Hajj - Day by Day
The actual Hajj days are from the 8th to the 13th of Dhul-Hijja.
Day 1 – 8th Dhul-Hijja (Yaum-at-Tarweya)
On the 8th day of Dhul-Hijja the pilgrim (Tamattu) re-enters into the state of Ihraam from his place (normally in Makkah) with the niyah for Hajj (Labbayk Allahumma Hajjan). The talbiyah is now recited by all pilgrims as they head for Mina (Muna) north-east of Makkah, after sunrise. Here they stay from the morning on the 8th until after Fajr on the 9th. All prayers are performed on time, but Dhuhr, Asr and Eshaa are shortened to two rak'at each.
Day 2 – 9th Dhul-Hijja (Standing at Arafat)
After performing Salatul-Fajr in Mina and waiting until after sunrise, the pilgrim leaves Mina for Arafat. Due to the traffic it is difficult to predict the time of arrival at your arranged place on the plain of Arafat. Most pilgrims arrive prior to or just after Dhuhr, depending on the time they left Mina. Not all pilgrims are able to go to the mosque or stay near Jabal ar-Rahmah (Mountain of Mercy). The plain of Arafat is not very big but all the pilgrims are accommodated with no major problem. This is the day you have come for. There is no Hajj without Arafat. If this wuqoof is missed, the whole Hajj is invalidated according to the saying of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), “Hajj is 'Arafat”. There is a khutbah before the salah in Masjid Namirah (the big Masjid in Arafat, built on the place where the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) stood and delivered his khutbah during his Farewell Hajj). For those who are in the Masjid or are within hearing distance, listen attentively to the khutbah. After the khutbah the pilgrim prays Dhuhr and Asr salah, joined and shortened to two rak'at each, with one adhaan and two iqaama’s. In most tents, lunch will be served to the pilgrims by their Hajj organiser. The time between Dhuhr and Maghrib should now be spent in sincere supplication, dhikr, etc., and not sleeping or idle talk. The fardh obligation of Asr salah has been removed by joining it with Dhuhr as well as Maghrib salah, which is joined with Eshaa, in Muzdalifah. Allah has now provided the pilgrim with enough time to seek His Forgiveness and His Mercy. Many pilgrims tend to forget that this is the most important time of their entire Hajj.
Fellow Muslims, do not waste this precious time!
Immediately after sunset the pilgrims start leaving Arafat for Muzdalifah. This process is known as Nafarah. Maghrib salah is not performed in Arafat. It is not permissible to leave Arafat before sunset.
Day 2 – Night (Staying in Muzdalifah)
The distance to Muzdalifah is only about 9km (6 miles). However this journey can take you from 1 hour to 16 hours depending on the traffic and where you were located in Arafat. Patience is the best medicine at this time. Many pilgrims choose to walk from Arafat to Muzdalifah. At Muzdalifah the pilgrims pray Maghrib (3) and Eshaa (2) together, one adhaan and 2 iqaama’s. After which they find a nice comfortable place on the ground to sleep. The sight in Muzdalifah is like no other sight in the world. It is a flat plain and as you look far and wide, all you see are pilgrims in their white Ihraams (“a sight worth remembering”). The facilities in Muzdalifah are definitely not 5 star or not even 1 star, but you will not find anyone complaining, as the pilgrims know that they have been blessed to have been present on Arafat on the 9th of Dhul-Hijja. Men who are physically weak, women and children are allowed to leave Muzdalifah after moonset (some time after midnight) and before Fajr. Unfortunately, many able pilgrims leave before the morning or do not even stop in Muzdalifah at all. Sometimes this is outside your control, and you are at the mercy of your Hajj organiser. Obtain beforehand the details about the programme from your Hajj organiser, so you can make alternate plans if required. Needless to say the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) spent the night in Muzdalifah. You may collect your stones for the ramy (casting of seven pebbles at each jamrah in Mina) here. It is not a must that you to do it here as they can be collected in Mina. There is also no requirement to wash them.
Day 3 – 10th Dhul-Hijja (Day of Sacrifice)
The day of Nahr. This is Eid day (There is no Eid for the pilgrims). After performing Fajr salah and supplicating in Muzdalifah the pilgrim sets out for Mina shortly before sunrise. Once again many pilgrims choose to walk to Mina. The talbiyah is still recited at this time by the pilgrims. All the pilgrims head for the largest jamrah, known as al-Aqabah where they perform ramy (casting of seven pebbles, one at a time, at the jamrah in Mina). The pilgrim says: "Allahu Akbar" (“Allah is the Greater”) as he throws each pebble. After the ramy the pilgrim stops the talbiyah and starts reciting the takbir. After the ramy the pilgrim performs the slaughtering of a sheep or goat (Hady). After this the male pilgrims shave or cut their hair. The women cut only approximately one inch of hair. These three rites should be done in the above order if convenient, but there is no harm if the one precedes the other. The pilgrim is now free from all Ihraam restrictions except marital relations (which are “lifted” after Tawaaf-al-Ifadah). The pilgrim can now wear normal clothes. The pilgrim should recite the takbir as often as possible. The takbir should be recited until after Asr on the 13th of Dhul-Hijja, especially after the fardh prayers.
The Takbir:
اللهُ أَكبَرُ اللهُ أَكبَرُ لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ
اللهُ أَكبَرُ اللهُ أَكبَرُ وَلِلهَِّ الْحَمْدُ
"Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illalah,
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillah-il-hamd."
Allah is Greater, Allah is Greater,
None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,
Allah is Greater, Allah is Greater,
All praise is due to Allah.
The pilgrim now heads for Makkah to perform the second most important pillar of Hajj: Tawaaf-al-Ifadah (Tawaaf-al-Hajj; Tawaaf-as-Ziyarah). Many pilgrims confuse this tawaaf with Tawaaf-al-Wadaa (farewell). Women who have their menses or postnatal bleeding can omit Tawaaf-al-Wadaa, if circumstances require it, but nobody can omit Tawaaf-al-Ifadah. Complete seven circumambulations, salah at Maqaam Ibraheem, and then for the Mutamatti, seven circuits between Safaa and Marwah (sa'ee). The Qaarin and Mufrid who did not perform sa'ee for Hajj with the welcome tawaaf MUST also perform sa'ee now. On completion of this, the pilgrim is now free from all Ihraam restrictions. He now returns to Mina to spend the next two or three days and nights.
Day 4 – 11th Dhul-Hijja (Day one of Tashreek)
It is important for the pilgrim to spend the nights and most of his time, if not all, in Mina during these three days. In Mina the pilgrim collects his pebbles (7 x 3 = 21, remember the size) to ramy all three jamr'at. After zawaal the pilgrim proceeds to ramy (stone), starting with the small jamrah, followed by dua facing Qiblah, then the middle one, Jamrah-tul-Wustaa, followed by dua facing Qiblah, and finishing with the big one, al-Aqaba (no dua after this one). There are clear signs to indicate them. Ramy is not to be done prior to zawaal time, for all three days, but can be done at night, due to over crowding. The rest of the day and night is spent in Mina, in praise of Allah. If the pilgrim did not perform Tawaaf-al-Ifadah the previous day, he may do so on this day.
Day 5 – 12th Dhul-Hijja (Day two of Tashreek)
On this day the pilgrim does the same as the day before. On completion of the ramy, the pilgrim is allowed to leave Mina for Makkah. The pilgrim who wishes to leave, should do so prior to Maghrib, otherwise the pilgrim should stay until the next day. If the pilgrim decided to leave, but was still in Mina after sunset, due to reasons beyond his control (i.e. traffic, organiser delays, etc.), he may still leave after sunset. If the pilgrim did not perform Tawaaf-al-Ifadah the previous day, he may do so on this day.
Day 6 – 13th Dhul-Hijja (Day three of Tashreek)
On this day the pilgrim does the same as the day before. (Ramy is also after zawaal on this day, contrary to many Hajj books, which indicate that it can be done in the morning.) On completion of the ramy, the pilgrim now leaves Mina for Makkah.
Tawaaf-al-Wadaa
If the pilgrim is to leave Makkah, the last rite to be performed is Tawaaf-al-Wadaa (the farewell tawaaf). Menstruating or postnatal bleeding women are not obligated to perform this tawaaf. If the pilgrim has not performed Tawaaf-al-Ifadah yet, and it is the last rite to do before leaving for home, then Tawaaf-al-Ifadah and Tawaaf-al-Wadaa can be “joined”; meaning that pilgrim only performs one set of tawaaf with the niyah for Tawaaf-al-Ifadah. Some people insist that it should be niyah for both. This is no major issue as the niyah is in the heart and the pilgrim will automatically intend to do both. However, it is of the utmost importance that the niyah is for Ifadah (as this cannot be left out). One set (7 circuits) only, and don't forget to perform sa'ee if you are performing the Tamattu method or for the Qaarin or Mufrid if you did not perform sa'ee with the welcome tawaaf. There is no sa'ee for Tawaaf-al-Wadaa.
Tawaaf-al-Wadaa is a wajib act of Hajj. Any pilgrim that plans to leave the Haram area (to go to Jeddah and return to Makkah, or those that reside in Jeddah), MUST perform this tawaaf first, prior to leaving for Jeddah. There are different opinions on this issue, and so many pilgrims seem to opt for the easy way out, by not performing it. Ask yourself: "Is it worth the risk that I should cut corners on the last rite of Hajj, after having spent so much time, effort and money for this trip?"
Narrated by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them): "The people were ordered to perform the tawaaf of the Ka'bah (Tawaaf-al-Wadaa) as the lastly thing, before leaving (Makkah), except the menstruating women who were excused." (Bukhari)
For those pilgrims who stay for a few days longer in Makkah, they only perform Tawaaf-al-Wadaa prior to leaving Makkah. In between this time, they resume normal activities as they did prior to the 8th of Dhul-Hijja.
Use this time to make dua for yourself, your parents, family and friends and also for Muslims in general.
Do not forget to ask Allah to grant you another opportunity to return to Makkah-al-Mukarramah.
