Before leaving Makkah, pilgrims, now referred to as Hajjis, shed their white or black robes and don their finest clothes. Makkah becomes a kaleidoscope of colour as pilgrims perform a final, farewell Tawaf known as Tawaf Al Ifadha where they circumambulate the Kaaba one last time.
This step is mandatory but pilgrims have up until the end of Dhu Al Hijjah to perform it. Before setting off for Hajj, Muslims must first purify and declare their Niyyah, or intention, to God. Their Niyyah for Hajj should be sincere and for the sake of Allah only, not other worldly matters. Pilgrims must also enter what is known as a state of Ihram, whereby they prepare their bodies and mind for the rituals ahead. This requires them to recite an intention and adhere to a certain dress code.
Stripping yourself of anything that could indicate your social standing is key to Hajj. While performing pilgrimage everybody, regardless of their financial of social status, is seen as equal in God's eyes.
It is for this reason that a simple wardrobe has been prescribed to Muslims during this time. Men must wear two sets of white sheets, symbolising purity, that do not contain stitches and have no seams.
These sheets must be worn when they are in a state of Ihram while performing the Hajj rituals. Women must wear simple, long, modest dresses or abayas. Pilgrims should not be scented, perfumed or use any cosmetics while in the state of Ihram. A good pair of slippers are key to a comfortable Hajj, as is a fan during the years when Hajj falls over the summer. Ihram is a sacred state which Muslims must enter before performing Hajj or Umrah, the minor pilgrimage that takes place at any time throughout the year that is not during Hajj.
A pilgrim must enter this state by performing the cleansing rituals and wearing the previously described attire. While in a state of Ihram, there are some acts that are forbidden to pilgrims. Those who wish to perform Hajj must first apply for a Hajj visa. The application form is available at any Saudi consulate. But it is recommended to go through a licensed travel agent, who will arrange a visa, as well as travel and accommodation. The travel agent will send your application form to the Saudi consulate.
A list of Ministry of Hajj-approved travel agents can be found here. If applying from the UAE, it is advisable to book in advance because Saudi Arabia sets a quota of pilgrims for each country. Details and requirements for how to apply for Hajj and Umrah can be found here. An aerial view of Mount Arafat, where thousands of Muslim worshippers gather during the Hajj pilgrimage. The Ministry of Interior uses tens of thousands of security personnel in Makkah and Madinah to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.
Before the Hajj, Saudi Arabia's security forces hold the annual military parade in Makkah, with soldiers marching and performing elaborate exercises to display their ability to ensure the safety of the pilgrimage.
With two million people all expected to be carrying out the same rituals, crowd management is essential to stop people from being stuck in massive crowds or even trampled. For many years now, Saudi Arabia has used a variety of technologies to manage crowds. This room is filled with giant screens that show the movements of pilgrims, filmed by thousands of strategically placed cameras.
Highly trained medical staff and security officers are positioned across the entire Hajj area so they can spring into action if needed. They also share any and all developments they see with the control room. When certain areas are at capacity, officers on the ground are immediately notified and begin to redirect worshippers.
The bridge leading to Jamrat Al Aqabah was one of the deadliest places in the Hajj due to stampedes until the Saudi government built a new bridge with five floors. One of the floors is dedicated to disabled pilgrims but the rest are used to spread out traffic and are closely monitored by the Crowd Management Operation Room.
In , the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah launched the "Smart Hajj" initiative, providing pilgrims with smartphone apps to help them through the pilgrimage. Was this answer helpful? No Yes. Password should contain small, capital letter and at least 8 characters long. Log in Create an account. Can't log in to your account? If you do not have an account, you can click the button below to create one.
If you have an account, log in. Create new account Log in. English en. Indonesian id. When was Hajj made obligatory? Publication : In February, Saudi Arabia banned foreign pilgrims from entering the country. For this reason, Turkey also swiftly restricted public gatherings and international travel. These measures show that a concern for health and safety has taken priority over rituals.
This was the right decision given the current public health crisis. The solution to these problems is to implement a collective management structure for the hajj. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation OIC , in collaboration with Muslim minorities and communities, can play a bigger role in regulating and managing the hajj.
A symbol of Muslim unity, the hajj is a collective right for all Muslims. The decision making and management of this religious site should be a collective responsibility for all Muslims. The hajj is an obligation for all Muslims who are physically and financially capable.
In addition to the specific location of Mecca, the hajj should be experienced in a prescribed manner over six days in Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and last month of the Islamic calendar. Around , pilgrims made the journey in the early s, but this number grew rapidly with the increase of the worldwide Muslim population and the ease of air travel.
In the s, Saudi Arabia capped the number by imposing a quota system, pegging the number of pilgrims from each country to its Muslim population. Since the s, the number of pilgrims has fluctuated around 2. Due to this quota system, aspiring pilgrims wait for years or decades to perform the hajj. Some states instituted a lottery system to determine prospective pilgrims.
Many end up performing this physically demanding ritual when they are very old, assuming that they live long enough to be selected.
Second, the hajj decision making system is fundamentally politicized. The wisdom of the Saudi decision this year should not prevent us from seeing the faults in the process: it was a Saudi decision for all Muslims. While all Islamic rituals, such as fasting, combine individual and communal aspects, the communal aspect is the dominant feature of the hajj.
Saudi control over these religious sites is grounded in international law and sovereignty; not in Islamic theology.
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