Hajj 2024: Your Complete Guide to Annual Islamic Pilgrimage

More than 15lac pilgrims visited Saudi Arabia this year for Hajj, the Kingdom’s General Directorate of Passports announced as Hajj 2024 starts today with record number of pilgrims.

The annual pilgrimage consists of series of rites and rituals, some of which follow a specific order, presenting a spiritual, emotional, and physical challenge for the pilgrim.

Pakistan Observer brings you step-by-step guide to rituals on each day of Hajj.

Hajj Complete Guide

Steps	Description
Preparation	Preparing for Hajj and making the intention to embark on holy journey
Wearing Ihram	Entering the sacred state of Ihram
Tawaf	Circling the Kaaba seven times
Safa and Marwa	Walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa
Clip & Shave Hair	Clipping or shaving hair as part of Hajj
Resting and Praying	Taking time to rest and pray
Enter state of Ihram	Re-entering the state of Ihram
Arrive at Mina	Traveling to Mina
Day of ‘Arafat	Spending the day at Mount Arafat
Muzdalifah	Spending the night under the sky at Muzdalifah
Rami	Throwing stones at the pillars
Qurbani	Performing the ritual sacrifice
Shaving Head	Shaving the head
Tawaf al-Ifadha	Performing the Tawaf al-Ifadha
Rami (stoning of the devil)	Repeating the stoning of the devil
Spend night at Mina	Spending the night in Mina
Rami (stoning of the devil)	Final stoning of the devil
Farewell Tawaf al-Wida	Performing the farewell Tawaf

First Hajj

The first Islamic pilgrimage (Hajj) was performed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Muslims in 628 CE.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was instructed by Allah (SWT) to re-establish the traditions initiated by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) millennia earlier. Ibrahim (AS) traveled to the barren desert of Makkah to perform acts of worship, including building the Kaaba.