What
is Hajj?
The
Hajj, sometimes spelt Haj, is the annual
pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims are expected to
make at least once in their lifetime. The word
Hajj is an Arabic word, meaning ‘to intend a
journey’. Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam – the
others are shahadah (declaration of faith); salat
(daily prayer); zakat (giving of alms); sawm
(fasting in Ramadan).
Who
should go on the Hajj?
It
is mandatory for Muslim adults to go on Hajj at
least once in their lifetime. They must be of
sound mind and physically and financially capable
of undertaking the journey. Those who complete the
pilgrimage can add the title Hajji to their names.
When
is Hajj?
The pilgrimage must take place during the month of Dhu al Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. The rites of Hajj are performed from the 8th to the 12th of Dhu al Hijjah. As the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar year, the date changes in the Gregorian calendar each year, and is 10 to 11 days earlier than the preceding year.