Hajj facts for kids
The Hajj is a very important journey for Muslims. It's a trip to Mecca, which is the holiest city in the religion of Islam. Every adult Muslim who is healthy enough and can afford it is expected to go on this journey at least once in their life. They also need to make sure their family is taken care of while they are away.
The Hajj is one of the five main duties in Islam. The other duties are believing in one God (Shahadah), praying (Salat), giving to charity (Zakat), and fasting (Sawm). The Hajj is the biggest yearly gathering of people in the world! When a Muslim is ready and able to go on Hajj, it's called istita'ah. A person who meets these conditions is called a mustati. The Hajj shows how united Muslims are and how much they believe in God (Allah). The word Hajj means "to plan a journey," which includes both the physical trip and the spiritual reasons for going.
When Does Hajj Happen?
The Hajj takes place from the 8th to the 12th (or sometimes 13th) day of Dhu al-Hijjah. This is the last month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is based on the moon, so it's about eleven days shorter than the calendar we usually use (the Gregorian calendar). This means the date of Hajj changes each year on our calendar.
Before starting the Hajj, pilgrims enter a special spiritual state called Ihram. They wear two simple white cloths without any seams. While in this state, they must avoid certain actions.
The History of Hajj
The Hajj is connected to the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who lived in the 7th century. However, Muslims believe that the tradition of visiting Mecca goes back thousands of years, to the time of Prophet Abraham.
During the Hajj, hundreds of thousands of people gather in Mecca for about a week. They perform several important rituals together:
- They walk seven times counter-clockwise around the Kaaba. The Kaaba is a cube-shaped building that Muslims pray towards.
- They run back and forth between two small hills called Al-Safa and Al-Marwah.
- They drink water from the Zamzam Well.
- They go to the plains of Mount Arafat and stand there in prayer and reflection.
- They spend a night in the plain of Muzdalifa.
- They perform a symbolic act called the stoning of the devil. This involves throwing small stones at three pillars.
After these rituals, pilgrims often shave their heads. They also perform a ritual animal sacrifice. Then, they celebrate a three-day worldwide festival called Eid al-Adha.
What is Umrah?
Muslims can also visit Mecca at other times of the year. This shorter visit is sometimes called the "lesser pilgrimage" or Umrah. Even if someone performs Umrah, they still need to perform the Hajj later in their life if they are able to. Umrah does not take the place of Hajj.
Images for kids
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Air-conditioned tents in Mina city (Saudi Arabia), about 2 kilometers from Mecca.
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A Hajj certificate from the year 1205 CE.
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A 1907 photo of people praying near the Kaaba in the Great Mosque of Mecca.
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A diagram showing the places and rituals of Hajj.
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The direction of the Tawaf (walking around the Kaaba).
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Pilgrims wearing Ihram near Mount Arafat on the day of Hajj.
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Mount Arafat during Hajj.
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Pilgrims at Muzdalifah.
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Pilgrims performing "Ramy Al-Jamarat" (Stoning of the Devil) during the 2006 Hajj.
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Pilgrims performing Tawaf around the Kaaba.
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A Saudi security officer on duty.
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Sa'yee towards Safa.
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A special section for older and disabled pilgrims, divided into two directions.
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Sa'yee returning from Safa.
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A pilgrim praying at the Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca.
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Pilgrims visiting the well of Zamzam.
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Mount Safa inside the Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca.
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Mount Marwah inside the Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca.
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Tents at Mina.
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Mount Arafat during Ḥajj with pilgrims praying.
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Mount Arafat, a few miles away from Mecca.
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See also
In Spanish: Hach para niños
