THE PERFORMANCE OF HAJJ

DAY-01: Enter ihram (the sacred state)

The very first rite of Hajj is entering ihram - a pilgrim's sacred state - when crossing the outer boundaries of Mecca, called Miqat. On the eighth of Dhul-Hijjah, pilgrims enter ihram, which entails wearing plain garments - two unstitched cloths for men, or loose-fitting clothing for women - as well as following certain rules, such as not giving in to anger or engaging in sexual activity.

Makkah: The Saudi Arabian city is considered Islam’s holiest site, as it holds al-Masjid al-Haram or the Grand Mosque that surrounds the Kaaba, a cuboid shaped building which Muslims believe has been put up together by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail almost 4, 000 years ago. Muslims call the Kaaba “the house of God” and are expected to face the direction of Makkah (or Mecca) when praying in any part of the world.

Head to Mina, a sprawling tent city

The pilgrims then set out en masse from Mecca to the sprawling tent-city of Mina, whether by foot along pilgrim paths or by buses and cars. It is an 8 km journey. The pilgrims will spend the day in Mina, only setting out the next morning at dawn. Most of the time in Mina is spent in prayer and remembering Allah.

What to do:

1. Ghusal – Take Bath
2. Put on Ihram
3. Confirm Intentions to perform Hajj
4. Recite Talbiyah frequently
5. Go to Mina before Zuhr
6. Offer Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha in Mina
7. Stay overnight in Mina