Explained: What Is Hajj And Why Muslim Pilgrims Gather In Saudi Arabia Annually

Hajj takes place from the eighth to the twelfth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic (lunar) calendar. Hajj will take place this year from the evening of Thursday, July 7, 2022, to the evening of Tuesday, July 12, 2022.

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Saudi Arabia has finally loosened travel restrictions to increase the number of pilgrims and has allowed 1 million people from both inside and outside the kingdom to perform the Muslim pilgrimage to the Kaaba, the "House of God," in the holy city of Mecca. The country had restricted the annual Islamic ritual of Hajj to a small number of Muslims living inside the country for the previous two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

What is Hajj?

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One of Islam's five pillars is the hajj. Every physically and financially capable Muslim has a duty to perform Hajj once during their lives. Muslims can renew their faith, grow closer to God, and ask for forgiveness of their sins throughout the pilgrimage. Muslims from all over the world travel to Makkah to visit the magnificent Holy Kaaba, which is housed in the city's main mosque, Masjid al-Haram.

It is prohibited to engage in sexual activity, argue, use violence, or cut one's hair or nails while a person is in the state of Ihram, a holy state that Muslims must enter to complete the pilgrimage. Due to the religious significance of the Ihram, Muslims must constantly maintain their composure when in this state, regardless of how worn out they are after their travels.

How is it performed?

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Men are required to wear two pieces of white clothing called the ihraam when they arrive for the pilgrimage, while women are required to wear clothing that reaches their ankles and a hijab to cover their hair. The simplistic attire represents a condition of purity before beginning the spiritual journey as well as the equality of all persons before God.

Muslims initially conduct the tawaf, which involves making seven clockwise laps around the black Kaaba. To honour the effort of Prophet Ibrahim's wife Hajar, who ran between the hills seven times in quest of water for her son Ismail, they then walk or run seven times between the two hills of Safa and Marwa. Together, the two actions are referred to as Umrah, a more modest pilgrimage that Muslims can make to Makkah at any time of year.

After completing the first part of the Hajj, pilgrims travel to Mina, a tent city located about eight kilometres from Makkah. Before the Day of Arafat, one of the most significant days in the Hajj calendar, they spend the night here in worship. Visitors flock to Mount Arafat, the site of the Prophet Muhammad's last address. They stand on the mount and recite the Quran and ask for forgiveness.

After visiting Arafat, they travel to Muzdalifa, a region of wide plains close to Makkah, where they spend the night. The pilgrims return to Mina for the "stoning of the demon" ceremony on the third day. They hurl stones at three buildings that stand where Prophet Ibrahim was tempted by the devil.

The first day of Eid is then marked by the sacrifice of a lamb, the meat of which is given to the underprivileged.

History of Hajj

The history of visiting the sacred Kaaba in Mecca is remarkable. Muslims believe that Allah told Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham to abandon his wife Hajar and son Ismail in the Meccan desert.

Ibrahim left the family well-off, but with time, everything began to decline, and his wife Hajar and son Ismail had many difficulties. Hajar once traversed the highlands of Safa and Marwah seven times, but she was unable to locate any water sources.

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However, a water fountain sprang at the location when her young son Ismail rubbed the ground with his foot. God subsequently designated this location as sacred and gave Ibrahim the instruction to construct the Kaaba there and to encourage people to make pilgrimages there. Ibrahim and Ismail followed the instructions, and the Quran even describes how the angel Gabriel brought the Black Stone from heaven to be attached to the Kaaba.

It is believed that some pagan idols were later put around the Kaaba during the "jahiliyyah" period of pre-Islamic Arabia, but in 630 CE, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) led the believers from Medina to Mecca and purified the Kaaba by removing all the pagan idols. He was the last prophet taken into account in Islam.

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After cleansing the Kaaba, he reconsecrated the building to Allah and performed his first and last pilgrimage there in 632 CE. This was followed by Prophet Muhammad¡¯s sermon to his followers on the rites of it and that is how Hajj became one of the five pillars of Islam.

What is the significance of Hajj?

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Hajj serves to enable and tends to unite Muslims from all over the world in a spirit of brotherhood and togetherness without prejudice based on caste, culture, or colour, a clear illustration of equality. It is believed that those who execute the Hajj rituals honestly and puritanically wash away all of their lifetime sins when they return home.

If the duties are fulfilled properly, this annual pilgrimage not only maintains equality but also rewards pilgrims with heaven after death. As it is a reenactment of Prophet Abraham's sacrifices and obedience to God Almighty in accordance with the guidelines established by Prophet Muhammad, it symbolises kindness, positivity, and is the highest form of honour achieved.

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