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78-454: The historical dating of the foundation of Sabaʾ is a point of disagreement among scholars. Kenneth Kitchen dates the kingdom's existence to between 1200 BCE and 275 CE, with its capital at Maʾrib . On the other hand, Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman believe that "the Sabaean kingdom began to flourish only from the eighth century BC onward," and that the story of Solomon and

156-531: 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

234-420: 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

312-410: A hitherto unknown period of coregency between Psusennes I with Amenemope and Osorkon III with Takelot III , and established that Shebitku of the 25th Dynasty was already king of Egypt by 702 BC, among other revelations. It stated that Takelot II succeeded Osorkon II at Tanis , whereas most Egyptologists today accept it was Shoshenq III . Secondly, the book presented King Shoshenq II as

390-584: A king of the ' Theban Twenty-Third Dynasty ' in Upper Egypt . Kenneth Kitchen is regarded as one of the foremost scholars on the Ramesside Period (1196-1070 a.C., Dynasty XIX and XX) of the New Kingdom ; he published a well-respected book on Ramesses II in 1982 titled Pharaoh Triumphant: The Life and Times of Ramesses II, King of Egypt . Kitchen is a scholar who advocates a high view of

468-566: 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

546-558: 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

624-501: 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

702-673: A significant decline of the Sabaean state and civilization by the end of the 1st millennium BCE . Saba' was conquered by the Himyarites in the first century BCE but after the disintegration of the first Himyarite Kingdom of the kings of Saba' and Dhū Raydān , the Middle Sabaean Kingdom reappeared in the early second century. Note that the Middle Sabaean Kingdom was different from the Ancient Sabaean Kingdom in many important respects. The Sabaean kingdom

780-531: 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

858-664: 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

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936-840: Is a biblical maximalist and has published frequently defending the historicity of the Old Testament . He is an outspoken critic of the documentary hypothesis , publishing various articles and books upholding his viewpoint, arguing that the Bible is historically reliable. Kitchen has also published articles for the Biblical Archaeology Review including, 'Where Did Solomon's Gold Go?' (1989), 'Shishak's Military Campaign in Israel Confirmed' (1989), 'The Patriarchal Age: Myth or History?' (1995) and 'How we know when Solomon ruled' (2001). Hajj This

1014-451: Is an accepted version of this page Hajj ( / h ɑː dʒ / ; Arabic : حَجّ , romanized :  Ḥajj ; also spelled Hadj , Haj or Haji ) 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

1092-519: Is an annual practice when Muslim brotherhood is on display and their solidarity with fellow Muslim people and submission to God ( Allah ) 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

1170-577: 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

1248-464: 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

1326-512: 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

1404-528: 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

1482-638: Is mentioned in the Qur'an in surah al-Maeeda 5:69 , an-Naml 27:15-44 and Sabaʾ 34:15-17. Their mention in surah al-Naml refers to the area in the context of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba , whereas their mention in surah Sabaʾ refers to the Flood of the Dam , in which the historic dam was ruined by flooding. As for the phrase Qawm Tubbaʿ "People of Tubbaʿ", which occurs in surah ad-Dukhan 44:37 and Qaf 50:12-14, Tubbaʿ

1560-485: 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

1638-563: 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

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1716-419: 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

1794-504: 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

1872-660: The Old Testament and its inherent historicity . His 2003 book On the Reliability of the Old Testament documents several clear or indirect allusions to King David 's status as the founder of Ancient Israel , based on passages in the Tel Dan ('House of David') and Mesha stelas as well as in Shoshenq I's Karnak list. Kitchen has strongly criticized the new chronology views of David Rohl , who posits that

1950-633: The Queen of Sheba is "an anachronistic seventh-century set piece ." The Kingdom fell after a long but sporadic civil war between several Yemenite dynasties claiming kingship, and the late Himyarite Kingdom rose as victorious. Sabaeans are mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible . In the Quran , they are described as Qawm Sabaʾ ( سَبَأ , not to be confused with Ṣābiʾ , صَابِئ ), and as Qawm Tubbaʿ (Arabic: قَوْم تُبَّع , lit.   'People of Tubbaʿ'). The origin of

2028-698: 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

2106-492: 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

2184-557: The 8th to the 12th or 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah , the last month of the Islamic calendar . Because 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

2262-624: 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

2340-667: The Biblical Shishak who invaded the Kingdom of Judah in 925 BC was actually Ramesses II rather than Shoshenq I and argues that the 21st and 22nd Dynasties of Egypt were contemporary with one another due to the absence of Dynasty 21 Apis Bull stele in the Serapeum . Kitchen observes that the word Shishak is closer philologically to Shoshenq I and that this Pharaoh records in his monuments at Thebes that he campaigned actively against Ancient Israel and Judah. Kitchen

2418-409: 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,

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2496-580: The High Priest of Amun Shoshenq C , a son of Osorkon I who predeceased his father. However, this interpretation is weakened by the fact that no objects from Shoshenq II's intact burial at Tanis bears Osorkon I's name. Finally, contra Kitchen, most Egyptologists today such as Rolf Krauss, Aidan Dodson and Jürgen von Beckerath accept David Aston's argument that the Crown Prince Osorkon B, Takelot II's son, assumed power as Osorkon III ,

2574-672: 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

2652-811: The Islamic Sharia. They, for example, did not marry both a mother and her daughter. They considered marrying two sisters simultaneously to be the most heinous crime. They also censured anyone who married his stepmother, and called him dhaizan. They made the major hajj and the minor umra pilgrimage to the Ka'ba , performed the circumambulation around the Ka'ba tawaf , ran seven times between Mounts Safa and Marwa sa'y , threw rocks and washed themselves after sexual intercourse. They also gargled, sniffed water up into their noses, clipped their fingernails, removed all pubic hair and performed ritual circumcision. Likewise, they cut off

2730-484: 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

2808-643: The Sabaean Kingdom is uncertain. Kenneth Kitchen dates the kingdom to around 1200 BCE, while Robert Nebes states that the formation of the Sabean polity took place in the 10th century BCE at the latest, noting that the earliest known Sabean ruler, Yada'il bin Damar'ali, dates to before 900 BCE. Originally, the Sabaeans were one of the shaʿbs (Sabaean: 𐩦𐩲𐩨 , romanized:  šʿb ), "communities", on

2886-540: 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

2964-744: 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

3042-558: The ancient Egyptian Ramesside Period (i.e., Dynasties 19 - 20 ), and the Third Intermediate Period of Egypt , as well as ancient Egyptian chronology , having written over 250 books and journal articles on these and other subjects since the mid-1950s. He has been described by The Times as "the very architect of Egyptian chronology". His 1972 book is The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt (1100–650 BC) . It noted

3120-411: 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

3198-541: The book Secrets of Divine Civilization by `Abdu’l-Bahá’ as those peoples who have possibly contributed to the foundations of the science of logic. Kenneth Kitchen Kenneth Anderson Kitchen (born 1932 ) is a British biblical scholar , Ancient Near Eastern historian, and Personal and Brunner Professor Emeritus of Egyptology and honorary research fellow at the School of Archaeology , Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool , England. He specialises in

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3276-466: 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

3354-531: 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

3432-463: The edge of the Sayhad desert. Very early, at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC, the political leaders (Sabaean: 𐩱𐩣𐩡𐩫 , romanized:  ʾmlk ) of this tribal community managed to create a huge commonwealth of shaʿbs occupying most of South Arabian territory and took the title Sabaean: 𐩣𐩫𐩧𐩨 𐩪𐩨𐩱 , romanized:  mkrb sbʾ , "Mukarrib of the Sabaeans". Several factors caused

3510-668: 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

3588-532: 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

3666-529: 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

3744-475: 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

3822-562: The journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home. In Islamic terminology, Hajj 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

3900-400: 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

3978-584: 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

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4056-537: 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

4134-609: The north, the Sabeans on the southwestern tip, stretching from the highlands to the sea; the Qatabanians to the east of them, and the Hadharem east of them. The Sabaeans, like the other Yemenite kingdoms of the same period, were involved in the extremely lucrative spice trade , especially frankincense and myrrh . They left behind many inscriptions in the monumental Ancient South Arabian script as well as numerous documents in

4212-523: 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

4290-432: 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

4368-403: 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

4446-485: 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

4524-470: 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

4602-547: 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

4680-612: 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

4758-639: 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

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4836-889: 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

4914-409: 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

4992-431: The related cursive Zabūr script , their presence is also felt in Africa where they left numerous traces such as inscriptions and temples that date back to the Sabean colonization of Africa . The Ottoman scholar Mahmud al-Alusi compared the religious practices of South Arabia to Islam in his Bulugh al-'Arab fi Ahwal al-'Arab . The Arabs during the pre-Islamic period used to practice certain things that were included in

5070-580: The right hand of a thief and stoned Adulterers. According to the medieval religious scholar al-Shahrastani , Sabaeans accepted both the sensible and intelligible world. They did not follow religious laws but centered their worship on spiritual entities. Sabaeans are mentioned in the biblical books of Genesis , 1 Kings (which includes the account of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba ), Isaiah , Joel , Ezekiel and Job . The latter mentions Sabaeans as having slain Job 's livestock and servants. In Isaiah they are described as "tall of stature". The name of Saba'

5148-419: 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

5226-512: 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,

5304-443: 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

5382-433: 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

5460-422: 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

5538-410: 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

5616-409: 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

5694-417: 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

5772-566: 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

5850-458: 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

5928-495: Was a title for the kings of Saba' , like for Himyarites. Sabaeans are mentioned many times in the Baha’i Writings as regional people and of their religious practice. The religion is considered among the true religion of God as an early part of a historical process of progressive revelation where God guides humanity by sending Divine Educators throughout time to teach people of the religion of God. They have also been mentioned in

6006-520: Was finally conquered by the Ḥimyarites in the late 3rd century , and at that time, the capital was Ma'rib. It was located along the strip of desert called Sayhad by medieval Arab geographers , which is now named Ramlat al-Sab'atayn . The Sabaean people spoke a Semitic language of their own, Himyaritic . Each of these peoples had regional kingdoms in ancient Yemen, with the Minaeans in Wādī al-Jawf to

6084-410: 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,

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