Current Matters
Srinagar, June 26: The five-day annual Haj pilgrimage began today with over two million worshippers from across the world gathering in Tent City Mina where they will be spending the day praying.
After spending a day in Mina, Hujjaj will be leaving for mount Arafat during the night or early hours on Tuesday.
The day of Arafat is the most important ritual of Haj and every Haj pilgrim has to enter the boundary of Arafat ground and if anybody is not able to enter; his or her Haj will not be complete.
Every year from 8th day of Arabic month of Dhul-Hijjah to 12th day or 13th day of Dhul-HIjjah, Haj rituals are performed and before leaving for Mina, male pilgrims don Ihram and women pilgrims cover entire body with face open. Ihram is the two-piece cloth without any stitches and male pilgrims have obligation to wear it for Haj days.
The Haj is the last among the five fundamentals of Islam and people who can afford to travel and manage the expenditure there and also of those who are left behind at home, have obligation to perform this fundamental.
After spending 9th Dhul-Hijjah wich is also called Day of Arafa, praying near mount Arafat and within the boundary of Arafat ground, Hajis leave for Muzdalifah to spend night there praying and collecting pebbles for future rituals at Jamarah near Mina. The 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah is the most hectic day with throwing pebbles on devil at Jamarah and leaving for Masjid Al-Haram to do Tawaaf (walking around Kaaba seven times), doing Sai (running between mount Safa and Marwah) and men shaving their heads and women cutting a small part of their hair. After performing these rituals, male pilgrims take off Ihram and wear normal cloths).
They head back to city of Minah where for next two days they have to throw pebbles at Jamarah and keep praying in Minah.
On 12th day of Dhul-Hijjah if pilgrims are able to finish throwing pebbles at Jamarah on time can head back to their accommodation in Makkah before sunset and their Haj is complete but those who want to stay back in Minah will have to throw pebbles at Jamarah on 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah before going back to Makkah.
