Hajj

Hajj is a special journey that Muslims make to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It is one of the most important practices in Islam and is required for all Muslims who are healthy and can afford to travel. During Hajj, millions of people come together to follow traditions that date back to ancient times.

The pilgrimage happens once a year and lasts for several days. It includes walking around a sacred building called the Kaaba seven times, visiting important places, and doing rituals that show unity and faith. Hajj is a time for Muslims to show their belief and to ask for forgiveness.

Because the Islamic calendar is based on the moon, the date of Hajj changes each year. In 2026, it will take place from May 18 to June 15. Even though many people want to join, the number of visitors can change due to safety and health reasons, as happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Etymology

The word "Hajj" comes from the Arabic language and is similar to a word in Hebrew, which means "festival". It is linked to an ancient word root. In Islam, Hajj refers to the journey to Mecca where special rituals are performed during the pilgrimage.

History

Main article: History of Hajj

The way people do Hajj today was set by Muhammad. But parts of Hajj go back to the time of Abraham, as told in the Quran. According to Islamic stories, God told Abraham to leave his wife Hajar and their son Ishmael in the dry desert of Mecca. Hajar ran back and forth seven times between two hills, Safa and Marwah, looking for water. When she gave up, she saw Ishmael scratching the ground with his leg, and water came up from under his foot. Abraham was then told to build the Kaaba, which he did with Ishmael's help, and to invite people to visit it.

Before Islam, the Kaaba had many pagan idols. In the year 630, Muhammad and his followers went to Mecca, removed the idols, and made the Kaaba a place for worshipping God. In 632, Muhammad did Hajj one last time and taught many people how to do it properly. After that, Hajj became one of the five important duties in Islam.

In the past, groups of people would travel together from cities in Syria, Egypt, and Iraq to go on Hajj. These big groups were protected by soldiers and had doctors to help if anyone got sick. Famous travelers like Ibn Jubayr and Ibn Battuta wrote about their journeys to Mecca. They followed special roads called darb al-hajj, which were old paths used by many people before.

Timing of Hajj

The date of Hajj is set by the Islamic calendar, which follows the moon. Every year, Hajj happens over ten days, starting on the 1st and ending on the 10th of Dhu'l-Hijja, the last month of this calendar. The most important day is the 9th of Dhu'l-Hijja, called the Day of Arafah. Because this calendar is shorter than our usual calendar by about eleven days, the date of Hajj moves earlier each year. Sometimes, Hajj can happen twice in one year, which last occurred in 2006.

Rites

Pilgrims follow detailed instructions to carry out the rituals of Hajj, often using guides and books to help them meet all the requirements. These rituals remind them of the actions of Muhammad and the stories of Abraham.

Ihram

Ihram is the special spiritual state that marks the beginning of Hajj. When pilgrims enter this state, they must follow certain rules. Men wear two simple white cloths, one wrapped around the waist and the other over the shoulder. Women wear regular clothing that covers their hands and face. Other rules include not cutting nails, not shaving any body hair, and not using perfumes. This clothing and these rules help all pilgrims feel equal before God.

Tawaf and sa'ay

tawaf is walking seven times around the Kaaba, the holy building in Mecca. Pilgrims start at the Black Stone, which they kiss or touch if possible. They also say special prayers. After tawaf, pilgrims walk between two hills called Safa and Marwah seven times. This is called sa'ay.

First day of Hajj: 8th Dhu'l-Hijja (Tarwiyah Day)

On the 8th day, pilgrims put on their Ihram clothing again and remember their duties. They travel to a place called Mina and spend the day there.

Second day: 9th Dhu'l-Hijja (Arafah Day)

On the 9th day, pilgrims go to Arafat, where they spend the afternoon in quiet thought, asking for forgiveness and praying. This is a very important part of Hajj.

Third day: 10th Dhu'l-Hijja (Qurban Day)

After morning prayers, pilgrims move to Mina. Here, they throw stones at a pillar representing a bad spirit. Later, they may take part in animal sacrificing to remember the story of Ibrahim. Male pilgrims shave their heads, and women cut a small amount of hair.

Fourth day: 11th Dhu'l-Hijja

On this day, pilgrims again throw stones at three pillars in Mina.

Fifth day: 12th Dhu'l-Hijja

Pilgrims repeat the stone-throwing ritual on this day and may leave Mina for Mecca before sunset.

Last day at Mina: 13th Dhu'l-Hijja

If they are still there, pilgrims throw stones one last time before returning to Mecca.

Tawaf al-Wadaa

Before leaving Mecca, pilgrims perform a final walk around the Kaaba, called the farewell tawaf.

Journey to Medina

During their journey for Hajj, many pilgrims also visit the city of Medina, which is about 450 kilometres (280 miles) northeast of Mecca. They often pray at the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, a very important mosque that contains the tomb of Muhammad. They also usually visit the Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Qiblatayn.

Significance

To Muslims, Hajj is very important for religious and social reasons. Muslims must do this pilgrimage during a specific time in the last month of the Islamic calendar. If a Muslim is healthy and can safely travel, they should go that year. Waiting without a good reason is seen as wrong.

Hajj is also a time for spiritual growth and reminds Muslims of the Day of Judgment, when they believe everyone will face God. After completing Hajj, Muslims can add “Al-Hajji” to their names and are respected in their communities. But it is important that Hajj shows a Muslim’s faith, not just their status. Hajj brings Muslims together from all over the world, no matter where they come from, showing equality.

A study from 2008 found that after Hajj, Muslim communities often become more positive and understanding toward others. The study, done with Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, showed that Hajj can help people believe more in equality and peace among different groups and religions.

Malcolm X, an American activist from the Civil Rights Movement, talked about how Hajj showed him unity among people of all races, something he had not seen in America before.

Differences between Hajj and Umrah

Main article: Umrah

Hajj and Umrah are both important journeys in Islam, but they are different in some ways. Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, meaning every Muslim is expected to do it once if they are healthy and can afford it. Hajj happens only during a special month called Dhu'l-Hijja. Umrah, on the other hand, can be done at any time of the year. While both journeys include similar traditions, Hajj takes much longer and has more steps than Umrah.

Arrangement and facilities

Most Hajj matters are managed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Each year, more people travel to Mecca, so the government of Saudi Arabia works hard to prepare. Since the 1950s, they have spent a lot of money to improve places for pilgrims. They have built better housing, transportation, and health services. Now, pilgrims can perform their rituals with modern comforts. The government sets limits on how many people can come from each country to keep things safe. They also use many security workers and cameras to help everyone stay safe.

The Saudi government uses technology to help pilgrims. For example, they have a special bracelet that keeps important information about each pilgrim. They also hold events to find new ways to use technology for Hajj. Apps can help pilgrims find important places, get advice, and more.

To visit Saudi Arabia for Hajj, visitors need to follow certain rules. The government is working to make getting a visa easier and faster. Some people, like those from Gulf Cooperation Council countries, do not need a visa.

Traditionally, people traveled to Mecca by land with camels. Later, ships were used, and now most travel by airplane. Many airports have special areas to help pilgrims. During Hajj, pilgrims move between places using trains, buses, or walking. The government controls traffic to keep things safe, but travel can still take a long time. A special train now helps pilgrims move quickly during very busy times.

Sustainability

The Hajj pilgrimage has a big effect on the environment. Each pilgrim adds about 60.5 kg of carbon dioxide every day. Travel, places to stay, food, and waste created around 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide during the Hajj season in 2011. Most pilgrims fly to Mecca, and flying creates 60% of the greenhouse gases from Hajj.

With the world getting warmer, the heat and humidity may become dangerous for people doing the Hajj in the future. Temperature rises of 1.5° to 2° could affect the health of many participants, especially older people.

In 2011, the first guide for a greener Hajj was created. In 2019, Saudi Arabia started a project to make Hajj better for the environment. One part of this project asked pilgrims not to use plastic and encouraged them to sort their waste in special camps. The money from these efforts is used for charitable work. The goals of this project are to reduce harm to the environment, improve how waste is managed, and keep pilgrims and camps safe.

Hajj and the Saudi economy

See also: Economy of Saudi Arabia

Each year, many people travel to Mecca for a special trip called Hajj. This trip is very important for people who follow the Islamic faith. In 2014, it was thought that this trip helped Saudi Arabia earn up to $8.5 billion. As oil and gas become less available, the country plans to rely more on money from these trips.

More people are visiting each year. By 2025, the number of visitors is expected to grow from about 12 million to almost 17 million. To welcome these visitors, new hotels and buildings are being built, like the big project called Abraj al-Bait, worth about three billion dollars. The government is also working to improve services like cleaning, transportation, and housing for the visitors.

Many visitors from places like the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom buy travel packages from special agencies in their own countries. This helps organize their trip more easily.

Because of a health situation in July 2020, the number of visitors that year was very small—only fewer than 10,000 people who already lived in the country. This affected businesses that depend on visitors.

Experts believe that by 2022, the money from Hajj and a similar trip called Umrah could reach over $150 billion, and by 2032, it could grow to more than $350 billion.

Number of pilgrims per year

The number of people who travel to Mecca for Hajj each year has grown a lot over the past 92 years. In 1920, about 58,584 people made the journey, but by 2012, that number had grown to over 1.7 million. This growth slowed in 2013 because of building work at a very important mosque.

During World War II, people from other countries could not come to Saudi Arabia for Hajj between 1940 and 1945. In 2020 and 2021, the number of pilgrims was also very small because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the most recent Hajj in 2023, there were about 1.8 million pilgrims, including around 184,000 people from Saudi Arabia.

The following number of pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia each year to perform Hajj: