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112-525: Juhaina was the first Arab tribe to entirely convert to Islam. They are known to be fond of education and writing and had many poets. They were well educated before being committed to Islamic teachings. They were also known to be powerful, and many Juhanis participated in battles at the time. One of its members, 'Abd ad-Dar b. Hudayb, to build a Qawdam (an artifact that could compete with the Kaaba in Mecca), since

224-690: A Christian origin that explicitly mentions the Kaaba, and confirms the idea that not just the Arabs but certain Christians as well, associated the site with Ibrahim in the seventh century. This is the second dateable text mentioning the Kaaba, first being some verses from the Quran . Saudi archeologist Mohammed Almaghthawi discovered some rock inscriptions mentioning the Masjid al-Haram and the Kaaba, dating back to

336-589: A Greek carpenter from the same ship, called Baqum (باقوم Pachomius). Financial constraints during this rebuilding caused Quraysh to exclude six cubits from the northern part of the Kaaba. This portion is what is currently known as Al-Hateem الحطيم or Hijr Ismail حجر اسماعيل. Muhammad's Isra' is said to have taken him from the Kaaba to the Masjid al-Aqsa and heavenwards from there. Muslims initially considered Jerusalem as their qibla, or prayer direction, and faced toward it while offering prayers; however, pilgrimage to

448-531: A Muslim's religious commitment, and should not be a measurement of their social status. Hajj brings together and unites the Muslims from different parts of the world irrespective of their race, colour, and culture, which acts as a symbol of equality. A 2008 study on the impact of participating in the Islamic pilgrimage found that Muslim communities become more positive and tolerant after Hajj. Titled Estimating

560-420: A considerable environmental impact, with the average pilgrim contributing about 60.5 kg CO 2-eq per day. Transport, lodging, food, and waste generated an estimated 3.0 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent during the 2011 Hajj season. Most pilgrims travel to Mecca by air and long-haul air travel accounts for 60% of greenhouse gas emissions created by Hajj. Rising global temperatures mean that in

672-732: A group of Muslims towards Mecca with the intention of performing the Umrah , but was prevented from doing so by the Quraysh. He secured a peace treaty with them, the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah , which allowed the Muslims to freely perform pilgrimage at the Kaaba from the following year. At the culmination of his mission, in 630 CE, after the allies of the Quraysh, the Banu Bakr, violated the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Muhammad conquered Mecca . His first action

784-566: A night in the plain of Muzdalifa , and performs symbolic Stoning of the Devil by throwing stones at three pillars. After the sacrifice of cattle (which can be accomplished by using a voucher), the pilgrims then are required to either shave or trim their heads (if male) or trim the ends of their hair (if female). A celebration of the four-day global festival of Eid al-Adha proceeds afterwards. Muslims may also undertake an Umrah ( Arabic : عُمرَة ), or "lesser pilgrimage" to Mecca at other times of

896-576: A pair of ram's horns were recorded to be inside the Kaaba. The pair of ram's horns were said to have belonged to the ram sacrificed by Ibrahim in place of his son Ismail as held by Islamic tradition. During its history, the Black Stone at the Kaaba has been struck and smashed by a stone fired from a catapult , it has been smeared with excrement, stolen and ransomed by the Qarmatians and smashed into several fragments. al-Azraqi provides

1008-558: A range of services through their smartphones. The services, which are available in nine languages, help pilgrims in finding emergency service centres, holy sites, currency exchanges, restaurants, and accommodation. To enter Saudi Arabia to participate in the Hajj as a Muslim, visa requirements have to be satisfied. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is planning to ease visas issuance by enabling Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to obtain e-visa within minutes through campaigns and companies. For

1120-501: A reminder of the Day of Judgment when Muslims believe people will stand before God. Hadith literature (sayings of Muhammad) lists various merits a pilgrim achieves upon successful completion of their Hajj. After successful pilgrimage, pilgrims can prefix their names with the title 'Al-Hajji', and are held with respect in Muslim society. However, Islamic scholars suggest Hajj should signify

1232-480: A single piece of unstitched white clothing ( Ihram ), walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba (a cube-shaped building and the direction of prayer for Muslims), kisses the black stone mounted on the corner wall of Kaaba , walks briskly back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, then drinks from the Zamzam Well , goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, spends

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1344-664: A trustworthy group. The word in Arabic : حج ḥajj is similar to the Hebrew : חג ḥag , which means "festival", from the triliteral Semitic root ح-ج-ج . The term was used to refer to the three pilgrimage festivals Israelites would make to the Temple in Jerusalem each year. Similarly, the Arabic : حج ḥajj in Islam refers to act of traveling to Mecca to perform

1456-593: Is a pilgrimage made to the Kaaba , the "House of Allah", in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam , alongside Shahadah (oath that one believes there is no god but Allah (God)), salat (prayer), zakat (almsgiving), and sawm (fasting during Ramadan). The Hajj is an annual practice when Muslim brotherhood is on display and their solidarity with fellow Muslim people and submission to God ( Allah )

1568-522: Is a stone building at the center of Islam 's most important mosque and holiest site , the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca , Saudi Arabia . It is considered by Muslims to be the Baytullah (Arabic: بَيْت ٱللَّٰه , lit.   'House of God') and is the qibla (Arabic: قِبْلَة , direction of prayer ) for Muslims around the world. The current structure was built after the original building

1680-401: Is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca , Saudi Arabia , the holiest city for Muslims . Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home. In Islamic terminology, Hajj

1792-577: Is an area between Arafat and Mina. Upon reaching there, pilgrims perform Maghrib and Isha prayer jointly, spend the night praying and sleeping on the ground with open sky, and gather pebbles for the next day's ritual of the stoning of the Devil ( Shaytan ). After the morning prayer, the Pilgrims move from Muzdalifah to Mina. At Mina, the pilgrims perform symbolic Stoning of the Devil (Ramy al-Jamarat) by throwing seven stones from sunrise to sunset at only

1904-464: Is associated with the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from the 7th century AD, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca stated in Muslim sources stretches back to the time of Abraham . During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of millions of Muslim people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of pre-Islamic rituals (reformed by Muhammad): each person wears

2016-512: Is called the day of Hajj. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and the Islamic year is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian year, the Gregorian date for Hajj changes from year to year. Thus, each year in the Gregorian calendar, the pilgrimage starts eleven days (sometimes ten days) earlier. This makes it possible for the Hajj season to fall twice in one Gregorian year, and it does so every 33 years. The last time this phenomenon occurred

2128-554: Is disputed whether Allah and Hubal were the same deity or different. According to a hypothesis by Uri Rubin and Christian Robin, Hubal was only venerated by Quraysh and the Kaaba was first dedicated to Allah, a supreme god of individuals belonging to different tribes, while the pantheon of the gods of Quraysh was installed in the Kaaba after they conquered Mecca a century before Muhammad's time. Imoti contends that there were numerous such Kaaba sanctuaries in Arabia at one time, but this

2240-426: Is fulfilled. The word Hajj means "pilgrimage made to the Kaaba", a long pious journey taken by Muslims to cleanse their souls of all worldly sins, which connotes both the outward act of a journey after death and the inward act of good intentions. The rites of pilgrimage are performed over five to six days, extending from the 8th to the 12th or 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah , the last month of the Islamic calendar . Because

2352-528: Is known as Day of Arafah , and this day is called the Day of Hajj. On 9th Dhu al-Hijjah before noon, pilgrims arrive at Arafat , a barren and plain land some 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Mecca, where they stand in contemplative vigil: they offer supplications, repent on and atone for their past sins, and seek the mercy of God , and listen to the sermon from the Islamic scholars who deliver it from near Jabal al-Rahmah (The Mount of Mercy) from where Muhammad

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2464-485: Is said to have delivered his last sermon . Lasting from noon through sunset, this is known as 'standing before God' (wuquf), one of the most significant rites of Hajj. At Masjid al-Namirah , pilgrims offer noon and afternoon prayers together at noontime. A pilgrim's Hajj is considered invalid if they do not spend the afternoon on Arafat. Pilgrims must leave Arafat for Muzdalifah after sunset without performing their maghrib (sunset) prayer at Arafat. Muzdalifah

2576-532: The Encyclopedia of Islam , Wensinck identifies Mecca with a place called Macoraba mentioned by Ptolemy . G. E. von Grunebaum states: "Mecca is mentioned by Ptolemy. The name he gives it allows us to identify it as a South Arabian foundation created around a sanctuary." In Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam , Patricia Crone argues that the identification of Macoraba with Mecca is false and that Macoraba

2688-563: The Civil Rights Movement , describes the sociological atmosphere he experienced at his Hajj in the 1960s as follows: There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between

2800-419: The Islamic calendar . If in a given year, an adult Muslim is in good health and their life and wealth are safe, they must perform the Hajj in the same year. Delaying it is considered sinful unless the delay is caused by reasons beyond their control. Apart from being an obligatory religious duty, the Hajj is seen to have a spiritual merit that provides Muslims with an opportunity of self-renewal. Hajj serves as

2912-421: The Islamic religion which, however, later converted, becoming perhaps the first tribal group fighting alongside Muslims the affirmation of their cause. In the conquest of Mecca (629 CE) it was present with 800 warriors and 50 knights, although figures Al-Tabari provides are more generous still, with approximately 1,400 men. The tribe (part of which had emigrated to Egypt ) remained faithful to Islam during

3024-504: The King's Highway . The date of Hajj is determined by the Islamic calendar (known as the Hijri calendar or AH), which is based on the lunar year . Every year, the events of Hajj take place in a ten-day period, starting on 1 and ending on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah , the twelfth and last month of the Islamic calendar. Among these ten days, the 9th Dhul-Hijjah is known as Day of Arafah , and this day

3136-564: The Ridda wars and participated later, at the time of the second Caliph Umar , to the conquest of Egypt, some of them remained to reside in Egypt when the Caliph Umar appointed one of the prophet companion and Juhaynah leaders Uqbah ibn Amir Aljuhani as the governor of Egypt. Among the tribe's members are: Kaaba The Kaaba , sometimes referred to as al-Ka'ba al-Musharrafa ,

3248-647: The Umrah . On the 8th Dhu al-Hijjah, the pilgrims are reminded of their duties. They again don the Ihram garments and confirm their intention to make the pilgrimage. The prohibitions of Ihram start now. The name of Tarwiyah refers to a narration of Ja'far al-Sadiq . He described the reason that there was no water at Mount Arafat on the 8th day of Dhu al-Hijjah. If pilgrims wanted to stay at Arafat, they would have prepared water from Mecca and carried it by themselves there. So they told each other to drink enough. Finally, this day called Tarwiyah that means to quench thirst in

3360-593: The hatīm was a remnant of the foundations of the Abrahamic Kaaba, and that Muhammad himself had wished to rebuild it so as to include it. The Kaaba was bombarded with stones in the second siege of Mecca in 692 , in which the Umayyad army was led by al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf . The fall of the city and the death of 'Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr allowed the Umayyads under 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan to finally reunite all

3472-492: The 11 Dhu al-Hijjah (and again the following day), the pilgrims again throw seven pebbles at each of the three pillars in Mina. This is commonly known as the " Stoning of the Devil ". On 12 Dhu al-Hijjah, the same process of the stoning of the pillars as of 11 Dhu al-Hijjah takes place. Pilgrims may leave Mina for Mecca before sunset on the 12th. If unable to leave on the 12th before sunset or opt to stay longer, they must perform

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3584-624: The Arabic language. Tarwiyah Day is the first day of Hajj ritual. Also on this day, Husayn ibn Ali began to go to Karbala from Mecca . Muhammad nominated to Tarwiyah Day as one of the four chosen days. After the morning prayer on the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah, the pilgrims proceed to Mina where they spend the whole day and offer noon (Note: On Friday, Friday Prayer is Offered, instead of Dhuhr Prayer, at Mina), afternoon , evening , and night prayers. The next morning after morning prayer, they leave Mina to go to Arafat. The 9th Dhul-Hijjah

3696-517: The Black Stone in its place. According to Ishaq's biography, Muhammad's solution was to have all the clan elders raise the cornerstone on a cloak, after which Muhammad set the stone into its final place with his own hands. The timber for the reconstruction of the Kaaba was purchased by Quraysh from a Greek ship that had been wrecked on the Red Sea coast at Shu'aybah. The work was undertaken by

3808-409: The Hajj and return home. During Hajj, many airlines run extra flights to accommodate the large number of pilgrims. During official Hajj days, pilgrims travel between the different locations by metro, bus or on foot. The Saudi government strictly controls vehicles access into these heavily congested areas. However, the journey can take many hours due to heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic. In 2010,

3920-672: The Impact of the Hajj: Religion and Tolerance in Islam's Global Gathering and conducted in conjunction with Harvard University 's John F. Kennedy School of Government , the study noted that the Hajj "increases belief in equality and harmony among ethnic groups and Islamic sects and leads to more favourable attitudes toward women, including greater acceptance of female education and employment" and that "Hajjis show increased belief in peace, equality and harmony among adherents of different religions." Malcolm X , an American activist during

4032-457: The Islamic calendar is lunar and the Islamic year is about eleven-twelve days shorter than the Gregorian year, the Gregorian date of Hajj changes from year to year. In 2024 AD (1445 AH ), Dhu al-Hijjah extends from 7 June to 6 July. In 2025 AD (1446 AH ), Dhu al-Hijjah will extend from 28 May to 25 June; and in 2026 AD (1447 AH ), Dhu al-Hijjah will extend from 18 May to 15 June. The Hajj

4144-468: The Islamic possessions and end the long civil war. In 693 CE, 'Abd al-Malik had the remnants of al-Zubayr's Kaaba razed, and rebuilt it on the foundations set by the Quraysh. The Kaaba returned to the cube shape it had taken during Muhammad's time. Its basic shape and structure have not changed since then. During the Hajj of 930 CE, the Shi'ite Qarmatians attacked Mecca under Abu Tahir al-Jannabi , defiled

4256-586: The Kaaba and trade with each other in the city. Various sculptures and paintings were held inside the Kaaba. A statue of Hubal (the principal idol of Mecca) and statues of other pagan deities are known to have been placed in or around the Kaaba. Apart from the paintings of pagan idols decorating the walls, which were destroyed at the behest of Muhammad after his conquest of Mecca , there were also paintings of angels , of Ibrahim holding divination arrows , and of Isa ( Jesus ) and his mother Maryam ( Mary ), which Muhammad spared. Undefined decorations, money and

4368-491: The Kaaba on the day of the conquest, ordered all the pictures erased except that of Maryam: Shihab (said) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered the Kaaba on the day of the conquest, and in it was a picture of the angels (mala'ika), among others, and he saw a picture of Ibrahim and he said: "May Allah kill those representing him as a venerable old man casting arrows in divination (shaykhan yastaqsim bil-azlam)." Then he saw

4480-514: The Kaaba was considered a religious duty though its rites were not yet finalized. During the first half of Muhammad's time as a prophet while he was at Mecca, he and his followers were severely persecuted which eventually led to their migration to Medina in 622 CE. In 624 CE, Muslims believe the direction of the qibla was changed from the Masjid al-Aqsa to the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, with the revelation of Surah 2 , verse 144. In 628 CE, Muhammad led

4592-551: The Kaaba was officially dedicated to Hubal , a Nabatean deity, and contained 360 idols which probably represented the days of the year. However, by the time of Muhammad's era, it seems that the Kaaba was venerated as the temple of Allah, the High God. Once a year, tribes from all around the Arabian Peninsula would converge on Mecca to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, which was a mark of the widespread conviction that Allah

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4704-506: The Kaaba was the first masjid on Earth, and the second was Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. Abu Dhar narrated: I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Which mosque was first built on the surface of the earth?" He said, "Al-Masjid-ul-Haram (in Mecca)." I said, "Which was built next?" He replied "The mosque of Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem)." I said, "What was the period of construction between the two?" He said, "Forty years." He added, "Wherever (you may be, and)

4816-545: The Kaaba was thought to be at the center of the world, with the Gate of Heaven directly above it. The Kaaba marked the location where the sacred world intersected with the profane; the embedded Black Stone was a further symbol of this as a meteorite that had fallen from the sky and linked heaven and earth. According to Sarwar, about 400 years before the birth of Muhammad, a man named 'Amr bin Luhayy, who descended from Qahtan and

4928-424: The Kaaba – inside their path. Each circuit starts and ends with the kissing or touching of the Black Stone. Pilgrims also point to the stone and recite a prayer known as Talbiyah . If kissing or touching the stone is not possible because of crowds, pilgrims may simply point towards the stone with their right hand on each circuit. Eating is not permitted but the drinking of water is permitted and encouraged, because of

5040-433: The Kaaba, the floor is made of marble and limestone . The interior walls are clad with tiled, white marble halfway to the roof, with darker trimmings along the floor. The floor of the interior stands about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) above the ground area where tawaf is performed. The wall directly adjacent to the entrance of the Kaaba has six tablets inlaid with inscriptions, and there are several more tablets along

5152-603: The Mataaf are surrounded by pilgrims every day of the Islamic year , except the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah , known as the Day of Arafah , on which the cloth covering the structure, known as the Kiswah (Arabic: كسوة , romanized:  Kiswah , lit.   'Cloth'), is changed. However, the most significant increase in their numbers is during Ramadan and the Hajj , when millions of pilgrims gather for Tawaf. According to

5264-812: The Mosque was renovated. In 1916, after Hussein bin Ali had launched the Great Arab Revolt , during the Battle of Mecca between Arab and Ottoman forces, the Ottoman troops bombarded the city and hit the Kaaba, setting fire to the protective veil. This incident was later exploited by the propaganda of the Great Arab Revolt to attempt to demonstrate the impiety of the Ottomans and the legitimacy of

5376-622: The Roman army, which is known to have required colossal quantities of leather and hides for its equipment. According to Islamic cosmology , the Zurah pilgrimage site was the precursor to the Kaaba. Prior to Islam, the Kaaba was a holy site for the various Bedouin tribes throughout the Arabian Peninsula . Once every lunar year, Bedouin people would make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Setting aside any tribal feuds, they would worship their gods in

5488-586: The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah , 6,791,100 external pilgrims arrived for the Umrah pilgrimage in the Islamic year AH  1439 (2017/2018  CE ). The literal meaning of the word Ka'bah ( Arabic : كعبة ) is cube . In the Qur'an, from the era of the life of Muhammad , the Kaaba is mentioned by the following names: According to historian Eduard Glaser , the name "Kaaba" may have been related to

5600-540: The Saudi government started operating the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro line as an exclusive shuttle train for pilgrims between Arafat, Muzdalifa and Mina. The service, which operates only during the days of Hajj, shortens the travel time during the critical "Nafrah" from Arafat to Muzdalifah to minutes. Due to its limited capacity, the use of the metro is not open to all pilgrims. Hajj has

5712-603: The Zamzam Well with the bodies of pilgrims and stole the Black Stone, taking it to the oasis in Eastern Arabia known as al-Aḥsāʾ , where it remained until the Abbasids ransomed it in 952 CE. After heavy rains and flooding in 1626, the walls of the Kaaba collapsed and the Mosque was damaged. The same year, during the reign of Ottoman Emperor Murad IV , the Kaaba was rebuilt with granite stones from Mecca, and

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5824-744: The advent of the Mamluk Sultanate and its successor, the Ottoman Empire , were escorted by a military force accompanied by physicians under the command of an amir al-hajj . This was done to protect the caravan from Bedouin robbers or natural hazards, and to ensure that the pilgrims were supplied with the necessary provisions. Muslim travelers like Ibn Jubayr and Ibn Battuta have recorded detailed accounts of Hajj journeys in medieval times. The caravans followed well-established routes called in Arabic darb al-hajj , lit. "pilgrimage road", which usually followed ancient routes such as

5936-411: The antithesis of that individualism. Ihram clothing is also a reminder of shrouds worn after death. The ritual of tawaf involves walking seven times counterclockwise around the Kaaba. Upon arriving at Al-Masjid Al-Ḥarām , pilgrims perform an arrival tawaf either as part of Umrah or as a welcome tawaf . During tawaf , pilgrims also include Hateem – an area at the north side of

6048-466: The building to God. In AD 632, Muhammad performed his only and last pilgrimage with a large number of followers, and instructed them on the rites of Hajj. It was from this point that Hajj became one of the five pillars of Islam. During medieval times, pilgrims would gather in the big cities of Syria, Egypt, and Iraq to go to Mecca in groups and caravans comprising tens of thousands of pilgrims, often under state patronage. Hajj caravans, particularly with

6160-526: The ceiling. The ceiling itself is of a darker colour, similar in hue to the lower trimming. The Bāb ut-Tawbah —on the right wall (right of the entrance) opens to an enclosed staircase that leads to a hatch, which itself opens to the roof. Both the roof and ceiling (collectively dual-layered) are made of stainless steel -capped teak wood . Hajj This is an accepted version of this page Hajj ( / h ɑː dʒ / ; Arabic : حَجّ , romanized :  Ḥajj ; also spelled Hadj , Haj or Haji )

6272-423: The city of Mecca." The Asatir book was likely compiled in the 10th century CE, though Moses Gaster suggested in 1927 that it was written no later than the second half of the 3rd century BCE. The Qur'an contains several verses regarding the origin of the Kaaba. It states that the Kaaba was the first House of Worship for mankind, and that it was built by Ibrahim and Ismail on Allah's instructions: Verily,

6384-479: The day of Eid al Adha and female pilgrims cut the tips of their hair. On the same or the following day, the pilgrims re-visit the Sacred Mosque in Mecca for another tawaf , known as Tawaf al-Ifadah , an essential part of Hajj. It symbolizes being in a hurry to respond to God and show love for Him, an obligatory part of Hajj. The night of the 10th is spent back at Mina. Starting from noon to sunset on

6496-404: The first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for mankind. Behold! We gave the site, to Ibrahim, of the (Sacred) House, (saying): "Associate not anything (in worship) with Me; and sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer)." And remember Ibrahim and Ismail raised

6608-464: The first and second centuries of Islam. One of them reads as follows: God suffices and wrote Maysara bin Ibrahim Servant of the Kaaba (Khadim al-Kaaba). Juan Cole is of the opinion that the inscription is likely from the second century A.H. ( c.  718 –815 CE). During Muhammad's lifetime (570–632 CE), the Kaaba was considered a holy site by the local Arabs. Muhammad took part in

6720-506: The following narrative on the authority of his grandfather: I have heard that there was set up in al-Bayt (referring to the Kaaba) a picture ( Arabic : تمثال , romanized :  Timthal , lit.   'Depiction') of Maryam and 'Isa. ['Ata'] said: "Yes, there was set in it a picture of Maryam adorned ( muzawwaqan ); in her lap, her son Isa sat adorned." In her book Islam: A Short History , Karen Armstrong asserts that

6832-639: The foundations of the House (With this prayer): "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-knowing." Ibn Kathir , in his famous exegesis ( tafsir ) of the Quran, mentions two interpretations among the Muslims on the origin of the Kaaba. One is that the temple was a place of worship for mala'ikah ( angels ) before the creation of man. Later, a house of worship

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6944-668: The future, people undertaking Hajj could face "extreme danger" due to heat and humidity. Projected temperature rises of 1.5° to 2° could have significant impacts on the health of participants, many of whom are elderly. In 2021 Ummah for Earth and Greenpeace Middle East published research which suggested climate actions which included adapting the Great Mosque for solar power. In the Summer of 2024, Saudi officials reported treating more than 2,000 people for heat stress. As of June 21 550 people had died from heat stroke. At least 320 of

7056-537: The geography starts with a speculation about the origin of the Muslim sanctuary in Arabia: Regarding the K'bta (Kaaba) of Ibrahim, we have been unable to discover what it is except that, because the blessed Abraham grew rich in property and wanted to get away from the envy of the Canaanites, he chose to live in the distant and spacious parts of the desert. Since he lived in tents, he built that place for

7168-532: The growing number of pilgrims poses a logistic challenge for the government of Saudi Arabia , which has, since the 1950s, spent more than $ 100 billion to increase pilgrimage facilities. Major issues like housing, transportation, sanitation, and health care have been addressed and improved greatly by the government by introducing various development programs, with the result that pilgrims now enjoy modern facilities and perform various rites at ease. The Saudi government often sets quotas for various countries to keep

7280-529: The head (for men) or the face and hands (for women); getting married; or carrying weapons. The Ihram is meant to show equality of all pilgrims in front of God, with no difference between the rich and the poor. Donning such unsewn white garments entirely is believed to distance man from material ostentation, and engross him in a world of purity and spirituality, since clothes are believed to show individuality and distinction and create superficial barriers that separate individuals. The garments of Ihram are seen as

7392-475: The highest number of participants with 3,161,573. In June 2020, while not cancelling the Hajj outright, the Saudi Government announced that they would only welcome "very limited numbers" of pilgrims who are residents of Saudi Arabia due to the global COVID-19 pandemic . Similar restrictions applied in 2021, but women were permitted to attend without a male guardian ( mahram ) provided they went in

7504-400: The largest of the three pillars, known as Jamrat al-Aqabah. The remaining two pillars (jamarah) are not stoned on this day. These pillars are said to represent Satan. Pilgrims climb ramps to the multi-levelled Jamaraat Bridge , from which they can throw their pebbles at the jamarat. Because of safety reasons, in 2004 the pillars were replaced by long walls, with catch basins below to collect

7616-423: The mosque. After prayer, pilgrims also drink water from the Zamzam well, which is made available in coolers throughout the Mosque. Although the circuits around the Kaaba are traditionally done on the ground level, tawaf is now also performed on the first floor and roof of the mosque because of the large crowds. This rite is said to be the manifestation of Tawhid , the Oneness of God. The heart and soul of

7728-421: The necessary support. In 2018, SAFCSP organized the Hajj Hackathon event in Jeddah , with 2,950 participants from over 100 countries. The event aims at exploring the use of technology to provide solutions for Hajj pilgrims. In 2019, the "Fatwa Robot" service was launched to provide pilgrims with fatwas and other religious advice. Two interactive apps were launched by Hajj authorities to provide pilgrims with

7840-412: The northeast), in particular to pray at the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet), which contains the tomb of Muhammad . The Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Qiblatayn are also usually visited. To Muslims, Hajj is associated with religious as well as social significance. The obligation for performing this pilgrimage is only fulfilled if it is done on the eighth to twelfth day of the last month of

7952-432: The open air, the place is now entirely enclosed by the Sacred Mosque, and can be accessed via air-conditioned tunnels. Pilgrims are advised to walk the circuit, though two green pillars mark a short section of the path where they run. There is also an internal "express lane" for elderly or disabled people. After sa'ay , male pilgrims shave or trim their hair and women generally clip a portion of their hair, which completes

8064-418: The other walls. Along the top corners of the walls runs a black cloth embroidered with gold Qur'anic verses. Caretakers anoint the marble cladding with the same scented oil used to anoint the Black Stone outside. Three pillars (some erroneously report two) stand inside the Kaaba, with a small altar or table set between one and the other two. Lamp -like objects (possible lanterns or crucible censers ) hang from

8176-403: The pebbles. After the stoning of the Devil, cattle (Surah 22:34-36) are sacrificed to commemorate the story of Ibrahim and Ismael. Traditionally the pilgrims slaughtered the animal themselves or oversaw the slaughtering. Today many pilgrims buy a sacrifice voucher in Mecca before the greater Hajj begins, which allows an animal to be slaughtered in the name of God (Allah) on the 10th, without

8288-529: The perpetually warring tribes, Mecca was declared a sanctuary where no violence was allowed within 30 km (20 mi) of the Kaaba. This combat-free zone allowed Mecca to thrive not only as a place of pilgrimage, but also as a trading center. In Samaritan literature, the Samaritan Book of the Secrets of Moses ( Asatir ) states that Ismail and his eldest son Nebaioth built the Kaaba as well as

8400-605: The picture of Maryam, so he put his hands on it and he said: "Erase what is in it [the Kaaba] in the way of pictures except the picture of Maryam." After the conquest, Muhammad restated the sanctity and holiness of Mecca, including its Great Mosque (Masjid al-Haram), in Islam. He performed the Hajj in 632 CE called the Hujjat ul-Wada' ("Farewell Pilgrimage") since Muhammad prophesied his impending death on this event. The Kaaba has been repaired and reconstructed many times. The structure

8512-485: The pilgrim being physically present. Modern abattoirs complete the processing of the meat, which is then sent as a charity to poor people around the world. At the same time as the sacrifices occur at Mecca, Muslims worldwide perform similar sacrifices, in a three-day global festival called Eid al-Adha . After sacrificing an animal, another important rite of Hajj is the shaving or trimming of head hair (known as Halak). All male pilgrims shave their head or trim their hair on

8624-418: The pilgrim should move around Kaaba, the symbol of the House of God, in a way that no worldly attraction distracts him from this path. Only Tawhid should attract him. Tawaf also represents Muslims' unity. During tawaf , everyone encircles Kaaba collectively. Tawaf is followed by sa'ay , running or walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah, located near the Kaaba. Previously in

8736-496: The pilgrimage including doing naked circumambulation. A king named Tubba' is considered the first one to have a door be built for the Kaaba according to sayings recorded in Al-Azraqi 's Akhbar Makka . The interpretation that pre-Islamic Arabs once practiced Abrahamic religions is supported by some literary evidence, being the prevalence of Ishmael , whose God was that of Abraham , in pre-Islamic Arab culture. Writing in

8848-547: The pilgrimage to Mecca was mainly an overland journey using camels as a means of transport. During the second half of the nineteenth century (after the 1850s), steamships began to be used in the pilgrimage journey to Mecca, and the number of pilgrims traveling on sea routes increased. This continued for some time, until air travel came to predominate; Egypt introduced the first airline service for Hajj pilgrims in 1937. Today, many airlines and travel agents offer Hajj packages, and arrange for transportation and accommodation for

8960-612: The pilgrims not only follow the model of Muhammad, but also commemorate the events associated with Abraham. Ihram is the name given to the special spiritual state, state of holiness, which marks the start of the ritual of Hajj for each person. Ihram is initiated upon the arrival to the Miqat or prior to reaching it, depending on where they have come from. When pilgrims enter into the state of Ihram, they are required to abstain from certain actions. While in ihram, males are required to wear two white seamless cloths, with one wrapped around

9072-639: The pilgrims' number at a manageable level, and arranges huge security forces and CCTV cameras to maintain overall safety during Hajj. Various institutions and government programs, such as the Haj subsidy offered in Pakistan or the Tabung Haji based in Malaysia assist pilgrims in covering the costs of the journey. For the 2014 Hajj, special Hajj information desks were set up at Pakistani airports to assist

9184-889: The pilgrims. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Medina have dedicated pilgrim terminals to assist with the large numbers of pilgrims. Other international airports around the world, such as Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi , Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad , Jinnah in Karachi and Soekarno-Hatta in Jakarta also have dedicated terminals or temporary facilities to service pilgrims as they depart for

9296-465: The pilgrims. For the benefit of pilgrims from India and Pakistan , Urdu signs were also introduced at the mosques. The Saudi government employs technology to protect the safety, and enhance the experience, of the pilgrim's journey. Recently, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has introduced the Hajj pilgrims' e-bracelet program that stores pilgrims' essential data and which helps to provide them with

9408-556: The prayer time becomes due, perform the prayer there, for the best thing is to do so (i.e. to offer the prayers in time)." Sahih al-Bukhari : Volume 4, Book 55, Hadith Number 585 While Abraham was building the Kaaba, an angel brought to him the Black Stone which he placed in the eastern corner of the structure. Another stone was the Maqam Ibrahim , the Station of Abraham, where Abraham stood for elevation while building

9520-458: The reconstruction of the Kaaba around 600 C.E., after its structure was weakened by a fire, and then damaged by a subsequent flood. Sources including Ibn Ishaq 's Sirat Rasūl Allāh , one of the biographies of Muhammad (as reconstructed and translated by Guillaume), as well as Al-Azraqi 's chronicle of Mecca, describe Muhammad settling a quarrel between the Meccan clans as to which clan should set

9632-400: The revolt as a holy war. The Kaaba is depicted on the reverse of 500 Saudi riyal and 2000 Iranian rial banknotes. The Kaaba is a cuboid -shaped structure made of stones . It is approximately 15 m (49 ft 3 in) high with sides measuring 12 m (39 ft 4 in) × 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in) wide (Hawting states 10 m (32 ft 10 in). Inside

9744-470: The risk of dehydration. Men are encouraged to perform the first three circuits at a hurried pace, known as Ramal , and the following four at a more leisurely pace. The completion of Tawaf is followed by two Rakaat prayers at the Place of Abraham (Muqam Ibrahim), a site near the Kaaba inside the mosque. However, again because of large crowds during the days of Hajj, they may instead pray anywhere in

9856-567: The site unless they are Muslim. Makkah Route Initiative is an initiative made by the Saudi government to facilitate the pilgrims entries to Saudi Arabia by completing it in the airports of their countries. The initiative has been implemented since 2018 by The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs . In 2019, the initiative is planned to provide service to around 225,000 pilgrims from airports in Malaysia , Indonesia , Pakistan , Bangladesh and Tunisia . The provided services include: Traditionally,

9968-475: The source: Diodorus puts the temple too far north for it to have been Mecca. Christian church father Arnobius , in around 300 CE, referred to "an unshapen stone" worshiped in an unspecified location in Arabia. This short Nestorian (Christian origin) chronicle written no later than the 660s CE covers the history up to the Arab conquest and also gives an interesting note on Arabian geography. The section covering

10080-545: The southern Arabian or Ethiopian word " mikrab ", signifying a temple. Author Patricia Crone disputes this etymology. Historian Patricia Crone has cast doubt on the claim that Mecca was a major historical trading outpost. Other scholars such as Glen Bowersock disagree and assert that it was. Crone later on disregarded some of her theories. She argues that Meccan trade relied on skins, hides, manufactured leather goods, clarified butter, Hijazi woollens, and camels. She suggests that most of these goods were destined for

10192-495: The stoning ritual again on the 13th before returning to Mecca. Finally, before leaving Mecca, pilgrims perform a farewell tawaf called the Tawaf al-Wadaa. 'Wadaa' means 'to bid farewell'. The pilgrims circle the Kaaba seven times counter-clockwise, and if they can, attempt to touch or kiss the Kaaba. During their journey for Hajj, pilgrims traditionally also travel to the city of Medina (approximately 450 kilometres (280 mi) to

10304-541: The structure. The Black Stone and the Maqam Ibrahim are believed by Muslims to be the only remnant of the original structure made by Abraham as the remaining structure had to be demolished and rebuilt several times over history for its maintenance. After the construction was complete, God enjoined the descendants of Ismail to perform an annual pilgrimage: the Hajj and the Qurban , sacrifice of cattle. The vicinity of

10416-498: The tafsir of Zamakhshari (d. 1144 C.E.), the archangel Gabriel brought the Black Stone from Heaven to be attached to the Kaaba when it was built by the Prophet Abraham. In pre-Islamic Arabia, a time known as Age of Ignorance ( Jahiliyya ), the Kaaba became surrounded by pagan idols . In AD 630, Muhammad led his followers from Medina to Mecca, cleansed the Kaaba by destroying all the pagan idols, and then consecrated

10528-468: The temple was also made a sanctuary where bloodshed and war were forbidden. According to Islamic tradition, over the millennia after Ismail's death, his progeny and the local tribes who settled around the Zamzam well gradually turned to polytheism and idolatry. Several idols were placed within the Kaaba representing deities of different aspects of nature and different tribes. Several rituals were adopted in

10640-516: The time of Jahiliyya able to attract many pilgrims and create a trade fair where he concluded lucrative business. Relations with Yathrib were overall good, so much so that, at the Battle of Bu'ath of 617, the Juhaynah fought with the Arab tribe of Banu Khazraj , while Badr were on the side of Banu Aws . They reached an agreement with Muhammad , once these installed himself with his Muslim followers to Medina , which allowed them not to embrace

10752-422: The two hills of Safa and Marwah but found none. Returning in despair to Ishmael, she saw the baby scratching the ground with his leg and a water fountain sprang forth underneath his foot. Later, Abraham was commanded to build the Kaaba (which he did with the help of Ishmael) and to invite people to perform pilgrimage there. The Quran refers to these incidents in verses 2:124–127 and 22:27–30 . According to

10864-473: The upcoming Umrah season, visas can be electronically issued within 24 hours via a special platform established by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. For passengers traveling from the United States, they must purchase a package from a licensed Hajj agency. People from Gulf Cooperation Council countries do not need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia and vice versa. People with Saudi visas are not allowed to enter

10976-407: The valley of Mecca several years after leaving his wife Hajar ( Hagar ) and Ismail there upon Allah 's command. Circling the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise, known as Tawaf (Arabic: طواف , romanized:  tawaaf ), is a Fard (obligatory) rite for the completion of the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. The area around the Kaaba where pilgrims walk is called the Mataaf. The Kaaba and

11088-409: The various rituals associated with the pilgrimage. The present pattern of Hajj was established by Muhammad . However, according to the Quran , elements of Hajj trace back to the time of Abraham . According to Islamic tradition, Abraham was ordered by God to leave his wife Hajar and his son Ishmael alone in the desert of ancient Mecca. In search of water, Hajar desperately ran seven times between

11200-417: The waist reaching below the knee and the other draped over the left shoulder and tied at the right side. For females this involves wearing ordinary dress that fulfills the Islamic condition of public dress with hands and face uncovered; . Other prohibitions include refraining from clipping nails, shaving any part of the body, having sexual relations; using perfumes , damaging plants, killing animals, covering

11312-566: The white and the non-white. America needs to understand Islam because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. You may be shocked by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to rearrange much of my thought-patterns previously held. Most of the Hajj-related issues are handled by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah . Making necessary arrangements each year for

11424-473: The worship of God and for the offering of sacrifices. It took its present name from what it had been, since the memory of the place was preserved with the generations of their race. Indeed, it was no new thing for the Arabs to worship there, but goes back to antiquity, to their early days, in that they show honor to the father of the head of their people. This is an early record from the Rashidun caliphate , of

11536-406: The year. However, the Umrah is not a substitute for the Hajj and Muslims are still obliged to perform the Hajj at some other point in their lifetime if they have the means to do so. According to the official published statistics between 2000 and 2019, the average number of attendees is 2,269,145 per year, of which 1,564,710 come from outside Saudi Arabia and 671,983 are local. The year 2012 marks

11648-504: Was a town in southern Arabia in what was then known as Arabia Felix . A recent study has revisited the arguments for Macoraba and found them unsatisfactory. Based on an earlier report by Agatharchides of Cnidus , Diodorus Siculus mentions a temple along the Red Sea coast, "which is very holy and exceedingly revered by all Arabians". Edward Gibbon believed that this was the Kaaba. However, Ian D. Morris argues that Gibbon had misread

11760-639: Was built on the location and was lost during the flood in Nuh ( Noah )'s time and was finally rebuilt by Ibrahim and Ismail as mentioned later in the Quran. Ibn Kathir regarded this tradition as weak and preferred instead the narration by Ali ibn Abi Talib that although several other temples might have preceded the Kaaba, it was the first Bayt Allah ('House of God'), dedicated solely to him, built by his instruction, and sanctified and blessed by him, as stated in Quran 22:26–29. A hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari states that

11872-458: Was damaged by fire during the siege of Mecca by Umayyads in 683 CE . In early Islam , Muslims faced in the general direction of Jerusalem as the qibla in their prayers before changing the direction to face the Kaaba, believed by Muslims to be a result of a Quranic verse revelation to Muhammad . According to Islam, the Kaaba was rebuilt several times throughout history, most famously by Ibrahim and his son Ismail , when he returned to

11984-410: Was in 2006. The table below shows the Gregorian dates of Hajj in recent years (the dates correspond to 9 Dhul-Hijjah of the Hijri calendar). Prospective dates are approximate: Fiqh literature describes in detail the manners of carrying out the rites of Hajj, and pilgrims generally follow handbooks and expert guides to successfully fulfill the requirements of Hajj. In performing the rites of Hajj,

12096-499: Was severely damaged by a fire on 3 Rabi' I 64 AH (Sunday 31 October 683 CE), during the first siege of Mecca in 683 in the war between the Umayyads and 'Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr , an early Muslim who ruled Mecca for many years between the death of ʿAli and the consolidation of power by the Umayyads . 'Abdullah rebuilt it to include the hatīm . He did so on the basis of a tradition (found in several hadith collections ) that

12208-407: Was the king of Hijaz , placed an idol of Hubal on the roof of the Kaaba. This idol was one of the chief deities of the ruling Quraysh tribe. The idol was made of red agate and shaped like a human, but with the right hand broken off and replaced with a golden hand. When the idol was moved inside the Kaaba, it had seven arrows in front of it, which were used for divination . To maintain peace among

12320-614: Was the only one built of stone. The others also allegedly had counterparts of the Black Stone. There was a "Red Stone", in the Kaaba of the South Arabian city of Ghaiman; and the "White Stone" in the Kaaba of al-Abalat (near modern-day Tabala ). Grunebaum, in Classical Islam , points out that the experience of divinity of that period was often associated with the fetishism of stones, mountains, special rock formations, or "trees of strange growth." Armstrong further says that

12432-596: Was the same deity worshipped by monotheists. At this time, the Muslims would perform the Salat prayer facing Jerusalem, as instructed by Muhammad, and turning their backs on the pagan associations of the Kabah. Alfred Guillaume , in his translation of the Ibn Ishaq 's seerah , says that the Kaaba itself might be referred to in the feminine form. Circumambulation was often performed naked by men and almost naked by women. It

12544-514: Was to remove statues and images from the Kaaba . According to reports collected by Ibn Ishaq and al-Azraqi , Muhammad spared a painting of Mary and Jesus , and a fresco of Ibrahim. Narrated Abdullah: When the Prophet entered Mecca on the day of the conquest, there were 360 idols around the Kaaba. The Prophet started striking them with a stick he had in his hand and was saying, "Truth has come and Falsehood has vanished..." (Qur'an 17:81) Al-Azraqi further conveys how Muhammad, after he entered

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