الْحَجّ
The Pilgrimage (Hajj)
5th pillar of Islam — spiritual journey to Mecca
Quranic Evidence
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ
"Pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to Allah by those able to make the journey. As for whoever disbelieves — Allah is free of need from all the worlds."
وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ
"And proclaim among the people the pilgrimage — they will come on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every distant pass."
Hadiths on Reward
الْعُمْرَةُ إِلَى الْعُمْرَةِ كَفَّارَةٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَالْحَجُّ الْمَبْرُورُ لَيْسَ لَهُ جَزَاءٌ إِلَّا الْجَنَّةُ
"An Umra to an Umra is expiation for what happened between them, and the Hajj Mabrur has no reward except Paradise."
Narrator : Abu Hurayra (رضي الله عنه)
مَنْ حَجَّ لِلَّهِ فَلَمْ يَرْفُثْ وَلَمْ يَفْسُقْ رَجَعَ كَيَوْمِ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ
"Whoever performs Hajj for Allah without obscenity or disobedience returns (pure) as on the day his mother bore him."
Narrator : Abu Hurayra (رضي الله عنه)
🔊 The Talbiyah
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ
"Here I am O Allah, here I am! Here I am, You have no partner, here I am! Praise, grace and sovereignty belong to You — You have no partner."
Source : Bukhârî n°1549 — Sahîh
The 9 Steps of Hajj
✅ Criteria for Hajj Mabrur (scholars)
✓Perform each rite as the Prophet ﷺ did (Sunnah)
✓Finance the journey with lawful money (Halal)
✓Refrain from all obscenity and dispute during Hajj
✓Return with a sincere resolution of repentance (tawba)
🕋 Hajj Mabrûr
"The sign of a Hajj Mabrur is that the pilgrim returns better than when he left." — Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali. Every year, more than 2 million Muslims gather at Arafat on the 9th of Dhul-Hijja — the largest annual human gathering on Earth.
الْعُمْرَة
The 'Umra (Minor Pilgrimage)
Non-obligatory pilgrimage (Sunnah Muʾakkada) — can be performed at any time of year outside the Hajj season.
الْعُمْرَةُ إِلَى الْعُمْرَةِ كَفَّارَةٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُمَا
"An 'Umra to an 'Umra is an expiation for what happened between them."
Source : Bukhârî n°1773 · Muslim n°1349
The 4 Pillars of 'Umra
Ihrâm
الإِحْرَام
Sacred state + Niyya at the Mîqât
Tawâf
الطَّوَاف
7 circles around the Ka'ba
Sa'y
السَّعْي
7 back-and-forths Safa ↔ Marwa
Halq / Taqsîr
الْحَلْق
Shaving or trimming the hair
🗺️ Mawâqît — Sacred Boundaries
🤲 Key Invocations of 'Umra
Intention at the Mîqât
اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ عُمْرَةً
"O Allah, here I am for the 'Umra."
Talbiyah (repeated from Mîqât to Tawâf)
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ
"Here I am O Allah, here I am! Here I am, You have no partner, here I am!"
At the start of Tawâf
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
"In the name of Allah, Allah is the Greatest."
Between Safa and Marwa
إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ
Al-Baqara 2:158 — "Indeed, Safa and Marwa are among the symbols of Allah."
⚖️ Hajj vs 'Umra — key differences
🕋 Hajj: obligatory once in a lifetime (if able). 'Umra: Sunnah Muʾakkada.
📅 Hajj: only in Dhul-Hijja (8–13). 'Umra: any time of year except Hajj days.
⛺ Hajj includes: Wuquf at Arafat, overnight at Muzdalifa, stoning, sacrifice. 'Umra does not.
⏱️ 'Umra lasts a few hours. Hajj lasts 5 to 6 days.