Hajj: Step-by-Step Complete Guide (2026)

Hajj is not a tourist pilgrimage. It is the physical enactment of submission, a journey that strips away every marker of rank and wealth, clothes every pilgrim in two white sheets, and places two million human beings in a single valley calling out to the same Lord. The Prophet Muhammad said of it: "Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of Allah and does not engage in lewdness or sin will return like the day his mother bore him" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1521). The complete erasure of the past. No other act of worship carries that promise.

This guide covers the complete Hajj from the moment of making the intention through every step of the five sacred days, addressing the rulings of the major schools where they differ and the practical details that every pilgrim needs to know before setting foot on the holy ground.

The obligation of Hajj

Allah says in the Quran:

"And pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to Allah by people who are able to undertake it. And whoever disbelieves, then indeed Allah is free from need of the worlds." (Quran 3:97)

Three conditions are embedded in this ayah. First, it is a duty owed to Allah, not merely a pious act. Second, it applies to those who are able (istitaah), which scholars define as possessing the physical health, financial means to travel and cover expenses for those left behind, and safety of the route. Third, the ayah closes with a striking warning: whoever disbelieves in this obligation is reminded that Allah has no need of anyone's worship.

The Prophet ﷺ included Hajj as the fifth pillar of Islam: "Islam is built on five pillars: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger, establishing prayer, giving zakat, fasting Ramadan, and performing Hajj to the House" (Sahih al-Bukhari 8, Muslim 16). Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime. Additional Hajj pilgrimages are voluntary (nafl) acts of worship.

The condition of ability (istitaah) means a person who genuinely cannot afford Hajj, or whose health prevents it, or whose country restricts travel, is not sinful for not performing it. When ability is acquired and maintained for a season, however, the obligation becomes active and delay without reason becomes blameworthy. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Hasten to perform Hajj, for none of you knows what may happen to him" (Ahmad 3177, authenticated by al-Albani).

Types of Hajj: Ifrad, Tamattu, Qiran

There are three valid ways to perform Hajj, and the pilgrim chooses one when entering ihram at the miqat.

Hajj al-Ifrad: The pilgrim enters ihram only for Hajj. They do not perform Umrah during the Hajj season as part of this journey. No dam (compensatory sacrifice) is required for this type.

Hajj al-Tamattu: The pilgrim enters ihram for Umrah first at the miqat, completes the Umrah rites (tawaf, sa'y, and cutting hair), exits ihram, and then re-enters ihram specifically for Hajj on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah. This is considered the most convenient form and was preferred for those not from the Haram area. A dam (sacrifice of an animal) is required. This is the form that the Prophet ﷺ instructed his companions to perform during the Farewell Hajj (Sahih Muslim 1211).

Hajj al-Qiran: The pilgrim enters ihram for both Umrah and Hajj together at the miqat and does not exit ihram between completing the Umrah and beginning the Hajj rites. A dam is required. This is the most demanding form in terms of staying in the sacred state for the longest period.

For most first-time pilgrims today, especially those traveling from outside the Arabian Peninsula, Hajj al-Tamattu is the form that official guidance in most countries recommends and that the Prophet ﷺ expressed preference for his companions to perform.

Ihram: the sacred state

Ihram is both a physical state and a spiritual intention. It begins with making the niyyah (intention) and pronouncing the talbiyah, and it involves specific clothing and specific prohibitions.

For men: two white unstitched sheets (izar and rida), covering the lower body and the upper body without sewing or stitching. No head covering. Footwear must not cover the ankle bone; sandals or flip-flops are appropriate. The white garments symbolize equality before Allah: the king and the beggar wear the same two sheets.

For women: regular modest Islamic dress that covers the entire body except the face and hands. The face veil (niqab) and gloves are not worn during ihram according to the majority position. Women may wear any color in ihram.

The niyyah for Hajj al-Tamattu: "Labbayk Allahumma bi-Umrah" (Here I am O Allah, for Umrah) when entering ihram for the Umrah portion, and "Labbayk Allahumma bi-Hajj" (Here I am O Allah, for Hajj) when entering ihram for the Hajj portion on the 8th of Dhul Hijjah.

The Talbiyah:

Labbayk Allahumma labbayk. Labbayka la sharika laka labbayk. Inna al-hamda wa-l-nimata laka wa-l-mulk. La sharika lak.
(Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Indeed all praise, blessing and dominion belong to You. You have no partner.)

The talbiyah is recited continuously from entering ihram until stoning the large Jamarat on the 10th.

Prohibitions of ihram include: cutting hair or nails, using perfume or scented products, sexual relations, wearing stitched clothing for men, covering the head for men, hunting, marriage contracts, and uprooting plants in the Haram. Violations of some of these require a dam or fidyah (expiation). Scholars differ on which violations require what; consult a qualified guide before your journey.

The miqat stations

The miqat are the boundaries beyond which no pilgrim may pass without being in ihram. They were established by the Prophet ﷺ (Sahih al-Bukhari 1524) and apply to all pilgrims regardless of whether they enter by land or air.

Dhul Hulayfah (also known as Abyar Ali or Bir Ali): for those coming from Madinah or through it. This is the farthest miqat from Makkah, approximately 450 km away.

Al-Juhfah (near Rabigh): for those coming from the direction of Syria, Morocco, Egypt, and the west.

Qarn al-Manazil (also called Miqat al-Taif or Al-Sayl al-Kabir): for those coming from Najd, the Gulf states, and that direction.

Yalamlam (now called Al-Sa'adiyah): for those coming from Yemen, India, Southeast Asia, and from the south.

Dhat Irq: for those coming from Iraq and regions to the northeast.

For air travelers, the plane will pass over one of these miqat zones. Airlines often announce the approach, and some provide prayer rugs. Pilgrims must enter ihram before or as the plane crosses the miqat, even if they will land first in Jeddah. Entering ihram after crossing the miqat requires a dam as expiation according to the majority of scholars.

Day 8: Yawm al-Tarwiyah (departure to Mina)

The 8th of Dhul Hijjah is called Yawm al-Tarwiyah, the Day of Watering, a name from the pre-Islamic era when pilgrims filled water containers for the journey to the desert around Arafah.

On this day, the pilgrim who performed Tamattu renews ihram from wherever they are in Makkah (most often from their hotel or from the Masjid al-Haram) with the intention for Hajj. The talbiyah is resumed and the pilgrim proceeds to Mina, a valley approximately 5 km east of the Masjid al-Haram.

In Mina, pilgrims reside in the tents set up in the designated areas. The Prophet ﷺ spent the night of the 8th in Mina and prayed all five prayers there (Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, and Fajr of the next day), each shortened to 2 rakats but not combined, according to the most correct position in the Hanbali and Shafi'i schools. The Hanafi school holds that prayers are shortened at Mina because it qualifies as a place of travel (safar). The Maliki school also holds shortening is done there.

Staying in Mina on the 8th is a sunnah, not a pillar. Those who proceed directly to Arafah without spending the night in Mina have not committed a sin, though they have missed a sunnah. Most organized pilgrimages today spend the night of the 8th in the Mina tents as the Prophet ﷺ did.

Day 9: Yawm Arafah (the pillar of Hajj)

The 9th of Dhul Hijjah is the Day of Arafah, and it is the heart of Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Hajj is Arafah" (Ibn Majah 3015, Abu Dawud 1949, authenticated). If a pilgrim misses Arafah, the entire Hajj is invalid. If they catch even a brief moment of standing at Arafah before the dawn of the 10th, Hajj is valid.

The pilgrim departs Mina after Fajr on the 9th and proceeds to the plain of Arafah, approximately 22 km from Makkah. The wuquf (standing) at Arafah begins after the sun passes its zenith (after Zawal) and continues until sunset. The Prophet ﷺ delivered his Farewell Sermon at Arafah, standing on the mount known as Jabal al-Rahmah (the Mount of Mercy).

At Arafah, the pilgrim prays Dhuhr and Asr combined and shortened (2 rakats each) at the time of Dhuhr, following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ (Sahih Muslim 1218). This is the strongest evidence in the Sunnah for combining prayers while resident (not traveling), since Arafah is within the boundaries of Hajj, not a travel distance from Makkah for those who are pilgrims.

The wuquf itself is primarily about presence, supplication, and remembrance. There is no specific dua mandated, though the Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said the best supplication on the Day of Arafah is:

La ilaha ill-Allah, wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir.
(There is no god but Allah, alone with no partner, His is the dominion and all praise belongs to Him, and He has power over all things.) (Tirmidhi 3585, classified hasan)

The Day of Arafah is also the greatest day of the year for those not performing Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah and said: "It expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year" (Sahih Muslim 1162). For the pilgrim standing at Arafah, fasting is not recommended as it may weaken them, though it is not forbidden.

After sunset on the 9th, the pilgrim departs Arafah for Muzdalifah. The Prophet ﷺ did not depart before sunset and warned against doing so. Departing before sunset is a serious violation according to most scholars and requires a dam as expiation according to the Maliki and Hanbali schools.

Night at Muzdalifah

Muzdalifah is the open plain between Arafah and Mina. Upon arriving there, the pilgrim prays Maghrib and Isha combined (Maghrib as 3 rakats and Isha as 2 rakats) at the time of Isha, following the Prophet ﷺ (Sahih Muslim 1218).

At Muzdalifah, the pilgrim spends the night under the open sky, collects pebbles for stoning the Jamarat, and makes abundant dhikr and dua. The Prophet ﷺ spent the night and prayed Fajr there before departing for Mina.

How many pebbles to collect at Muzdalifah is a question of school. For stoning over three days starting from the 10th, the minimum needed is 49 pebbles (7 for the 10th + 21 each for the 11th and 12th) or 70 pebbles (7 + 21 + 21 + 21 if staying through the 13th). Most pilgrims collect 70 small pebbles (roughly chickpea-sized) to have spares. Large rocks are not used; small smooth pebbles are correct.

Certain categories of pilgrims (the elderly, the ill, women with children) are permitted to depart Muzdalifah after midnight rather than waiting until Fajr, following the practice of the Prophet ﷺ with the weaker members of his household (Sahih al-Bukhari 1676).

After Fajr at Muzdalifah, the pilgrim departs for Mina before sunrise.

Day 10: Yawm al-Nahr (Eid al-Adha)

The 10th of Dhul Hijjah is Eid al-Adha, the Day of Sacrifice, and it is the busiest day of Hajj. Four acts are performed on this day, though they can be spread across days if needed:

1. Stoning the large Jamarat (Rami Jamarat al-Aqabah)

Upon arriving in Mina from Muzdalifah, the pilgrim stones only the large Jamarat (Jamarat al-Aqabah) with 7 pebbles. Each pebble is thrown with "Allahu Akbar" and lands inside the basin. The talbiyah is discontinued after the first stone hits. The time for this stoning on the 10th begins from the time the Eid prayer would be prayed (which is not performed by pilgrims in Hajj) and continues through the night into the 11th, though the strongest time is from sunrise to sunset on the 10th.

2. Hady (animal sacrifice)

After stoning, the pilgrim performing Tamattu or Qiran sacrifices an animal (the hady). This may be a sheep, a goat, or a share of a cow or camel (one of seven). In modern practice, most pilgrims arrange the sacrifice through authorized agencies or the voucher system provided by the Saudi authorities. The meat is distributed to the poor.

3. Halq or Taqsir (shaving or cutting the hair)

After sacrifice, men either shave the head (halq, which is superior and more complete) or shorten all the hair (taqsir). Women cut approximately a fingertip's length from their hair; shaving is not prescribed for women. After this, the first partial exit from ihram occurs: the pilgrim may now wear regular clothing and use perfume, but intercourse with the spouse remains prohibited until after tawaf al-ifadah.

4. Tawaf al-Ifadah (the obligatory tawaf of Hajj)

After the first exit from ihram, the pilgrim proceeds to the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah for tawaf al-ifadah (also called tawaf al-ziyarah). This tawaf is one of the pillars (arkan) of Hajj; without it, Hajj is incomplete. It consists of 7 circuits around the Kaabah, beginning and ending at the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad). After tawaf al-ifadah, two rakats are prayed near Maqam Ibrahim.

5. Sa'y between Safa and Marwa

For those performing Tamattu who performed sa'y with their Umrah, the majority of scholars hold they are not required to perform a second sa'y for Hajj. For those performing Ifrad or Qiran who did not perform sa'y after their arrival tawaf, sa'y between Safa and Marwa must be performed after tawaf al-ifadah: 7 times (starting at Safa and ending at Marwa). After tawaf al-ifadah and sa'y, the second exit from ihram is complete and all ihram prohibitions are lifted, including intercourse.

The pilgrim returns to Mina after completing these rites to spend the nights of the Tashreeq days.

Days 11 and 12: Ayyam al-Tashreeq

Days 11 and 12 (and optionally day 13) are the Ayyam al-Tashreeq. The pilgrim spends these nights in Mina and stones all three Jamarat each day after Zawal (when the sun passes noon).

The three Jamarat are stoned in order: first the small one (Jamarat al-Sughra), then the middle one (Jamarat al-Wusta), and then the large one (Jamarat al-Aqabah). Seven pebbles are thrown at each, with "Allahu Akbar" for each throw. After stoning the small and middle Jamarat, the pilgrim stands facing the Qiblah and makes dua. After the large Jamarat, there is no standing for dua.

The time for stoning on the Tashreeq days begins after Zawal and continues until the next day's Zawal according to the Maliki and Shafi'i schools, or until sunset according to the Hanbali school. Stoning before Zawal on these days is not valid according to the majority.

A pilgrim who wishes to depart on the 12th (before sunset) performs the stoning of that day and then leaves Mina. This is called nafar awwal (early departure) and is explicitly permitted by the Quran: "Whoever hastens in two days, there is no sin on him" (Quran 2:203). Whoever stays for the 13th performs a third day of stoning and departs; this is called nafar thani (later departure).

The obligation to spend the nights of Tashreeq in Mina is held by most scholars as wajib. Missing it requires a dam according to the Maliki and Hanbali schools. The Shafi'i school also holds overnight stay in Mina as wajib. Those who cannot spend the night in Mina for reasons of hardship (such as caring for the sick) are exempt.

Tawaf al-Wada: the farewell tawaf

The final act of Hajj before leaving Makkah is tawaf al-wada, the farewell tawaf. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Let none of you depart until the last thing he does is the tawaf around the House" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1755, Muslim 1327).

Tawaf al-wada is wajib (obligatory) according to the majority of scholars (Shafi'i, Hanbali, Hanafi), though the Maliki school considers it strongly recommended (sunnah mu'akkadah). Omitting it requires a dam (sacrifice) according to those who hold it wajib. It is performed as 7 circuits around the Kaabah, followed by 2 rakats near Maqam Ibrahim, and then the pilgrim departs.

Women who are menstruating or postpartum (nifas) are exempt from tawaf al-wada according to the hadith of Ibn Abbas (RA) (Sahih al-Bukhari 1755). They may depart without performing it, without requiring any expiation.

After tawaf al-wada, the pilgrim does not remain in Makkah for an extended period if they can help it. They depart and take with them, inshAllah, a Hajj Mabrur: a Hajj accepted, a slate wiped clean, and the promise of the Prophet ﷺ: "There is no reward for Hajj Mabrur except Jannah."

FAQ

What makes a Hajj a Hajj Mabrur?

Scholars describe Hajj Mabrur as a Hajj performed with sincere intention, correct practice, avoidance of all sin and lewdness, and funded from halal earnings. Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali noted that the sign of an accepted Hajj is that a person returns better than before, not worse. The Prophet's description of returning "like the day your mother bore you" is the gold standard of what complete sincerity and correct performance can produce.

Is it required to visit Madinah during Hajj?

Visiting Madinah and the Prophet's Mosque is not a rite of Hajj. It is not a pillar, wajib, or even a sunnah of Hajj itself. However, visiting Madinah separately to pray in the Masjid al-Nabawi carries enormous merit: the Prophet ﷺ said "A prayer in my mosque is better than a thousand prayers elsewhere, except the Masjid al-Haram" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1190). Most pilgrims combine both visits, but Hajj is complete without Madinah.

What is the Farewell Sermon (Khutbat al-Wada)?

The Prophet ﷺ delivered his last major sermon at Arafah during his only Hajj in the 10th year of Hijrah. In it, he declared the sanctity of life, wealth, and honor; established the equality of all humans before Allah; warned against interest (riba); confirmed the rights of women; reminded of the two things left behind (Quran and Sunnah); and warned of accountability before Allah. He ended by asking the companions to convey his message to those who were not present. Recalling this sermon is part of the spiritual weight of standing at Arafah.

Can the rites of Day 10 be performed in a different order?

The correct order for Day 10 according to the Prophet's practice is: stoning the large Jamarat, then hady (sacrifice), then halq or taqsir (shaving or cutting), then tawaf al-ifadah, then sa'y. However, the Prophet was asked about performing these in different orders and consistently replied: "There is no harm" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1721). Scholars therefore permit varying the order on the 10th for someone who does so out of ignorance or necessity.

What should I recite while circling the Kaabah during tawaf?

There is no single specific dua that must be recited during each circuit of tawaf. The Prophet ﷺ recited: "Rabbana atina fi-d-dunya hasanah wa fi-l-akhirati hasanah wa qina adhab al-nar" (Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire) between the Yemeni corner and the Black Stone (Abu Dawud 1892). Outside of that, the pilgrim may recite Quran, make personal dua in any language, or say any dhikr. Tawaf is an act of worship and the entire circuit is a time for connection with Allah.