';" i.e., the Ka'ba. (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Prophets, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 583) Top ^ The Yearly Pilgrimage to Mecca "Behold!

We gave the site, to Abraham, of the Sacred House (That is, the Ka'aba that he built), Saying: 'Associate not anything, in worship, with Me; and sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (Therein in prayer). And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and mounted on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways." (Quran, 22:26-27) With the traumatic event of Muhammad's death in 632, there was no succession plan for new leadership left by the Prophet. There were two schools of thought as to who should lead the community: one group adopted the belief that leadership should pass to the most qualified leader; another group adopted the belief that leadership should be through hereditary succession. These two groups have been at odds with each other ever since that time. See section on Islam denominations .

And, this is the background as to how Islam is considered to be one of the "Abrahamic religions" with Judaism and Christianity because of the forefather role Abraham plays in their history, and in their holy books, as these religions evolved out of Abraham's life, and experience with God. Today, there are well in excess of 3 billion followers of these Abrahamic religions, accounting for more than half of the world's population. The Islam religion has some 1+ billion adherents, and is the 2nd largest religion behind Christianity which is double that size. Top ^ THE RITE OF SA'I For HAJJ and Umrah The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca (the Arabic name is Makkah). It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam — an obligation that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. The Umrah (meaning, "to visit a populated place") is a pilgrimage to Mecca performed by Muslims that can be undertaken at any time of the year. The Umrah is not compulsory, but highly recommended.

A rite of these pilgrimages involves the story of Hagar's repeated attempts to find water for her son by running between the hills of Safa and Marwa. This has developed into a Muslim rite known as the sa'i. During the two Muslim pilgrimages, pilgrims are required to walk between the two hills seven times in memory of Hagar's quest for water. The rite symbolizes the celebration of motherhood in Islam, as well as leadership of the women. To complete the rite, Muslims drink from the well of Zamzam. Muslims will often take back some of the water, regarding it as sacred, in memory of Hagar. Hajj 2014, Islam's Pilgrimage To Mecca: Facts, History And Dates Of The Muslim Holiday | The Huffington Post Hajj 2014, Islam's Pilgrimage To Mecca: Facts, History And Dates Of The Muslim Holiday 09/26/2014 09:16 pm ET | Updated Sep 26, 2014 480 HuffPost Religion Editors The Huffington Post What is Hajj?

The annual Hajj pilgrimage is one of the world's largest gatherings, as hundreds of thousands of people flock to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to participate in one of Islam's five pillars of faith. Muslims from all over the world will gather together for five days to pray as one community, celebrating their history and giving thanks for blessings. From the Masjid Al Haram complex to the hills of Mina, the rites include circling the Kaaba seven times and visiting sites of historical and religious importance. When is Hajj 2014? This year's hajj is expected to fall on October 1-6 , though that date depends on the sighting of the moon, as Islam follows a lunar calendar. Hajj takes place annually on the eighth day of the month of Dhul Al-Hijjah in the Muslim calendar. It's considered an obligation for devout Muslims to undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially able. What's the history of Hajj? The pilgrimage to Mecca has been going on since pre-Islamic times, as Mecca's economic prosperity during the time of the Prophet Muhammad was largely due to the income from visitors.

Muslims believe that the steps of the Hajj correlate to the story of Hagar, the second wife of Abraham whom he married after Sarah was childless. After Abraham left her and her infant son, Ishmael, in the desert, she frantically ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa to look for food and water for her baby after their provisions ran out. As she prayed to God for mercy, Ishmael's heel hit the ground and the well of Zam Zam sprang forth to nourish them. When Abraham returned, he built the Kaaba with Ishmael's help. What are the steps of Hajj ? First, pilgrims go to Miqat, the entry station to the Hajj, where they bathe, put on special clothing, and make a formal statement of intent. Next they enter the Masjid al Haram complex to do Tawaf, a rite which involves circling the Kaaba seven times while reciting prayers. After this takes place, it's encouraged to sip water from the Zam Zam well, then walk between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times. Next, the formal Hajj ritual begins with another declaration of intent.

Pilgrims then travel to Mina on the 8th of Dhul al Hijjah and stay there until dawn prayer the next morning. Following the prayer, the faithful travel to the valley of Arafat to stand in the heat and praise God. The day concludes with travel to Muzdalifa and the gathering of small pebbles. A symbolic stoning of the devil occurs at Mina the next day, along with the animal sacrifice which is part of Eid al Adha. Male pilgrims will shave their heads after this occurs. Next, pilgrims return to Mecca to do the Tawaf again, along with the crossing between Safa and Marwa 7 times. Another trip to Mina then takes place, along with more symbolic stoning, before the faithful can return to Mecca to do a farewell Tawaf. What are other rituals associated with Hajj? Pilgrims perform the Hajj in a state of ritual purity called ihram, which for men is physically represented by wearing simple garments made of unsewn cloth . It demonstrates the equality of humanity before God. How many people go on Hajj?

In 2012, Al Arabiya reports that 3,161,573 went on Hajj, with 1,700,000 of them coming from outside of Saudi Arabia. What is Eid al-Adha? The Eid of the sacrifice takes place on the 10th day of Dhul Al-Hijjah, beginning in 2014 on the evening of October 4, which commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael in order to be totally obedient to God. Muslims sacrifice a goat or lamb in remembrance of this act of faith and give part of the meat to the poor. Take a look at how Mecca has transformed over the last century: Culture Club via Getty Images Pilgrims in 1920 at the Kaaba, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the most sacred site in the Islamic religion. Getty Images Mecca's great mosque, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, 1922. Getty Images Circa 1935: Aerial view of the Mecca with the porticoes which surround the Ka'bah.

Getty Images The Kaaba in the centre of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, March 21, 1967. Keystone via Getty Images The Kaaba in the centre of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, circa 1979. STR via Getty Images A picture dated May 1988 shows Muslim pilgrims during the Hajj in Mecca. MARWAN NAAMANI via Getty Images Aerial view of the holy Kaaba in the holy city of Mecca March 17, 2000. MAHMOUD MAHMOUD/AFP/Getty Images Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims throng Mecca's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest shrine, late on Dec. 11, 2001, to mark the 27th night of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, known as Lailat al-Qadr. AWAD AWAD via Getty Images Muslims pray on Jan. 23, 2004, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca ahead of the hajj, which begins on Jan. 30.

Abid Katib via Getty Images Muslim pilgrims pray around the holist Al-Ka'aba mosque Jan. 14, 2005, in Mecca. KHALED DESOUKI via Getty Images An aerial view shows the Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, amid booming construction in the Saudi city of Mecca on Dec. 9, 2008. Getty Images A picture shows the Mecca Royal Clock Tower hotel complex, under construction in the holy Saudi city of Mecca on April 13, 2010. Amer Hilabi / AFP / Getty Images An aerial view shows Muslim pilgrims walking around the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque of the holy city of Mecca on Aug. 6, 2012. ASSOCIATED PRESS The tallest clock tower in the world with the world's largest clock face at the Abraj Al-Bait Towers overlooks the Grand Mosque and its expansion in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013.

Related on HuffPost: Hajj 2013, Islam's Pilgrimage To Mecca: Facts, History And Dates Of The Muslim Holiday | The Huffington Post Hajj 2013, Islam's Pilgrimage To Mecca: Facts, History And Dates Of The Muslim Holiday 10/11/2013 06:53 am ET Yasmine Hafiz Associate Editor, Huffington Post Religion What is Hajj? The annual Hajj pilgrimage is one of the world's largest gatherings, as hundreds of thousands of people flock to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to participate in one of Islam's five pillars of faith. Muslims from all over the world will gather together for five days to pray as one community, celebrating their history and giving thanks for blessings. From the Masjid Al Haram complex to the hills of Mina, the rites include circling the Kaaba seven times and visiting sites of historical and religious importance. When is Hajj 2013? This year's hajj will be celebrated on Oct. 13th to 18th , though that date depends on the sighting of the moon, as Islam follows a lunar calendar.

Hajj takes place annually on the eighth day of the month of Dhul Al-Hijjah in the Muslim calendar. It's considered an obligation for devout Muslims to undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially able. What's the history of Hajj? The pilgrimage to Mecca has been going on since pre-Islamic times, as Mecca's economic prosperity during the time of the Prophet Muhammad was largely due to the income from visitors. Muslims believe that the steps of the Hajj correlate to the story of Hagar, the second wife of Abraham whom he married after Sarah was childless. After Abraham left her and her infant son, Ishmael, in the desert, she frantically ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa to look for food and water for her baby after their provisions ran out. As she prayed to God for mercy, Ishmael's heel hit the ground and the well of Zam Zam sprang forth to nourish them. When Abraham returned, he built the Kaaba with Ishmael's help. What are the steps of Hajj ?

First, pilgrims go to Miqat, the entry station to the Hajj, where they bathe, put on special clothing, and make a formal statement of intent. Next they enter the Masjid al Haram complex to do Tawaf, a rite which involves circling the Kaaba seven times while reciting prayers. After this takes place, it's encouraged to sip water from the Zam Zam well, then walk between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times. Next, the formal Hajj ritual begins with another declaration of intent. Pilgrims then travel to Mina on the 8th of Dhul al Hijjah and stay there until dawn prayer the next morning. Following the prayer, the faithful travel to the valley of Arafat to stand in the heat and praise God. The day concludes with travel to Muzdalifa and the gathering of small pebbles. A symbolic stoning of the devil occurs at Mina the next day, along with the animal sacrifice which is part of Eid al Adha. Male pilgrims will shave their heads after this occurs. Next, pilgrims return to Mecca to do the Tawaf again, along with the crossing between Safa and Marwa 7 times.

Another trip to Mina then takes place, along with more symbolic stoning, before the faithful can return to Mecca to do a farewell Tawaf. What are other rituals associated with Hajj? Pilgrims perform the Hajj in a state of ritual purity called ihram, which for men is physically represented by wearing simple garments made of unsewn cloth . It demonstrates the equality of humanity before God. How many people go on Hajj? In 2012, Al Arabiya reports that 3,161,573 went on Hajj, with 1,700,000 of them coming from outside of Saudi Arabia. What is Eid al-Adha? The Eid of the sacrifice takes place on the 10th day of Dhul Al-Hijjah, or Oct. 15, which commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael in order to be totally obedient to God. Muslims sacrifice a goat or lamb in remembrance of this act of faith and give part of the meat to the poor.

Also on HuffPost: Saudi Arabia: Hajj Pilgrimage - Chapter 4 - 2016 Yellow Book | Travelers' Health | CDC Saudi Arabia: Hajj Pilgrimage Christopher S. Bowron, Salahudin M. Maalim DESTINATION OVERVIEW They will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways . . . (Quran 22:27) The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and the largest mass gathering in the world. Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can afford to do so is required to make Hajj at least once in his or her lifetime. Hajj takes place from the 8th through the 12th days of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic year. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, the timing of Hajj varies with respect to the Gregorian calendar (for example, it was October 1–6 in 2014 and September 20–25 in 2015).

More than 2 million Muslims from >183 countries make Hajj each year (approximately 2.8 million in 2010), >11,000 of whom travel from the United States. Most international pilgrims fly into Jeddah and take a bus to Mecca. By foot or by bus, the pilgrim then travels 8 km to the massive tent city of Mina, where most pilgrims are housed in air-conditioned tents. At dawn on the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijja, pilgrims begin a 14.4-km walk to the plain of Arafat, passing Muzdalifah along the way ( Map 4-16 ). The route is littered with cool mist sprinklers to counteract the oppressive daytime temperatures, but the risk of heat-related illnesses during this part of the journey is high. Hajj ambulances and medical stations along the route are available for medical assistance. Hajj culminates on the Plain of Arafat, a few miles east of Mecca, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon.

Pilgrims spend the day in supplication, praying and reading the Quran; it is the pinnacle of most pilgrims’ spiritual lives. After sunset, pilgrims begin the 9-km walk back to Muzdalifah, where they sleep in the open air. At sunrise on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijja, pilgrims collect small pebbles at Muzdalifah and carry them to Mina. This day’s ritual is called the Stoning of the Devil at Jamaraat. During this ritual, pilgrims throw 7 tiny pebbles (specifically, no larger than a chickpea) at each of 3 white pillars. The crowded conditions at this site pose potential hazards; multiple deadly stampedes occurred from 1994 to 2004. In 2004, after 251 pilgrims were killed and another 244 injured, the Saudi government replaced the round pillars with wide, elliptical columns to reduce crowd densities.

However, after another stampede in 2006 that killed 380 pilgrims and injured 289, the single-tiered Jamaraat pedestrian bridge was demolished and replaced with a wider, multilevel bridge. Subsequently, no further incidents have occurred at Jamaraat. Traditionally after Jamaraat, pilgrims sacrifice an animal to symbolize the ram that Abraham sacrificed instead of his son. More recently, pilgrims are required to purchase a “sacrifice voucher” in Mecca and have this sacrifice performed by proxy. Centralized, licensed abattoirs perform the sacrifice on behalf of the pilgrim. After returning to Mecca, pilgrims go immediately to the Grand Mosque, which contains the Ka’aba, the most sacred site in Islam, and perform a tawaf, circling the Ka’aba 7 times counterclockwise. Because of the vast number of people (each floor of the 3-level mosque has a capacity of 750,000), a single tawaf can take hours.

In addition to tawaf, pilgrims may perform sa’i, walking or running 7 times between the hills of Safa and Marwah and then drinking water from the Well of Zamzam. Previously performed in open air, this route is now enclosed by the Grand Mosque and can be traversed via air-conditioned tunnels, with separate sections for walkers, runners, and disabled pilgrims. After a final tawaf, pilgrims leave Mecca, ending Hajj. Although it is not required as part of Hajj, many pilgrims extend their trips to travel to Medina. In Medina, pilgrims visit the Mosque of the Prophet, which contains the tomb of Mohammed and is the second holiest site in Islam. Map 4-16. Hajj destination map HEALTH ISSUES Immunizations All pilgrims should be up-to-date with routine immunizations. In addition, hepatitis A and B and typhoid vaccines are recommended. Although a requirement for polio vaccine does not include adult pilgrims from the United States, it is best to ensure full vaccination against polio before travel. Children up to 15 years of age must show proof of vaccination with quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine and polio vaccine.

Children older than 15 years of age have the same vaccination requirements as adults. Meningococcal Vaccine Because of the intensely crowded conditions of the Hajj and high carrier rates of Neisseria meningitidis among pilgrims, outbreaks of meningococcal disease have historically been a problem during Hajj. In the aftermath of outbreaks in 2000 and 2001 that affected 1,300 and 1,109 people, respectively, the Saudi Ministry of Health began requiring all pilgrims and local at-risk populations to receive the meningococcal vaccine. Hajj visas cannot be issued without proof of meningococcal vaccination. All adults and children >2 years of age must have received a single dose of quadrivalent A/C/Y/W-135 vaccine and must show proof of vaccination on a valid International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis. Children between 3 months and 2 years of age must show proof of vaccination with 2 doses of meningococcal A monovalent vaccine with a 3-month interval between the doses. Hajj pilgrims must have had the meningococcal vaccine ≤3 years and ≥10 days before arriving in Saudi Arabia.

Current Hajj vaccination requirements are available from the following sources: Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health ( ) Saudi Arabian Embassy ( ) Respiratory Infections Respiratory tract infections are common during Hajj; the most common cause of hospital admission is pneumonia. These risks underscore the need to follow the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendations for pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine for pilgrims aged ≥65 years and for younger pilgrims with comorbidities. Seasonal influenza vaccine, including H1N1, is strongly recommended for all pilgrims. Behavioral interventions such as hand hygiene, wearing a face mask, cough etiquette, social distancing, and contact avoidance can be effective at mitigating respiratory illness among Hajj pilgrims. Pre-Hajj travel advice about common respiratory conditions should include a general assessment for respiratory fitness, necessary vaccinations, and prescription of adequate supplies of portable respiratory medications (prefer inhalers over nebulizers). The crowded conditions during Hajj increase the probability of tuberculosis transmission. Pilgrims are advised to see their doctors if they develop signs of active tuberculosis: cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The illness is caused by a novel coronavirus that is similar to the virus responsible for the 2003 global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Cases have been identified in and around the Arabian Peninsula, but cases have also been exported to other countries, including the United States. The most common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. However, myalgias, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia have also been reported. The severity of illness has ranged from mild to severe, and approximately 35% of reported cases have been fatal. The role of animal-to-human transmission is unclear, but the virus has been found in camels in this region. The diagnosis can be suspected on clinical grounds and confirmed by PCR testing. More information is available in Chapter 3, MERS . Other Health and Safety Risks Communicable Diseases Diarrheal disease is common during Hajj, and travelers should be educated on usual prevention measures and self-treatment.

A pre-travel visit should include discussions about prevention, oral rehydration strategies, antimotility agents, and emergency antibiotic use for treatment of traveler’s diarrhea. Chafing caused by long rituals of standing and walking in the heat can lead to fungal or bacterial skin infections. Clothing should be light, not restrictive, and changed often to maintain hygiene. Travelers should be advised to keep skin dry, use talcum powder, and be aware of any pain or soreness caused by garments. Any sores or blisters that develop should be disinfected and kept covered. Special attention should be paid to protect the feet, which are bare when inside the Grand Mosque. Nasal ablution, called istinshaaq, is the practice of rinsing your nose with water before performing some rituals during the Hajj. Medical literature has identified rare cases of primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) caused by Naegleria fowleri. Even though no cases of Hajj-related PAM have been reported, nasal ablution is common during Hajj, and pilgrims are advised to use safe water to protect themselves from this potential risk. When in doubt, they should use bottled water.

Boiling or filtering the water are other ways to decrease the risk of PAM. At the end of Hajj, Muslim men must shave their heads. The use of unclean blades can transmit bloodborne pathogens, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Licensed barbers are tested for these bloodborne pathogens and are required to use disposable, single-use blades. Unfortunately, unlicensed barbers continue to operate by the roadside, where they use nonsterile blades on multiple men. Male travelers should be advised to be shaved only at officially designated centers, which are clearly marked. Noncommunicable Diseases and Other Hazards Hajj is arduous even for young, healthy pilgrims, and many Muslims wait until they are older before making Hajj. Pilgrims who are caught up in the spiritual experience of Hajj may forget to take their usual medications. Travelers with chronic medical conditions should undergo a functional assessment before leaving for Hajj. The medical provider should identify each traveler’s unique risks and tailor a plan on how to reduce them. The provider should make any adjustments to the usual medical regimen, ensure that the traveler has an adequate supply of medications, and educate the traveler about symptoms that should prompt urgent medical attention.

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are leading causes of death, particularly when Hajj occurs during the summer months. Pilgrims should stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and seek shade when possible. Umbrellas are frequently used to provide portable sun protection. Travelers should be counseled on minimizing the risk of heat-related injuries as well as sun avoidance. Some rituals may also be performed at night to avoid daytime heat. Pilgrims can be reassured that night rituals have been advocated as legitimate by religious clerics. Fire is a potential risk at Hajj. In 1997, open stoves set tents on fire, and the resulting blaze killed 343 pilgrims and injured >1,500. As a result, makeshift tents were replaced with permanent fiberglass structures; no pilgrim is allowed to set up his own tent or prepare his own food. Cooking in the tents is also prohibited. Trauma Trauma is a major cause of injury and death during Hajj. Pilgrims may walk long distances through or near dense traffic, and motor vehicle accidents are inevitable. The most feared trauma hazard, however, is stampede.

In such dense crowds, little can be done to avoid or escape a stampede once it has begun, but the physical environment of the Hajj has been engineered specifically to minimize this risk. Past stampedes have often begun as minor incidents; the 2006 Hajj stampede, for example, began when some pilgrims tripped over fallen luggage, but it resulted in hundreds of injuries and deaths. Death usually results from asphyxiation or head trauma, and providing prompt treatment is next to impossible in large crowds. Special Health Considerations Menstruation Women are not permitted to perform tawaf around the Ka’aba stone if they are menstruating. The remainder of the rituals may be performed during menstruation if the tawaf was performed before the menstrual period began. Thus, a female Hajj pilgrim who suspects that she may be menstruating during the Hajj may request hormonal suppression of menstrual bleeding. Diabetes Mellitus Muslims with diabetes planning to make Hajj should make a pre-Hajj travel clinic visit with enough advanced notice to carefully construct a diabetes management plan tailored to the health challenges of the Hajj. Diabetic patients should ensure adequate prescriptions for all medications, including syringes and needles.

A diabetes emergency kit should include easily accessible carbohydrate sources to counter hypoglycemia, glucometer and test strips, urine ketone sticks to evaluate for ketoacidosis, a list of medications and care plans, and glucagon as indicated. Lastly, durable and protective footwear are necessary to avoid minor foot trauma that can lead to infections. Epilepsy Before making Hajj, a pilgrim’s seizure disorder must be controlled on stable doses of medications. Before departure, Hajj travelers should ensure they have adequate supplies of routine medications, as well as a buccal or rectal formulation of antiseizure medications. SAUDI GOVERNMENT SAFETY MEASURES The Saudi government has created a Ministry of Hajj that collaborates with the Ministry of Health to improve pilgrims’ experience, including mitigating health risks during Hajj. The hospitals and health centers in and around the holy sites are adequately staffed and equipped for the large gathering. The medical facilities offer high quality of care, and services are offered free to Hajj pilgrims. To ensure efficient transport through the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, the Saudi government has built a modern airport terminal solely dedicated to Hajj pilgrims.

Furthermore, modern modes of transportation (light rail, 15,000 Hajj dedicated buses, and even high-speed rail lines) have been developed to safely transport pilgrims to the city of Mecca and other holy sites. To mitigate the risk of heat exposure during this journey, the government provides complimentary water distributed from refrigerated trucks, more air conditioned sites (tents at Mina), large sun-blocking canopies, and thousands of fine mist sprinklers. To further protect themselves, travelers are urged to avoid the most densely crowded areas during Hajj. When the option exists, performance of rituals at nonpeak hours is encouraged. For example, most pilgrims prefer to perform the Stoning of the Devil at midday, but Saudi authorities have decreed that it may be performed anytime between sunrise and sunset or even by proxy, if the pilgrim cannot access the Jamaraat bridge. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ahmed QA, Arabi YM, Memish ZA. Health risks at the Hajj. Lancet. 2006 Mar 25;367(9515):1008–15. Alsafadi H, Goodwin W, Syed A. Diabetes care during Hajj.

Clin Med. 2011 Jun;11(3):218–21. Alzahrani AG, Choudhry AJ, Al Mazroa MA, Turkistani AH, Nouman GS, Memish ZA. Pattern of diseases among visitors to Mina health centers during the Hajj season, 1429 H (2008 G). J Infect Public Health. 2012 Mar;5(1):22–34. Assiri A, Al-Tawfiq JA, Al-Rabeeah AA, Al-Rabiah FA, Al-Hajjar S, Al-Barrak A, et al. Epidemiological, demographic, and clinical characteristics of 47 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease from Saudi Arabia: a descriptive study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2013 Sep;13(9):752–61. Balaban V, Stauffer WM, Hammad A, Afgarshe M, Abd-Alla M, Ahmed Q, et al. Protective practices and respiratory illness among US travelers to the 2009 Hajj. J Travel Med.

2012 May–Jun;19(3):163–8. Khan NA, Ishag AM, Ahmad MS, El-Sayed FM, Bachal ZA, Abbas TG. Pattern of medical diseases and determinants of prognosis of hospitalization during 2005 Muslim pilgrimage Hajj in a tertiary care hospital. A prospective cohort study. Saudi Med J. 2006 Sep;27(9):1373–80. Memish ZA. The Hajj: communicable and non-communicable health hazards and current guidance for pilgrims. Euro Surveill. 2010 Sep 30;15(39):19671. Memish ZA. Saudi Arabia has several strategies to care for pilgrims on the Hajj. BMJ. 2011;343:d7731. Memish ZA, Al-Rabeeah AA. Health conditions of travellers to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj and Umra) for 1434 (2013). J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2013 Jun;3(2):59–61.

World Health Organization. Health conditions for travellers to Saudi Arabia pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 2005 Dec 9;80(49–50):431–2. PILGRIMAGE Video Introduction about Hajj The fifth act of Islamic worship is the performing of the Hajj or the pilgrimage to Mecca. A Muslim must perform this pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime if economic and political conditions are favourable. The focal point of this pilgrimage is the Ka'ba, which was rebuilt by Prophet Abraham some 4,000 years ago. Today, the Ka'ba stands in the middle of a large courtyard of Masjid al Haram or the Sacred Mosque. The courtyard of Masjid al Haram contains, besides Ka'ba, the Maqam a Ibrahim and the fountain of Zamzam. The Hajj is performed during the Muslim month of Dhul Hijjah which comes two months after the festival of Eid al Fitr . The various ceremonies of the Hajj include: Entering into the state of ihram by wearing only two seamless white sheets. This is done by the pilgrims when they reach certain designated places close to Mecca.

Saying of talbiyah starting at the place where the ihram is worn. Talbiyah consists of saying aloud the following: Here we come, O God, here we come No partner have You, here we come Indeed, praise and blessings are Yours, and the Kingdom too No partner have You, here we come On entering Mecca, the pilgrims perform the first tawaf which consists of going around the Ka'ba seven times in an anticlockwise direction. After completing the tawaf, the pilgrims perform the sa' yy which consists of running between the two little hills of Safa and Marwa located near the Ka'ba. These are the two hills where Hajirah ran in search of water when Prophet Abraham had to leave her there on Divine command. After performing the sa' yy, the pilgrims move to Mina, a plain located about four miles east of Mecca, and spend the night there. Next morning, the pilgrims leave for the Plain of Arafat located nine miles southeast of Mecca. They arrive there in the early afternoon, say the combined Zuhr and Asr Prayers and listen to a sermon given by the Imam.

The pilgrims stay in the Plain of Arafat only till sunset. This is the same plain where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his farewell sermon. After sunset the pilgrims leave Arafat and come to a place called Muzdalifah. In the Holy Quran, this place is referred to as al Mash'ar al Haram, the Sacred Monument. On reaching Muzdalifah, the pilgrims say their combined Maghrib and Isha Prayers and spend the night there. In the morning, after saying the Fajr Prayer, the pilgrims return to Mina once again. The pilgrims reach Mina on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah. This is the busiest day of the pilgrimage. The first ceremony that is performed at Mina is the throwing of small stones or ramy al jimar. In this ceremony the pilgrims throw stones at three pillars in a symbolic act of striking the devil. The tenth day of Dhul Hijjah is also the day when pilgrims sacrifice their animals. This day is also celebrated all over the Muslim world as the festive day of Eid al Adha. After performing the sacrifice the pilgrims have their heads shaved or their hair clipped.

After this they emerge from the state of ihram by wearing their everyday clothes. Clad in their everyday clothes the pilgrims perform another tawaf of the Ka'ba. This tawaf is called tawaf e ziarat. Before the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah ends, the pilgrims perform another sa' yy between the hills of Safa and Marwa. After this the pilgrims return once again to Mina where they stay until the twelfth or thirteenth day of Dhul Hijjah. During these two or three days the pilgrims continue to perform the ceremony of ramy al jimar or throwing of stones. On the afternoon of the twelfth Dhul Hijjah (or of the thirteenth) the pilgrims return to Mecca for the last ceremony of the pilgrimage. This ceremony consists of the farewell tawaf of the Ka'ba after which the entire pilgrimage is completed and the pilgrims are free to go wherever they wish. Although not part of the prescribed pilgrimage, many pilgrims carry on to Medinah and visit Masjid al Nabvi or the Prophet's Mosque. It was in the compound of this Mosque that Prophet Muhammad was buried.

While the Hajj may only be performed during the prescribed dates of the month of Dhul Hijjah, a Lesser Pilgrimage called Umrah may be made individually at any time during the year. The Fifth Pillar of Islam: The Pilgrimage (Hajj) - The Religion of Islam The Five Pillars of Islam and Other Acts of Worship The Fifth Pillar of Islam: The Pilgrimage (Hajj) The Fifth Pillar of Islam: The Pilgrimage (Hajj) Rating: Font size: Description: The merits and various rites performed in Hajj, the fifth of the five obligatory fundamental Muslim practices. Category: Published on 13 Feb 2006 Last modified on 04 Jan 2015 Printed: 2943 Viewed: 238039 (daily average: 60) Rating: 4 out of 5 Rated by: 103 Best Rate it The Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) is the fifth of the fundamental Muslim practices and institutions known as the five pillars of Islam.

�Pilgrimage is not undertaken in Islam to the shrines of saints, to monasteries for help from holy men, or to sights where miracles are supposed to have occurred, even though we may see many Muslims do this. �Pilgrimage is made to the Kaaba, found in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the �House of God,� whose sanctity rests in that the Prophet Abraham built it for the worship of God. �God rewarded him by attributing the House to himself, in essence honoring it, and by making it the devotional epicenter which all Muslims face when offering the prayers (salah). �The rites of pilgrimage are performed today exactly as did by Abraham, and after him by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them. Pilgrimage is viewed as a particularly meritorious activity. �Pilgrimage serves as a penance - the ultimate forgiveness for sins, devotion, and intense spirituality. �The pilgrimage to Mecca, the most sacred city in Islam, is required of all physically and financially able Muslims once in their life.

� The pilgrimage rite begins a few months after Ramadan, on the 8th day of the last month of the Islamic year of Dhul-Hijjah, and ends on the 13th day. �Mecca is the center towards which the Muslims converge once a year, meet and refresh in themselves the faith that all Muslims are equal and deserve the love and sympathy of others, irrespective of their race or ethnic origin. �The racial harmony fostered by Hajj is perhaps best captured by Malcolm X on his historic pilgrimage: "Every one of the thousands at the airport, about to leave for Jeddah, was dressed this way. �You could be a king or a peasant and no one would know. �Some powerful personages, who were discreetly pointed out to me, had on the same thing I had on. �Once thus dressed, we all had begun intermittently calling out "Labbayka! (Allahumma) Labbayka!" (At your service, O Lord!) Packed in the plane were white, black, brown, red, and yellow people, blue eyes and blond hair, and my kinky red hair - all together, brothers!

�All honoring the same God, all in turn giving equal honor to each other . . . That is when I first began to reappraise the �white man�. It was when I first began to perceive that �white man�, as commonly used, means complexion only secondarily; primarily it described attitudes and actions. �In America, �white man� meant specific attitudes and actions toward the black man, and toward all other non-white men. �But in the Muslim world, I had seen that men with white complexions were more genuinely brotherly than anyone else had ever been. �That morning was the start of a radical alteration in my whole outlook about �white� men. There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. �They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. �But we were all participating in the same ritual displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the non-white... �America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem.

�Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered white - but the �white� attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. �I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color." Thus the pilgrimage unites the Muslims of the world into one international fraternity. �More than two million persons perform the Hajj each year, and the rite serves as a unifying force in Islam by bringing followers of diverse backgrounds together in worship. �In some Muslim societies, once a believer has made the pilgrimage, he is often labeled with the title �hajji� ; this, however, is a cultural, rather than religious custom. �Finally, the Hajj is a manifestation of the belief in the unity of God - all the pilgrims worship and obey the commands of the One God. At certain stations on the caravan routes to Mecca, or when the pilgrim passes the point nearest to those stations, the pilgrim enters the state of purity known as ihram.

In this state, the certain �normal� actions of the day and night become impermissible for the pilgrims, such as covering the head, clipping the fingernails, and wearing normal clothing in regards to men. Males remove their clothing and don the garments specific to this state of ihram, two white seamless sheets that are wrapped around the body. �All this increases the reverence and sanctity of the pilgrimage, the city of Mecca, and month of Dhul-Hijjah. There are 5 stations, one on the coastal plains northwest of Mecca towards Egypt and one south towards Yemen, while three lie north or eastwards towards Medina, Iraq and Najd. �The simple garb signifies the equality of all humanity in God�s sight, and the removal of all worldly affections. �After entering the state of ihram, the pilgrim proceeds to Mecca and awaits the start of the Hajj. �On the 7th of Dhul-Hijjah the pilgrim is reminded of his duties, and the rituals commence on the 8th of the month.

The pilgrim visits the holy places outside Mecca - Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Minaa - prays, sacrifices an animal in commemoration of Abraham�s sacrifice, throws pebbles at specific pillars at Minaa, and shortens or shaves his head. The rituals also involve walking seven times around the sacred sanctuary, or Kaaba, in Mecca, and ambulating, walking and running, seven times between the two small hills of Mt. Safaa and Mt. Marwah. �Discussing the historical or spiritual significance of each rite is beyond the scope of this introductory article. Apart from Hajj, the "minor pilgrimage" or umrah is undertaken by Muslims during the rest of the year. �Performing the umrah does not fulfill the obligation of Hajj. �It is similar to the major and obligatory Islamic pilgrimage (hajj), and pilgrims have the choice of performing the umrah separately or in combination with the Hajj. �As in the Hajj, the pilgrim begins the umrah by assuming the state of ihram. �They enter Mecca and circle the sacred shrine of the Kaaba seven times.

�He may then touch the Black Stone, if he can, pray behind the Maqam Ibrahim, drink the holy water of the Zamzam spring. �The ambulation between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times and the shortening or shaving of the head complete the umrah.

Question: What is the name for the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca?
Answer: Hajj