Hajj and Umrah

Islam has five pillars – Shahadah (faith), Salah (prayer), Zakat (charity), Sawm (fasting), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). All Muslims are expected to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in the course of their lives if they are physically and financially capable of going. This pilgrimage is called Hajj which is derived from an Arabic word and means “to intend a journey”. On the other hand, Umrah is a non-mandatory pilgrimage made by Muslims to Mecca. Let’s understand both these pilgrimages in detail.

Every year, millions of Muslims from all across the world gather in Mecca to display their solidarity, unity, and faith by recreating the ritual performed by Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) during his final pilgrimage.

Hajj occurs only once every year during the month of Dhu al-Hijjah or the last month of the Islamic calendar. The events of Hajj take place over a period of five days, starting from the eighth day and going on up to the twelfth day of Dhu al-Hijjah. Of these, the ninth day is known as the Day of Arafah or the day of Hajj.

The main rituals of the Hajj pilgrimage are as follows:

·        Ihram – Pilgrims enter the state of purity for the pilgrimage. Men need to wear a specific attire (2 seamless white sheets wrapped around the body and sandals). Women dress in white with only their faces and hands uncovered. These clothes signify unity and equality with no discrimination of culture, class, status, or wealth. In the state of Ihram, pilgrims are forbidden from cutting their nails, fighting, or engaging in any sexual activity.

·        Tawaf – All pilgrims are required to walk around the Ka’aba in Masjid Al-Haram seven times in a counter-clockwise direction. The Ka’aba is the most sacred site in Islam.

·        Sa’ey – All pilgrims walk back and forth between the hills of Al-Safe and Al-Marwah seven times. These hills are to the south and north of Ka’aba respectively. This is the recreation of the Hajar in search of water.

·        Mount Arafat – On the second day of the Hajj, pilgrims travel to a nearby mountain – Arafat and stand there in vigil from the time when the sun first starts its decline (post-noon) until it sets.

·        Stone the Devil – Once the vigil on Arafat ends, pilgrims head to Muzdalifah. The next day, they go to Mina to participate in a ceremony which symbolizes stoning the devil. The fling seven pebbles at a stone monument called Jamrat al ‘Aqabah.

·        Eid al-Adha – On the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah the three-day festival of Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice begins. During this period, the pilgrims offer an animal sacrifice or Qurbani to God and continue with the other rites to complete their Hajj.

Umrah is also a pilgrimage to Mecca which can be performed at any time of the year (also in combination with the Hajj pilgrimage). Also, there is some difference in the rites of Umrah as compared to the Hajj.