Learn about how to perform hajj, & what is the value of hajj in Islam. Hajj (pilgrimage) is a well-known & one of religious duty or practice of Islam throughout the world. Millions of Muslims from all over the world travel to Mecca to perform hajj at least one time in their life.

Muslim believes that hajj is obligatory on every adult Muslim male or female, with the exception of any illness or financial probelms. In other words, Hajj is not obligatory on someone if he/she is physically or financially incapable of making the trip to Mecca; as by the teachings of Quran and the Sunnah.

The obligatory status of hajj is proved by the following quranic verses,

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allaah], then Allaah stands not in need of any of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:97).

We have given step by step guide to perform Hajj pilgrimage which are extracted from Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet S.A.W.W as given below.

Step by Step Guide

1.      Preparations for Ihram
Comb your hair, shape the beard, trim your mustache, cut your nails, and remove unwanted body hair is the 1^st step if you are going to perform the Hajj.

2.      Purification
2ndly, you have to take a bath with the intention of Ihram, if ghusal is not required then do wudu. Here it is noted that there are two ways of purification i.e. ghusal or wudu both are compulsory with respect to situation. After this, pray to Allah to vanish your sins you committed or not committed.

3.      Ihram Sheets
Wearing Ihram Sheets is the 3^rd step to perform Hajj, however, in this regard, men and women are guided differently with respect to their nature.

• Men should wear a sheet of white cloth around the waist and cover the upper body with the other sheet.

• Where Women's should wear ordinary clothes as this are their Ihram. Both should wear the flip-flops (hawai chappal) so that the middle bones of the upper part of the feet are not covered. Women should not cover their faces.

4.      Nafl Salah
If it is not makruh time, offer two rakahs of nafl for Ihram with covering the heads.

5.      Advice
If going to Jeddah by an airplane, it is convenient to get into the status of Ihram inside the plane. Here is what you do. Do everything at home or at the airport except Niyyah (intention) and Talbiyah. Have your shower, pray two rakahs of nafl but you are still not in the status of ihram because you haven't done the main thing yet, i.e., intention and Talbiyah which is done at or before the boundary line called Miqat.
 
Go to the airplane and sit down with the white sheets on. In a Hajj flight when you are close to Miqat, the pilot will announce that this is the border line to make your intention and to say Talbiyah. Those who did not change their clothes before should do so now although it is not convenient inside the plane

However, if you are flying with a group, follow the instructions of the group leader.
 
6.      Intention and Talbiyah
Now uncover your head and declare your intention (Niyyah). It is assumed that you are performing Hajj al-Tammat'u in which Umrah is performed first as we will explain and describe this issue later in our article "the Kinds of Hajj".
 
7.      Du’aa
"O Allah! I intend to perform Umrah. Please make it easy for me and accept it from me. Amen."
After this recite, Darood Sharif and supplicate to Allah Almighty any du'aa in Arabic or in your own language should be recited.

8.      Prohibitions of Ihram
After intention and Talbiyah, you are in the status of Ihram and from this time on you should not do acts that are forbidden in Ihram, some of the major are given below, the acts which are not allowed after wearing Ihram.

• Covering the head for men and covering the faces for women is not allowed.

• Cover the middle bone of the upper part of the feet (Both men and women) not allowed

• Shave or cutting the hair is forbidden

• Cut nails is forbidden

• Wearing perfume is also forbidden

• Wear stitched clothing (men) / (Women can wear their ordinary clothes)

• Hunting / killing anything even insects

• Sex

These are the acts from which some of them in usual life are allowed, however, after wearing Ihram for hajj, none of them is allowed but prohibited and forbidden i.e. Haram.

1.      Finally, recite Talbiyah as,

"Labbayk,
Allahumma Labbayk.
Labbayk.
La shareeka laka.
Labbayk.
Innal-hamda wan-n'imata
laka wal-mulk.
La shareeka lak.
 
In English:

Here we come,
O Allah, here we come !
Here we come.
No partner have You.
Here we come!
Praise indeed, and blessings, are Yours---
the Kingdom too!
No partner have You!)