Hajj – Summarised Steps – Way of the Sunnah 2018
Hajj – Summarised Steps – Way of the Sunnah 2018
A. On the noon or earlier, of Dhul Hijjah, enter into Ihram at your place and take Ghusl (total washing of body), if it is possible, and put on the clothes of Ihram and repeat the Talbiyah.
(Labaik Allahumma Labaik, labaika La Sharika laka Labaik – Inna al-Hamda wa nimata laka wal mulk, la sharika laka labaik.)
[At Your Service O God, at your service. At your service, there is not partner to You, at your service. Verily all Praise, and all Bounty belongs to You, as does the Kingdom. There is no partner to You, at your service.]
B. Set out and stay in Mina to pray Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr prayers. Every prayer of four (4) to be shortened to two (2) rakats only.
C. At Arafah, perform Zuhr and Asr prayers in combination as for Travellers; each prayer shortened to two (2) rakats. Stay there until sunset and ask for Forgiveness and Allah Almighty’s (God) Mercy as much as you can facing Qibla.
AFP PHOTO/MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH
D. When the sun sets, march from Arafah to Muzdalifah. Once at Muzdalifah you should pray Maghrib, Isha and Fajr prayers. Stay there until sunrise and implore Allah Almighty (God) as much as you can. If you are weak and cannot walk and mingle with the crowd, you may go to Mina at late night. However, the forty-nine (49) stones must be collected by you or by someone on your behalf.
E. When the sun is about to rise, walk from Muzdalifah to Mina, when you arrive at Mina do the following:
(i) Stone Jamarat al-Aqabah which is the Stoning Site located nearest to Makkah. You have to throw seven (7) stones, one by one, affirming Takbir Allahu Akbar at every throw and say ” Raghman li-sh’Shaytan ridan li r-Rahman – 3 times, Bismillah Allahu Akbar ”
[In opposition to Satan, seeking God’s pleasure and satisfaction; God is Greater!]
(ii) Slaughter a sacrificial animal, eat from its meat and distribute the rest to the poor. The slaughtering of an animal is obligatory on one doing Hajj Tamattu or Hajj Qiran (combined Umrah and Hajj).
(iii) Shave or shorten the hair of your head. Shaving is recommended for men. Ladies should shorten their hair by a fingertiplength.
(iv) The order of the three (3) above mentioned acts; throwing of stones, slaughtering of an animal and shortening/shaving of the hair can be interchanged and there is no harm in changing the order. After the completion of the 3 Acts, you can put your normal clothes on and do all the acts prohibited during Hajj with the exception of sexual intercourse.
F. Then go to Makkah with the Intention of making Tawaf al-Ifadah (Tawaf al-Hajj) and to perform Sa’i (to run/make an effort-in commemoration of Haajar’s (RA) struggle to search for water) between mounts Safaa and Marwaa.
When reaching Safaa one should recite ” Innas-Safaa wal-Marwata min Sha’a-airil-laah.” [Verily as-Safaa and al-Marwah are among the shrines of Allah.-2:158]
One should then climb the hill and say: لا إله إلا الله والله أكبر Laa ilaaha il-lal-laah wal-laahu akbar (There is no God but Allah and He is the Greatest.) لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له Laa ilaah il-lal-laahu wah-dahu laa shareeka lah. (There is nothing worthy of worship but Allah, who is without partner.) له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير Lahul-mulk walahul-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadeer. (His is the kingdom, all praise is due to Him and He is able to do all things.) لا إله إلا الله وحده Laa ilaaha il-lal-laahu wah-dah. (There is nothing worthy of worship but Allah alone.) أنجز وعده ونصر عبده وهزم الأحزاب وحده anjaza wa’dah, wa nasara ‘abdah, wa hazamal-Ahzaaba wah-dah. (He has fulfilled his promise, helped His servant and defeated the clans (of disbelievers) all by Himself).”
It was the Holy Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) practice to repeat this Du’aa three (3) times. Then the pilgrim should make his or her own private Du’aa before descending Mount Safaa and heading for Marwah.
One should walk between Safaa and Marwah 7 times, and say the previously mentioned Du’aas at the top of each hill. The Sa’yi begins with Safaa and ends with Marwah.
[There are two green pillars indicating the bottom of the valley between the two hills of Safaa and Marwah. It was the practice of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to run over that distance. This running is only slightly faster than the fast walk known as Ramal, which is done in the first three circuits of Tawaaf. It is preferable that the Muhrim be in a state of Tahaarah while making Sa’yi, but it is permissible to do so without it.]
G. When you reach Makkah, perform circumambulation of the Kabaa (Tawaf) seven (7) times starting from the corner of Hajaru l’Aswad (the Black Stone) and finishing by it. One then prays two (2) rakats behind Maqam Sayydina Ibrahim (AS) if possible, or pray with that Intention also if not behind the Maqam.
H. After the two (2) rakats prayer, go to the hillcock of Safaa to perform Sa’i seven (7) times, starting at Safaa and ending at Marwaa.
I. After completion of Tawaf and Sa’i, go back to Mina in order to spend two (2) nights of 11th ad 12th of Dhul Hijjah. By completion of Tawaf al-Ifadah, every prohibited act for the pilgrim during the Hajj now becomes lawful including sexual intercourse.
J. On the days of 11th and 12th Dhul Hijjah, after the sun declines, throw the stones at the three (3) Stoning Sites (Jamarahs). Start from the furthest from Makkah and then the middle one and finally Jamarat al-Aqabah. Throw seven (7) stones are each Stoning Site saying the Takbir when the stone is thrown. After throwing stones at the first and middle Jamarahs – implore to Allah Almighty (God) facing Qiblah;
it is OBLIGATORY to throw these stones on the days of 11th and 12th Dhul Hijjah be AFTER NOON (zawal).
K. When you complete throwing the stones on the 12th Dhul Hijjah, you mya go out to Mina before sunset. If you want to delay going out it is better to spend the 13th Dhul Hijjah at Mina, and repeat throwing the stones at the Three Stoning Sites, after the sun reaches its noon peak as before.
L. If you want to go back home, you have to perform a Farewell Circumambulation (Tawaf al-Wida)(Seven turns around the Kabaa starting from the Black Stone and finishing at it). There s no Tawaf al-Wida enjoined on a woman in post-partum state or in their menses.
Click here to be read Preparation for Hajj if you missed the previous post.
