Rituals Performed on the Hajj

Introduction

The pilgrimage to Mecca (which is known as Hajj) is one of the main pillars of Islam. It is obligatory for everyone who is physically and financially capable of performing Hajj once in a lifetime. The 'Umra can be performed in any time of the year, while the Hajj takes place once in a year in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. The rituals of Hajj have to be performed in designated days.

Following the terminology of Islamic law, we will discuss the rites briefly. The rites are the omission of which would undo the entire pilgrimage or 'umra. These rites are the obligations (wajib) of the Hajj. Rites are the omission which can be redeemed by a sacrifice, but if the offense is been committed consciously, then it is not allowed to redeem it with a sacrifice, and the pilgrimage is canceled. Traditions (sunna) are the actions of the Prophet and are therefore, the best guide to follow. Their omission, however, is not a legal issue, and they do not eliminate the pilgrimage or 'umra. However, having sex during ihram completely results in the cancellation of the pilgrimage.

The Rites of the Hajj

The Koran indicates about these rituals and relates them to the pre-Islamic actions which are (sacralization, circumambulation, running between the two terminals of Safa and Marwah) as they were the actions performed by the Prophet Abraham. The rites of Umra and Hajj are the Sunnah (based on the actions) of Prophet Abraham (Bianchi, 90).

However, these rituals are slightly different depending on the region a person lives. For example, these the ritual of Ihram varies for the people who live in Mecca already, as the rites of consecration (ihram) are made ??at the time of entry into the sacred territory for outsiders. They also vary ...