{"id":5019,"date":"2021-07-04T12:09:52","date_gmt":"2021-07-04T06:09:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arablight.info\/?p=5019"},"modified":"2021-07-08T18:13:31","modified_gmt":"2021-07-08T12:13:31","slug":"how-to-perform-hajj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madinaralo.com\/en\/2021\/07\/04\/how-to-perform-hajj\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Perform Hajj"},"content":{"rendered":"

Assalamu\u2019alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

What is Hajj<\/h2>\n

Hajj is one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, an annual spiritual experience undertaken by Muslims at least once their lifetime to express their faith in and servitude towards Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta\u2019ala \u2013 Glory to him, the exalted). Let\u2019s understand the Hajj rituals that every pilgrim carries out during their pilgrimage to Makkah.<\/p>\n

Forms of Pilgrimage<\/h3>\n

There are three forms of Hajj:
\n Tamattu’-Ifraad-Qiran <\/i><\/p>\n

Tamattu’:<\/strong> <\/i>A pilgrim wears Ihram for Umrah only during the months of Hajj, which means when he reaches Makkah, he makes Tawaf and Sa’yi for Umrah. He then shaves or clips his hair. On the day of Tarwiya, which is the eighth of Dhul-Hijja, he puts on his Ihram for Hajj only and carries out all of its requirements. Both Umrah and Hajj rituals are performed by entering a separate state of Ihram, and a sacrificial animal is required in order to complete this form of Hajj.<\/p>\n

Ifraad:<\/i><\/strong> A pilgrim wears Ihram for Hajj only without the need of a sacrificial animal (Hadee) or Qurbani. When he reaches Makkah, he performs Tawaf for his arrival and Sa’yi for Hajj. He doesn’t shave or clip his hair as he doesn’t disengage from Ihram. Instead, he remains in Ihram till after he stones Jamrah Al-Aqaba on the Eid day. It is permissible for him to postpone his Sa’yi for Hajj until after his Tawaf for Hajj.<\/p>\n

Qiran:<\/i> <\/strong>A pilgrim wears Ihram for both Umrah and Hajj or he wears Ihram first for Umrah, then makes intentions for Hajj before his Tawaf for Hajj. The obligations on one performing Ifraad are the same as those on one performing Qiran, except that the latter must slaughter whereas the former is not obligated to do so. The best of the three forms is Tamattu’. It is the form that the prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) encouraged his followers to perform. Even if a pilgrim makes intentions to perform Qiran or Ifraad he is allowed to change his intentions to Tamattu’; he can do this even after he has performed Tawaf and Sa’yi. This form requires a sacrificial animal to complete the rituals.<\/p>\n

When the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed Tawaf and Sa’yi during the year of the Farewell Hajj with his companions, he ordered all those who hadn’t brought sacrificial animals to change their intentions for Hajj to intentions for Umrah. cut their hair, and disengage from Ihram till Hajj. He said, ” If I hadn’t brought the sacrificial animal, I’d have done what I’ve ordered you to do.”<\/p>\n

What are the steps of Hajj?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
    \n
  1. Preparation and Intention<\/li>\n
  2. Enter state of Ihram<\/li>\n
  3. Tawaf x7<\/li>\n
  4. Safa and Marwa<\/li>\n
  5. Clip\/Shave Hair (Umrah ends)<\/li>\n
  6. Resting and Praying<\/li>\n
  7. Enter state of Ihram<\/li>\n
  8. Arrive at Mina<\/li>\n
  9. Day of Arafah<\/li>\n
  10. Muzdalifah (under the night sky)<\/li>\n
  11. Rami (stoning of the devil)<\/li>\n
  12. Qurbani<\/li>\n
  13. Shave Head<\/li>\n
  14. Tawaf al-Ifadha<\/li>\n
  15. Rami (stoning of the devil)<\/li>\n
  16. Spend the night at Mina<\/li>\n
  17. Rami (stoning of the devil)<\/li>\n
  18. Farewell Tawaf al-Wida<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Hajj Rituals \u2013 How to Perform Hajj<\/h2>\n

    here are three forms of Hajj: Tamattu<\/em>, Ifraad<\/em> and Qiran<\/em>. For the purpose of this Hajj guide, we will use the Tamattu <\/em>form of Hajj<\/strong>, which is what the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encouraged his followers to perform.<\/p>\n

    Before you arrive at Makkah to start Hajj, it\u2019s important to make your intention (niyah<\/em>) within your heart. The intention must be to perform the Hajj for the sake of Allah alone, with a desire for the Hereafter. It should not be done with the intention of being seen among others or for worldly gain.<\/p>\n

    Throughout these holy days, we should also be particularly mindful of our behavior and words. We should avoid smoking, engaging in sexual relations, swearing, shaving our hair and cutting our nails. We must also not use perfume or scented soaps.<\/p>\n

    Once you arrive at the holy Masjid al-Haram, in Makkah, you\u2019re then ready to start the biggest spiritual journey of your life!<\/p>\n

    The acts of faith performed by all pilgrims during their spiritual journey to the Holy Kaaba are collectively known as the Hajj rituals, which last five days from the 8th to the 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah.<\/p>\n

    1. Hajj Preparations<\/h3>\n

    Hajj begins on the 8th day of Dhu al-Hijjah when pilgrims make their intentions to undertake the pilgrimage by donning the Ihram garments.<\/p>\n

    Assuming Ihram from Miqat \u2013 The intention to perform Hajj<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Before pilgrims wish to enter the Al Masjid Al Haram (the sacred boundary of Mecca) and move across to perform Hajj, they should wear Ihram in order to make haram and traverse the five different areas of Miqats in the Haram boundary.<\/p>\n

    Below are the destination options and relevant Miqats for pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj:
    \n\u2022 Dhu\u2019l Hulaifah (Abbyar Ali) is for pilgrims coming to Saudi Arabia from or through Madina first to perform Hajj al-Tamatt\u2019u
    \n\u2022 Al-Juhfah (near Rabigh) is for pilgrims coming from or through Syria, Morocco, or Egypt.
    \n\u2022 Qarn-al manazil (As-Sail Al-Kabeer) is for pilgrims coming from or through Najd or Taif.
    \n\u2022 Yalamlam (Sa\u2019adiyah) is for pilgrims coming from or through India, Pakistan or Yemen.
    \n\u2022 Dhat `Irq is for pilgrims coming from or through Iraq.<\/p>\n

    Before setting off from their place of stay and making their way to the sacred boundary of Mecca, pilgrims are bound to assume a state of Ihram, which is the combined sacred act of Niyyah and Talbiyah necessary to perform Hajj. Niyyah is the innate intention to perform an act of worship, while Talbiyah is a special prayer said in supplication to attain Ihram.<\/p>\n

    All pilgrims are required to stick to certain guidelines before entering into the Miqat.<\/p>\n

    To become a Muhrim (a pilgrim that has attained the state of Ihram), a pilgrim must prepare himself for Ihram by following the below steps as instructed by the Prophet (PBUH):
    \n\u2022 Performing ablutions \u2013 cleansing the body to attain physical purity, which involves some rituals that are mandatory (Mushtahab) and others, are preferable for Ihram:
    \nI. Ghusl (Mustahab)
    \nII. Perfuming the head & beard. (Mustahab)
    \nIII. Clipping finger & toe nails (Preferred)
    \nIV. Trimming moustache (Preferred)
    \nV. Shaving off unwanted body hair (Preferred)
    \n\u2022 Changing into the sacred attire of two-pieced white Ihram sheets (Izar and Rida) for men and ordinary Islamic clothes for women. Both men and women should wear flip-flops or sandals that expose the middle bones of the midfoot.
    \n\u2022 Performing the two Rakats of Salah al-Ihram while covering the head.
    \n\u2022 Pronouncing the Niyyah as the Miqat approaches
    \n\u2022 Reciting Talbiyah repeatedly while traversing the Miqat stations in the sacred boundary of the Grand Holy Mosque until the commencement of Tawaf before traveling to Mecca for the next step of Umrah.<\/p>\n

    2. Performing the Umrah Rituals<\/h3>\n

    Pilgrims intending to undertake Hajj al-Tamatt\u2019u must combine Umrah rituals with that of Hajj. Tawaf is one of the principal rites of the pilgrimage and refers to walking in circles around the Ka\u2019bah in an anti-clockwise motion. One tawaf is made up of seven complete circuits, with each one starting and ending at the black stone.<\/p>\n

    Safa and Marwa<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    After you\u2019ve performed your tawaf<\/em>, you\u2019ll then perform what\u2019s known as sa\u2019i <\/em>\u2013 <\/strong>walking and running between the two hills of Safa and Marwa. You\u2019ll begin the sa\u2019i on Safa and walk towards Marwa until you see the green marker at which point you will run until the next green marker, and continue walking till you reach Marwa. This completes one lap. You will then return to Safa to complete your second lap. Your sa\u2019i is complete once you have performed a total of seven laps between Safa and Marwa.<\/p>\n

    This is an important ritual in memory of Prophet Ibrahim\u2019s wife Hajar (AS) and her struggle in the desert in search of water for her son Prophet Ismail (AS). Sa\u2019i symbolises the ongoing struggle that we encounter throughout our lives, as Hajar (AS) experienced herself.<\/p>\n

    Once sa\u2019i is complete, men will have their hair clipped or shaved whilst a woman clips her hair to the length of her fingertip. This marks the completion of your umrah, allowing you to leave ihram, until the 8th<\/sup> of Dhul Hijjah.<\/p>\n

    3. Hajj Steps<\/h3>\n

    Below are the ten important Hajj rituals step by step:<\/p>\n

    I. Reassume Ihram and the intention to perform Hajj
    \nAfter completing Umrah rituals, pilgrims must assume the state of Ihram and declare their intentions to do Hajj.
    \nNote: repeat step 1 of Hajj Preparation<\/p>\n

    II. Travel to Mina
    \nSoon after observing the morning prayers, all pilgrims must head to Mina (a town in Mecca), where they stay an entire day carrying out ritual prayers \u2013 Duhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, Fajr and Qasr \u2013 as stated in the Quran.<\/p>\n

    Day 1: 8th<\/sup> Dhul Hijjah (Hajj Guide)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The 8th<\/sup> day of Dhul Hijjah marks the beginning of the days of Hajj and the next stage of your spiritual journey. You\u2019ll purify yourself and enter the state of ihram once again.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s very important to note that you are in a state of ihram and you are not permitted to smoke, swear, shave, clip your nails, or engage in any form of sexual relations. Fighting and arguments are also banned, and participants are prohibited from hunting, killing or unjustifiably breaking anything. You must also avoid scented products such as perfumes, moisturisers, makeup or soaps. You may, however, substitute them for unscented toiletries which are permissible to use.<\/p>\n

    Once you\u2019re all set, you\u2019ll begin reciting the following invocation called the talbiyah<\/em>:<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u0644\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0651\u064a\u0652\u0643\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0644\u064e\u0651\u0647\u064f\u0645\u064e\u0651 \u0644\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0651\u064a\u0652\u0643\u064e\u060c \u0644\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0651\u064a\u0652\u0643\u064e \u0644\u0627\u064e \u0634\u064e\u0631\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0643\u064e \u0644\u064e\u0643\u064e \u0644\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0651\u064a\u0652\u0643\u064e\u060c \u0625\u0650\u0646\u064e\u0651 \u0627\u0644\u0652\u062d\u064e\u0645\u0652\u062f\u064e \u0648\u064e\u0627\u0644\u0646\u0650\u0651\u0639\u0652\u0645\u064e\u0629\u064e \u0644\u064e\u0643\u064e \u0648\u064e\u0627\u0644\u0652\u0645\u064f\u0644\u0652\u0643\u064e \u0644\u0627\u064e\u0634\u064e\u0631\u0650\u064a\u0652\u0643\u064e \u0644\u064e\u0643\u064e<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Labbayka All\u0101humma labbayk. Labbayk l\u0101 shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-<\/em>\u1e25<\/em>amda, wa n-\u2018imata, Laka wal mulk. L\u0101 shareeka lak.<\/em><\/p>\n

    \u201cHere I am, O Allah, here I am, here I am. You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty. You have no partner.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    You will then proceed with your Hajj group to the tent city of Mina, which lies roughly eight kilometres away from Makkah.<\/p>\n

    Hajj Guide: Mina<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    Once you arrive into Mina you\u2019ll settle into your tent. Here you\u2019ll pray dhuhr, asr, maghrib, isha and fajr, shortening your four unit prayers to two units each, without combining them, as stated in the Quran.<\/p>\n

    Spend the night and pray to Allah (SWT), read the Qur\u2019an and prepare for day two. It\u2019s an important time for spiritual reflection and devotion, so try and make the most of this special night.<\/p>\n

    Day 2: 9th<\/sup> Dhul Hijjah (Hajj Guide)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Now that you\u2019ve performed umrah, for the rest of this blessed month, you\u2019ll stay in Makkah to\u00a0complete your spiritual journey of Hajj surrounded by your fellow Muslim brothers and sisters, SubhanAllah!<\/p>\n

    Hajj Guide: Performing Hajj<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    Fulfilling your sacred obligation of Hajj will be the most spiritual period of your life insha\u2019Allah, filled with blessings and forgiveness from Allah (SWT)!<\/p>\n

    Hajj Guide: Arafah<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    Gathering on Mount Arafah <\/em><\/p>\n

    After praying fajr salat in Mina, you\u2019ll then head to the plains of Arafah, reciting istaghfar<\/em> [asking for forgiveness] and making supplications, marking the Day of Arafah when we ask Allah (SWT) for forgiveness for our sins. Upon reaching the plains of Mount Arafah, pilgrims observe dhuhr and asr prayers combined and shortened (two rakat<\/em> instead of four).<\/p>\n

    On this day there, will be a sermon delivered from Masjid al-Nimra<\/strong><\/span> on Mount Arafah. Remember to listen to the khutbah<\/em> if possible. Your group may also facilitate a translation of this sermon in English.<\/p>\n

    The day of Arafah is one of the most important days for Muslims, as Allah (SWT), in Surah al-Maidah of the Holy Qur\u2019an, refers to the Day of Arafah as the Day on which He perfected His religion, completed His favours upon His beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and approved Islam as a way of life!<\/p>\n

    The Prophet (SAW) also said:<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cThere is no day on which Allah frees people from the Fire more so than on the day of \u2018Arafah. He comes close to those (people standing on \u2018Arafah), and then He reveals before His Angels saying, \u2018What are these people seeking.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (Muslim)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    So, be sure to stand on the plains of Arafah and make lots of du\u2019a, focussing your energy on Allah (SWT), asking Him for forgiveness and blessings for you and your family. Don\u2019t forget to include your friends, relatives, neighbours as well as the wider Ummah in your du\u2019a on this special day.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Tip: Don\u2019t be tempted to exhaust your energy and trek up Mount Arafah, also known as Jabal al-Rahmah,<\/strong><\/span> on this day. Jabal al-Rahmah is the hill from where Prophet Muhammad (SAW) delivered his sermon. There is no authentic source to suggest any benefit in trekking the hill itself or to undertake this climb as a religious ritual. The level area surrounding the hill is called the Plains of Arafah and this is where you should be spending your time in contemplation and prayer.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Hajj Guide: Muzdalifah<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    After sunset, you\u2019ll depart Arafah and head to Muzdalifah \u2013 an open plain between Mina and Arafat. Once you reach Muzdalifah you\u2019ll perform your maghrib and isha salah, one after the other, shortening isha salah to two rakat.<\/p>\n

    As Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) narrates:<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cThe Prophet (SAW) offered the maghrib and isha prayers together at Muzdalifa with a separate iqama for each of them and did not offer any optional prayer in between them or after each of them.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Bukhari)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Afterwards, you can then spend the night in worship or resting. The Prophet (SAW) went to sleep until shortly before fajr, choosing not to engage in night worship as he normally did. So, don\u2019t be tempted to exhaust yourself but rest instead \u2013 you have a long day ahead of you!<\/p>\n

    While in Muzdalifah, you may also collect pebbles to perform rami<\/em> [the stoning of the devil] over the next three days. The size of the pebbles should be similar to the size of date stones\/seeds. You will need a total of 49 pebbles. The breakdown is as follows:<\/p>\n