The Water · Practices
Pilgrimage (Hajj and 'Umrah)
Once in a lifetime, for those who can afford it. Everyone arrives stripped of rank, and nobody can tell who we were at home.
"And proclaim that the people shall observe Hajj pilgrimage. They will come to you walking or riding on various exhausted (means of transportation). They will come from the farthest locations."
[22:27]Pilgrimage is the fourth of the practices God gave us. It has two parts: 'Umrah, the shorter visit, and Hajj, the full pilgrimage.
It is due once in a lifetime, and only from those who can afford it. This page walks through what the Quran asks, when Hajj may be observed, what happens step by step, and how to keep the whole journey for God alone.
On This Page
Four parts, and the questions people ask after each one.
Pilgrimage in the Quran
God asks us to make the journey once, if we can afford it: “The people owe it to GOD that they shall observe Hajj to this shrine, when they can afford it.” [3:97]
Affordability is the only condition God names there. Appendix 15 states it plainly: Hajj and 'Umrah are decreed once in a lifetime, for those who can afford it.
The command covers both parts of the journey: “You shall observe the complete rites of Hajj and 'Umrah for GOD.” [2:196] Note the last two words. The whole journey is for God.
And God tells us what actually reaches Him. Of the animal offerings He says: “Neither their meat, nor their blood reaches GOD. What reaches Him is your righteousness.” [22:37] Nothing physical on this journey rises any higher than the ground. Our righteousness does.
The Foundation
The verses that set out the duty, the place and the purpose.
The most important shrine established for the people is the one in Becca; a blessed beacon for all the people.[3:96]
The shrine at Becca, called here a blessed beacon for all the people.
In it are clear signs: the station of Abraham. Anyone who enters it shall be granted safe passage. The people owe it to GOD that they shall observe Hajj to this shrine, when they can afford it. As for those who disbelieve, GOD does not need anyone.[3:97]
The duty and its single condition: when they can afford it.
You shall observe the complete rites of Hajj and 'Umrah for GOD. If you are prevented, you shall send an offering, and do not resume cutting your hair until your offering has reached its destination. If you are ill, or suffering a head injury (and you must cut your hair), you shall expiate by fasting, or giving to charity, or some other form of worship. During the normal Hajj, if you break the state of Ihraam (sanctity) between 'Umrah and Hajj, you shall expiate by offering an animal sacrifice. If you cannot afford it, you shall fast three days during Hajj and seven when you return home—this completes ten—provided you do not live at the Sacred Mosque (Masjid). You shall observe GOD, and know that GOD is strict in enforcing retribution.[2:196]
Hajj and 'Umrah are commanded together, for God. Every difficulty named here is given a way out, including one for the person who cannot afford an offering.
"And proclaim that the people shall observe Hajj pilgrimage. They will come to you walking or riding on various exhausted (means of transportation). They will come from the farthest locations."[22:27]
Abraham was told to call the people. They still come, from the farthest locations.
Neither their meat, nor their blood reaches GOD. What reaches Him is your righteousness. He has subdued them for you, that you may show your appreciation by glorifying GOD for guiding you. Give good news to the charitable.[22:37]
The verse to read before booking anything. What reaches God is righteousness.
A Practice We Inherited from Abraham
The pilgrimage is older than the Quran. God gave it to Abraham, along with the other practices, and Appendix 15 says it commemorates Abraham's exemplary submission to God.
God told him to prepare the place: “You shall not idolize any other god beside Me, and purify My shrine for those who visit it, those who live near it, and those who bow and prostrate.” [22:26] Then came the call: “And proclaim that the people shall observe Hajj pilgrimage.” [22:27]
The translation's heading over 22:26 says pilgrimage, like all duties in Submission, was decreed through Abraham. Abraham and Ismail raised the foundations of the shrine [2:127], and they prayed: “Our Lord, make us submitters to You... Teach us the rites of our religion, and redeem us.” [2:128]
So when we make this journey, we are doing what Abraham's family was taught to do. The footnote to 22:78 in this translation says all religious duties in Submission were revealed through Abraham.
One part of that history is easy to get wrong. Abraham dreamed that he was sacrificing his son, and he believed the dream. God stopped him: “You have believed the dream.” [37:105] Then God saved the boy: “We ransomed (Ismail) by substituting an animal sacrifice.” [37:107]
God never asked Abraham to kill his son. The footnote to 37:102 says the Most Merciful never advocates evil, and that Satan was permitted to put Abraham to that test. Appendix 9 says the same. The animal offering on the pilgrimage remembers God's rescue, not a command to kill.
Questions About the Duty
Who has to make the pilgrimage?
Every believer who can afford it, once in a lifetime. God says: “The people owe it to GOD that they shall observe Hajj to this shrine, when they can afford it.” [3:97] Affordability is the only condition in the verse. Appendix 15 says Hajj and 'Umrah are decreed once in a lifetime for those who can afford it. Men and women are asked alike. God puts the duty on the people as a whole, and He names no escort, no permission and no minimum age.
What does it mean to be able to afford the pilgrimage?
It means the journey can be paid for without harming the people who depend on us. That is how we read the condition God set in 3:97. A pilgrimage funded by debt, or by money our family needs, fails the test God set. He has already told us He wants ease for us, not hardship [2:185]. The duty waits until the means are there. As we read it, being able is not only about money. The journey asks a lot of the body, and it is worth going while there is health and stamina for it, and while we are ready to get something out of it.
What is the difference between Hajj and 'Umrah?
'Umrah is the shorter visit; Hajj is the full pilgrimage and includes it. Both are named together in one command: “You shall observe the complete rites of Hajj and 'Umrah for GOD.” [2:196] 'Umrah begins with a bath and Ihraam. Then comes the circling of the Ka'bah seven times and the walking between Safa and Marwah seven times (Appendix 15). After that the hair is cut or shortened and 'Umrah is complete. Hajj carries on from there, with the day at 'Arafat, the night at Muzdalifah and the days at Mena. Hajj must fall in the Sacred Months. 'Umrah may be observed at any time of year (Appendix 15).
When Hajj May Be Observed
God gave Hajj a season, not a date: “Hajj shall be observed in the specified months.” [2:197] The word is months, and there are four of them.
God tells us the year has twelve months and that four are sacred: “The count of months, as far as GOD is concerned, is twelve. This has been GOD's law, since the day He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred.” [9:36]
The footnote to 2:197 in this translation names the four: Zul-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar and Rabi I. They run one after the other, the 12th month and then the first three of the next year. The same footnote says local governments restrict Hajj to a few days for their own convenience.
God warns us about moving these months: “Altering the Sacred Months is a sign of excessive disbelief.” [9:37] The footnote to that verse says the corrupted Muslim world treats Rajab, Zul-Qe'dah, Zul-Hijjah and Muharram as the Sacred Months, and that a careful study of the Quran shows they should be Zul-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar and Rabi I.
This is not a small point of the calendar. Four months is a wide door. As we see it, crowding the world's pilgrims into a few days is what makes Hajj so costly and so dangerous, and God never asked for that.
The Four Sacred Months
Where Hajj sits in the year, and how much room God actually gave us.
Diagram coming soon
A circle of the twelve lunar months with the four Sacred Months shaded as one unbroken block: Zul-Hijjah, then Muharram, Safar and Rabi I. Beside it, a small marker showing the few days in Zul-Hijjah that most pilgrims are squeezed into today.
Zul-Hijjah
The 12th month, and the last of one year.
Muharram
The 1st month of the new year.
Safar
The 2nd month.
Rabi I
The 3rd month, and the end of the season.
Counting the Months
The months follow the moon, and the moon was made for counting. When people asked about its phases, God answered: “They provide a timing device for the people, and determine the time of Hajj.” [2:189]
So the season can be worked out in advance. A pilgrim who can travel in Muharram, Safar or Rabi I has three quieter months to choose from.
'Umrah has no season at all. Appendix 15 says 'Umrah can be observed any time.
Questions About When to Go
Can Hajj be done outside the few days everyone else goes?
Yes. God gave four months for it, and the crowd only fills a few days of one of them. The command is “Hajj shall be observed in the specified months” [2:197], and the footnote to that verse names them: Zul-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar and Rabi I. The same footnote says local governments restrict Hajj to a few days for their own convenience. Travelling in one of the quieter months is easier, cheaper and safer. It is also closer to what God actually asked.
Which are the four Sacred Months?
Zul-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar and Rabi I. They are the 12th, 1st, 2nd and 3rd months of the lunar year, one after another. The footnote to 2:197 in this translation names them, and the footnote to 9:37 says the corrupted Muslim world instead treats Rajab, Zul-Qe'dah, Zul-Hijjah and Muharram as sacred. God's own warning about this is direct: “Altering the Sacred Months is a sign of excessive disbelief.” [9:37]
How many times should we go?
Once is what is asked of us. Appendix 15 says Hajj and 'Umrah are decreed once in a lifetime for those who can afford it. Nothing forbids a second journey, and people do return. God simply does not ask for it, and the money spent going twice might do more good in the hands of the people named in 2:215. The pilgrimage is also not a way to wipe a slate clean. Forgiveness comes from God when we repent and reform, wherever we are standing [39:53].
The Journey, Step by Step
The rites are set out in Appendix 15, drawn from the verses. Here is the whole journey in order, from the bath before it starts to the last circling of the Ka'bah.
Reading the meaning of each step matters as much as knowing the order. A pilgrim who performs every rite without knowing what any of it says has spoken a language nobody taught them.
The Rites in Order
The whole pilgrimage on one map, so the steps sit in the right places.
Animated illustration coming soon
An animated map of Mecca and the sites around it. The route lights up in order: Ihraam, the seven circuits of the Ka'bah, the seven walks between Safa and Marwah ('Umrah ends here), then out to 'Arafat for the day, on to Muzdalifah for the night, then to Mena for two or three days, and finally back to the Ka'bah for the farewell circling.
1. Bath and Ihraam
A bath or shower, then the state of sanctity. Men wear seamless sheets, women a modest dress (2:196, Appendix 15).
2. Circling the Ka'bah
Seven times around, glorifying and praising God (2:125, 22:26-29, Appendix 15).
3. Safa and Marwah
Seven times between the two knolls, with occasional trotting (2:158, Appendix 15). 'Umrah ends here.
4. A day at 'Arafat
From dawn to sunset in worship and remembrance [2:198].
5. The night at Muzdalifah
The Night Prayer, and 21 pebbles gathered for Mena (2:198, Appendix 15).
6. Two or three days at Mena
The animal offering, the stoning, and days of commemorating God (2:203, 22:28, Appendix 15).
7. The farewell circling
Back to the Ka'bah, seven times around, and the hair is cut or shortened (48:27, Appendix 15).
What Happens at Each Stage
The order is from Appendix 15. The verses beside each step are where it comes from.
1. The bath, and entering Ihraam
The pilgrimage begins with a bath or shower and the intention to go. Then comes Ihraam, the state of sanctity: seamless sheets of material for men, a modest dress for women (2:196, Appendix 15). Washing, bathing and ordinary hygiene carry on as normal all through the journey.
2. Arriving, and the words we say
On arriving at the Sacred Masjid, the common words are Labbayka Allaahumma Labbayk, which means: my God, I have responded to You. Then Labbayka Laa Shareeka Laka Labbayk, which means: I have responded to You, and I proclaim that there is no other god besides You; I have responded to You (Appendix 15). The whole declaration is about God alone.
3. Circling the Ka'bah seven times
Seven circuits around the Ka'bah, glorifying and praising God (2:125, 22:26-29, Appendix 15). God calls the shrine “a focal point for the people, and a safe sanctuary” [2:125]. It is a direction to face, never a thing to worship.
4. Safa and Marwah, seven times
The half-mile walk between the two knolls, seven times, with occasional trotting (Appendix 15). God settles any doubt about it: “The knolls of Safa and Marwah are among the rites decreed by GOD.” [2:158] This completes the 'Umrah part of the journey.
5. The day at 'Arafat
A whole day at 'Arafat, dawn to sunset, spent in worship, meditation and remembering God (Appendix 15). It is the quiet centre of the pilgrimage.
6. The night at Muzdalifah
After sunset the pilgrim moves on: “When you file from 'Arafaat, you shall commemorate GOD at the Sacred Location (of Muzdalifah).” [2:198] The Night Prayer is observed there, and 21 pebbles are picked up for Mena (Appendix 15).
7. Two or three days at Mena
God allows either: “whoever hastens to do this in two days commits no sin, and whoever stays longer commits no sin, so long as righteousness is maintained.” [2:203] The days are spent commemorating God.
8. The animal offering
On the first morning at Mena the pilgrim offers an animal, and the meat feeds the poor (Appendix 15). It also remembers God's rescue of Abraham and Ismail (37:107, Appendix 9). God says: “Eat therefrom and feed the despondent and the poor.” [22:28] The footnote to 5:2 says the offerings provide for the arriving pilgrims and for the local people, and replace any supplies that run low.
9. The stoning
Seven pebbles are thrown at each of three stations, while glorifying God (Appendix 15). It is a rejection of Satan and of idol worship, acted out. Satan's own words are in the Quran: “I will send them all astray.” [15:39]
10. The farewell circling, and home
Back to Mecca for a last seven circuits of the Ka'bah (Appendix 15). The hair is cut or shortened, and the Ihraam comes off [48:27], [2:196]. Then the journey home, and the part nobody photographs: keeping what the trip changed.
Hajj and 'Umrah at a Glance
What each one asks of us. 'Umrah is the first half of Hajj, and can also be made on its own.
| 'Umrah | Hajj | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Any time of year (Appendix 15) | In the four Sacred Months [2:197] |
| Ihraam | Yes [2:196] | Yes [2:196] |
| Circling the Ka'bah | Seven times | Seven times, and again at the end |
| Safa and Marwah | Seven times [2:158] | Seven times [2:158] |
| 'Arafat, Muzdalifah, Mena | No | Yes [2:198], [2:203] |
| Animal offering | No | Yes [22:28] |
| Ends with | Cutting or shortening the hair | Cutting or shortening the hair [48:27] |
How We Behave on the Journey
God sets the conduct in the same verse that sets the season: “Whoever sets out to observe Hajj shall refrain from sexual intercourse, misconduct, and arguments throughout Hajj.” [2:197]
Arguments are the hard one. Heat, crowds, delays and tiredness make tempers short, and that is exactly where the test sits. The same verse tells us what to pack: “As you prepare your provisions for the journey, the best provision is righteousness.” [2:197]
Hunting is set aside for the season: “You shall not permit hunting throughout Hajj pilgrimage.” [5:1] The footnote to 5:2 explains why. With so many pilgrims arriving at once, hunting would strip the land bare.
Earning a living on the way is allowed. God says so directly: “You commit no error by seeking provisions from your Lord (through commerce).” [2:198]
And when something goes wrong, there is a way through. If a pilgrim is prevented from finishing, an offering is sent [2:196]. If illness or a head injury forces a haircut, the remedy is fasting, charity or another act of worship [2:196]. If the Ihraam is broken between 'Umrah and Hajj, an animal offering makes up for it, and a pilgrim who cannot afford one fasts three days during Hajj and seven on returning home [2:196].
Questions About the Journey
What is Ihraam, and what does it change?
Ihraam is the state of sanctity a pilgrim enters at the start. It begins with a bath or shower, and men then wear seamless sheets of material while women wear a modest dress (2:196, Appendix 15). During it, the pilgrim refrains from sexual intercourse, misconduct and arguments [2:197], and from cutting or shaving the hair until the rites are done [2:196]. Hunting is set aside for the whole season [5:1]. Washing, bathing, soap and toothpaste are not a problem. Cleanliness is encouraged throughout, and nothing in the Quran asks a pilgrim to be unwashed.
Can a woman make the pilgrimage without a male relative?
Yes. Nothing in the Quran asks for a male escort. God puts the duty on the people as a whole, and sets one condition, which is affordability: “The people owe it to GOD that they shall observe Hajj to this shrine, when they can afford it.” [3:97] The rule about a male relative comes from outside the Quran. A woman travelling sensibly, with a trustworthy group and proper arrangements, has met everything God asked of her.
What if we cannot walk the whole route?
The journey can be made sitting, riding or with help, and it still counts. God's own call mentions pilgrims “walking or riding” [22:27]. He says of this religion: “He has chosen you and has placed no hardship on you in practicing your religion.” [22:78] And of Himself: “GOD never burdens a soul beyond its means.” [2:286] Wheelchairs, transport between the sites and rest breaks are all fine. A pilgrim who is too ill or too frail to travel at all is in the same position as one who cannot afford it: the duty waits.
For God Alone
Everything on this journey is addressed to God. Nothing on it is addressed to a place, a stone, a building or a person.
God settles it for us: “Neither their meat, nor their blood reaches GOD. What reaches Him is your righteousness.” [22:37] If the animal offering does not reach Him, neither does a kissed stone or a photograph at a tomb.
God also refuses to let service at the shrine stand in for faith: “Have you considered the watering of the pilgrims and caring for the Sacred Masjid a substitute for believing in GOD and the Last Day, and striving in the cause of GOD? They are not equal in the sight of GOD.” [9:19]
And He tells us who belongs at His masjids: “The only people to frequent GOD's masjids are those who believe in GOD and the Last Day, and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and do not fear except GOD.” [9:18]
Things Added to the Pilgrimage
None of these is in the Quran. Some of them undo the whole purpose of the journey.
Visiting a tomb
Going to a prophet's tomb as part of the journey turns a trip about God alone into something else. The footnote to 5:97 says the Quran talks only about one Sacred Masjid, while the idol-worshiping Muslims have consecrated the Prophet's tomb as a second.
[5:97]
Kissing the black stone
A stone gives nothing and takes nothing. Circling the Ka'bah is done while glorifying God, not while seeking a blessing from the building.
[22:37]
Water with special powers
Water from a well is water. God is the One who provides, and He is asked directly, not through a bottle.
[2:186]
Touching a footprint
The station of Abraham is named as a sign, not as a relic to touch for blessings.
[3:97]
Going for the title
A pilgrimage made so that people at home will use a new title has already missed. God asks for the complete rites of Hajj and 'Umrah for Him.
[2:196]
Hajj as a clean slate
Forgiveness comes when we repent and reform. It is not bought with a plane ticket.
[39:53]
Getting Ready on the Inside
The practical preparation is real, and it comes later on this page. The other preparation matters more, and nobody can do it for us.
A pilgrim who arrives with a settled heart has made the journey. A pilgrim who arrives with the right paperwork and an unsettled heart has taken an expensive trip.
The cards below are suggestions, not rites. They are the things people say they wish they had done before going.
The Year Before Going
Our own suggestions for the months leading up to the journey.
Settle what is owed
Debts, promises and money held for other people. Leave nothing behind that is not right.
Make peace where we can
Go with no quarrel still running. God asks for no arguments on the journey, and it is easier to keep if we start with none.
[2:197]
Check the money is clean
The journey is paid for from what is lawful. Interest and dishonest gain have no place in it.
[2:275]
Practise patience on purpose
Queue, wait, get too hot, and say nothing. Twelve months of small practice pays for itself in one afternoon at Mena.
[3:200]
Learn what each rite means
Read the verses behind each step until the journey stops being an itinerary.
[2:196]
Decide what to ask for
God answers prayers. It is worth knowing what we intend to ask before we are standing at 'Arafat.
[2:186]
Expect less of ourselves
Nobody comes home a different person. Aim to come home one honest step further on.
Plan the first month home
Decide now what will be kept: a prayer time, a habit dropped, a charity started.
Practical Planning Checklist
The practical half. None of it is worship, and all of it will shape the journey if it goes wrong.
- Is the money truly spare, or would the journey put the household into debt?
- Have we looked at the quieter months, since Hajj may be observed across all four Sacred Months?
- Are the people who depend on us provided for while we are away?
- Is the passport valid well beyond the travel dates?
- Are the visa rules understood, and the application started early?
- Are vaccinations and any health certificates arranged?
- Is there enough medication for the whole trip, with prescriptions and a doctor's letter?
- Does the travel insurance actually cover this journey?
- Has the group or operator been checked properly, with references and not just a website?
- Is the accommodation confirmed in writing, at a distance we have looked up on a map?
- Have we walked this kind of distance lately, in heat?
- Is the packing light, with shoes already worn in?
- Who is looking after things at home, and do they have what they need?
- Have we written down what we want to ask God for while we are there?
Questions About the Heart of It
Does the pilgrimage wipe away our sins?
Forgiveness comes from God when we repent and reform, not from a journey. He invites us directly: “O My servants who exceeded the limits, never despair of GOD's mercy. For GOD forgives all sins. He is the Forgiver, Most Merciful.” [39:53] The Quran attaches forgiveness to turning back to God and putting things right [39:54]. It does not attach it to the miles travelled. God does tell us to ask for it on the journey: “You shall file together, with the rest of the people who file, and ask GOD for forgiveness.” [2:199] Asking is the point. The travel is not what grants it.
Is it wrong to visit the Prophet's tomb while we are there?
It is, and it can undo the journey. The whole pilgrimage is addressed to God alone. The footnote to 5:97 in this translation says the Quran talks about only one Sacred Masjid, while the idol-worshiping Muslims have instituted two by consecrating the Prophet's tomb. Appendix 15 is blunter: pilgrims who do this nullify their Hajj. God's rule for all worship is one line: “The places of worship belong to GOD; do not call on anyone else beside GOD.” [72:18] A grave is not a place to ask anything of anyone.
What do we do with the pilgrimage when we get home?
Keep one thing from it, and keep it for good. That is more than most people bring home. God does not end the journey at the airport: “Once you complete your rites, you shall continue to commemorate GOD as you commemorate your own parents, or even better.” [2:200] The remembering carries on. The verse right after it is worth reading twice. Some people ask only for this world, while others ask: “Our Lord, grant us righteousness in this world, and righteousness in the Hereafter, and spare us the retribution of Hell.” [2:201] What we asked for on the journey shows up in how we live after it.
Growth Prompt
The pilgrimage strips away everything that tells people who we are. Write the answer now, and read it again the year we go.
If my job, my clothes, my reputation and my accent were taken away tomorrow, who would be left, and would I know that person?
Keep growing
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