Hajj Pilgrimage Facts: The Holy City Of Mecca And Its Sacred Shrines

The believers of Islam have five pillars which they try to abide by if they have the means.

One of these pillars is Hajj. It is an annual pilgrimage that many Muslims go through at least once in their lives, during the month of Dhul Hijjah.

Hajj takes place exactly two months and 10 days after the end of Ramadan, during the last month of the Islamic year called Dhul Hijjah. It signifies human equality before Allah and is a sign of the ultimate submission of Muslims.

Hajj is also in memory of how Abraham or Prophet Ibrahim nearly disobeyed Allah but returned to the right path eventually.

In Islam, the Kaabah is the holiest shrine, and hence, Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many Muslims to feel one with Allah and completely submit to his powers. Keep reading to learn more facts!

The Location Of The Hajj Pilgrimage

The annual Hajj pilgrimage takes place on the last month of the Islamic calendar and is one of the most important things for the people who believe in the faith. The spelling 'Hajj' is widely used; however, since the word is Arabic, there are many interpretations of the spelling depending upon the dialect of the people of different cities.

This holy pilgrimage is the last of the five pillars of Islam, and it is an obligation for all those who can afford the journey (and are physically fit enough for its various rituals) to go on Hajj once in their lifetimes.

This journey to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia and the Hajj rituals are deemed important to the lives of many people who believe in Islam since it signifies a journey of the soul.

People who take on the Hajj pilgrimage at the end of the Islamic year are said to transcend the barriers and temptations of the human form.

Over two million Muslims make their way to the holy city of Mecca every single year to perform Hajj and complete the duties that their religion prescribes. The dominant group of Muslims who undertake the pilgrimage are Egyptians.

The journey to the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia, however, is not all that the Muslim pilgrims do. This annual pilgrimage consists of five to six days.

These six days are thoroughly eventful for the pilgrims as they travel to Mount Arafat and back to Kaabah. Pilgrims travel through Mina and offer their prayers there as well.

The pilgrims first offer their prayers at Kaabah. The word Kaabah literally translates to 'cube'.

This cubical structure is covered in black silk cloth and is adorned with gold and silver thread. The annual Hajj requires pilgrims to make seven rounds around the Kaabah. These rounds are made a total of three times during the entire Hajj pilgrimage, once at the beginning of the six days and once at the end.

The pilgrimage to Mecca is, therefore, quite tiresome and takes a physical toll. It is therefore advised that only those who can handle the physical labor take on this journey.

Shiite pilgrims tend to have slightly different rules for this annual pilgrimage than the Muslims of other sects. However, the sacred shrine is of equal importance to all sects, and some of the practices and rituals followed during the pilgrimage correspond to human equality before Allah.

The History Of Hajj Pilgrimage

It is common for people to confuse Hijrah with Hajj. However, Muslims can confirm that the two are different. Hijrah is the pilgrimage that Prophet Muhammad took from Mecca to Medina. This pilgrimage is not the same as Hajj.

The history of Hajj is not to be confused with that of Hijrah. This is because Hijrah was a pilgrimage that was completed around 622 AD.

We must bear in mind that around this time, the Kaaba did not even exist. It was later on that Prophet Ibrahim built the Kaabah as a place of worship.

It is said that people of all faiths would come to the Kaabah and offer their prayers.

Around 630 CE, Prophet Muhammad was the one who embarked on the first Hajj with some Muslims, who were his devotees. He went to Kaabah and completely destroyed all idols that were present within to establish Kaabah as the most sacred shrine in the name of Allah, who was formless.

Mount Arafat was the place where Prophet Ibrahim or Abraham agreed to offer his son as a sacrifice to God.

The Eid al-Adha festival also commemorates Abraham's readiness to give up his son and how he came back to the path of light after he was about to defy the command of Allah. The Hajj corresponds to the Eid al-Adha, which is a very important holy day in the Islamic faith.

Prophet Muhammad's last sermon is also said to have been delivered at Mount Arafat, which is why Muslims make their way all the way up to the mountain.

The Importance Of The Hajj Pilgrimage

People who adhere to the religion of Islam make their way to the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia, from different parts of the world, on the last month of the Islamic calendar to complete the Hajj rituals that are obligatory in their faith.

There are five pillars that define Islam.

The first pillar is the proclaiming of faith or the Shahada, the second pillar is the offering of prayers or 'Salat', the third is a charity or 'Zakat', fourth is fasting or 'Zawm', and the last pillar is pilgrimage or 'Hajj'.

While the first four pillars are to be performed by nearly all Muslims, Hajj is often missed by many. This is because not only do the pilgrims need to be in sound health, but the entire journey also costs a lot of money. The procurement of such an amount is often difficult for many.

A visit to the Grand Mosque and completion of all the rituals are said to cleanse the soul. It is also a way to show the solidarity of Muslims and a symbol of their ultimate submission before Allah.

The Traditions Followed In The Hajj Pilgrimage

Muslim pilgrims need to follow extensive rules before embarking on this annual pilgrimage. Before the Muslim pilgrims can cross the Miqat boundaries, they are required to dress in appropriate clothes.

Men are supposed to be clothed in two pieces of white cloth. The lower piece reaches above the waist, and the upper cloth bares one shoulder. For women, the clothing is to be modest and white, and nothing but the hands and face should be visible.

This is the beginning of them entering the state of Ihram. They are then supposed to clean themselves completely and perform either Ghusl or Wudhu, which translates to total ablution and partial ablution.

During Hajj, the pilgrims first make seven rounds around Kaabah in an anti-clockwise direction. They then touch or kiss a black stone which is in the eastern corner of the Kaabah to offer their prayers.

This stone is speculated to have been given to Abraham by Angel Gabriel or Jibrail. In the next few days, they go to Mina to offer their prayers, then to Mount Arafat where they pray from noon to dusk, and then back to Mina.

In between, they also pray at Muzdalifah. Muslims make their way back to Mina whilst picking up stones on the way. Pilgrims stone the three pillars called Jamarat.

This is followed by anima sacrifice. They then return to Mecca to again make seven rounds around the Kaabah and offer their prayers.

Men are also required to shave their hair, and women are advised to cut off a lock of their hair. This symbolizes detachment from worldly pleasures.