Hajj in 12 steps – Muslim pilgrimage

Hajj (hajj) is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is only mandatory for people who have the ability to travel, good health and have the finances for such a trip.

Muslim scholars differ on a number of details of the Muslim pilgrimage, we will resume here an opinion for information only. When you prepare your hajj you will have to get closer to the travel agency which offers coaching in order to best prepare this 5th pillar of Islam.


How to do the hajj?

We can summarize the stages of the Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) in 12 points:

  1. The Ihram (beginning of the hajj and entry into sacredness)
  2. The tawaf (The Umrah of the Hajj): Turn around the Kaaba (7 Dhul hijja)
  3. The Sa’ii: make 7 round trips between Safa and Marwa (7 Dhou Al-Hijja)
  4. Spend the night in Mina and enter the state of Ihram (8 Dhou Al-Hijja)
  5. Go to Arafa (9 Dhou Al-Hijja) and spend the day there: the day ends at sunset
  6. Spend the night in Muzdalifah
  7. Return to Mina to stone the great stele. (10 Dhou Al-Hijja)
  8. Sacrifice the sheep (10 Dhou Al-Hijja)
  9. To cut one’s hair (Tahaloul)
  10. Return to Makkah and do Tawaf Al-Ifadha there
  11. Return to Mina to stone the three stelae there (11, 12 and 13 Dhou Al-Hijja)
  12. Perform Farewell Tawaf in Makkah

Hajj trip to Makkah

To travel to Mecca you need a special visa. In general, pilgrims go through approved travel agencies. If you are traveling with children, here are some rules to follow:

Make sure the child is secure by placing a bracelet around their wrist showing their personal details and their father’s phone.


Make sure the child completes basic vaccinations before traveling with their family to Makkah and Madinah.
Take care of his food, drinks and personal hygiene.


Seek prompt medical attention when any of these troubling health conditions arise, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and elevated body temperature. There is always a doctor in the accompanying group.
It is best not to circumambulate (Tawaf) during the heat and crowds, so that children are not exposed to sunburn, risking falling or being lost.


When to do Hajj, Hajj 2022?

The Hajj of the year 2022 will begin on July 07, 2022 and will end on July 13, 2022.

The pilgrimage must take place during the month of Dhu al Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. The rites of Hajj are performed from the 8th to the 12th of Dhu al Hijjah.
As the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar year, the date changes in the Gregorian calendar every year and is 10 to 11 days earlier than the previous year, as is the case with the month of Ramadan.

Who Should Do Hajj?


It is obligatory for Muslim adults to participate in Hajj at least once in their lifetime. They must be of sound mind, physically and financially able to undertake the journey. It is no longer mandatory if there is a physical or financial incapacity.

How many people participate in Haj?


Every year, around 2-3 million people from all over the world gather in Makkah for the Haj. It is the largest gathering of people on the planet.

Since the COVID19 crisis, the pilgrimage is only authorized for locals while respecting barrier gestures. For Hajj 2021, it would be possible to do this if you are vaccinated or young (under 60).

The History of Haj


The rites performed at Hajj today were established by the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and they have their roots in the Ibrahimic tradition.

This is the Zamzam well in the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. Pilgrims visit the well while performing the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimage to drink its water.

What is the difference between Hajj and Umrah?


Pilgrims can travel to Mecca to perform part of the rituals at any other time of the year. This pilgrimage is known as Umrah, and unlike Hajj which takes place on fixed Islamic dates, Umrah can be done throughout the year.

Umrah is very popular during the month of Ramadan, because it is equivalent to this period of the Islamic calendar to a Haj.