What are the traditions of the Islamic Hajj?

Hajj or Haj is an Arabic word for the Islamic holy pilgrimage to Mecca, the capital city of the Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. Hajj is the fifth of the Five Pillars in Sunni Islam and one of the ten Branches of Religion in Shi'a Islam. Both Sunni Islam and Shi'a Islam, the two largest denominations of Islam, require their followers to make this pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime, health and finances permitting. The pilgrimage takes place in the twelfth, and last, month of the Islamic calendar, Dhu al-Hijjah. As the Islamic calendar is lunar (i.e., based on the new moon), its months differ from those of the solar calendar and the time for the Hajj cycles throughout the seasons over the years.

Making the Pilgrimage

Saudi Arabia gives special visas to Muslims who come for the pilgrimage, and some airlines offer package holidays to the pilgrims, who usually travel in family groups or with friends in order to save money. Although Muslim women are encouraged to travel to Mecca with a male relative, because the Hajj is such a fundamental part of the Islamic tradition, they are permitted to attend if they travel with a group of women unaccompanied by a male, as long as they carry a permission letter from any male relative.

In Mecca , male pilgrims are required to dress in an ihram, a garment that consists of two pieces of unhemmed white cloth, one draped over the body and the other belted around their waist, and sandals. The ihram has symbolic meaning: when all men dress alike, there is no difference between rich and poor, as there is no difference between men in the eyes of Allah. The ihram also symbolizes purity and forgiveness for sins. While wearing the ihram the pilgrim may not cut his nails, shave or wear jewelry. Female pilgrims often wear simple black or white dresses with their heads covered.

How do pilgrims perform the Hajj?

There are two types of Hajj: the Umrah is the lesser Hajj and may be taken at any time of the year. It consists of two main parts: the first is the tawaf, in which Pilgrims walk counter-clockwise around the Kaaba, a sacred building inside a mosque in Mecca, four times quickly and then three times more slowly. In the second part, called the sa'y, pilgrims must walk the distance between the two hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, both ways. This tradition is a re-enactment of Hagar's frantic search for water, before Allah revealed to her the Zamzam Well.

Pilgrims may undertake the greater Hajj only in the twelfth month. After performing the Umrah, they go to Mount Arafat and stay until sunset. After sunset, they proceed to Muzdalifah and gather stones for the ritual of the stoning of the jamarat. During this ritual, pilgrims throw seven pebbles at a wall in Mina and an animal sacrifice must be made. Pilgrims today generally purchase a sacrifice voucher, and the slaughter then takes place without the pilgrim being actually present. A further two stonings take place before the pilgrims return to Mecca.