The Hajj (rhymes with lodge) is a pilgrimage (religious trip) made by millions of Muslims each year to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Mecca is the holiest city to Muslims.

All Muslims don’t make the trip every year, though some do. Each adult Muslim is required to make this pilgrimage at least once during their lifetime, if they have the good health and money to do it.

Muslims are people who follow the religion of Islam, which was founded by the prophet Muhammad back in the year 622. Their holy book is called the Quran or Koran.

There are many Muslims, not just in the United States, but all over the world. Nations in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia have large populations of Muslims. Almost two billion people believe in and follow Islam.

To better understand the Hajj, it will help to learn about two things: The Five Pillars of Islam and the Islamic calendar.

The Five Pillars are guides that help Muslims live good lives. The Five Pillars are fasting, faith, prayer, charity, and the Hajj.

Just like the calendar that we are used to, the Islamic calendar has 12 months. However, its months have different names than ours and is based on the cycle of the moon, also called the lunar cycle.

The Hajj begins on the 8th day of Dhu al-Hijjah (the last month of the Islamic year) and ends on the 13th day.

This year, it will begin on the evening of July 7th and will continue till the evening of July 12th.

When a Muslim performs the Hajj, that doesn’t mean they simply travel to Mecca for a visit. There are many things that must be done as part of that visit. And it doesn’t all take place in Mecca, but also in some surrounding locations.

The goal of the Hajj is for a person to be forgiven of all sins. So the events and actions during the pilgrimage are done in a humble manner. People even dress in simple white clothing.

Here, briefly, are a few of the things that take place during the Hajj.

First, the pilgrims visit a building called the Ka’bah in Mecca and walk around it seven times. They believe the Ka’bah was built by the prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael about 4,000 years ago.

Next they run between two hills called Safa and Marwa. They go back and forth seven times. They do this to remember a woman named Hagar and her son, Ishmael, who almost died of thirst in the desert. There is a well there and the pilgrims drink from it.

They then travel to a mountain called Arafat and spend the night there praying and sleeping outside. They gather pebbles there for what will happen the following day.

Next, the pilgrims camp at a place called Mina. Each pilgrim throws seven pebbles at each of three walls. This is called Stoning the Devil. Muslims believe that at this spot, around 4,000 years ago,  the devil appeared to Abraham, who threw stones to scare him away.

At another place, men either shave off or trim their hair. Women cut off the tips of their own hair.

At the end of all the activities, the pilgrims return to Mecca and walk around the Ka’bah seven more times.

These are some of the things that Muslims do during the Hajj.

Because some people are only able to make this trip one time in their lives, imagine how special that one time is for them.

Fun Facts:

•  The Prophet Muhammad said that a person who performs Hajj properly “will return as a newly born baby.” That doesn’t means as an actual baby, but as innocent and sin-free as a baby.

•  People who are doing the Hajj are called Hajji.