When does hajj begen and end?

Answer 1

Hajj (or Muslim pilgrimage) ritual worship; per Quran and prophet Muhammad teachings; starts on the 8th day of the month of Zu Alhijjah; the 12th month on the Islamic lunar calendar; and ends by the 12th or 13th day of same month.

Hajj is one of the best acts of worship. It is one of the pillars of Islam with which Allaah sent Muhammad and without which a person's religious commitment is incomplete. The Hajj was made obligatory for Muslims in the ninth year AH (After Hajra). Refer to link below.

However for Hajj in its general sense in Islam, there is no perfect date when the first hajj was ever made. Because, even before birth of Mohammad, there used to be pilgrimages to the Kaaba, though the rituals were obviously different. And Mohammad himself used to join in his own way, even before he got revelations.

Islamic traditions support this notion, and suggests that the tradition was introduced by Abraham himself. After he left his wife Hagar, and son Ishmael in the Arabian desert, as Islam tells, Hagar became worried to find out a way to quench her son's thirst. So she ran between mountains, became frustrated, until when a well was formed miraculously. When Abraham returned and heard about it, he became thankful to God, rebuilt the Kaaba, and soon his family established the oldest community of Mecca. As a way to please God, Islam says, Abraham introduced the annual ritual of pilgrimage here. To be mentioned, the miracle well is still there, popularly known as the Zamzam well.

Hajj ritual worship done currently by Muslims is completely done according to the Islamic rules, as taught by Mohammad. The very first one was done in 632 AD, the year when Mohammad controlled Makkah (or Mecca). It was his only Hajj, and the very first pilgrimage done only by Muslims.

Answer 2

Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar. It ends after 29-30 days. This year Ramadan began Wednesday August 11th 2010 and is supposedly ending September 10 or 11th 2010.