Hajj

Conditions of obligation

Hajj becomes obligatory when the Muslim meets: Islam, puberty, sanity, freedom, physical and financial capacity (istiṭāʿa), and safety of the route.

The three forms of Hajj

The pilgrim may perform Hajj in three ways:

• 1.Tamattuʿ: ʿUmra then Hajj in the same season, with sacrifice (recommended)
• 2.Qirān: ʿUmra and Hajj combined in a single intention, with sacrifice
• 3.Ifrād: Hajj alone, without obligatory sacrifice

The stages of pilgrimage

The rite spans several days according to a precise sequence:

• 1.Entering iḥrām at the mawāqīt
• 2.Ṭawāf al-qudūm: welcoming circumambulation of the Kaʿba
• 3.Saʿy between the hills of Ṣafā and Marwa
• 4.Standing at ʿArafa (central day, 9 Dhū al-Ḥijja)
• 5.Night at Muzdalifa and collecting pebbles
• 6.Stoning the jamarāt pillars at Minā
• 7.Sacrifice (hady) and shaving or shortening the hair
• 8.Ṭawāf al-ifāḍa and ṭawāf al-wadāʿ (farewell)

Prohibitions of iḥrām

While in iḥrām, the pilgrim must abstain from:

• 1.Cutting hair or nails
• 2.Wearing perfume or scented products
• 3.Wearing sewn clothing (for men)
• 4.Covering the face or hands with a specific veil (for women)
• 5.Hunting or killing game
• 6.Contracting marriage or having marital relations

ʿUmra: the lesser pilgrimage

Distinct from Hajj, ʿUmra can be performed at any time of the year. It includes iḥrām, ṭawāf and saʿy, followed by shaving. The majority of scholars hold it as non-obligatory but highly recommended.

The wisdom of Hajj

Hajj is a school of tawḥīd, humility and brotherhood. All pilgrims, rich or poor, wear the same white garment (iḥrām), recalling equality before Allah and the reality of the Day of Resurrection.