What is Hajj?
Hajj is the pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca performed in the month of Dhul-Hijjah, and it is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is obligatory once in a lifetime upon every Muslim who has the means. Its rites re-enact the acts of Prophet Ibrahim and his family, and it gathers Muslims from every country in one place and one dress.
On whom is Hajj obligatory?
On a Muslim who is adult, sane, free, physically able, and financially capable — meaning able to cover the journey and to provide for dependants left behind, without debt that falls due. Safety of the route is also a condition. Those who do not meet these conditions are not sinful for not going.
How long does Hajj take?
The core rites span five days, from 8 to 12 Dhul-Hijjah, with a possible sixth day on the thirteenth. Organised pilgrimage packages usually run two to four weeks in total, because they include time in Medina and the days of arrival and departure around the rites themselves.
What are the pillars of Hajj?
In the Hanafi school there are two pillars: the standing at Arafah, and the tawaf of visitation (tawaf al-ifadah). Missing either means the Hajj is not valid. Other essentials — ihram, sa'i, staying at Muzdalifah, stoning, the sacrifice, and the farewell tawaf — are wajib: omitting one does not invalidate the Hajj but requires expiation.
What are the three types of Hajj?
Ifrad is Hajj performed alone. Tamattu is Umrah first, leaving ihram, then entering ihram again for Hajj. Qiran combines both in a single unbroken ihram. Tamattu and qiran both require a sacrifice; ifrad does not. Most pilgrims from outside the Haram region perform tamattu.
What is ihram and how is it entered?
Ihram is the consecrated state a pilgrim enters before crossing the designated boundary points (miqat). Men wear two unstitched white cloths; women wear ordinary modest dress with the face uncovered. The state begins with the intention and the talbiyah, and while in it a pilgrim avoids cutting hair or nails, using perfume, hunting and marital relations.
Why is the standing at Arafah so important?
"Hajj is Arafah," said the Prophet (peace be upon him). The standing lasts from midday on 9 Dhul-Hijjah until sunset, and a pilgrim who misses it has not performed Hajj that year — no expiation substitutes for it. It was on this plain, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, that the final sermon was delivered.
How is the stoning performed?
On 10 Dhul-Hijjah only the large pillar, Jamrat al-Aqabah, is stoned with seven pebbles. On the following days all three pillars are stoned with seven pebbles each, after midday, beginning with the smallest. The pebbles are gathered at Muzdalifah. Those who are weak or ill may appoint someone to stone on their behalf.
What is the difference between Hajj and Umrah?
Umrah consists of ihram, tawaf and sa'i, may be performed at any time of year, and takes a few hours; it is a sunnah, not an obligation. Hajj is tied to specific days in Dhul-Hijjah, includes Arafah, Muzdalifah, Mina and the stoning, and is obligatory once in a lifetime for those able.
Can Hajj be performed on behalf of another person?
Yes, in defined cases: on behalf of someone who has died without performing an obligatory Hajj, or someone permanently unable to travel through age or chronic illness. The person performing it must already have completed their own Hajj. This is called Hajj al-badal.
May a woman perform Hajj without a mahram?
The schools differ. The Hanafi position requires a mahram for journeys beyond a set distance. The Shafi'i and Maliki schools permit a woman to travel with a trustworthy group of women when the route is safe. In practice most national pilgrimage organisations, including Türkiye's, set their own conditions, so the operator's rules apply alongside the fiqh.
How do pilgrims from Türkiye register?
Through the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), which runs a registration and lottery system because demand far exceeds the quota Saudi Arabia allocates. Registrations are made at müftülük offices or online, and applicants may wait several years before being drawn.
