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About Kaaba
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Ihram
Umrah
Tawaf
Sai
Hajj
8 Dhul-Hijjah
9 Dhul-Hijjah
10 Dhul-Hijjah
11th ,12th , 13th
Hajj at a glance
Summary
Post Script
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Hajj

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is incumbent upon every
adult Muslim able to perform it. The meaning of hajj is "to intend
to go to Makkah to perform specific acts at a specific time [of the year]".
It is the pilgrimage done to the Sacred House Kaabah at Makkah, which
is considered as the first place of worship (masjid) appointed
by Allah for men. Hajj can be performed either for oneself or for the
sake of another person who is unable to it do for specified reasons.
Islamic traditions assert that the Kaaba was first built by the first
man Adam and Ibrahim and Ismail rebuilt the Kaaba on the old foundations.
Kaaba is the direction to which all mosques in the world are oriented
and where Muslims turn to offer their prayers, and also the direction
their dead are laid to rest. (Worshippers in the Sacred Mosque pray in
concentric circles around the Kaaba). Kaaba thus serves to unify Muslims
all over the world.
The obligation for Hajj is only for once in a life time.
"Hajj is once, and for one who does more it is voluntary"
(Ahmad, Abu Dawud, an-Nasai)
Prophet Muhammad himself did the Hajj only once during his life time,
which was in the year prior to his departure from this world. The rites
of the Hajj form the recapitulation of all the steps that he performed
during that Hajj.
The time for Hajj (entering Ihram) is during the Hajj months- Shawwal,
Dhul-Qa'dah and the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah.
Umrah
The Umrah is a pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time
of the year. It is sometimes called the 'minor pilgrimage' or 'lesser
pilgrimage'. The Umrah is not compulsory but highly recommended.
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