HOW TO PERFORM HAJJ

There are three types of Hajj: Hajj At-Tamattu’, Hajj al Qiran and Hajj al Ifrad. In this article we shall talk about Hajj at-Tamattu’ as it is the most recommended one.
In this type of Hajj, one is to perform ‘Umrah during the Hajj months (i.e.Shawwal, Dhul-Qa’dah and the

first nine nights of Dhul-Hijjah) and to perform the Hajj in the same year with a sacrifice slaughtered in Mina on the day of Eid Al-Adha (The 10^th day of Dhul-Hijjah) or during the days of at-Tashreeq (i.e. the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th of Dhul-Hijjah). The pilgrimage may remove his Ihram garments and continue his normal activities between “Umrah and Hajj. It is necessary to make the Tawaf and the Sa’i twice, the first time for ‘Umrah and the second time for Hajj.

The different steps of the Hajj Journey are described below:

I H R A M

Ihram is the intention of the person willing to perform all rites of ‘Umra, Hajj or both when he arrives at the Miqat.

Each direction coming into Makkah has its own Miqat. It is recommended that the one who intends to perform Hajj makes Ghusl (a shower with the intention to purify one’s self and to be ready for Hajj), perfumes his body, but not his garments, and puts on a two- piece garment with no headgear. The garments should be of seamless cloth. One piece to cover the upper part of the body, and the second to cover the lower part. For a woman the Ihram is the same except that she can wear any kind of wide garments, and should not use perfumes at all and her dress should cover the whole body decently, leaving the hands and the face uncovered. (The sister who is accustomed to wear the veil over her face, is allowed to cover her face with a thin cloth without tying it, in other words something light and different from her regular veil.) The pilgrim should say the intention according to the type of Hajj. For Hajj At-Tamattu’ one should say:

“ LABBAYAKA ALLAHUMMA ‘UMRAH” which means “O Allah I answered your call to perform “Umrah”. It is recommended to repeat the well-known supplication of Hajj, called Talbeyah, as frequently as possible from the time of Ihram till the time of the first stoning of Jamrat Al-Aqabat in Mina on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah.

Men are recommended to utter the talbeyah aloud while women are to say it quietly. This Talbeya is the following:

“ LABBAYKA ALLAHUMMA LABBAYK. LABBAYKA LA SHAREEKA LAKA LABBAYK. INNALHAMDA WAN-N’IMATA LAKA WALMULK. LA SHAREEK LAK”.

“Here I am at your service. O my Lord, Here I am. No partner you have. Here I am. Truly, the praise and the provisions are yours, and so is the dominion. No partner do you have”
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