TheHajj ("pilgrimage") is an annualIslamicpilgrimage toMecca, the most holy city of the Muslims. It is a Fard, a religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adultMuslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and can support their family during their absence.[1][2][3] It is one of thefive pillars of Islam, alongsideShahadah,Salat,Zakat, andSawm. The Hajj is the largest annual gathering of people in the world.[4][5] The state of being physically and financially capable of performing the Hajj is calledistita'ah, and a Muslim who fulfills this condition is called amustati. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (Allah).[6][7] The word Hajj means "to intend a journey", which connotes both the outward act of a journey and the inward act of intentions.[8]
The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th (or in some cases 13th[9]) ofDhu al-Hijjah, the last month of theIslamic calendar. Because the Islamic calendar islunar and the Islamic year is about eleven days shorter than theGregorian year, the Gregorian date of Hajj changes from year to year.Ihram is the name given to the special spiritual state in which pilgrims wear two white sheets of seamless cloth and abstain from certain actions.[6][10][11]
The Hajj is associated with the life ofIslamic prophetMuhammad from the 7th century, but the ritual of pilgrimage toMecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time ofAbraham. During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who all go to Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals: each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around theKa'aba (the cube-shaped building and thedirection of prayer for the Muslims), runs back and forth between the hills ofAl-Safa and Al-Marwah, drinks from theZamzam Well, goes to the plains ofMount Arafat to stand in vigil, spends a night in the plain ofMuzdalifa, and performs symbolicstoning of the devil by throwing stones at three pillars. The pilgrims then shave their heads, perform a ritual of animal sacrifice, and celebrate the three-day global festival ofEid al-Adha.[12][13][14][15]
Pilgrims can also go to Mecca to perform the rituals at other times of the year. This is sometimes called the "lesser pilgrimage", orUmrah.[16] However, even if they choose to perform the Umrah, they are still obligated to perform the Hajj at some other point in their lifetime if they have the means to do so, because Umrah is not a substitute for Hajj.[17]
Saudi Arabia's economy greatly benefits from Hajj tourism and has invested in hotel businesses as well as infrastructure to accommodate and profit from Hajj and Ummrah tourism.[18]
