What is Hajj?
Before acquiring its specific meaning of "going to Makkah and perform Hajj rites" The word Hajj in Arabic meant "to go". The word lost its general meaning and got a new specific one, which is "to travel to Makkah and perform rites determined by Allaha and His Prophet". Now, the Word Hajj is rarely used with other meanings than that.
Islam is based on 5 pillars which are Shahada (professing that there is no other god but Allah and Muhammad is the last messenger of Allah), Salat (islamic prayer), Sawm (fasting), Zakat (charitable giving) and Hajj.The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if he or she can afford it.
Hajj consists in all the actions and words reported in accounts of the Prophet’s Hajj, such as Tawaaf or walking around the Ka’bah seven times, al-Saa’ee or running between the hills of Safaa’ and Marwa seven times, standing at ‘Arafaah, stoning the Jamaraat (stone pillars representing the Shaytaan) at Mina, etc. Hajj brings immense benefits to people, as they declare the Unity (Tawheed) of Allaah, there is forgiveness for the pilgrims, Muslims get to know one another and learn the rules of their religion, and so on. . We ask Allaah to enable you to go for Hajj and do all its rites. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
