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Each year, millions of Muslims from across the globe perform hajj, a sacred pilgrimage and the fifth pillar of Islam.
Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime for every adult (i.e. they have reached puberty) Muslim who is physically and financially able to perform the pilgrimage.
Hajj is a journey of 5-6 days, taking place each year between the 8th-12th of Dhul Hijjah.
Muslims use the lunar calendar, so the corresponding Gregorian date will vary year to year. This year, hajj is taking place between 24 to 29 May 2026, depending on the sighting of the moon.
There are 3 forms of hajj: tamattu, ifrad and qiran.
For the purpose of this hajj guide, we will use the tamattu form of hajj, which is what the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) encouraged Muslims to perform, although all types are valid and rewarding.
Hajj is both a spiritually and physically challenging journey. It’s important to prepare yourself beforehand to avoid feeling overwhelmed or confused, and in order to make the most of your hajj.
Spiritual preparation can include:
Fulfilling your sacred obligation of hajj will be the most spiritual period of your life inshallah, filled with blessings and forgiveness from Allah (SWT).
Physical preparation can include:
Here, we present a step-by-step guide to hajj and its significance.
Here are the 19 steps of hajj in detail:
Before you arrive at Mecca to begin hajj, it’s important to make your intention (niyyah) within your heart. The intention must be to perform the hajj for the sake of Allah alone, with a desire for good in the hereafter. Hajj should not be done with the intention of being seen by others or for worldly gain.
Next, you’ll enter into the state of ihram (ritual purity). For men, this means wearing the designated white cloth, with one piece wrapped around your shoulder and one around your waist. Men must also wear footwear that leaves the ankles and the instep (the top part of the foot) exposed.
Ladies may wear any clothing of their choice while ensuring their awrah (everything except their hands, face and feet) is covered. Women who normally wear the niqab should note that face coverings are not permitted.
Ihram describes both the physical and spiritual state you enter once you have made the intention to go to hajj. The rules around the clothing of ihram are extremely simple, yet strict and must be adhered to, so that there is no outward distinction between the pilgrims. Everyone stands equal before Allah (SWT), and one’s status, race, culture, and wealth are irrelevant.
It’s very important to note that when you are in a state of Ihram, you are not permitted to smoke, swear, shave, clip your nails, or engage in any form of sexual relations. Fighting and arguments are also forbidden, and participants are prohibited from hunting, killing, or unjustifiably breaking anything. You must also avoid scented products such as perfumes, moisturisers, makeup, or soaps — but can substitute these for unscented toiletries.
Once you arrive at the holy Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, with these preparations in mind, you’re ready to start the biggest spiritual journey of your life!
Upon arrival in Mecca, you must first perform your umrah, which means you will do your tawaf and sa’i as outlined in the next steps.
Tawaf is one of the principal rites of the hajj and refers to circling the Ka’bah in an anticlockwise motion.
A single tawaf is made up of 7 complete circuits, with each one starting and ending at the black stone, which is situated within the Ka’bah.
In addition to your tawaf, you can also offer voluntary prayers to thank Allah (SWT) for arriving safely and to mark the start of this incredibly special spiritual journey.
After you’ve performed your tawaf, you’ll then perform what’s known as sa’i (walking and running between the two hills of Safa and Marwa).
You’ll begin the sa’i on the hill of Safa and walk towards the hill of Marwa. You will eventually see the green lights, at which point men run until the next set of green lights (women continue to walk at a regular pace). Both men and women then continue walking until they reach Marwa. This completes 1 lap. You will then return to Safa to complete your second lap. Your sa’i is complete once you have performed a total of 7 laps between the hills of Safa and Marwa.
This is an important ritual in memory of Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) wife Hajar, and her struggle in the desert in search of water for her son Prophet Ismail (AS). Sa’i symbolises the ongoing struggle that we encounter throughout our lives, as Hajar experienced herself.
Once sa’i is complete, men will have their hair clipped or shaved, while women clip their hair to the length of her fingertip. This marks the completion of your umrah, allowing you to leave ihram until the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah.
Tip: Be very patient here. You’ll be tired from tawaf, and you might notice fellow pilgrims in a hurry to complete the sa’i. Feel free to take your time. Take regular breaks, and drink Zamzam water, which is available between Safa and Marwa.
Now that you’ve performed your umrah, make sure to get plenty of rest and make the best use of your time by performing sincere acts of worship. Your hajj will begin on the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah.
The eighth day of Dhul Hijjah marks the beginning of the days of hajj and the next stage of your spiritual journey. You’ll purify yourself and enter the state of ihram once again.
Once you’re all set to enter the ihram, you’ll begin reciting the following invocation called the talbiyah:
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ لاَشَرِيْكَ لَكَ
Transliteration:
Labbayka Allāhumma labbayk. Labbayk lā shareeka laka labbayk. Inna al-ḥamda, wa n-‘imata, Laka wal mulk. Lā shareeka lak.
Translation:
“Here I am, O Allah, here I am, here I am. You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty. You have no partner.”
You will then proceed to the neighbourhood of Mina, roughly 8 kilometres from the centre of Mecca.
Once you arrive in the tent city of Mina, you’ll settle into your allocated tent. Here you’ll pray salah (obligatory prayers), including Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, ‘Isha and Fajr, shortening your 4-unit prayers to 2 units each but without combining them, as stated in the Qur’an.
You’ll spend the night praying, reading the Qur’an and preparing for tomorrow. It’s an important time for spiritual reflection and devotion, so try and make the most of this special night.
Tip: Be patient here, as space inside the tents can be very tight, and you might find yourself very close to fellow pilgrims. The weather is likely to be very hot, so remember to keep yourself hydrated. There are cold water stations near the tents, so familiarise yourself with your surroundings. You may also notice that hajj authority workers regularly stock up complementary cold drinks in cooler boxes next to your tent.
After sunrise in Mina, you’ll then head to the plains of Arafah, seeking forgiveness and making supplications, to mark the day of Arafah when we ask Allah (SWT) for forgiveness for our sins.
Upon reaching the plains of Mount Arafah, pilgrims observe shortened Dhuhr and Asr prayers combined (2 units instead of 4). Followers of the Hanafi school should note that the Hanafi madhab only considers combining Dhur and Asr as valid if this is done behind the imam. So, if one was to pray in their tent, then they should not combine both salah.
On this day, there will be a sermon delivered from Masjid al-Nimra on Mount Arafah.
Try to listen to the khutbah (sermon) if possible. Your group may also facilitate a translation of this sermon into your language.
The day of Arafah is one of the most important days for Muslims across the world, as Allah (SWT) refers to the Day of Arafah in Surah al-Maidah as the day on which He perfected His religion, completed His favours upon His beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and approved Islam as a way of life.
The Prophet (PBUH) also said:
“There is no day on which Allah frees people from the Fire more so than on the day of ‘Arafah. He comes close to those [people standing on Arafah], and then He reveals himself before His Angels saying, ‘What are these people seeking?”
Hadith | Muslim
So, be sure to stand on the plains of Arafah and make lots of supplication, focussing your energy on Allah (SWT), asking Him for forgiveness and blessings for you and your family. Don’t forget to include your friends, relatives, neighbours as well as the wider ummah (community) in your dua on this special day.
Tip: Don’t be tempted to exhaust your energy and trek up Mount Arafah, also known as Jabal al-Rahmah, on this day. Jabal al-Rahmah is the hill from where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) delivered his sermon. There is no authentic source to suggest any benefit in trekking up the hill itself or undertaking this climb as a religious ritual. The level area surrounding the hill is called the Plains of Arafah and this is where you should be spending your time in contemplation and prayer.
After sunset, you’ll depart Arafah and head to Muzdalifah – an open plain between Mina and Arafah. Once you reach Muzdalifah you’ll perform your Maghrib and ‘Isha prayers, one after the other, shortening the ‘Isha prayers to 2 units.
As Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) narrates:
“The Prophet (PBUH) offered the Maghrib and ‘Isha prayers together at Muzdalifah with a separate iqamah [second call to prayer] for each of them and did not offer any optional prayer in between them or after each of them.” [Bukhari]
Afterwards, you can then spend the night in worship or resting. The Prophet (PBUH) went to sleep until shortly before Fajr, choosing not to engage in night worship as he normally did. So, don’t be tempted to exhaust yourself, rest instead – you have a long day ahead of you!
While in Muzdalifah, you may also collect pebbles to perform rami over the next 3 days.
The size of the pebbles should be similar to the size of date stones/seeds. You will need a total of 49 pebbles.
However, it is advised that you pick up a further 21 pebbles as a precautionary measure, bringing your total up to 70.
When you proceed to the phases of throwing the pebbles at the jamarat (the stone pillars), you may miss the target, or some pebbles may fall from your hand. Therefore, it’s better to have more than you need than end up short. Pebbles can also be collected from anywhere in Mina.
Tip: At Muzdalifah, you will stay under the night sky. There are no tents or other accommodation facilities here. Although there are plenty of lights, it is still fairly dark. Try to stay near your group, as it is very easy to get lost among the thousands of pilgrims. Toilets and wudhu facilities are available in Muzdalifah, but they will likely be crowded so patience must be exercised here.
It’s highly recommended to use the toilets and freshen up before you leave Arafah.
The tenth day of Dhul Hijjah is also called the Yawm al-Nahr, or the Day of Sacrifice (qurbani).
After performing Fajr prayer, you will depart Muzdalifah and go back towards Mina. Remember to continuously recite the talbiyah.
On this day, pilgrims perform qurbani and also commence the first of 3 days of rami. Muslims around the world also offer qurbani during this time and begin the 4-day festival of Eid al-Adha. We know this from this verse in the Qur’an:
“And when you are safe, then, whoever avails the advantage of the umrah along with the hajj shall make an offering of whatever animal is available. However, anyone who finds none shall fast for 3 days during hajj, and for 7 days when you return; thus they are 10 in all. This is for him whose family are not residents of Al-Masjid-al-Haram.” [Qur’an | 2:196]
Origin of rami
The stoning of the jamarat – otherwise referred to as the ‘stoning of the devil’ – is a ritual carried out by pilgrims in which pebbles are thrown at 3 stone structures in Mina across 3 days.
The first day of stoning occurs on the tenth of Dhul Hijjah. On this day Muslims also offer qurbani and celebrate Eid al-Adha.
The act of throwing stones at the jamarat is known as rami. The ritual of rami is symbolic of the actions of Ibrahim (AS) when he was faced with the trial of having to sacrifice his son, Ismail (AS) upon the commandment of Allah (SWT).
On the way to carry out the commandment, Iblis (Satan) repeatedly tried to tempt Ibrahim (AS) into disobeying Allah (SWT). As Ibrahim (AS) reached Jamarat al-Aqaba, Allah (SWT) ordered Angel Jibreel (AS) to instruct Ibrahim (AS) to throw 7 stones at Iblis. He obliged, and Iblis fled immediately. The 3 jamarat indicate the 3 places where Iblis tried to dissuade Ibrahim (AS) from obeying the command of Allah. However, the pillars do not contain Iblis, as many people are wrongly led to believe.
How to perform rami
On the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth days of Dhul Hijjah, you will perform rami with 49 stones similar in size to dates or seeds.
You’ll need a certain number of pebbles for each of the 3 days. The breakdown is as follows:
Try to carry 4 small pouches per person for your pebbles. Use the pouches to group pebbles according to the breakdown above.
Once you reach the jamarat, you will head to Jamarat al-Aqaba, which is the largest pillar, and here you will throw the first 7 pebbles at the concrete pillar. You will only pelt this 1 pillar on the first day.
Upon each throw, you’ll say the takbir:
“اللهُ أَكْبَرُ”
Translation: ‘Allah is The Greatest’
Tip: Don’t rush to perform the rami. The hajj authorities will most likely allocate a set time for your group. They do this to minimise overcrowding and the risk to pilgrims.
Try not to get angry and throw your sandals or other valuable possessions at the pillars. Iblis is not contained within the pillar, so you’ll only lose your valuables and there is no benefit in doing so.
The festival of Eid al-Adha is celebrated by Muslims around the world who are not on pilgrimage on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah. By offering qurbani (sacrifice), Muslims mark Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail (AS) upon the commandment of Allah (SWT).
After offering qurbani, men will proceed to shave or trim their hair. Women will trim their hair by the length of a fingertip.
Now you are allowed to leave the state of ihram and wear comfortable clothing. You are also allowed to resume otherwise halal activities that were forbidden in the ihram, except for sexual intimacy. It is sunnah (a practice of the Prophet PBUH) to apply perfume as the Prophet (PBUH) smelt strongly of musk at this point.
Tip: Men can use disposable blades to shave each other’s heads. If that’s not possible, you’ll notice a number of barbers in Mina ready to shave your head for a price. Ensure that the barbers use new blades to avoid infection.
You will now go to Mecca to perform Tawaf al-Ifadha and then another circuit of sa’i as part of your hajj rituals.
Tawaf al-Ifada and sa’i are obligatory. You must perform these after the rami, the qurbani (sacrifice) and shaving (or trimming) of the head/hair.
With the completion of the tawaf and sa’i, you are then allowed to relax and do everything that was lawful before entering the ihram, including engaging in sexual intimacy.
You will now return to your tents in Mina and continue with the remaining rituals of hajj.
Tip: The tawaf area will be extremely crowded during this time. Try to use the upper levels of the Haram or the roof. You might want to do this around midnight when it tends to be quieter.
On the eleventh day of Dhul Hijjah, you will proceed to your second day of rami.
On this occasion you pelt each of the 3 pillars in order. You will begin with Jamarah al-Ula (the small pillar), then Jamarah al-Wusta (the second/middle pillar) and finally, Jamarah al-Aqaba (the third/large pillar). You stop after the first and second jamarat to make dua while facing the qibla. Each pillar should be consecutively stoned with 7 pebbles accompanied by the takbir. Remember to take your spare pebbles with you in case you lose some!
Once your second rami is complete, you will return to your camp in Mina and spend the rest of the day and night in worship, making the most of the remaining time you have.
On the afternoon of twelfth day of Dhul Hijjah, you’ll have your final batch of pebbles (21 pebbles) ready to repeat the same steps as the previous day.
You now have only 1 step left to perform before completing hajj and departing from Mecca. The farewell tawaf is the last rite Muslims must perform.
This tawaf is wajib (obligatory) according to Hanafis, Shafi’is and Hanbalis. Sunnah according to Malikis and must be performed prior to leaving the boundaries of the Haram. Omitting this tawaf, without a valid reason, is not deemed lawful in Islam.
Ibn Abbas (RA) narrated:
“The people were ordered to perform the Tawaf al-Wida as the last thing before leaving (Makkah), except the menstruating women who were excused.” [Bukhari]
For this tawaf, you will complete 7 laps of tawaf. Then perform 2 units of prayer and drink Zamzam water. There is no sa’i or shaving/trimming of the head after this tawaf.
Hajj mubarak! You’ve now completed your hajj!
For those of us who are unable to travel and perform hajj, don’t despair! The best 10 days of the year are first to the tenth of Dhul Hijjah.
These days are a second chance to earn the mercy and forgiveness of Allah (SWT) after Ramadan.
We should use this blessed time to do more good deeds. These can include anything such as giving charity, honouring one’s parents, upholding family ties, and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. It is also important to enhance our obligatory acts of worship by being mindful of our prayers and ensuring we pay our zakat on time. For those of us who have not yet completed the pilgrimage of hajj, this is also an ideal time to make dua that Allah (SWT) grants us the opportunity when He deems best.
Our Prophet (PBUH) said:
“There are no days that are greater before Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him than these 10 days, so recite a great deal of tahleel (la illaaha illa Allah), takbeer (Allahu Akbar) and tahmeed (Alhamdulillah) during them.” [Ahmad]
It’s highly recommended for you to fast and remember Allah (SWT) as much as you can during these 10 days.
The qurbani for non-travellers is sunnah muakkadah (emphasised sunnah) according to most scholars and obligatory according to the Hanafis. If you can afford to offer the sacrifice, then you are encouraged to do so. This would be in remembrance of the struggle and dedication of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) to Allah (SWT), and would support a family in need.
Fulfil your qurbani this Eid and reap the rewards of the 10 best days. Donate today.