Hajj steps

THE STEPS:

• 8 Zil Hijjah--First Day of Hajj

  Perform ghusl (shower, washing of the entire body) and then put on the
  two-piece garment of Ihram (men). Women also perform ghusl, put on their chosen clothes for ihram and should be covered except face and hands. After putting on Ihram make niyyah (intention) by saying: “Labbayka Hajjan” then recite talbiyyah:
  “Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk. Labbayka La Shareeka Laka Labbayk. Innal-hamda wan-n’imata Laka Wal-mulk La Shareeka Lak”
  (Here I am at your service. O Lord, here I am. Here I am. No partner do you have. Here I am. Truly, the praise and the favour is yours, and the dominion. No partner do you have.)
  The state of Ihram also includes not wearing perfume or cosmetics, not shaving or cutting of nails, no hunting and no arguing.  A big part of Hajj is the testing of one’s patience and how a person responds to the actions of others.)


• Go to Mina

  You then go to Mina, where you pray the Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr prayers at their proper times, shortening prayers of four rakats to two rakaats. Do not combine these prayers.

• 9 Zil Hijjah--Second Day of Hajj

  When the sun has risen on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, proceed towards Arafat in a dignified manner and without harming your fellow pilgrims. At Arafat, pray the Dhuhr and Asr prayers, shortened and combined during the time of Dhuhr with one adhan and two iqamahs.

• Proceed towards Muzdalifah

  When the sun has set, proceed toward Muzdalifah in a peaceful and dignified manner, reciting talbiyyah. Do not harm or cause any discomfort to your fellow pilgrims. When you arrive at Muzdalifah, Pray the Maghrib and Isha prayers combined, shortening Isha to two rakaats. Stay at Muzdalifah until you have prayed the Fajr prayer. Then wait until the brightness of the morning is wide spread, supplicate facing qiblah with upraised hands, following the practice of the Prophet (Peace be on him).
  It is permissible to proceed to Mina at any time after midnight for those who feel they cannot stay in Muzdalifah.

  In Muzdalifah, pick up only seven pebbles to throw at the Stone Pillar of ‘Aqabah. Other pebbles can be picked up at Mina. There is no harm even if the seven pebbles to be thrown at the Stone Pillars of ‘Aqabah are also picked up at Mina.

• 10 Zil Hijjah--Third Day of Hajj

  When you arrive at Mina, do the following:

  At the Stone Pillar of ‘Aqabah (This is the pillar nearest to Mecca) throw the seven pebbles one after the other, saying “Allahu Akbar” at each throw. Stop saying Talbiyah when you throw the first pebble. Also don't stop for du'a. 

  1. if you are required to sacrifice, slaughter your sacrificial animal. You are to eat some of its meat and distribute the major part of it to the needy. There are three days designated for qurbani, i.e., 10, 11 or 12 Zil Hijjah. It can be done any time during day or night. It is usually easy to sacrifice an animal on 11 Zil Hijjah. Do qurbani yourself or ask a reliable person to do it for you.
  2. Shave your head or cut some hair from it. Shaving is preferable for men, and a small part, the size of a fingertip, for women.
  1. The above-mentioned order of doing things is preferred, however, if they are done in some other order, there is no harm in it.
  2. After you have thrown the pebbles and shaved or cut some of your hair, the prohibitions of Ihram are lifted, except the prohibition of sexual intercourse with your spouse, this still applies. You are now to wear your usual clothes.
• Go to Mecca

  Then you go to Mecca and perform the tawaf al-ifadah (the tawaf which is an essential part of the Hajj). If you are doing Hajj al-Tamatt’u, you also perform Sai (Safa/Marwha). If you are performing Hajj al-Ifrad or Hajj al-qiran and you did not perform Sai with Tawaf al-Qudum (the tawaf of arrival), you must do Sai now. After this, the prohibition of marital relations is also lifted.

  It is permissible to delay the Tawaf al-Ifadah until the days spent at Mina are over, going to Mecca for this Tawaf after all three Pillars have been stoned.

• Return to Mina

   After performing your Tawaf al-Ifadah on the Day of Sacrifice, return to Mina and spend there the nights preceding the 11th,12th and13th days of Dhul-Hijjah). It is however, permissible to spend only two nights in Mina instead of three.

• 11 Zil Hijjah--Fourth Day of Hajj

  Throw seven pebbles on each of three Jamarat after zawal (decline of the sun). Rami is usually easy a little before sunset and at night. And it is permissible to do Rami at night if there is a risk to life.
  Throw seven pebbles at Jamrah Oolah. Then move a little forward. And with your hands raised and facing Qibla, praise Allah and recite Arabic du'as or supplicate in your own words. There are no prescribed du'as.
  After this throw seven pebbles at Jamrah Wustah. Here too facing Qiblah, praise Allah and earnestly seek his mercy and blessings. No particular du'a is prescribed here either.
  Then throw seven pebbles on Jamrah Aqabah. But this time do not supplicate at all, after Rami just return to your place.If you could not do Tawaf-e-Ziarah yesterday, do it today and return to Mina for overnight stay.At your residence, recite Quran, glorify Allah, repent on your sins, and seek forgiveness. Ask Allah whatever you want and don't commit any sin.

• 12 Zil Hijjah--Fifth Day of Hajj

  At any time in the afternoon of each of the two or three days of your stay in Mina, stone each of the three Pillars, starting with the first Pillar (the one which is farthest from Mecca), followed by the middle Pillar and lastly the Pillar of ‘Aqabah . Throw seven pebbles, one by one, at each of these Pillars, saying “Allahu Akbar” at each throw.

  If you stay in Mina for only two days, you must leave Mina before the sunset on the second day. If the sun should set before you are able to depart, remain in Mina for the third night and throw pebbles again the next day.

  1. It is permissible for the sick and the weak to appoint somenone to throw their pebbles, followed by the pebbles of the person represented, while at the same pillar.
  2. Stoning of the pillars, although purely symbolic, is a highly emotional time for many pilgrims. Extra care and patience are required to keep yourself and others around you safe. The authorities have done a lot of work in recent years to make the process easier and less likely for stampedes to occur as they did in the past. Your Tour Operator will be able to advise when are the best times to go and we would always advise going in a small group rather than by yourself.
• Farewell Tawaf

   If you decide to return to your country after completing the rites of Hajj, you perform the farewell Tawaf (Tawaf al-Wida) before leaving Mecca. No one is excused from this except women who are menstruating or on the period of discharge following childbirth.

Notes:

Ihram = the distinctive garments of male pilgrims worn during Hajj and Umrah. Consisting of two pieces of white cloth, which are plain and unsewn. One piece is wrapped around midriff to cover his body above his navel to his ankles, the other is draped over the left shoulder to cover the rest of the body. Women are able to wear any modest garments.

Marwah = a small knoll locatated approximately 150 yards from Kabba. The pilgrim performs the devotional rite of Sai between the knolls of Safa and Marwah.

Sai = the walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah. This act retraces the footsteps of Hajar the wife of Prophet Ibrahim during her desperate search for water for her son Ismail after they were left alone in the desert. 

Talbiyah = recital of:
“Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk. Labbayka La Shareeka Laka Labbayk.
Innal-hamda wan-n’imata Laka Wal-mulk La Shareeka Lak”
(Here I am at your service. O Lord, here I am. Here I am. No partner do you have. Here I am. Truly, the praise and the favour is yours, and the dominion. No partner do you have.)

Tawaf = going around the Kaaba while reciting prayers.

Zam Zam water = comes from the original spring when Ismail’s foot struck the ground. The water has been running ever since.

Don't worry

Again, remember your Tour Operator will be giving you advice and guidance before your trip and during your stay and other pilgrims will be there to help you when you need it too.  Don’t over worry about every detail, some of which is very difficult to imagine until you get there. However, we do recommend you read the following Safety notes - click here