The steps of Hajj in order
- Day of Tarwiyah (8 Dhul-Hijjah): entering ihram for Hajj (for those doing tamattu'), going to Mina and staying there.
- Day of Arafah (9 Dhul-Hijjah): standing at Arafah in dhikr and du'a until sunset.
- The night at Muzdalifah: combining Maghrib and Isha and staying there until Fajr.
- Day of Nahr (10 Dhul-Hijjah): stoning Jamrat al-'Aqabah, then the sacrifice, then shaving or shortening, then tawaf al-ifadah and sa'i.
- Days of Tashriq (11–13): staying in Mina and stoning the three Jamarat each day after midday.
- The farewell tawaf: the last thing you do at the House before travelling.
Before Hajj
- The permit: performing Hajj without a permit is not allowed, according to the statement of the Council of Senior Scholars. Registration is through the Nusuk platform or the official authorities in your country.
- Ihram from the miqat: as described for Umrah — bathing, applying perfume, putting on the ihram garments — and avoiding what is forbidden in ihram. Details and the miqats are in the Umrah guide.
- The months of Hajj: Shawwal, Dhul-Qa'dah and the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. "Ḥajj is [during] well-known months" Qur'an 2:197
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Learn your rituals (by seeing me performing them), for I do not know whether I would be performing Hajj after this Hajj of mine." Muslim 1297
The three types of Hajj: tamattu', qiran and ifrad
The pilgrim chooses one of them when entering ihram at the miqat.
| Type | How | Talbiyah | Sacrifice (hady) | Sa'i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamattu' | Enter ihram for Umrah during the months of Hajj, complete it and leave ihram, then enter ihram for Hajj on the Day of Tarwiyah from where you are ("Labbayka 'umratan mutamatti'an bihā ila l-ḥajj"). | لبيك عمرة متمتعًا بها إلى الحج | Obligatory | Two: for the Umrah and for the Hajj |
| Qiran | Enter ihram for Umrah and Hajj together, and stay in ihram until the Day of Nahr ("Labbayka 'umratan wa ḥajjā"). | لبيك عمرة وحجًّا | Obligatory | One |
| Ifrad | Enter ihram for Hajj alone, and stay in ihram until the Day of Nahr ("Labbayka ḥajjā"). | لبيك حجًّا | Not obligatory | One |
Which is best? Scholars differ: tamattu' is best according to the Hanbalis — the Prophet ﷺ instructed his Companions who had not brought sacrificial animals to do it al-Bukhari and Muslim — qiran according to the Hanafis, and ifrad according to the Malikis and Shafi'is. Someone doing tamattu' performs the Umrah as described in the Umrah guide, then leaves ihram.
The sacrifice for tamattu' and qiran: a sheep, or a seventh of a camel or cow, slaughtered on the Day of Nahr or the days of Tashriq; its voucher can be bought through the approved authorities. Whoever cannot find one fasts three days during Hajj and seven on returning home. "Whoever performs ʿumrah [during the ḥajj months] followed by ḥajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals." Qur'an 2:196
The Day of Tarwiyah
- Someone doing tamattu' enters ihram for Hajj in the forenoon of this day from where he is in Makkah, doing at ihram what he did at the miqat: bathing and applying perfume. Those doing qiran or ifrad are still in ihram.
- Pilgrims go to Mina and pray Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr there, shortening the four-rak'ah prayers without combining them, and spend the night there. Muslim 1218
لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ، لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ، إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ
Labbayk Allāhumma labbayk, labbayka lā sharīka laka labbayk, inna l-ḥamda wa n-niʿmata laka wa l-mulk, lā sharīka lak
Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. All praise and blessings are Yours, and all dominion. You have no partner.
al-Bukhari 1549; Muslim 1184Spending the night of the 9th in Mina is sunnah, not obligatory. Many Hajj groups take pilgrims straight to Arafah; follow your group's instructions.
The Day of Arafah
The Prophet ﷺ said: "The Hajj is Arafah." at-Tirmidhi 889 and others, graded sahih by al-Albani
- After sunrise the pilgrim goes to Arafah. When the sun passes its zenith he prays Dhuhr and Asr combined and shortened, with one adhan and two iqamahs. Muslim 1218
- Make sure you are inside the boundaries of Arafah — signposts mark them — because the valley of 'Uranah is not part of it.
- Devote yourself to dhikr and du'a, facing the qiblah with your hands raised. You do not need to see Jabal ar-Rahmah: "I have stayed here, and the whole of Arafat is a place for stay." Muslim 1218
- The pilgrim does not fast on the Day of Arafah; the Prophet ﷺ drank on that day while the people were watching. al-Bukhari 1658; Muslim 1123
- Stay until sunset, then set off calmly for Muzdalifah.
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Lā ilāha illa llāhu waḥdahū lā sharīka lah, lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-ḥamd, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr
There is no god but Allah alone, without partner; to Him belong the dominion and the praise, and He is over all things competent.
at-Tirmidhi 3585, graded hasan by al-AlbaniThe Prophet ﷺ said: "There is no day on which Allah sets free more of His slaves from Fire than the Day of ‘Arafah." Muslim 1348
Du'as for the Day of Arafah from the Qur'an and Sunnah (Arabic) →Staying the night at Muzdalifah
- When you reach Muzdalifah, pray Maghrib and Isha combined, shortening Isha to two rak'ahs. Muslim 1218
- Spend the night there until Fajr, then pray Fajr early, and remember Allah and make du'a facing the qiblah until it is very light, then set off for Mina before sunrise. Muslim 1218
- The weak — such as women, the elderly, the sick and those accompanying them — may leave after midnight. al-Bukhari and Muslim
- The pebbles: they may be picked up in Muzdalifah or Mina, slightly larger than a chickpea. You need 7 for the Day of Nahr, then 21 for each day of Tashriq.
"But when you depart from ʿArafāt, remember Allāh at al-Mashʿar al-Ḥarām." Qur'an 2:198
The Day of Nahr
Four acts; the sunnah is to do them in this order, but whoever does one before another has no blame: when asked, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Do it (now) and there is no harm." al-Bukhari 83; Muslim 1306
1. Stoning Jamrat al-'Aqabah
Seven pebbles, one after another, saying "Allāhu akbar" with each, and stopping the talbiyah when the stoning begins. Muslim 1218
2. The sacrifice (hady)
For those doing tamattu' or qiran; its time extends to the last day of Tashriq.
3. Shaving or shortening
Shaving is better for men; women shorten by a fingertip's length.
4. Tawaf al-ifadah and sa'i
Tawaf al-ifadah is a pillar. Sa'i follows it for someone doing tamattu', and for those doing qiran or ifrad if they did not do sa'i after the arrival tawaf.
Leaving ihram (tahallul)
- The first tahallul comes by doing two of three: the stoning, shaving or shortening, and the tawaf with sa'i for whoever owes sa'i — then everything becomes permissible except intimacy with one's spouse.
- The second tahallul comes by doing all three — then everything becomes permissible.
Tawaf al-ifadah round counter
Sa'i lap counter
Tawaf and sa'i are described in detail, with diagrams, in the Umrah guide.
Staying in Mina and stoning the Jamarat
- Spend the nights in Mina of the 11th and 12th, and the 13th if you stay on.
- Stone the three Jamarat each day after the sun passes its zenith: "Allah's Messenger ﷺ flung pebbles at the jamra on the Day of Nahr after sunrise, and after that when the sun had declined." Muslim 1299
- The order: the small Jamrah (nearest Masjid al-Khayf), then the middle, then Jamrat al-'Aqabah — seven pebbles at each, saying "Allāhu akbar".
- After the small and the middle Jamrah, step forward a little, face the qiblah and make a long du'a with your hands raised; do not stop after Jamrat al-'Aqabah. al-Bukhari 1751
- Leaving early (ta'ajjul): whoever wishes to leave on the 12th stones after midday and leaves Mina before sunset; otherwise he must stay the night and stone on the 13th. "Then whoever hastens [his departure] in two days - there is no sin upon him" Qur'an 2:203
Jamarat stoning counter
The farewell tawaf
When you want to leave Makkah, perform seven rounds of tawaf around the House, without sa'i, so that your last act is at the House. "People were commanded to make (Tawāf around) the Ka‘bah the last thing they do, but an exception was made for the menstruating woman." al-Bukhari 1755; Muslim 1328 It is waived for women in menses or postnatal bleeding.
Whoever delays tawaf al-ifadah until the time of departure, it counts in place of the farewell tawaf.
Your Hajj is complete — may Allah accept it from you. "Whoever performs Hajj without engaging in rafath (sexual relations or obscene speech) or sinning will return like the day his mother gave birth to him." al-Bukhari 1521; Muslim 1350
The pillars and obligations of Hajj
The pillars (4)
Hajj is not valid without them.
- Ihram
- Standing at Arafah
- Tawaf al-ifadah
- Sa'i between Safa and Marwah
The obligations (7)
Whoever omits one owes a sacrifice (dam), according to the majority.
- Ihram from the miqat
- Standing at Arafah until sunset, for whoever stands there by day
- Staying the night of Nahr at Muzdalifah
- Staying the nights of Tashriq in Mina
- Stoning the Jamarat
- Shaving or shortening the hair
- The farewell tawaf
According to the well-known position of the Hanbali school; there are some differences between the schools on some of them.
Rulings specific to women
- She enters ihram in her modest clothes, does not wear a niqab or gloves, and does not raise her voice in the talbiyah. al-Bukhari 1838
- A woman in menses or postnatal bleeding performs all the rites — standing at Arafah, the overnight stays and the stoning — except tawaf, until she is pure: "So do what all the pilgrims do except that you do not perform the Tawaf round the Ka'ba till you are clean." al-Bukhari 305; Muslim 1211
- The farewell tawaf is waived for her if her period starts before it; tawaf al-ifadah is not waived.
- She may leave Muzdalifah after midnight with the weak, and she shortens her hair by a fingertip's length.
Common mistakes in Hajj
Scholars warn against these in their books on the rites.
Frequently asked questions about Hajj
What are the pillars of Hajj?
Hajj has four pillars: ihram, standing at Arafah, tawaf al-ifadah, and sa'i between Safa and Marwah. Whoever omits a pillar has not completed his Hajj until he does it; and whoever misses standing at Arafah has missed the Hajj.
What are the obligations of Hajj?
According to the well-known view there are seven: ihram from the miqat, standing at Arafah until sunset for whoever stands by day, staying at Muzdalifah, staying in Mina on the nights of Tashriq, stoning the Jamarat, shaving or shortening, and the farewell tawaf. Whoever omits an obligation owes a sacrifice (dam) according to the majority of scholars.
What is the difference between tamattu', qiran and ifrad?
Someone doing tamattu' performs Umrah, leaves ihram, then enters ihram for Hajj on the Day of Tarwiyah, and owes a sacrifice. Someone doing qiran enters ihram for Umrah and Hajj together and owes a sacrifice. Someone doing ifrad enters ihram for Hajj alone and owes no sacrifice. Scholars differ on which is best: tamattu' according to the Hanbalis, qiran according to the Hanafis, and ifrad according to the Malikis and Shafi'is.
Can I perform Hajj without a permit?
No. The Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia has stated that going to Hajj without a permit is not permissible and that whoever does so is sinful, because it involves disobeying those in authority and harming the pilgrims.
How many pebbles are thrown?
Seven on the Day of Nahr at Jamrat al-'Aqabah, then twenty-one on each day of Tashriq — seven at each Jamrah; that is 49 pebbles in total for someone who leaves early and 70 for someone who stays on.
When is the time for standing at Arafah?
According to the majority of scholars it begins when the sun passes its zenith on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah and lasts until dawn on the Day of Nahr; whoever stands at Arafah at any moment within this time has caught the Hajj.
What are the first and second tahallul?
The first tahallul comes by doing two of three: stoning Jamrat al-'Aqabah, shaving or shortening, and the tawaf with sa'i for whoever owes sa'i; then everything is permissible except intimacy with one's spouse. The second tahallul comes by doing all three, and then everything is permissible.
May I leave Mina after two days?
Yes, because Allah says: "Then whoever hastens [his departure] in two days - there is no sin upon him; and whoever delays [until the third] - there is no sin upon him - for him who fears Allāh" (2:203). You stone the Jamarat on the 12th after midday and leave Mina before sunset.
May someone else stone the Jamarat for me?
This is allowed for someone unable to stone himself, such as the sick, the elderly, pregnant women and children. The deputy stones for himself first at each Jamrah, then for the person he represents.
What is the reward of Hajj?
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever performs Hajj without engaging in rafath (sexual relations or obscene speech) or sinning will return like the day his mother gave birth to him" (al-Bukhari and Muslim), and "the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise" (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Related pages
Based on the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) describing the Prophet's ﷺ Hajj (Sahih Muslim 1218) and the manuals of the rites by scholars such as Shaykh Ibn Baz and Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on them). Where scholars differ, each view is attributed. Qur'an translation: Saheeh International (QuranEnc). Hadith translations: HadeethEnc, Muhsin Khan and Abdul Hamid Siddiqui; du'a translations are translations of meaning.