The Hajj (/hædʒ/;[1] Arabic: حَجّ Ḥaǧǧ "pilgrimage"; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia,[2] the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and can support their family during their absence.[3][4][5]
HajjPilgrims at the Great Mosque of Mecca on Hajj in 2010StatusActiveFrequencyAnnualLocation(s)Makkah (Saudi Arabia)Coordinates21°25′22.3″N 39°49′32.6″ECountrySaudi ArabiaAttendance2,489,406 (2019)
Air-conditioned tents in Mina city (Saudi Arabia), 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away from Mecca.
In Islamic terminology, Hajj is a pilgrimage made to the Kaaba, the "House of God", in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, alongside Shahadah, Salat, Zakat and Sawm. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (Allah).[6][7] The word Hajj means "to attend a journey", which connotes both the outward act of a journey and the inward act of intentions.[8]
The rites of pilgrimage are performed over five to six days, extending from the 8th to the 12th or 13th.[9] of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar.[10] Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and the Islamic year is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian year, the Gregorian date of Hajj changes from year to year. In 2020 AD (1441 AH), Dhu al-Hijjah extends from 22 July to 19 August.
The Hajj is associated with the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad from the 7th century AD, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham. During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of millions of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba (a cube-shaped building and the direction of prayer for Muslims), trots (walks briskly) back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, then drinks from the Zamzam Well, goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, spends a night in the plain of Muzdalifa, and performs symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing stones at three pillars. After the sacrifice of an animal (can be accomplished by using a voucher (see below)), the Pilgrims then are required to either shave or trim their heads (male) or trim the ends of their hair (female). A celebration of the three-day global festival of Eid al-Adha proceeds thereafter.[11]
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