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Hajji (Arabic:الحجّي; sometimes spelledHajjeh,Hadji,Haji,Alhaji, Al-HadjListenⓘ ,Al-Haj orEl-Hajj) is an honorific title which is given to aMuslim who has successfully completed theHajj toMecca.
Hajji is derived from the Arabicḥājj (حجّ), which is the active participle of the verbḥajja ('to make the pilgrimage';حَجَّ). The alternative formḥajjī is derived from the name of the Hajj with the adjectival suffix -ī (ـی), and this was the form adopted by non-Arabic languages.[citation needed]
Hajji and its variant spellings are used as honorific titles for Muslims who have successfully completed theHajj toMecca.[1]
InArab countries,ḥājj andḥājjah (pronunciation varies byArabic dialect) is a commonly used manner of addressing any older person respectfully if they have performed the pilgrimage. It is often used to refer to an elder, since it can take years to accumulate the wealth to fund the travel (particularly before commercial air travel), and in many Muslim societies to a respected man as an honorific title. The title is prefixed to a person's name; for example, Saif Gani becomes "Hajji Saif Gani".[citation needed]
Insub-Saharan Africa, especiallyNigeria, the titlesAlhaji (male) andAlhaja (female) are given to those who have performed the pilgrimage. Civil rights activistAisha Yesufu, for instance, has often been referred to as "Alhaja Aisha Yesufu".[2]
InMalay-speaking countries,Haji andHajah are titles given to Muslim males and females respectively who have performed the pilgrimage. These are abbreviated asHj. andHjh. (in Indonesian, it isH. andHj.)[citation needed]
InIran, the honorific titleHāj (حاج) is sometimes used forIRGC commanders, instead of the titleSardar ('General'), such as forQasem Soleimani.[citation needed]
The term was borrowed inBalkan Christian countries formerly underOttoman rule (Bulgaria,Serbia,Greece,Montenegro,North Macedonia andRomania), and are used for Christians who have travelled toJerusalem and theHoly Land.[3] In some areas the title has been fossilised as afamily name, for example in the surnames common amongBosniaks such asHadžić,Hadžiosmanović ('son of Hajji Osman') etc.[citation needed]
InCyprus, the title is so prevalent that it has also been permanently integrated into someGreek Christian surnames, such asHajiioannou. This is due to Cyprus's long history of Christian and Muslim influence.[citation needed]
The title has also been used in some Jewish communities to honor those who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem or other holy sites in Israel.[4][failed verification]
In the 21st century,American soldiers began using the termHaji asslang for Iraqis, Afghans, orArab people in general. It is used in the way "gook" or "Charlie" was used by U.S military personnel during theVietnam War.[5][6][7][8]
