What is Hajj?:
Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. If you can afford Hajj, then it is compulsory to go. If you can't afford it, then it's fine to not go. Hajj takes place in the last month of the Lunar calendar, Dhul Hijjah. Hajj is in Makkah. Every year, about 2.5 million people go for Hajj. There are 3 types of Hajj: Hajj Tamattu, Hajj Ifrad, Hajj Qiraan. I will tell you about Hajj Tamattu. Usually, when you go on Hajj, you have a travel guide. They pay for your flight, hotel, food, Hajj and everything. You travel with a group.
Steps of Hajj (Hajj Tamattu) and how to perform them:
Ihram:
In Ihram, people are to enter into a state of holiness – known as Ihram– that consists of wearing two white seamless cloths for the male, with one wrapped around the waist reaching below the knee and the other draped over the left shoulder and tied at the right side; wearing ordinary dress for the female that fulfills the Islamic condition of public dress with hands and face uncovered The Ihram is meant to show equality of all pilgrims in front of God, with no difference between the rich and the poor.
Tawaf:
The ritual of Tawaf involves walking seven times counterclockwise around the Kaaba. Upon arriving at Al-Masjid Al-Ḥarām (Arabic:المَسجِد الحَرَام, The Sacred Mosque), pilgrims perform an arrival tawaf either as part of Umrah or as a welcome tawaf. During Tawaf, pilgrims also include Hateem – an area at the north side of the Kaaba – inside their path. Each circuit starts with the kissing or touching of the Black Stone (Hajar al- Aswad). ]If kissing or touching the stone is not possible because of crowds, pilgrims may simply point towards the stone with their hand on each circuit. Eating is not permitted but the drinking of water is permitted and encouraged, because of the risk of dehydration. The completion of Tawaf is followed by two Rakaat prayers at the Place of Abraham (Muqam Ibrahim), a site near the Kaaba inside the mosque. However, again because of large crowds during the days of Hajj, they may instead pray anywhere in the mosque. After prayer, pilgrims also drink water from the Zamzam well, which is made available in coolers throughout the Mosque.
Mina:
After the morning prayer on the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah, the pilgrims proceed to Mina where they spend the whole day and offer noon (Note: On Friday, Friday prayer is offered, instead of Dhuhr Prayer, at Mina), afternoon, evening and night prayers. The next morning after morning prayer, they leave Mina to go to Arafat.
Arafat:
On 9th Dhu al-Hijjah before noon, pilgrims arrive at Arafat, a barren and plain land some 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Mecca, where they offer supplications, repent on and atone for their past sins, and seek mercy of God, and listen to sermon from the Islamic scholars who deliver it from near Jabal al-Rahmah The Mount of Mercy from where Muhammad is said to have delivered his last sermon. Lasting from noon through sunset, this is known as 'standing before God' (or Wuquf), one of the most significant rites of Hajj. At Masjid al-Namirah, pilgrims offer noon and afternoon prayers together at noon time. A pilgrim's Hajj is considered invalid if they do not spend the afternoon on Arafat.
Muzdalifah:
Pilgrims must leave Arafat for Muzdalifah after sunset without praying Maghrib (sunset prayer) at Arafat. Muzdalifah is an area between Arafat and Mina. Upon reaching there, pilgrims perform Maghrib and Isha prayer jointly, spend the night praying and sleeping on the ground with open sky, and gather pebbles for the next day's ritual of the stoning of Shaytaan.
Ramy al-Jamarat
Back at Mina, the pilgrims perform symbolic stoning of the devil (Ramy al-Jamarat) by throwing seven stones from sunrise to sunset at only the largest of the three pillars, known as Jamrat al-Aqabah. The remaining two pillars (Jamarah) are not stoned on this day. These pillars are said to represent Satan. Pilgrims climb ramps to the multi-levelled Jamaraat Bridge, from which they can throw their pebbles at the jamarat. Because of safety reasons, in 2004 the pillars were replaced by long walls, with catch basins below to collect the pebbles.
Animal sacrifice
After the casting of stones, animals are slaughtered to commemorate the story of Ibrahim and Ismael. Traditionally the pilgrims slaughtered the animal themselves, or oversaw the slaughtering. Today many pilgrims buy a sacrifice voucher in Mecca before the greater Hajj begins, which allows an animal to be slaughtered in the name of God (Allah) on the 10th, without the pilgrim being physically present. It's then sent as charity to poor people around the world. At the same time as the sacrifices occur at Mecca, Muslims worldwide perform similar sacrifices, in a three-day global festival called Eid al-Adha.
Hair removal
After sacrificing an animal, another important rite of Hajj is shaving head or trimming hair (known as Halak). All male pilgrims shave their head or trim their hair on the day of Eid al Adha and women pilgrims cut the tips of their hair.
Tawaf Ziyarat
Pilgrims performing Tawaf around the Kaaba
On the same or the following day, the pilgrims re-visit the Sacred Mosque in Mecca for another tawaf, known as Tawaf al-Ifadah, an essential part of Hajj. It symbolizes being in a hurry to respond to God and show love for Him, an obligatory part of the Hajj. The night of the 10th is spent back at Mina.
Fourth day: 11th Dhu al-Hijjah
Starting from noon to sunset on the 11 Dhu al-Hijjah (and again the following day), the pilgrims again throw seven pebbles at each of the three pillars in Mina. This is commonly known as the "Stoning of the Devil".
Fifth day: 12th Dhu al-Hijjah
On 12 Dhu al-Hijjah, the same process of stoning of the pillars as of 11 Dhu al-Hijjah takes place. Pilgrims may leave Mina for Mecca before sunset on the 12th.
Last day at Mina: 13th Dhu al-Hijjah
If unable to leave on the 12th before sunset or opt to stay longer, they must perform the stoning ritual again on the 13th before returning to Mecca.
Tawaf al-Wadaa
Finally, before leaving Mecca, pilgrims perform a farewell tawaf called the Tawaf al-Wadaa. 'Wadaa' means 'to bid farewell'. The pilgrims circle the Kaaba seven times counter-clockwise, and if they can, attempt to touch or kiss the Kaaba.
Journey to Medina
Though not a part of Hajj, pilgrims may choose to travel to the city of Medina (approximately 450 kilometres (280 mi) to the northeast) and the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet), which contains Muhammad's tomb. The Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Qiblatain are also usually visited.
So that is a bit about Hajj. Inshallah, I will tell you more about why Hajj is important soon. Asalamalikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
Luqman, Why Islam