What does the hajj celebrate?

Answer 1

Praise be to Allaah.

There follows a summary of what the pilgrim should do according to the saheeh Sunnah:

1 - The pilgrim should enter ihraam on the eighth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah from Makkah or its environs within the sanctuary. When entering ihraam for Hajj he should do what he did when entering ihraam for 'Umrah: ghusl (full ablution), putting on perfume and praying. He should form the intention of entering ihraam for Hajj and recite the Talbiyah. The Talbiyah for Hajj is the same as the Talbiyah for 'Umrah, except that one should say here "Labbayka hajjan (Here I am for Hajj)" instead of "Labbayka 'umratan (Here I am for 'Umrah)." If he fears that some obstacle may prevent him from completing Hajj, he should stipulate a condition and say: "If something prevents me (from completing Hajj) I will exit ihraam at the point where I am prevented (from continuing)." If he is not afraid of any obstacle then he does not need to stipulate any condition.

2 - Then he should go to Mina and stay there overnight, and offer five prayers there: Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha' and Fajr.

3 - When the sun rises on the ninth day he should proceed to 'Arafah and pray Zuhr and 'Asr together there, shortened, at the time of Zuhr. Then he should strive in du'aa', dhikr and prayers for forgiveness until the sun sets.

4 - When the sun sets, he should proceed to Muzdalifah and pray Maghrib and 'Isha' there when he arrives. Then he should stay there overnight until he prays Fajr, and remember Him and call upon Him until just before sunrise.

5 - Then he should move on to Mina to stone Jamrat al-'Aqabah which is the last pillar that is closest to Makkah, throwing seven pebbles one after another, each one approximately the size of a date stone, saying takbeer ("Allaahu akbar") with each throw.

6 - Then he should slaughter the hadiy (sacrificial animal), namely a sheep or one-seventh of a camel or one-seventh of a cow.

7 - Then he should shave his head if he is male; women should cut their hair but not shave it, taking off the length of a fingertip from all parts of their hair.

8 - Then he should go to Makkah and perform the tawaaf of Hajj.

9 - Then he should go back to Mina and stay there for those nights, namely the nights of the eleventh and twelfth of Dhu'l-Hijjah, and stone the three Jamaraat (stone pillars) after the sun has passed its zenith, throwing seven pebbles, one after another, at each, starting with the smallest pillar - which is the one that is furthest away from Makkah, then the middle pillar. He should recite du'aa' after both, then he should stone Jamrat al-'Aqabah, after which there is no du'aa'.

10 - When he has finished stoning the pillars on the twelfth of Dhu'l-Hijjah, if he wishes he may hasten and leave Mina, and if he wishes he may delay (his departure) and stay there on the night of the thirteenth and stone the three Jamaraat after the sun passes its zenith. It is better to delay and stay longer, but it is not obligatory unless the sun sets on the twelfth and one is still in Mina, in which case it becomes obligatory to stay until one stones the three jamaraat after the sun passes its zenith. But if the sun sets on the twelfth day and a person is still in Mina but not by choice, such as if he had packed his bags and got into the bus or truck, but was delayed because of overcrowding and traffic jams, then he does not have to stay, because his staying until after sunset was involuntary.

11 - Once those days are over and the pilgrim wants to leave, he must not leave until he has performed the farewell tawaaf, going around the Ka'bah seven times. Women who are menstruating or bleeding following childbirth d o not have to do this farewell tawaaf.

12 - If the pilgrim is performing a voluntary Hajj on behalf of another person, whether a relative or otherwise, then he has to have done Hajj for himself before that. There is no difference in the way he performs Hajj apart from the intention, i.e., he should form the intention of performing this Hajj on behalf of that person, mentioning him by name in the Talbiyah and saying, "Labbayk 'an [fulaan] (Here I am on behalf of [So and so])." Then when he says du'aa' during the rituals he should pray for himself and for the person on whose behalf he is performing Hajj.

Secondly:

With regard to the types of Hajj, there are three: tamattu', qiraan and ifraad.

Tamattu' is when the pilgrim enters ihraam for 'Umrah during the months of Hajj (which are Shawwaal, Dhu'l-Qa'dah and the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah) and performs 'Umrah and exits ihraam, then he enters ihraam again for Hajj from Makkah or its environs on the day of al-Tarwiyah (the eighth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah) in the same year as his 'Umrah.

Qiraan is when the pilgrim enters ihraam for 'Umrah and Hajj together, and does not exit ihraam until the day of Sacrifice, or he enters ihraam for 'Umrah then includes Hajj with it before he starts his tawaaf.

Ifraad is when the pilgrim enters ihraam for Hajj from the meeqaat or from Makkah if he resides there or in a place that is closer than the meeqaat, and remains in ihraam until the Day of Sacrifice if he has a hadiy with him. If he does not have a hadiy with him, it is prescribed for him to cancel his Hajj and make it 'Umrah, so he should perform tawaaf and saa'i, then cut his hair and exit ihraam, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told those who entered ihraam for Hajj but did not have a hadiy with them to do. This applies to the pilgrim doing qiraan, if he does not have a hadiy with him; it is prescribed for him to cancel his qiraan and make it 'Umrah, for the reason mentioned.

The best kind of Hajj is tamattu' for the one who has not brought a hadiy with him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told his companions to do that and insisted that they should do that.

We advise you to learn more about the rulings on Hajj and 'Umrah by referring to Manaasik al-Hajj wa'l-'Umrah by Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), which you can obtain through the Shaykh's website on the internet.

And Allaah knows best.

Answer 2

Hajj is a religious obligation. Hajj is a tradition established by Hazrat Abraham (Ibraheem in Arabic) as per command of Almighty Allah Karim. Hajj is performed during the last month of the Islamic calendar. The schedule is as under, this is how Hajj is performed in different stages: All these rituals teach unconditional obedience to Allah Almighty. They teach equality, simplicity, sacrifice, tolerance and charity etc.

Day - 1. 8th of Zilhajja: Taking bath, putting on Ahraam (two sheets of untailored cloth), going to Haram i Pak, making intention of performing Hajj, offering two Nawafil and reaching the field of Mina (preferably) before Zuhar Prayer and staying there.

Day - 2. 9th. Offering Fajr Prayer and reaching the field of Arafaat (the main ritual of Hajj). Offering Zuhar and Asar prayers (Qasar) behind the Imam in Masjid - Namra - if possible. Staying there till sunset, offering Prayers and parying to Almighty Allah Karim. Leaving the field of Arafaat just at sunset without offering Evening Prayer. Coming to Muzdalfa at night offering Maghrib and Isha Prayers together. Staying there at night. Collecting 49 small pebbles for stoning the Jamraats.

Day - 3. 10th (Eid day) Offering Fajar Prayer and leaving Muzdalfa at sunrise. Stoning the Big Jamrah (Shaitan), offering animal sacrifice, coming to Haram i - Pak, going around the Ka'abah, performing Sayee (Walking/running betwen Safa and Marwa hills), shaving off head (for men- women cut two or three inches of their hair as a token) and putting off Ihram. Going back to Mina and staying there.

Day - 4. 11th. Stoning the three Jamraat and staying at Mina.

Day- 5. 12th Zila Hajja. Stoning the three Jaraat (Shaitans-Devils) and coming back to Makka Mukarma before sunset. That is the end of Hajj.

Day= 6: 13th Zihajja. If some one itentionally or by chance does not leave Mina before sunset of Day-5, he will stay there for the night and on the 6th day he will stone the three Jamraats and return to Makka Mukammah. This ends Hajj

Answer 3

Hajj is a tradition established by Hazrat Abraham (Ibraheem in Arabic) as per command of Almighty Allah Karim. He built Ka'abah and announced to the people (all humans -born or yet to born). Miraculously, his voice echoed through the universe- even the heavens above. All the Souls, yet to born, who answered to the call saying: Labbaik Allah Humma Labbaik… Here I come, O my Allah, Here I present myself to you… are destined to perform Hajj. It is obligatory on each Muslim once in lifetime.

Hajj is performed during the last month of the Islamic calendar. The schedule is as under or this is how Hajj is performed in different stages: All these rituals teach unconditional obedience to Allah Almighty. They teach equality, simplicity, sacrifice, tolerance and charity etc. It was renewed by the last Prophet of Islam Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). Only the Muslim Ummah performs Hajj which is obligatory on each Muslim

Day - 1. 8th of Zilhajja: (Day of Tarwiya) Taking bath, putting on Ahraam (two sheets of untailored cloth), going to Haram i Pak, making intention of performing Hajj, offering two Nawafil and reaching the field of Mina (preferably) before Zuhar Prayer and staying there.

Day - 2. 9th. (Day of Arfaa) Offering Fajr Prayer and reaching the field of Arafaat (the main ritual of Hajj). Offering Zuhar and Asar prayers (Qasar) behind the Imam in Masjid - Namra - if possible. Staying there till sunset, offering Prayers and parying to Almighty Allah Karim. Leaving the field of Arafaat just at sunset without offering Evening Prayer. Coming to Muzdalfa at night offering Maghrib and Isha Prayers together. Staying there at night. Collecting 49 small pebbles for stoning the Jamraats.

Day - 3. 10th (Eid day) Offering Fajar Prayer and leaving Muzdalfa at sunrise. Stoning the Big Jamrah (Shaitan), offering animal sacrifice, coming to Haram i - Pak, going around the Ka'abah, performing Sayee (Walking/running betwen Safa and Marwa hills), shaving off head (for men- women cut two or three inches of their hair as a token) and putting off Ihram. Going back to Mina and staying there.

Day - 4. 11th. Stoning the three Jamraat and staying at Mina.

Day- 5. 12th Zila Hajja. Stoning the three Jaraat (Shaitans-Devils) and coming back to Makka Mukarma before sunset. That is the end of Hajj.

Day= 6: 13th Zihajja. If some one intentionally or by chance does not leave Mina before sunset of Day-5, he will stay there for the night and on the 6th day he will stone the three Jamraats and return to Makka Mukammah. This ends Hajj the Fifth Pillar of Islam.

Answer 4

The feast at the end of hajj is to celebrate the sacrifice Abraham was willing to make to God (sacrificing his only son).

Answer 5

They have Eid Al Adha. In it they slaughter sheep or cow and have it for dinner with other things. They also wear they're best clothe and go to the Mosque/Masjid and pray.

Answer 6

They may eat anything during Hajj which they eat during other days. No particular food is prescribed during Hajj days.