14/06/2024
THE RITES OF HAJJ
On the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah (the first day of Hajj):
The pilgrims wake up before dawn and put their Ihram on. They perform the Fajr prayer in Makkah, and then set off for Mina. They spend their first day and night in Mina and perform five prayers there (i.e. Zuhr, `Asr, Maghrib, `Isha’ and Fajr).
On the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah (the second day of Hajj), after sunrise, the pilgrims make their way to `Arafat where they stay from noon to sunset. This day is the most important of the five days. If it is missed, then the Hajj is invalid, because being at `Arafat in the state of Ihram on this day is the pillar of the Hajj.In `Arafat, the pilgrims worship Allah, supplicate to Him and ask Him for forgiveness.Worshipping Allah here is known as ‘Wuquf `Arafah’. They combine the Zuhr and the `Asr prayers and perform them together at the time of Zuhr. They offer this prayer behind the Imam of Hajj, who leads it from inside Masjid an-Namirah.After sunset, the pilgrims leave for Muzdalifah. When they reach Muzdalifah, they combine the Maghrib and `Isha’ prayers and perform them together at the time of `Isha’. They spend the night in Muzdalifah, spending a part of the night remembering and worshipping Allah. During this night, the pilgrims collect 70 small stones the size of kidney beans to be used for the Rami, the following day.
On the next day, the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah (the third day of Hajj), the pilgrims perform the Fajr prayer and then leave for Mina before sunrise. From Mina, the pilgrims make their way to the Jamrat al-`Aqabah (the third stone pillar) and perform the Rami. The Rami is an act of worship where the pilgrim throws seven stones at the pillar while saying the takbir (Allahu Akbar). On this day,stones are only thrown at the third pillar.After performing the Rami, the pilgrims perform the animal sacrifice (Qurbani). This day is also `Id al-Adha;those Muslims who are not performing the Hajj will be sacrificing an animal as well. Once the Qurbani has been performed, the pilgrim can shave or trim their hair. After this, the Ihram can be removed, and the pilgrim can put on their normal clothes. Once all these steps are complete, the pilgrims need to return to the Ka`bah within three days and perform the Tawaf az-Ziyarah (or Tawaf al-Ifadah).This Tawaf is performed normally with no Idtiba` (baring the right shoulder) or Ramal (walking like a wrestler).After completing the Tawaf, two units of prayer are performed behind the Maqam Ibrahim or anywhere in the mosque if space cannot be found near it. Then the pilgrim makes his or her way to Safa to perform the Sa`i. The pilgrim must return to Mina to stay there in the night.
On the 11th of Dhu al-Hijjah (the fourth day of Hajj),the pilgrims remain in Mina. After midday, the Rami is performed. Seven stones are thrown at each of the three pillars (21 stones altogether). The pilgrims spend the night at Mina and wait there till the next day.
On the 12th of Dhu al-Hijjah (the fifth day of Hajj), the pilgrims perform the Rami again after midday. They throw seven stones at each of the three pillars. On this day, the pilgrims have a choice to either remain in Mina for another night or to return to Makkah. If they wish to return to Makkah, then they must leave before sunset.
On the 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah (the last day of Hajj), if the pilgrim has not returned to Makkah and stayed in Mina for the night, then they must perform the Rami again after midday. After the Rami, the Hajj is completed, and they can return to Makkah.
The pilgrims remain in Makkah until the time comes for them to leave. Before leaving, the pilgrim must perform a final Tawaf, which is known as the Tawaf al-Wada`. This is a normal Tawaf with no Idtiba or Ramal.During these final moments, the pilgrims supplicate to Allah and ask to come back again for another visit.
