MuslimandQuran.com brings you a comprehensive Hajj guide that explains the rituals and procedures required to perform Hajj. In this comprehensive guide, we provide an in-depth explanation of the rituals and procedures for each day of Hajj, from the 8th of Zil Hijjah to the 13th. This guide will help you understand every step of the pilgrimage, ensuring you can perform each ritual with confidence and devotion.
Select the cards below to read detailed information about the arkaan, wajibaat, and sunnah for each day of Hajj. Additionally, scroll down to explore the following sections:
Hajj is one of the five basic elements of Islam, more commonly known as the "pillars of Islam." While the other four essentials of Islam, Tawheed, Salah, Fasting, and Almsgiving, have to be performed regularly and repeatedly throughout life, the performance of Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime if one has the material means. Another difference between Hajj and other basics of Islam is that Hajj has to be performed exclusively at the Ka'aba, situated in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, whereas the other 4 arkaan can be done anywhere. Hajj is only obligatory once in a lifetime for those who are physically and financially able to do it. So, for those who cannot afford the expenses of Hajj or are physically unfit, the performance of Hajj is not compulsory.
Hajj is performed on specific dates in the Islamic month of Zil-Hajj. It is the Islamic date system's last (12th) month, known as the Hijri Calendar. Hajj starts on the 8th Zil-Hajj and ends on the 13th Zil-Hajj. Each day is designated for a specific ritual that must be performed sequentially. Since the Islamic calendar is based on the sighting of the moon at the start of every month, it keeps on revolving throughout the Gregorian date System; hence, Hajj may fall in different months. Hajj 2024 is on the 14th of June 2024 and will end on the 19th of June 2024.
Hajj is one of Islam's five pillars. The Quran emphasizes the importance of the Quran multiple times. The word Hajj is mentioned in eight verses of the Quran in different Surahs. However, the word Hajj and its concept from different perspectives can be found 26 times. The topic of Hajj is discussed in the Quran at the following places:
The verses about Hajj in Surah Al-Baqarah specifically explain different rituals of Hajj and how Muslims should perform Hajj. Its 125th verse explains the importance of Maqam-e-Ibrahim and Tawaf.
Translation Surah Al-Baqarah verse 125 - Remember, We made the House (of Ka'bah) a place of congregation and safe retreat, and said: "Make the spot where Abraham stood the place of worship;" and enjoined upon Abraham and Ismael to keep Our House immaculate for those who shall walk around it and stay in it for contemplation and prayer, and for bowing in adoration.
The 158th verse of Surah Al-Baqarah speaks about Sai.
Translation - Indeed, ˹the hills of˺ Ṣafa and Marwah are among the symbols of Allah. So whoever makes the major or minor pilgrimage to the ˹Sacred˺ House,2 let them walk between ˹the two hills˺. And whoever does good willingly, Allah is truly Appreciative, All-Knowing
The 196th verse of this surah is about the ritual of shaving off the head and sacrificing animals. It also explains the penalties that one has to face if any of the rituals cannot be performed. The combined performance of Hajj and Umrah is also explained here.
Translation - Complete the pilgrimage and minor pilgrimage for Allah. But if prevented ˹from proceeding˺, then ˹offer˺ whatever sacrificial animals you can afford. And do not shave your heads until the sacrificial animal reaches its destination. But if any of you is ill or has a scalp ailment ˹requiring shaving˺, then compensate either by fasting, charity, or a sacrificial offering. In times of peace, you may combine the pilgrimage and minor pilgrimage then make the sacrificial offering you can afford. Whoever cannot afford that ˹offering˺, let them fast three days during pilgrimage and seven after returning ˹home˺—completing ten. These offerings are for those who do not live near the Sacred House. And be mindful of Allah, and know that Allah is severe in punishment.
The importance of Hajj is also emphasized in many Hadith. Hadith number 1521 of Sahih Bukhari tells the significance of Hajj as a source of absolving a person's sins in a way as if he is just taken a new birth.
Translation - "Whoever performs Hajj for Allah's pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his wife, and does not do evil or sins then he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew."
Another hadith highlights the significance of those who perform Hajj by placing them in the same ranks as those who fight in the way of Allah and return alive.
Translation - Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The guests of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, are three: The warrior, the pilgrim performing Hajj, and the pilgrim performing 'Umrah.'" Sunan an-Nasa'i 3121
Many other Hadith references can be found in credible Hadith Books that emphasize the importance of Hajj and Umrah. The conclusion is that Hajj is one of the 5 basics principles of Islam and Muslims must perform Hajj once in their life if they have the means to do so.
Hajj is of three different types, Hajj-Al-Ifrad, Hajj-Al-Qiran and Hajj-Al-Tamattu. Here's a brief description of each type of Hajj:
The simplest of all the three types of Hajj is known as Hajj-Al-Ifrad. This type of Hajj is not combined with Umrah; hence, it is also called "Isolated Hajj." Usually, this type of Hajj is performed by the residents of Mecca and adjoining areas (within the Meeqat boundaries). This is the simplest type of Hajj.
Hajj Al-Qiran is for people living away from Mecca (outside the boundaries of Meeqat). The people living within Mecca are not allowed to perform this type of Hajj. Qiran means "combining two things". So, this type of Hajj is a combination of Hajj and Umrah. This allows pilgrims from far distances to perform Umrah and Hajj simultaneously in one visit.
This is the most common type of Hajj performed by most Muslims. The meaning of Tamattu is "Enjoyment". Hence, the pilgrim benefits from the flexibility in the Ihram, Umrah, and Hajj conditions. Unlike the Hajj Al-Qiran, the Pilgrim is at liberty to perform Umrah on arrival in Mecca and then leave the state of Ihram until the Hajj days.
The persons intending to perform Hajj Al-Tamattu or Hajj Al-Qiran are required to perform Umrah before Hajj. The detailed process of Umrah is available in the Umrah Guide.
Hajj is a very important event in the life of a Muslim. It is a sacred journey that needs lots of physical and spiritual preparation. Here are the important steps to follow to prepare yourself for Hajj.
Traveling to Mecca for the Hajj performance is a lifetime experience. It is entirely a religious journey; hence, it needs some special preparations.
Getting materially and physically prepared for Hajj is important, but spiritual preparation is even more crucial. Spiritual motivation and devotion are the basic requirements when preparing yourself for Hajj. Just envision that you are traveling to the Baitullah (home of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to perform a very special kind of worship, perhaps for the first and the last time; hence preparations also need to be super-special.
Let's explore what you need to do for spiritual preparation:
As for every form of worship in Islam, making an intention is very important; the same applies to Hajj. The first step towards preparations for Hajj is making Niyyah (intention). Make it clear in your heart and soul that you intend to go on pilgrimage, a very special type of worship. There should be no other motivation behind this venture except for the fulfillment of religious obligation and pleasing Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. There should be no ill-motivation, such as impressing others with your wealth or exhibiting your piety. The only intention must be to please Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى and fulfill your religious duty.
Nothing happens in our lives, without the will of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. So, when preparing yourself for this most sacred event, one must request and appeal from Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى to shower His blessings and give us courage and resources to perform Hajj. Sincerely and devotedly seek His assistance and guidance so that the hurdles are removed, and difficulties eased, enabling us to proceed and complete the Hajj rituals perfectly with all its etiquette.
Before starting life's most sacred journey, one must confess the previous sins and wrongdoings. Apologize and regret for all that has been done wrong and resolve that these will not be repeated. Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى likes the true repentance and is always willing to forgive us. However, expressing repentance and assuring not to repeat the wrongful acts in the future is the basic requirement while seeking forgiveness from Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
In addition to seeking forgiveness from Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, we should also seek forgiveness from our close family members and friends. The concept of Huququllah and Huququl Ibad (Rights of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى and rights of people) is of much importance in Islam. Hadith, narrated in the Sahi Muslim at serial number 2563d, speaks about the importance of keeping good relations with extended family and friends.
Translation - Don't sever relations of kinship, don't bear enmity against one another, don't bear aversion against one another, and don't feel envy against the other and live as fellow-brothers as Allah has commanded you.
So, while proceeding to Hajj, one must seek forgiveness from friends and family for whatever wrong has been done, intentionally or unintentionally, while dealing with them in due course of time. Sincerely do that, as you are going to present yourself in front of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, so you must be there with clear hands.
Ideally, one shouldn't have missed any compulsory prayers and fasts. However, there might be some lapses on our part. So, make a strong intention to make up all the missed prayers and fasting before proceeding to Hajj. Though it may not be practically possible, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى is well aware of our intentions. Since effort is a must, leaving rest to the mercy of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
It is mandatory to pay off your debts before proceeding to the Hajj. Similarly, if someone has kept some of his belongings with you as an Amanah (Trust), you must return them. These two acts must be done sincerely, especially paying off the debts.
Islam teaches us to earn money through rightful resources and deeds. Hajj is one of the most important forms of worship. Traveling for Hajj involves quite a huge amount of money. So, ensure you perform Hajj with purely lawful and Halal money. Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has not made Hajj compulsory for those who cannot afford it financially; hence, there is no logic behind performing this sacred worship with wrongfully or illegally earned money. This will defeat the very purpose of this blessed journey.
Hajj is mandatory for all Muslims, being one of the five basic elements of Islam. But unlike other basics of Islam, Hajj is an obligation only once in a lifetime. But as mentioned in the 286th Verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى does not put a burden on anyone who is not capable of bearing it.
Translation - Allah does not require of any soul more than what it can afford. All good will be for its own benefit, and all evil will be for its own loss.
So, the same relaxation applies in the case of the performance of Hajj. It has been made compulsory for every Muslim, but with certain conditions. Only the ones fulfilling these conditions are required to perform Hajj; others are not. The conditions are as follows:
Hajj is mandatory for those who are believers. This condition applies to every worship and all religious acts required by Islam. So, the first and foremost condition for performing Hajj is being a Muslim and a believer in Islam. As explained in the Hadith number 1783 of Sunan Ibn Majah, all Islamic religious acts apply to the people who first accept Islam.
Translation - the Prophet send Muadh to Yemen, and said: "You are going to some people among the People of the Book. Call them to bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that I am the messenger of Allah. If they obey that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five prayers every day and night. If they obey that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them charity (Zakat) from their wealth, to be taken from the rich and given to their poor. If they obey that, then beware of (taking) the best of their wealth. And beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between and Allah."
The same concept is explained in the 54th Verse of Surah Al-Tawba.
Translation - And what prevented their donations from being accepted is that they have lost faith in Allah and His Messenger, they never come to prayer except half-heartedly, and they never donate except resentfully
So, in the light of these references, Hajj, also being one of the worship and basic elements of Islam, is obligatory on a person who believes in Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى and His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ.
Hajj is obligatory for adult Muslims, men, and women. Hence maturity is the second condition that makes the Hajj compulsory for a person. Minors and infants, though not prohibited from accompanying their parents during Hajj, do not come under the obligation of performing Hajj. This is also applicable in the case of other worships, such as salat and som, for minors, although they are allowed to do such acts if they have the capacity. Hadith 3432 of Sunan An-Nasai explains the three persons are not obliged to perform any religious activity.
Translation - The pen has been lifted from three: From the sleeper until he wakes up, from the minor until he grows up, and from the insane until he comes back to his senses or recovers.
As mentioned in the above Hadith, an insane person is not obliged to perform a religious activity unless they regain their senses. Hence, the third condition that makes Hajj obligatory to a person is being mentally sound.
Another condition for being obliged to perform Hajj is the ability to do so, both physically and financially. As explained above, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى does not put a burden on anyone who is not capable of doing so. This is also specifically mentioned for Hajj in the 97th Verse of Surah Al-Imran.
Translation - In it are clear signs and the standing-place of Abraham. Whoever enters it should be safe. Pilgrimage to this House is an obligation by Allah upon whoever is able among the people. And whoever disbelieves, then surely Allah is not in need of ˹any of His˺ creation.
The scholars explain that "being able" in this Verse applies to a person's physical and financial ability to perform the Hajj. Physical ability means that a person should be able to travel to Mecca and perform the Hajj rituals without difficulty. Financial ability means one should have enough resources to travel from their hometown to Mecca and return. It also means that he/she should have reasonable resources to meet the daily expenses while in Mecca for the performance of Hajj. However, the condition also applies to Halal's financial resources (religiously lawful earnings). Any money earned unlawfully and by violating Islamic teachings cannot be spent for Hajj.
It should be safe enough for a person intending to travel to Mecca for Hajj. Muslims living in a country with a political and law and order situation that does not allow free movement are not obligated to go for Hajj. Ensuring the safety of one's life is the utmost duty of a Muslim. Therefor, it is not mandatory to go for Hajj in situations of turmoil. Muslims in such situations can delay their pilgrimage until the situation is under control or postpone it indefinitely. Recently, such a situation arose worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even the government of Saudi Arabia didn't allow entry into the country for the Hajj.
Apart from the above-mentioned conditions, there are a couple of conditions specific to women. They cannot perform Hajj if any of the following conditions are not met:
Women are not allowed to perform Hajj unless they are accompanied by their Mehram. This matter is explicitly mentioned in Hadith Number 1862 of Sahih Al-Bukhari and many other Hadiths as well:
Translation - The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A woman should not travel except with a Dhu-Mahram (her husband or a man with whom that woman cannot marry at all according to the Islamic Jurisprudence), and no man may visit her except in the presence of a Dhu-Mahram." A man got up and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I intend to go to such and such an army and my wife wants to perform Hajj." The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "Go along with her (to Hajj)
Hence, it is very clear that women cannot go for Hajj without a Mehram. And who is a Mehram is also explained in the above referred Hadith. This is a very important condition that every woman should comply with while going for Hajj. Unfortunately, some women intentionally violate this condition and declare a man as her Mehram, who is actually not. This should be avoided. After all you are going for a sacred and most important religious activity, so trying to escape this condition is not a good practice.
The iddah period is a specific period that a woman needs to observe in case of the death of her husband or in case of divorce. She needs to remain confined to her place, where she was at the time of the death of her husband, to complete the Iddah period. Or she can go to her family in case of divorce to observe the Iddah Period.
The Iddah period is specifically mentioned as four months and ten days in the 234th Verse of Surah Al-Baqarah:
Translation - As for those of you who die and leave widows behind, let them observe a waiting period of four months and ten days.
The Iddah period is also mentioned as four months and ten days in different Hadiths. Hadith number 3543 of Sunan An-Nasai explains it as under:
Translation - And those of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeath for their wives a year's maintenance and residence without turning them out." This was abrogated by the Verse on inheritance, which allocated to her one-quarter or one-eighth. And the appointed time ('Iddah) of one year was abrogated and replaced with the ('Iddah) term of four months and ten days
A woman is not allowed to go out of her home during the Iddah period. Hence, she is not allowed to proceed for Hajj during this period of Iddah. She should postpone her Hajj for the next year while fulfilling other conditions, such as being accompanied by a Mehram.
All the rituals have to be performed sequentially and, even more importantly, at the correct time. Below is the detail of the arkaan, wajibaat, and sunnah of Hajj.
As said earlier, Hajj comprises a series of rituals that need to be performed in the correct sequence and in the prescribed places while observing the allowed time slot. It comprises of 7 essentials or Arkaan:
The wajibaat of Hajj are as under:
The above rituals of Hajj are referred to as Wajibaats of Hajj. Wajib is an act that is necessary to be performed. However, the inability to do it correctly does not invalidate the Hajj but is liable for Damm (Penalty).
Sunnah is an act that every Muslim needs to follow. These are the acts of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which he used to do out of the fard and wajib acts. Many such sunnahs can be performed during Hajj. Here are some of them:
Violations of any of the compulsory acts or restrictions are liable for penalties, such as violations of restrictions of Ihram. The penalties are of three types:
Here's a brief list of violations and penalties against it: