Hajj time in Mecca. Hajj in scriptures

Muslims, as well as representatives of other religions, travel to their shrines. However, they have a very special kind of pilgrimage - the Hajj. This pilgrimage to Mecca is the fifth pillar of Islam, something that every Muslim must make in his life.

Hajj symbolizes the reunion and forgiveness of Adam and Eve, Abraham's sacrifice of his son Ismail, and the very life of Muhammad as a model of humility and humility. A person who has performed a hajj is called a hajj, receives the right to wear a green turban and begins to enjoy greater respect due to a higher position in society.

Hajj is a voluntary and individual worship of the One God. During the pilgrimage, believers, as it were, become guests of Allah, leaving their home. The hardships of travel grant both external and internal purification, unite with the Almighty.

The rituals of the Hajj were established by the Prophet Muhammad during his pilgrimage in 623. Sharia law states that in order to perform the Hajj, a person must:

• Be of legal age;
• Stay in a clear mind and solid memory;
• To be free;
• Have the necessary funds for the pilgrimage and the maintenance of the family left at home;
• Have the necessary health;
• Know how to protect yourself along the way;
• Leave the house in advance to perform all the rituals on the seventh day of the month of Dhu-l-Hijjah.

During the Hajj, the pilgrim must be dressed in a special attire - ihram. First, he must go around the Kaaba for the first time, then pray on Mount Arafat, and after the second time go around the Kaaba.

The word "ihram" is translated as "initiation" and means a state of spiritual purity. To achieve it, body washing, special attire and some rules are necessary. After bathing, women dress in loose white clothes that reveal only their face, feet and hands. Men, on the other hand, put on a veil that covers their legs, and another veil that is thrown over their shoulders. These clothes are a symbol of purity and equality of all pilgrims before God.

During the Hajj, that is, in the state of ihram, it is impossible:

• trade and engage in other worldly affairs;
• engage in any sexual relations, marry and woo;
• get angry, offend others;
• harm the living (that is, pluck leaves and branches, kill insects and animals, etc.);
• Get a haircut, shave, trim your nails;
• Smoking, wearing jewelry and using incense.

Any violation of these prohibitions invalidates the Hajj.

On the seventh day of the month of Dhul Hijjah, all the pilgrims who arrived in Mecca make a "small pilgrimage" - the worship of the Kaaba, a white yacht from paradise, turned black from sins. The Kaaba was given to Adam by Allah when he finally reached Mecca after being expelled from paradise.

After circumambulating the Kaaba, pilgrims run between the hills of Safa and Mavra - this rite is called sai. Muslims climb Safa, turn around to face the Kaaba and pray to Allah for help and protection. Then they go down the hill to the pillar, run to the pillar at the Moor Hill, climb that hill and pray again. This run must be repeated seven times. After running, the pilgrims first drink from the sacred well and then douse themselves with water.

On the eighth day of the month, pilgrims take water and travel to Mount Arafat, located at a distance of 25 kilometers from Mecca through the valleys of Mina. From the eighth to the ninth day of the month, the pilgrims spend the night in the valley, after which the main ritual of the pilgrimage is performed - vukuf, standing at Arafat. The ceremony begins at noon and ends before sunset. Pilgrims listen to sermons and repeatedly pray loudly to Allah.

After the sun has set, the pilgrims go to the Muzdalifah valley and pray together in front of the mosque. Here the pilgrims spend the night. This night is considered to be the night of prayer and fasting, not only for those who perform the Hajj, but for all Muslims.

Early in the morning of the tenth day of the month, the pilgrims again pray, and then go to the Mina valley, where each one throws seven stones at the last pillar, symbolizing Satan. Then comes the rite of animal sacrifice, during which part of the meat is eaten by the pilgrims themselves, and part they give to the poor. After the sacrifice, all pilgrims cut their hair short, shave off their beards, women cut off a lock of hair. All this is buried in the ground, and the pilgrims themselves return to Mecca in order to complete the last detour of the Kaaba.

From the 11th to the 13th days of the month, pilgrims make sacrifices and continue to visit the Mina Valley. On the 14th, all rituals end, the pilgrims leave the state of ihram and receive the title of haji.

Many Muslims, after having made the Hajj, visit various places in Mecca, reminiscent of the Prophet Muhammad. The most revered place is the Mountain of Light, in the cave of which Muhammad received the first revelation of the Koran. After that, pilgrims often go to Medina to worship the tomb of the prophet and the graves of his companions. It is also customary to stay in the city of Taif, where Muhammad hid from the Korishites, Meccan pagans.

Upon returning home, pilgrims who have already received the status of hajji put on long white robes and a green turban, which is a symbol of the hajj. Relatives and friends of the pilgrim solemnly welcome him, accompanying the meeting with refreshments.

Muslims often repeat the Hajj, and some make it every year or at least several times in their lives.

One of the main duties of a Muslim to Allah Almighty is the Hajj. On the appointed days, a Muslim, entering Ihram (1), visits Baitullah (2), stands on Arafat (3) and performs other duties associated with the Hajj.

To perform this type of worship, the following conditions are necessary:
1) You need to have a certain wealth.
2) It is necessary to have appropriate health so that a person can physically perform it.

Muslim, able And sufficient health, obligated to perform Hajj at least once in a lifetime. Thus, we worship Allah Almighty with both our property and our body.

Linking these two conditions - health and availability of material resources - Almighty Allah obligated us to perform the Hajj only if at this moment we have enough funds to provide for family members for the entire period of the Hajj, and we can also fully cover our own travel expenses.

If a person had such an opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, and he did not use it, and then fell into poverty, then Demand on the Day of Judgment he can't escape.

It is considered highly undesirable to have a hajj performed by selling one's own property and falling into extreme poverty because of this. Almighty Allah does not oblige us to such a Hajj.

"Gair-i Muslims" (non-Muslims), the mentally ill, children, captives, and the poor are not required to perform the Hajj.

If a person has enough funds, but does not have the opportunity to perform Hajj for health reasons, and no improvement is expected in the foreseeable future, in this case, he can equip another person at his own expense to perform the Hajj.

Allah Almighty tells us in the verses of the Noble Quran: "Indeed, the first house that is established for people is the one in Becca - blessed and a guide for the worlds! There are clear signs for people - the place of Ibrahim, and the one who entered in it, it is safe. And Allah has the obligation of Hajj to the house for people, for those who are able to make the way to it. And who does not believe ... then Allah is rich, above the worlds! "

How we hurry sometimes to take advantage of the invitation of a respected person, a respected master, or some prestigious organization. How! We were respected, not forgotten, singled out from among the others. We enjoy being around them; the mention of our name is pleasant (may Allah forgive us).

So Hajj is an invitation from the Creator of all things, the Patron of all worlds, Almighty Allah! And, being in his right mind, having a material opportunity and sufficient health, a believer in the One Creator, must hasten to take advantage of the invitation of Allah and commit hajj.

Step on the ground, which touched the foot of the Prophet of all peoples Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Drink water from the holy spring of Zam-Zam, who miraculously gave to drink and saved the son of the prophet Abraham, the prophet Ismail; together with believers who arrived from different parts of the world, make a "tawaf" - a detour around Kaaba How beautiful is this kind of worship to Allah Almighty!

And here is the hadith of the Prophet about Hajj: "Hajj washes away sins just as water washes away dirt."
Another hadith: "The reward for Hajj, (not mixed with sin), accepted by Allah - will be Paradise". Almighty Allah annually selects a certain number of people from among the people and inspires them with his invitation to Hajj. The chosen ones, having felt the divine call in their souls, begin to prepare both materially and spiritually. And when the appropriate time comes, some flock to Mecca on airplanes, some on camels, and some on foot. All these chosen ones, who embarked on the path of Hajj, are driven by love for Allah, for Islam.

It is said about them in the Noble Quran: “And announce among the people about the Hajj: they will come to you on foot and on all the skinny ones who come from any deep cleft to testify to what is beneficial to them and to remember the name of Allah on certain days over the animals given to them from cattle : eat them and feed the unfortunate poor!" (22:27-28)

Another hadith of the Prophet: "Those who perform Hajj are the chosen ones of Allah. Allah invited them, and here they are. Now they can ask Allah, and Allah will not refuse them".

Our holy mother Aisha once asked the Prophet (meib): "It is believed that jihad in war is the strongest worship of the Almighty. But we, women, cannot participate in hostilities, how can we be." To which the Messenger (meib) replied: "The best jihad (for women) is the Hajj accepted by Allah". People who are not able to perform jihad on the battlefield due to age or health, as well as women who perform Hajj, receive the same goodness of Allah as those who fought on the battlefield.

Descending Adam (peace be upon him) to Earth, the Almighty told him that together with him he was lowering a sacred house, around which you need to make a detour in the same way as around Arsh (4) and pray near it in the same way as near Arsh. During the flood, during the time of the prophet Nuh (Noah, peace be upon him), this Kaaba was raised to heaven. While performing the Hajj, the prophets did not know where the Kaaba was located. This place was determined by the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) and, having collected stones from the mountains of Hira, Sebir, Lubnan, Tur and Khair, built the building of the Kaaba with his son Ismail.

For each step of a Muslim going to the Hajj, Allah gives one goodness, the value of which increases with each step. While standing on Arafat, Allah Almighty asks his angels: "What brought them here". The angels answer: "They want your approval and Paradise." To which the One Creator says: "I give my word to everything created by Me - I have forgiven them. No matter how many of them - at least by the number of days of all epochs, at least by the number of grains of sand - I have forgiven their sins."

Dear Muslims, for the pilgrimage to Mecca, spiritual baggage is even more important than material. And this is love and sincerity. May Allah save you from all strife that does not correspond to these holy places. It is extremely important to avoid everything that is not in the spirit of Islam during the Hajj. All this is necessary for a Muslim throughout his life, but during the Hajj you need to be especially attentive. Try to understand these words: Love for Allah is, first of all, Love for the Neighbor and Sincerity. Al-hamdu lil-lahu Rabbil alemiyin!

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. This means that it is prescribed (fard) for a Muslim to visit Mecca at least once in his life and make a detour around the Kaaba. The next visits will already be optional - i.e. sunnah. The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, performed the Hajj on his camel Kuswa in the 10th year of the Hijri. (On the same camel on which he entered Medina. A mosque was built at the place where Kusva stopped)

In the book "Durr-ul-mukhtar" Alauddin Haskafi(d. in 1088/1677) it is written: "If someone who wants to visit Mecca for the purpose of trade and Hajj, the intention of Hajj will be higher than the intention of trade, then in this case he will deserve the goodness of Allah Almighty. He will receive the greater goodness than his intention to perform the Hajj will be greater. If the intention of this person is more inclined towards trade or they are equal, then this person will not be able to deserve the goodness to perform the Hajj. Even if he fulfills all the conditions of the Hajj, he will only get rid of the punishment on the Day of Judgment not committing obligatory order - farda. Any other types of worship, good deeds are also evaluated. If these worships were performed insincerely, then goodness is not to be expected."

Those who have performed (or are performing) Hajj are called "Hadji"- pilgrim. It must be remembered that there is only one single Kaaba in the world, which is located in the Most Honored Mecca. And only those believers who go to Mecca and fulfill all the instructions of Allah Almighty can become Haji.

Before leaving for the Hajj, a Muslim must perform 2 rak'ahs of prayer and then turn to Allah with the words: "Bi-smi l-Lahi tawakaltu alal-Lahi la haula wa laa quwwata illaa bi-l-Lahi."

(The pronunciation of Arabic words must be checked. Only approximate readings in Cyrillic are given in the article.)

There are 3 types of Hajj:

1.Hajj Ifrad. - Enter "ihram" with the intention to perform only Hajj.

2. Hajj "Kiran". - They enter ihram with the intention of performing both Hajj and Umrah. First, before the days of the main hajj, "tawaf" and "sai" are performed, with the intention of performing the death. After that, without leaving ihram and without taking a haircut, already on the days of the Hajj, a second tawaf and sai is performed. The blessings for the Hajj "Kiran" are higher than for the other 2.

3. Hajj "Tamattu". - They enter ihram during the Hajj season (the months of Shawwal, Zulqaada and the first 10 days of the month of Zulhija) with the intention of performing Umrah. After tawaf and saya, they cut their hair and come out of ihram. Without returning home, they enter ihram again no later than the day of "tarwiyya" (8th day of the month of Zulhija) and then perform the hajj "Ifrad". After tawaf, sai is performed again. Performing Hajj "kiran" and hajj "Tamattu" It is highly desirable to make a sacrifice in gratitude to Allah Almighty. If they do not have such an opportunity, then they must fast for 10 days (the 7th, 8th, 9th day of the month of Zulhij and another 7 days after the Kurban holiday). "Umrah" is performed on any day and month of the Hajj season, except for 5 (five) days, when the "Hajj" itself is performed. As mentioned above, in order to perform umrah, it is necessary to fulfill the conditions: - ihram, tawaf, sai, shaving or cutting hair. Umrah 1 time in life according to the madhhab Hanafi and Maliki- sunnah. According to madhhab Shafi'i and Hanbali - fard.

Necessary conditions are defined for performing the Hajj. Regulations are divided into mandatory - fard, very close to mandatory - wajib and highly desirable sunnah.

Terms are divided into 2 groups:
Conditions are preliminary.
Conditions required for performing the Hajj.

According to the Hanifa madhhab, the preliminary conditions are 8 (eight):

1 - Be a Muslim.
2 - Those who do not live in the Islamic State should know that Hajj is a mandatory order.
3 - Be capable.
4 - Be of legal age.
5 - Be a free person (not a slave).
6 - Have the necessary funds to perform the Hajj. These funds should be sufficient for the full provision of dependents for the entire period, if any, and for the entire cycle of the actual Hajj until the return. These funds, every last penny, must be honestly earned! A person who has collected money through dishonest work should not think about the Hajj, but about how to return this forbidden (haram) money to the true owners as soon as possible! The one who made the Hajj with "dishonest" money will not be able to earn the goodness of Allah Almighty. Unless you get rid of the punishment for not committing a fard. A person who has enough funds to perform the Hajj, but is in doubt that all the money is earned properly, can borrow and go on the Hajj. Debt can repay out of their money causing concern. (such a fatwa is given by Imam Ali b. Yahya, a scholar of the Shafi'i madhhab).
7 - Performing the Hajj at a certain time. And this is the day of Araf (the day before the holiday "Kurban") and 4 holidays - only 5 days.
8 - Must be in good health.

To perform the Hajj, four more conditions must be met:

1) - Not in prison or under investigation.
2) - Hajj is obligatory if the path is safe. In wartime, or if there is any other obvious danger on the way, the Hajj is optional. At the same time, individual accidents that occur along the way cannot be a reason for refusing the Hajj.
3) - A woman living further than a 3-day journey from Mecca is obliged to perform Hajj either with her husband or with a very close relative (Mahrem). The relative must be: an adult male, of sound mind, a pious Muslim (Salih). In this case, the woman must pay for the travel of the escort. The husband cannot forbid his wife to perform the obligatory Hajj accompanied by Mahrem, as he has no right, according to Sharia, to prevent his wife from performing fard - a mandatory order of Allah Almighty. But, an additional Hajj cannot be performed without the permission of the husband.
4) - A divorced woman or a widow can perform Hajj only after the period of "Iddah. The term" iddah is calculated as follows:
A) if a woman was pregnant before the divorce or before the death of her husband, then the term ends after childbirth;
b) if before the death of her husband the woman was not pregnant, then for her the period ends after 4 months and 10 days;
c) for a divorced, non-pregnant woman, the iddah term ends after three cleansing (3 menst. cycles); d) for divorced women who are free from the menst. cycle, the iddah term ends after 3 months. By the way, the husband must financially provide for the living wage of the divorced wife until the end of her term "iddah.

As soon as conditions appear in the life of a Muslim that allow him to perform the Hajj, he is obliged to do so in the same year. If he does not perform Hajj in the same year, it will be considered a sin. If a person annually postpones the Hajj to a later time, then there is a danger of becoming wicked - Fasyk. Since with a long commitment of small sins, they (small sins) become one big sin.

If a person dies on the way to Mecca, then the obligation of the Hajj for him will be considered fulfilled. The heirs will not have to equip another person instead of the deceased, for the money left after him. If a Muslim who has not previously performed the Hajj, in the last years of his life, cannot do this due to illness, due to old age, falls ill on the way to Mecca or is imprisoned, then he can equip another person at his own expense. This person must accept the intention to perform Hajj instead of him, and do so from the country of permanent residence of the guarantor. If, after the order to perform the Hajj instead of himself and the execution of this by someone, the guarantor has the opportunity to perform the Hajj himself, then he will have to perform it. It is also possible for a Muslim who has not performed the Hajj to indicate in his will that the heirs would equip someone to perform the Hajj instead of him, using the savings left by him.

It is known that there are 3 types of worship to Allah Almighty:

1 - Worship performed by the body. These include: five times prayer (prayer), fasting, reading the Holy Quran, dhikr. These types of worship are done in person. They cannot be delegated to anyone. And no one can perform these types of worship instead of someone else.
2 - Worship performed by property - donations to the poor. These are various forms of zakaat, fitr sadaka (alms given at the end of the month of Ramadan), helping the poor with food and clothing. These types of worship can be entrusted to another, and even to a non-Muslim.
3 - Worship performed by both body and property.

This type of worship is obligatory hajj. If a person is unable to perform the obligatory hajj in person due to a long illness, then he can equip another person with his own money. In order to entrust another person to do instead of himself additional hajj, a Muslim is not limited by any conditions. A Muslim who has reached a certain wealth, when it becomes obligatory and Zakaat And Hajj, and the money is only enough for one thing, is obliged to immediately perform the hajj. Zakaat will pay from the money left over from the Hajj. If he cannot perform the Hajj, then he will have to pay zakat from the entire amount available. A Muslim cannot postpone the Hajj any longer from the moment when this injunction becomes for him compulsory - fard. And, if the time for the Hajj has come, he cannot spend the available money for other purposes, such as buying a car or a house, and the like. He will be required to perform Hajj. A Muslim can make these purchases only if the time for Hajj has not yet arrived. Since the hajj becomes obligatory only when the time of the hajj comes.

[Zakyaat is paid after one year according to the lunar calendar, from the moment when a Muslim becomes the owner of a certain wealth (Nisab). Therefore, the payment of zakat by Muslims occurs at different times. If the time for paying the zakat has come before the time of the hajj, then first you need to pay the zakat from the entire amount, and for the rest - make the hajj. If the time of payment of the zakat coincided with the time of the hajj or comes after this time, then you must first perform the hajj. And Zakaat will have to be paid upon return from the Hajj from the remaining amount.]

1 - ihram. Ihram is not only a vestment Muhrimah(a person entering ihram) in 2 pieces of white calico. This is a state of mind. A Muslim prepares spiritually long before that. They enter ihram with the intention of giving up a number of things that are prohibited during the Hajj. One piece of white matter should wrap yourself from the waist down (to the ankle). Another piece of calico is thrown over the shoulders. Do not tie in a knot or use twine. Before performing tawaf, we pass one end of the upper part of ihram under the right shoulder and lay both ends on the left shoulder - this is sunnah. Before entering ihram at the mikat point, 2 rak'ahs of prayer are performed and, accepting the intention of entering ihram, a prayer is read: "Allahumma inni uridul-hassa feyessirhu wa takabbelhu minni." Then Talbiyya is pronounced: "Labbaik Allahumma labbiyk. Labbiyk, laa shara laka labbiyya. Innal-hamda van-nimata laka wal-mulk. Laa shara lak." - Here I am in front of You, my Allah, here I am in front of You! Here I am in front of You, O Allah, and you have no partner, here I am in front of You! Indeed, praise be to Thee! And mercy belongs to You and dominion! You have no partner!

Those wishing to visit Holy Mecca for the purpose of Hajj, Umrah, trade, etc. needed in places Mikat enter ihram. These places are located around Mecca. If someone has passed or passed this place without entering ihram, he should return to do this. Otherwise, you will have to make an additional sacrifice - kurban. The space between the points of miqat and the city of Mecca is called Hill. Travelers traveling through the miqat with the intention of staying in the hil, and those who live in the hil, may not enter ihram. From the place of hil, you can enter the city without ihram if there is no intention to perform the hajj or die. To perform the Hajj, those living in the hil enter ihram there. Those who live in Mecca enter ihram in Mecca. Passing through the miqat, one must enter ihram observing all the conditions, saying the necessary prayers. You can enter ihram before the miqat, and even from the place of departure for the hajj, if the mukhrim can keep his ihram clean. For this, the blessings of Allah Almighty increase.

After dressing in 2 pieces of white calico, the pilgrim must comply with certain conditions.

Forbidden in ihram: hunt wild animals; wear sewn clothes; shave any part of the body; copulate. Is not allowed Also argue, swear, fight; use scented products; cut nails; wear any other non-permitted footwear(shoes must be open-topped); wear gloves or stockings; break wild trees, tear plants, etc. Violators of the established prohibitions (whether they knew about it or not) are required to sacrifice a ram. Moreover, the violators will not be able to eat the meat of this kurban, since this sacrifice is a measure of punishment. Whereas in the case of sacrifice during the hajj karin and hajj mutamatti, the owners of kurban can eat this meat. It should be noted here that the performer of the hajj "karin", in case of violation of the prohibition, is obliged to sacrifice 2 animals - one for the death and one for the hajj.

Allowed: wear open-toed shoes; pull a tooth out; take a shower (swim); in the absence of white calico, use colored calico for ihram. You can destroy flies, fleas, lice (not on yourself), mice, rats; when wild animals (poisonous snakes, scorpions, wolves, etc.) threaten the life or health of people, kill them. It is allowed to hide from the sun under an umbrella or the like. (but without touching the head); put on a belt with a wallet, wear a ring (according to the sunnah); tear greens grown by people; carry a weapon behind a belt or on a leash, to fight robbers or other enemies that interfere with the free fulfillment of the pilgrimage to Mecca. Women make the pilgrimage with their heads covered. They are allowed to cover their faces, but with the condition that the fabric should not touch the skin of the face. They may wear sewn clothes, places (shoes that can be wiped during ablution without taking off your feet), stockings. They can also wear jewelry, but hidden by clothing.

Seeing the Kaaba, we read Talbiya: "lubbike…" (see above), then "Allahu Akbar. La ilaha illa-l-lahu", then after salavats we read a prayer: "Allahumma zid beitake tashrifan wa taziman wa takriman wa birran wa mehabatan". Remembering that in these places our prayers and requests are accepted, as far as possible, we constantly read them and ask: "Allahumma inni esaluke ridake wal-jannata wa auzu bika min gadabika van nar."

2. - Standing on Mount Arafat. Each pilgrim on the day of Araf (the day before the holiday "Kurban") must standing to listen to the request to Allah Almighty (dua) of the imam standing in front of him. After the dua, you can sit down, lie down. If he cannot listen while standing, he listens while sitting or lying down. On the way to Arafat, whoever can, reads the dua: "Allahumma lakal-hamdu kellezi takuulu wa khairan mimma nakul. Allahumma laka salati va nusuki va mahyaya wa memati wa ilaika meabi wa laka rabbi turasi...." and then:

1) 100 times "Laa ilaha illa-l-Lahu wahdahu laa shara lahu. Lahu" l-mulku wa lahu "l-hamdu wa Huva ala kulli shay" in kadir.
2) Surah Ikhlas 100 times.
3) 100 times "Subhana-l-Lahi wa" lhamdu lil-Lahi wa laa ilaha illa-l-Lahu wa-l-Lahu akbar. Valya havlya valya kuvvata illaa bil-Lahi "l-Aliyil-Azim".
4) 10 times "Astaghfiru-l-Laha" l-lazi laa ilaha illa Huva "l-Khayyul-Kayyum wa etubu ilyayh wa as" aluhu "t-tavbata wa" l-magfirat innahu Huva "t-tawabu" r-Rahim.
5) 100 times "Allahumma sally alaa Muhammadin wa alaa ali Muhammad." 6) 100 times consecutively No. 1 + No. 5 and further "kama sallayta alaa Ibrahima wa alaa ali Ibrahima innaka hamidun majit" ...

3. - Walking around the Kaaba (Tawaf-i Ziyarat). Every pilgrim called "hadji" must walk around the Kaaba 4 times- this is for him fard. Making 3 more rounds very close to mandatory - wajib. You need to complete 7 rounds in total.. By Madhhab of Shafi'i the last 3 rounds are also obligatory (fard). The bypass can be made behind the Zamzam well, and behind the stone of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). It is not allowed to circumnavigate outside the Forbidden Mosque.

When making a detour, it is undesirable for women to approach the Kaaba. With a high probability of touching a woman’s hand while walking around, it is better for the followers of the Shafi’i madhhab to take the intention to commit tawaf according to madhhab hanafi or Maliki.

It should also be taken into account that the bypass is made after the adoption of the intention, and after standing on Mount Arafat. If, when making bypass or saya the call to prayer will be heard - Azan, everything is left and a prayer is read. After prayer, you can continue tawaf or sai.

1 - After the tawaf, committed upon arrival in Mecca, it is necessary to make Sai - walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa. Without tawaf, sai is not valid (sahih).
2 - When returning from Arafat, make a stop in Muzdalifah. Here, according to legend, our ancestors Adam and Eve met for the first time.
3 - In the town of Mina for three days in three different places to throw pebbles at the shaitan.
4 - Before leaving the "ihram" it is necessary to shave the 4th part of the head or cut off at least 3 centimeters of hair. Whoever has no hair and is unable to shave his head (due to illness), pass the razor over his head, without touching the wounds. Women do not shave their heads, but only cut their hair lightly.
5 - Hadjis who came from afar, on the last day of their stay in Mecca, make a detour (tawaf-i sadr). Without remla and saya.
6 - After sunset, stay in Arafat for some time (even if ablution is broken). A person who left Arafat before sunset must make a sacrifice.
7 - Make 3 more additional rounds around the Kaaba after 4 obligatory ones. Staying overnight in the Mina valley after Tawaf-i ziyarat - bypassing around the Kaaba, according to the Hanafi madhhab, is Sunnah.
8 - When tawaf - circumambulation, the whole body must be in a state of ritual cleanliness.
9 - Clothes must be clean.
10 - When going around, leave the space "Hatim" on the inside. Hatim - the space between the northern wall of the Kaaba and the semicircle fence on the same side. According to Alauddin Khaskafi, in this place are the graves of the prophet Ismail, peace be upon him, and his mother Hajar (Hagar).
11 - When going around, the Kaaba should be on the left.
12 - Perform tawaf before sunset on the third day of the holiday.
13 - When walking around, cover the parts of the body that are prohibited for display. This point is especially important for women.
14 -Sai should be started from Safa hill (see point 1). From this hill we go down to the Kaaba. Here we say "takbir" - Allahu Akbar; "tahlil" - La ilahi illa-l-lahu and "salavat". Then, raising both hands to shoulder level and opening palms to the sky, we make a request to Allah - a dua. After that, we climb the Marva hill. In total, it is necessary to make such transitions from Safa to Marva 4 times, and from Marva to Safa - 3 times.

When walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa, one reads Talbiya- "Lubbike ...". From the place where you need to speed up the course, the dua is read: "Rabbigfir varham va tejavaz amma ta"lem. Innaka anta "l-eauzu" l-akram". At each approach to the hill of Marwa, ayat 158 ​​from Surah Bakara is read. The same ayat is read (in the direction of the Qibla) and on the hill of Safa. When approaching the Mina Valley or upon arrival, the dua is read: "Allahumma inna haza minan wa haza ma dalaltana alaikhi minal-manasiki asalyuka en tamunna alaikhima bijawamiil-hairi wa bima ...".

15 - After each tawaf, perform 2 rak'ah prayers within the "Forbidden Mosque".
16 - Throwing stones at shaitan should take place on holidays.
17 - To take tonsure on the first day of the holiday and within the "Forbidden Mosque".
18 - Sai to perform in the form of walking. Between 2 pillars, men move quickly.
19 - Performers of Hajj "Kiran" and Hajj "Tamattu" make a sacrifice.
20 - Make a sacrifice on the 1st day of the holiday.
21 - Before standing on Arafat, do not perform strictly prohibited actions (for example, copulation). Otherwise, Hajj will be broken. It is wajib not to perform the rest of the forbidden actions before leaving ihram.

Violators of the above conditions (regardless of whether they knew about these conditions or not), are required to make a sacrifice or give alms fitr-sadaqah. It is not considered a violation if the cause of these violations is old age, illness, or too large a gathering of people. Women in the days of known "periods" are not allowed to be in the territory "Forbidden Mosque" and perform tawaf. At this time, they can perform other actions of the Hajj. Tawaf can be performed only after purification. Hajji, who does not have time to perform the next hajj rukn during the day, can perform them that same night.

It is allowed to perform obligatory and additional prayers on your own or with a jamaat in the Kaaba. Here you can pray and being in a position with your back to the back of the imam. It is undesirable in prayer to stand with your back to the face of the imam, or to pray on the Kaaba. In the case when a joint prayer is performed, standing around the Kaaba (like a ring), then you can stand closer to the Kaaba than the imam. Except for those who stand to the left and right of the imam.

1 - Muslims living farther than the places of "Mikat" (the place of entry into "Ihram"), upon arrival in Mecca, must immediately commit "tawaf-i kudum"- preliminary bypass. When you see the Kaaba, immediately say: takbir- "Allahu Akbar" tahlil - "La ilahi illa-l-lahu" and dua - a request to Allah. men touching the stone "Hajar-ul-aswad" hand and face. But this is possible. If it is difficult to approach, then from afar they raise their hands and with the words "B-smi l-Lahi! Allahu akbar!" run their hands across their face. After bypassing "tawaf-i kudum" and performing 2 rak'ahs of prayer, sai is performed between the hills of Safa and Marwa. After that, they are in Mecca, without removing ihram until the day "Tarviya" make additional detours around the Kaaba. Those who have taken the intention of performing Hajj Ifrad or Hajj Kiran should be careful about ihram, as they will not remove ihram before throwing stones and shaving their heads. For those who are not sure that they can keep their ihram clean, it is better to perform Hajj "Tamattu". By the way, passing in front of the worshipers in the "Forbidden Mosque" is not a sin.

2 - Walking around the Kaaba - Tawaf start and finish at the stone "Hajar-ul-aswad". When approaching the stone "Hajar-ul-aswad", raise your hands up and say "Allahu Akbar". Then, lowering our hands, we read: "La ilaha illa-l-lahu walhamdu li-l-lahi. Allahhumma sally ala Muhammadin wa ali alaa Muhammad." After that, if possible, kiss the stone, or, touching the stone with the palm of the right hand, kiss the palm. If this is not possible, then, raising their hands up, turn their palms to the stone and read a prayer: "Allahumma imanen bika wa tasdikan bikitabika va vefaen biahdika wat-tibaan lisunnati nabiyyika Muhammadin sallyaa-Llahu taala aleikhi wa sallam." At the door of the Kaaba we read: "Allahumma inna hazal-bayte baytuk. Val-harama haramuka val-amna amnuka. Wa haza makamul-azi bike minan-nari fa harrim luhumanana wa basharatana alen-nar." After the sevenfold tawaf, we ask Allah: "Allahumma innaka ta" lemu sirri wa alaniyati fakbil ma "zirati wa ta" lamu hajati fea "tini su" li. Wa ta "lamu ma fi nafsi fagfir li zyunubi. Allahhumma inni as" alyuka imanan yubashiru kalbi wa yakinan sadikan hatta a "lamu annehu la yusibuni illa ma katabta li varidan bima kasamtali".

3 - Imam reading khutba in 3 places. First time on the 7th day of the month of Zulhij in Mecca; Second time- on the 9th day in Arafat before the noon and afternoon prayers; And third time- on the 11th day in the Mina valley. On Arafat, immediately after the khutba, joint noon and afternoon prayers are read. Those who did not have time for a joint prayer read both prayers in the afternoon. After praying in the Namra mosque, everyone goes to the Mauwkif place, where they perform Waqfa- "standing on Arafat" in the direction of Qibla. The imam needs to be on horseback (on a horse, camel...). People stand on the ground, and whoever cannot stand, he worships while sitting. And the best position is when everyone is sitting astride any animal. For "standing on Arafat" it is not necessary to climb the rocks.

4 - You need to leave Mecca in order to visit Arafat on the day of "Tarwiyya" - the 8th day of the month of Zulhij, after the morning prayer. From Mecca, you must first go to the valley of Mina.

5 - Stay overnight in the Mina Valley on the night of the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th of the month of Zulhij.

6 - From the valley of Mina, go to Arafat after sunrise.

7 - Spend the night on the night of the 9th day of the month of Zulhija in the town of Muzdalifah. Upon arrival from Arafat to Muzdalifa, before dark, joint evening and night prayers are read one after another. For pilgrims who have already performed the evening prayer at Arafat or on the way, it is better to repeat this prayer in Muzdalifah. Those who did not have time for a joint prayer, read the evening and immediately after it the night - on their own.

8 - After spending the night in Muzdalifa, you need to get up at dawn and, immediately performing the morning prayer, before full dawn, make a stand - wakfe in a place called Mesh ar-ul-haram. Immediately, before sunrise, we set off for the Mina Valley. On the way, you can not stop in the place "Mukhassar". This place served as the encampment of the Yemeni soldiers, called Ashab-i fil, who went to destroy the Kaaba on the orders of their king Abraha. Arriving in the valley Mine and finding a place called "Jamara-i Aqaba"(it is located in the farthest place from the mosque "Masjid-i Khif"), with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, we throw seven (7) stones the size of a pea under the wall, which indicates the place "Jamara...". You need to stand no closer than two and a half (2.5) meters to this place. Those pebbles that hit the right place, bouncing off the wall or from someone, are also counted. Throwing stones is allowed until dawn the next day. But it is best to finish before noon - this is sunnah.

After that, without delay, we leave. For pilgrims who come from afar and perform the Hajj "Ifrad", the sacrifice is not obligatory. Hajj "Kiran" and Hajj "Tamattu" go to make a sacrifice. After the ritual of sacrifice, shaving or cutting the head and removing ihram is performed. Those pilgrims who were in the Mina Valley on the holiday do not perform the holiday prayer. Then, on that day, or the next, or the third day, the pilgrims go to Mecca with the intention of doing Tawaf-i ziyarat. This tawaf, performed upon returning from the Mina Valley, is also called Tawaf-i Ifada and is obligatory.

Until that time, you can perform tawaf in place of another pilgrim who has lost consciousness, lost his senses, memory, etc. If the pilgrim used to perform sai for this tawaf, now neither sai nor remel (a special way of walking with tawaf) should be done. If the sai has not been performed before, then it will have to be performed. For this tawaf, you do not need to do Iztiba" - lay both ends of ihram on the left shoulder, after passing one end of ihram under the right shoulder.

Having performed tawaf and prayer, the pilgrim goes to Mina. Midday prayer is done in Mecca or Mina. On the second day of the holiday, after the noon prayer in Mina, the khutba is read, and then seven (7) stones are thrown at three different places. They start from a place that is closer to the Masjid-i Khif mosque. On the third day, seven stones are also thrown three times. In total, with the first 7 pebbles, you get forty-nine (7+21+21=49) stones. You can not throw these pebbles before noon. In any case, it is highly undesirable. On the third day before sunset we leave Mina.

Those who wish to earn even greater goodness of Almighty Allah remain on the fourth day in Mina, and from dawn to sunset, at the desired time, they throw an additional 21 stones. Attention! If the pilgrim remains in Mina until the dawn of the fourth day and leaves without throwing stones, then, as a punishment, he will have to make an additional sacrifice. After throwing stones in the first and second places, the pilgrims raise their hands to shoulder level and, turning their palms to the sky, make a request to Allah Almighty - a dua. These 70 stones, the size of a pea, which the pilgrim intended to throw at the shaitan, he collects in Muzdalifah or on the way to Mina. You can throw stones while riding an animal.

After returning to Mecca and making a detour around the Kaaba (this detour is called "Tawaf-i Sadr" or "Tawaf-i Veda"), pilgrims drink water from the Zam-Zam well and read the dua: "Allahumma inni es" alyuka ilmen nafian va rizkan vasian wa shifaen min kulli dain wa sakam "; if possible, kiss the threshold of the Kaaba, touch the chest and right cheek of part of the wall The Kaaba, called "Multazam"(between door and stone "Hajar-ul-aswad"). Then, holding the cover of the Kaaba with their hands, they read from the Koran from memory and state their request to Allah Almighty. The most God-fearing pilgrims then leave the gate with tears in their eyes.

Mina is located east of Mecca. Muzdalifah east of Mina and Arafat east of Muzdalifah. The distance on modern asphalt roads between these points is as follows: between Mina and Mecca - 4,5 km.; between Mina and Muzdalifa - 3,3 ; Muzdalifah and Arafat - 5,4 ; between the hills of Safa and Marwa - 330 meters (at the present time - the territory of the mosque); between the upper tier of the Safa hill and the Kaaba - 70 meters.

9 - Before standing on Arafat, it is necessary to perform a full ritual ablution (Ghusl).

10 - On the last return from Mina to Mecca, you must first visit the place of Ebtah and stand there for a while. After that, we return to Mecca and stay there as long as possible.

11 - Before performing the Hajj, a Muslim needs to ask permission from parents who are not in need and people under his care. If the parents or the wife are not provided with a livelihood, then without their permission, or their full provision, it is forbidden to go on a pilgrimage. It is highly desirable to go to Mecca through the Mu'Allah gate, and to the Mosque through "Bab-us-Salam" and do it during the day.

Failure to comply with these eleven provisions of the sunnah does not entail punishment and is not a sin. It entails only a decrease in the goodness of Almighty Allah as a whole for the entire pilgrimage. In the case when the day of Arafah (the 9th day of the month of Zulhij, the pre-holiday day) coincides with Friday, then the value of the Hajj insha-al-Lahu increases 70 times!

Alexandra Savina

Hajj - pilgrimage to holy places in Saudi Arabia, according to the teachings, every Muslim is obliged to go at least once in his life. The Muslim calendar is shorter than the Gregorian one, so the dates for the Hajj move back 10–11 days each year. To perform the Hajj, pilgrims must arrive in Mecca and perform several rituals there. The Hajj itself lasts five days, but pilgrims typically stay in Saudi Arabia for two to three weeks.

A non-Muslim will not be able to get to the Hajj (as well as to Mecca itself): travel can only be arranged through a travel agency approved by the Saudi government, and Muslims from the West are checked separately (they must provide a written certificate from the imam confirming that he knows the person and that he is a devout Muslim). This year, the Hajj, which ended on September 4, has attracted more than two million pilgrims, including 23,500 from Russia. We spoke with Bashkir poet Zulfiya Khannanova about her first Hajj, how hard it is physically to perform it, and how women's experience of Hajj differs from men's.

Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. There are five of them in total, the first is the pronunciation of the shahada, that is, the pronunciation of the tongue and the recognition of the unity of the Almighty with the heart. The second pillar is namaz (prayer), the third is the payment of zakat (alms to the poor), the fourth is uraza (fasting). Hajj is one of the fards, that is, the obligatory prescriptions of Islam: if a person has the means and health for it, he must fulfill it. It is believed that people who have been to the Hajj, if they did everything right, come from there sinless, like a newborn child.

It was my first hajj, I had been preparing for it for several years. I had to take care of a paralyzed mother for many years, and I also had an infant. It was difficult: at night I went to both my mother and the baby. I needed strength, and I got up for prayer - my mother saw how I read prayers. Some time after my mother's death, on Friday, I had a dream about her - we Muslims believe that righteous dreams are dreamed on this day. My mother told me in a dream: “Zulfiya, perform Hajj.” I did not attach any importance to these words: it seemed to me that the Hajj should be performed in old age, before death, so that all sins would be forgiven and you could leave peacefully.

Hajj has a lot to do with with the prophet Ibrahim, who was supposed to sacrifice his own son, until at the last moment God told him to sacrifice an animal instead, rewarding Ibrahim for his faith.

Last year, when I was lying next to my mother-in-law in the hospital, I had another dream. I dreamed of a woman who said: “Zulfiya, don’t make Hajj this year - your tooth hurts, it may fall out. You will go on Hajj next year.” I woke up and realized that the tooth is my mother-in-law, she needs to be treated. I set myself up for the next year and began to slowly save money. It was hard. I borrowed 90,000 rubles from people for the most budgetary hajj - and paid everything in advance. You can’t leave for Hajj with debts - I knew that I would return everything before the start of the trip, and I slowly paid off (some religious figures, however, note that if a person has a large loan with monthly payments, he can perform Hajj if he agrees with his creditors - Note. ed.). About two weeks after I paid everything, I got a call from the administration of the head of the republic and was told that the Ministry of Culture and Information of Saudi Arabia was offering a guest hajj. The organizer of the Hajj tour, with whom I was supposed to go, said that this was a very rare success, a gift from the Almighty that should not be refused. The money was returned to me.

Umrah and Medina

From Russia, a group of eight people went, five men and three women: three from Ingushetia and one person each from Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Dagestan, Karachay-Cherkessia and the Chechen Republic. First we were taken to Umrah - a small Hajj. It includes a bypass of the Kaaba (Kaaba is the main shrine of Islam, a cubic building, which is located in the courtyard of the al-Haram mosque, or the Sacred Mosque - Note. ed.), which must be performed not during the Hajj itself, but at any other moment. Then I saw the Kaaba for the first time - this is an indescribable feeling. When we walked around it, it started to rain - everyone was happy about it, and even the men began to sob. It turns out that if this happens while circumambulating the Kaaba, it is considered a great blessing from Allah - in Saudi Arabia it rains very rarely. The rain started as we passed the Yemeni corner of the Kaaba and continued as we walked one lap. When you do namaz, you always pray in the direction of the Kaaba - and now I clearly imagine it.

After that, we walked between the hills of Safa and Marwa - there you need to make seven circles. In this place, the wife of the prophet Ibrahim, left alone with the baby in her arms, climbed up one hill, then another in search of water for the child. The child was tormented by thirst, he cried, and then he kicked the ground, and a spring broke out from there - this is how the source of Zam-zam appeared. It became bigger and bigger until the woman, so that too much water would not flow, said: “Zam-zam” (that is, “Enough”) - and the spring stopped.

Perform Hajj maybe an adult Muslim in a clear mind and in good health. He must be free (and not, for example, a prisoner) and have enough funds to provide not only for his hajj, but also for the family left at home.

A few days after that, we went to Medina - the last years of his life the Prophet Muhammad spent there, where he was buried. We stayed there for two days. I spent the night in the great mosque of an-Nabawi, where the Prophet and the Sahaba - his companions (those who arrived with the Prophet in Medina and those who received him there) are buried. On the second day, we, three women, asked for time off to visit the grave of the Prophet, to make ziyarat, that is, to make a pilgrimage to the holy place. Close women are not allowed there, you can only look through the screen. Nevertheless, we waited and were able to pray.

Hajj

The Hajj itself lasts five days. It begins with a stop at Mount Arafat, where you need to spend the whole day. This is a very important moment. Of course, it is best to stand on the mountain itself, but if you are in the area near Mount Arafat, it still counts. And if many were worried that they were not on the mountain, then I did not have such a feeling - I was already satisfied that I was here, crying and praying. Usually people on the mountain pray under umbrellas, but we had more comfortable conditions - we stood under a canopy. You need to pray all day, from morning until sunset.

After standing on Mount Arafat, we went to the Muzdalifa Valley - it is located near Mecca, between the Mina Valley and Mount Arafat. There at night you need to collect stones: they are then used in the rite of stoning shaitan. Arab women taught us everything - they showed how many stones to collect, what size they should be.

In the morning we were taken to Mecca. There we had to do tawaf - go around the Kaaba seven times, and then pray. When I took out the prayer rug, my stones were gone - they say that the shaitan does not like to be beaten and builds obstacles. The ritual requires a lot of stones, and I was worried, but on the way to the valley, others shared with me.

Kaaba - cubic structure in the courtyard of the al-Haram mosque. A black stone is mounted in the eastern corner of the Kaaba: it is believed that God gave it to Adam, who was expelled from paradise, after he repented, and initially it was white, but turned black from the touch of sinners.

The rite of stoning the shaitan is performed in the valley of Mina. Stones are thrown into jamarats - three huge gray stone walls. You need to have time to do this before sunset. I heard that if you miss some element of the Hajj - you didn’t get to Muzdalifah in time, you didn’t arrive in Mina on time - the Hajj is not accepted, so we tried to do everything on time. It is allowed for someone to stone Satan instead of you - usually women, so that they are not crushed by the crowd, pass their stones to men. The men from our group left that evening, and I went to stone the devil instead of them - in the end I threw eighty-four stones. After Mina, we returned and made a farewell detour around the Kaaba.

There were no too difficult moments in the Hajj for me - we had a sparing regimen. In Mina, we were close to the Jamarat, and we did not have to walk long under the sun. Since there are a lot of people, the Kaaba can be bypassed at several levels: you can go below, but there are several more tiers-balconies - all this counts. When there are a lot of people, there is a crush, many get lost. At other levels, there are fewer people, it is easier to go. We were warned that we need to start walking a lot in advance so as not to get tired during the Hajj, so there were no difficulties with this either - we were already trained.

The male hajj is different from the female one. Women, unlike men, do not wear ihram - special white robes. Any clothing that meets Muslim standards is suitable for a woman, as long as she is neat and clean. There are also differences in rituals. Between Safa and Marwa there is a section of the path that men must run and women must walk.

After the tragic events 2015, all pilgrims are provided with electronic bracelets that contain information about the wearer and warn about the start of prayer.

Men must definitely go barefoot - our guys even earned calluses. Women are allowed to walk in socks or shoes like Czechs. During the Hajj, if it is performed by a married couple, you cannot have intimate relationships - this applies to both women and men.

On the Hajj, we met women from different parts of the world, for example, when we stopped in Mina. We did not know each other's language, but we talked all night - you insert some Arabic word, then you remember English, you show something with gestures; we showed photos of children, husbands from the phone, told where we worked. It's indescribable.

Hadjiya

Men who perform the hajj are called hajis, and women are called hajjis. They have long enjoyed great respect and authority. For example, even before the revolution, my relative made the Hajj three times - then there was no such transport, money was needed, and those who performed the Hajj did not return home for years. This is a very big mission and responsibility.

I returned from the Hajj, but, as we say, the bag in which sins accumulate is still hanging behind my back - now we must try to behave in such a way that it is no longer filled. You still need to work on yourself a lot. Being a hajji is very responsible, I must be an example in everything. You need to be a noble person, you must be a friendly, knowledgeable, sincere Muslim woman. Calmness came: this fard is very important, and not everyone can fulfill it, but I was able to. I am grateful to the Almighty - this is the biggest gift that I received.

Hajj is a pilgrimage to the holy places of Mecca - the key and only pillar of Islam, which is held strictly at a certain time in one single place - only on the territory of Mecca. Pilgrimage to the House of Allah should be carried out by every Muslim at least once in his life, if he has the financial means for this and health allows

History of the Hajj

Hajj literally means "to go somewhere". In Islam, this word is endowed with a slightly different meaning - this is a constant annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca to perform religious rites according to the instructions of the Prophet Muhammad.

The very first rituals of the Hajj were introduced by the Lord during the period of the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). He was entrusted to build the Kaaba - the house of God. He set to work with his son Ismail in the city of Mecca. Here is what the Lord said about the Kaaba:

“So We pointed out to Ibrahim (Abraham) the place of the House (Kaaba): “Do not associate anything with Me as partners and cleanse My House (Kaaba) for those who make the rounds, stand up prayers, bow down and prostrate” (Quran 22:26 )

Having completed the construction of the sacred Kaaba, the prophet Ibrahim again came here every year to perform the rites of the Hajj. After his death, Ismail followed the example of his father. But years passed, gradually both the purpose and the form of the Hajj were lost. Idolatry pushed the religion of Allah out of the Arabian Peninsula step by step. The Kaaba was no longer a symbol of monotheism and turned into an abode of idols, the number of which exceeded 300

The Prophet Muhammad not only cleaned the Kaaba, but also restored the ancient rites of the Hajj, which were introduced during the time of Ibrahim. The special instructions of the Qur'an were sent down to eliminate the false rites used in the pre-Islamic period. The Lord established a ban on all shameful and ugly processes that were previously allowed in the rites:

“Hajj is performed in certain months. Whoever intends to perform Hajj during these months, he should not have sexual intercourse, commit sins and enter into disputes during Hajj ... "(Quran 2: 197)

About the sad custom of pouring the blood of sacrificial animals on the walls of the Kaaba and hanging their meat on the altars, the Lord clearly and clearly said:

“Neither their meat nor their blood reaches Allah. Only your piety reaches Him…” (Quran 22:37)

The Prophet also eradicated the custom of circumambulating the Kaaba in the nude. The Lord asked only one question, which immediately forced the idolaters to submit:

“Say: “Who forbade the ornaments of Allah, which He bestowed upon His servants?” (Quran 7:32)

Thus, all pre-Islamic traditions based on ignorance were abolished, and the Hajj again became a manifestation of piety, fear of the Lord, purity, reasonable behavior and simplicity. Since then, the eyes of the pilgrim no longer open the farce, fun and liberties that once had to be contemplated. Nowadays, pilgrimage is the remembrance of the Lord and the sacrifice only to Him.

Procedure for performing the Hajj.

Appeal to ihram. After passing the mikat (these are special places that mark the border of the territory into which believers from different parts of the world arriving in Haram-i Sharif cannot pass without turning into the state of ihram), the Muslim prays and pronounces a special appeal to Allah (talbiya): “Here I am before You, Lord! You have no partner! Here I am in front of You! Truly, praise to You, mercy and power! You have no partner!" From this moment, the believer is considered to have entered the state of ihram.

7th day of Dhul-Hijjah - the first detour around the Kaaba is arranged; pilgrims enter the Masjid al-Haram mosque. barefoot, from the right foot through the Gates of the World (Bab as-Salam) and go to the “black stone”: they kiss it or touch it with their hand (takbil rite), after which they bring their hand to their lips and eyes (istils). On the 7th day of Dhu-l-Hijj, a sermon (khutba) is read in the Forbidden Mosque, telling about the duties of pilgrims performing the Hajj.

8 Dhul Hijjah. The pilgrims put on the new ihram and announce their intention to perform tawaf (bypass around the Kaaba) and sai. Sai is a seven-time run between Safa and Marwa hills. After that, early in the morning, saying talbiyah, they go to the valley of Mina. There they spend the night. This day is called yaum at-tarwiyyah because the pilgrims prepare supplies of water before the road to Mount Arafat. They go to the sacred well of Zam-Zam and take water from it twice: first they drink it, and then they wash their body from head to toe.

Pilgrim camp at Mina.

The camps in Mina are divided between countries.

Tent city in Mina.

Pilgrims in Mina at night.

9 Dhul Hijjah. Pilgrims go to Mount Arafat, where they unite the Asr and Zuhr prayers. Until sunset, people pray here for the forgiveness of sins.

This rite is called vukuf, or standing day.

In the valley of Arafat, pilgrims listen to a sermon (khutba) and pray to Allah: “Here I serve You, Lord!” This prayer is recited many times and in a loud voice.

In the evening, pilgrims go to the Muzdalifah valley, joining together the Maghreb and Isha prayers. Here pilgrims spend the night collecting stones for the rite of stoning.

Sleep on Muzdalifa.

10 Dhul Hijjah. The pilgrims return to the Mina Valley, where they throw seven stones, picked up in Muzdalifah, at the last of the three pillars (jamrat al-akaba), symbolizing Satan, who, according to legend, blocked the path of Ibrahim, heading for prayer. Performing this rite, Muslims mentally dedicate themselves to Allah and promise to make every effort to drive demons out of their souls.

Jamarat Bridge from above.

Jamarat Bridge.

Stoning the devil.

People leave Jamarat Bridge.

Then the pilgrims make a sacrifice, and cut or shave their hair again, after which they go to Mecca (those who did not make sai 8 dhu-l-hijja can do it 10) and return to Mina again. This day is called yaum an-nahr, or the day of sacrifice.

KFC restaurant in Mecca.

11 Dhul Hijjah. Pilgrims pray in the Mina Valley and throw stones at stone statues. This day in the next two days is called yaum at-tashrik, which literally means "the day of dried meat."

In the photo, Pilgrims crowded the streets and surroundings of the Haram Mosque during the day's prayers.

12 Dhul Hijjah. Pilgrims pray in the Mina Valley and throw stones at stone statues. Then they return to Mecca and perform tawaf, drink water from the source of Zamzam. This completes the Hajj.

And here is the ZamZam well itself:

Map of the place where the Hajj takes place.

Hajj Security Service.

Pilgrim count.

Transit through the Hajj.

Pilgrims on the roof of the Great Mosque.

Haram Sharif.

Tawaf 2009.

Golden doors of the Kaaba.

Black stone in the Kaaba.

The Hajj marks three very important events in the history of Islam: the forgiveness and reunification of Adam and Havva (Eve) after their expulsion from Paradise, the sacrifice of the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) of his son Ismail and the life of the Prophet Muhammad as an example of humility and obedience to the Almighty.

The main thing that Hajj gives to believers is the contentment of Almighty Allah, as well as love and understanding between Muslims who come from all over the world. In fact, the Hajj, which is a manifestation of the infinite mercy of Allah, takes place in a blessed, unforgettable environment and the brotherhood of Muslims, united by a common feeling of deep intoxication of faith. There, many people who come from different countries, speaking different languages, having different skin colors, differing in their customs and traditions, find excellent unity near the Kaaba. Love and a sense of faith, prevailing in the hearts, overcome all external differences and, uniting Muslims, unite their hearts as if into one common heart. In the peace and joy of the unity of hearts, a beautiful religious brotherhood arises.

Therefore, the Hajj is not only one of the pillars of Islam, but also a worship that strengthens the moral, social and political aspects of this religion.

Pilgrimage (hajj) is one of the pillars of Islam. This is a set of special religious rites performed by Muslims in a certain place.

The place of pilgrimage is Mecca, as well as its surrounding territories, where some Islamic shrines are located. As a rule, the months of Shawwal, Zul-Qaida and Zul-Hijja serve as the time of commission, while there are some disagreements regarding the latter among Muslim theologians. Some scholars argue that the entire month of Dhul-Hijjah is included in the number of months in which it is allowed to make a pilgrimage. Others believe that the Hajj is allowed only on the first ten days of a given month.

Hajj, being one of the pillars of the Islamic religion, is one of the direct obligations of Muslims to their Lord, and believers must perform it at least once in their lives. In the hadiths, one can find the following order of the Mercy of the worlds of Muhammad (s.g.v.): “Verily, the Almighty has charged you with the obligation to perform the hajj ...” (hadith from Ahmad).

However, not all people should go on a pilgrimage to Holy Mecca.

Conditions for obligatory Hajj

1. Practice Islam: Hajj is obligatory only for Muslims.

2. Age of majority: pilgrimage should be performed only by adults (from the Islamic point of view), i.e. reached puberty. It is not required for children.

3. Mental capacity: the person must be of sound mind.

4. Personal freedom: the believer must have freedom, that is, not be a slave.

5. Availability of the opportunity to commit: in this case, as a rule, it is understood as a material opportunity for making a pilgrimage, since a trip to Mecca and living there for about a month requires considerable funds, which for some believers are unbearable. However, there are other restrictions that apply in certain situations.

It should be noted that a believer can make a pilgrimage not only for himself, but also for his other relatives and friends who, for one reason or another, could not do this. But at the same time, a Muslim must first perform the Hajj for himself, and later on for other people.

Ritual actions of the Hajj

Hajj consists of ten main ritual rites performed by believers. All of them are divided into pillars, the fulfillment of which is strictly obligatory, into necessary actions (wajib) and desirable (sunnah). However, different theological schools consider the obligation of certain actions in different ways.

1) Ihram. First, the believer enters the state of ihram, that is, the Muslim puts on a special attire, says aloud or to himself the intention to perform the Hajj, prays two rak'ahs and says the talbiyah:

لَبَّيْكَ اللّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنّ الحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالملكَ، لا شَرِيكَ لَكَ

Transcription: “Lyabyaikya, Allahumma, lyabyaikya, lyabyaikya la shyarikya la-kya, labyaikya; innyal-hyamdya, wa-nnigmyata lakya wal-mulkya, la shyarikya la-kya!

Translation: “Here I am in front of you, O Allah, You have no partner, here I am in front of You; Truly, praise is Yours, and mercy belongs to You and dominion, You have no partner!

2) Entrance to Mecca from a certain side, as well as entrance to the Forbidden Mosque through a special gate.

3) Making the first 7-fold circuit around .

4) Ritual movement between two hills - Safa and Marwa (on the picture).

5) Standing on Mount Arafat.

6) Stay in the Mudzalifa valley.

7) Stoning of Satan in the valley of Mina.

8) Shaving or cutting hair on the head.

10) Final detour around the Kaaba.

All Muslim theological schools attribute two rites to the pillars of the Hajj: circumambulation around the Kaaba and ritual standing on Mount Arafat. A number of madhhabs refer to the pillars of the pilgrimage and others of the above rites. Moreover, if a believer does not observe at least one of the pillars during the pilgrimage, his Hajj is not valid. If the believer missed any necessary (wajib) rite, then he should make a sacrifice in return. In case of abandoning the desired actions, the Muslim only loses part of the reward.

Some hajjis, in addition to Mecca, also visit the second Islamic shrine located on the Arabian Peninsula - the Prophet's Mosque (SGV) in Medina.

Virtues of Hajj

Hajj brings many blessings for believers both in the earthly world and in the eternal world.

1. Hajj - the path to Paradise

In one of the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) it is said: “There is no other reward for the accepted Hajj, except for Paradise” (Bukhari).

2. Hajj erases sins

The Messenger of Allah (s.g.v.) explained: “ The one who performs the Hajj and does not swear and sin will return home clean from sins, as on the day his mother gave birth to him.(Bukhari and Muslim).

3. During the pilgrimage, the prayers of the believer are accepted

There is a statement by the Grace of the worlds of Muhammad (s.g.v.): “Those who perform the hajj and die are representatives before the Almighty. If they call on Him, He answers them, if they seek His forgiveness, He forgives them” (hadith from Ibn Maji).

4. In the Hajj, the believer is able to receive many rewards.

A believer during the performance of pilgrimage rituals and other good deeds is able to receive considerable rewards from the Lord. For example, praying in the Forbidden Mosque (Masjid al-Haram), located in Mecca, where one prayer is a hundred thousand times better than prayer in an ordinary mosque.

5. Hajj unites Muslims

Pilgrimage serves as a means of uniting believers in one Ummah, since millions of brothers and sisters of faith from different parts of the world gather in Mecca every year. The pilgrimage is made by representatives of different regions, states and continents, having different social status and level of financial wealth. On the days of the Hajj, they all become equal, as they put on the same clothes and do the same thing, which, in turn, erases any boundaries between Muslims that take place in everyday life.

6. Contributes to the moral and moral enrichment of a person

In the Hajj, believers are zealous in worship and strive to refrain from committing all sinful things, which has a positive effect on the inner world of a person.

7. Leads to cultural enrichment

During the Hajj and visiting shrines, the believer can better get acquainted with the culture and history of Islam directly in the places of origin of the religion of Allah and see with his own eyes some places of worship that he could previously only see in drawings, photographs or videos.