Before starting the rites, you choose the type of Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ recommended Tamattuʿ for non-Meccan pilgrims. Most of you will follow this path: Umrah first, exit ihram for a few days of rest, then re-enter ihram for Hajj on 8 Dhul-Hijjah.
Tamattuʿ
تَمَتُّع
"Enjoyment / benefit"
What
Umrah first → exit ihram → re-enter ihram on 8 DH for Hajj
Hady
Sacrifice required
Best for
Most non-Meccan pilgrims with time between rites · the Prophet ﷺ recommended this
Qirān
قِرَان
"To combine / join"
What
Umrah + Hajj combined under one ihram from start
Niyyah
Labbayk Allāhumma ʿumratan wa ḥajjan
Hady
Sacrifice required
Best for
Sister in menses on Umrah day · late arrival (7 DH) · scenarios where exiting ihram is impractical
Ifrād
إِفْرَاد
"To make single"
What
Hajj only · no Umrah
Hady
No sacrifice required
Best for
Already did Umrah · arriving Makkah on 21 May · Meccan resident
The Three Parts of Hajj
Pillars · Wajibat · Sunan
Pillars · Arkān
4 acts
Absolute must. If missed — there is no Hajj.
State of Ihram
Standing at Arafah
Tawaf al-Ifādah
Saʿi
Wajibat
8 acts
Obligatory. If missed — Hajj valid, but a fidya is owed.
Ihram from miqat
Following ihram restrictions
Standing at Arafah until sunset
Spending the night at Muzdalifah
Most of the night of 11 & 12 DH at Mina
Stoning Jamarat on 10, 11, 12 DH
Halq / Taqsir
Tawaf al-Wadāʿ
Sunan
8 acts
Recommended. If missed — Hajj still valid, no sacrifice.
Ghusl before ihram
White ihram
Niyyah & Talbiyah aloud
Staying in Mina on 8 DH
Kissing the Black Stone
2 rakah behind Maqam Ibrahim
Drinking Zamzam
Halq (men, over Taqsir)
The five Hajj sites · Makkah · Mina · Muzdalifah · Arafah · Jamarat (within Mina)
Here I am at Your service, O Allah. Here I am. There is no partner with You. Here I am. Truly all praise and provision are Yours, and so is the dominion. There is no partner with You.
Add the Conditional
اللَّهُمَّ مَحِلِّي حَيْثُ حَبَسْتَنِي
Allāhumma maḥillee ḥaythu ḥabastanee
O Allah, allow me to exit the state of ihram wherever You prevent me.
Allāhumma hādhihi ḥajjatun lā riyāʾa fīhā wa lā sumʿa
O Allah, this is a Hajj in which there is no showing off and no seeking of reputation.
Proceed to Mina
Travel to Mina · settle in your camp · stay overnight
All prayers at Mina: shortened, not combined (Dhuhr 2, Asr 2, Maghrib 3, Isha 2)
Engage in Qur'an, dhikr, and du'a · no special prescribed du'a
Continue Talbiyah frequently
Practical tipDrop a map pin on your tent location and write down your camp/tent number. The camps all look alike and finding your way back at night is hard without a marker.
Mina cabins · what to expect
Al Muassim is cabins, not open tents. Brothers and sisters in separate cabins on different sides of a shared hallway — close enough to meet in minutes. Sofa beds extend out. You'll get a wristband with your bed number — no one else can claim your bed. Locate bathrooms, buffet, and prayer space on arrival.
Mina · the tent city where pilgrims spend the nights of 8, 11, 12, and (optionally) 13 Dhul-Hijjah
Step 02
Arafah
يَوْمُ عَرَفَة
9 Dhul-Hijjah · Tue 26 May
Day 2 · Pillar of Hajj
The Day of Arafah
The most important day of Hajj. "Hajj is Arafah" (ﷺ). There is no fidya that makes up for missing it.
After Fajr at Mina → bus to Arafah
Rest until noon · Khutbah · Dhuhr + Asr combined & shortened
From Dhuhr until Maghrib: continuous du'a, dhikr, Qur'an, istighfar
Stay until sunset · do NOT pray Maghrib at Arafah
No fasting for those performing Hajj
Leave Mina for Arafah
Pilgrims leave Mina after Fajr (bus schedules can delay this)
Continue reciting Talbiyah on the way
Arriving at Arafah
Rest until noon — this is the sunnah
Pray Dhuhr + Asr combined & shortened at Dhuhr time
Stay in Arafah until sunset (Maghrib azan)
No fasting on this day for those performing Hajj
Important
You do not need to climb Jabal ar-Raḥmah (Mount of Mercy) or pray at Masjid Namirah. All of Arafah is the place of standing. Note: part of Masjid Namirah lies outside the Arafah boundary — be careful.
"Standing" means attending — not literal standing. Sit, lie down, lean against the tent — whatever helps you focus. The mistranslation of wuqūf as "stand" causes pilgrims to exhaust themselves. Conserve energy for du'a.
Pace yourself
The day starts and ends fast — many pilgrims realize at sunset they should have done more. Don't waste energy walking to Jabal ar-Raḥmah or Masjid Namirah and crashing afterward. Stay near your tent · focus on dhikr, du'a, Qur'an, istighfar.
Etiquette of Du'a at Arafah
Face the Qiblah · raise your hands · recite Talbiyah
Recite frequently: Lā ilāha illAllāh — best du'a on the Day of Arafah
Spend your time in Qur'an, seeking forgiveness, and supplicating to Allah
Lā ilāha illAllāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamd, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr
There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone; He has no partner. Sovereignty is His, all praise is His, and He has power over all things.
Do not leave early
You must stay in Arafah until Maghrib azan, then head to Muzdalifah. Some groups gather near the bus stop right before Maghrib — that's fine as long as you remain inside the Arafah boundary.
Image needed
Day of Arafah — pilgrims in ihram with hands raised in du'a, Mount of Mercy in the background. Or a wide shot of the Arafah plain at golden hour.
Step 03
Muzdalifah
الْمُزْدَلِفَة
9 DH Night · Tue Eve 26 May
Night of Muzdalifah
Pray · Sleep Under the Sky · Collect Pebbles
After sunset at Arafah, travel to Muzdalifah. Combine Maghrib + Isha. Sleep until Fajr. Collect pebbles for Jamarat.
Collect 49 pebbles chickpea-sized (or 70 if staying for 13 DH)
Sleep · Fajr early · then to Mina
Weak/women may leave after midnight
Arriving at Muzdalifah
Arrive after Maghrib · closer to Isha or later (bus delays expected)
On arrival: give Adhan and Iqamah, pray 3 rak'ah Maghrib
Then Iqamah for Isha — pray 2 rak'ah (shortened, combined)
The only other prayer the Prophet ﷺ did this night was the Witr
All of Muzdalifah is a place of standing — wherever you stand is permissible
Collect Pebbles
49 total for 10, 11, 12 DH (7 + 21 + 21)
Or 70 total if you'll also stone on 13 DH
Chickpea-sized, ~1 cm
Fajr at Muzdalifah
Pray Fajr in the early part of its time — give Adhan and Iqamah, pray immediately
The weak and women may leave after half the night to avoid crowds
Sunnah: after Fajr, the Prophet ﷺ rode toward al-Mashʿar al-Haram, faced Qiblah, made du'a, takbir, tahlil, and stood until the sky was bright — then departed before sunrise
Conditions
Open ground with limited facilities. Carpets distributed. Bathrooms are public and very crowded. Use Arafah bathrooms before leaving.
Midnight walk often beats Fajr walk
Crowd grows by the second after Fajr. Walking from Muzdalifah → Mina after midnight is usually smoother than waiting for Fajr. The Prophet ﷺ permitted women, elderly, and those accompanying them (e.g. a spouse — health excuse not strictly required) to leave after half the night for this reason. Coordinate with group leader.
Image needed
Muzdalifah at night — pilgrims sleeping in ihram on open ground under the open sky. Or pilgrims collecting pebbles. Wide angle preferred.
Step 04
Yawm an-Nahr
يَوْمُ النَّحْر
10 Dhul-Hijjah · Wed 27 May · Eid
Day 3 · Eid · 4 Rites
Day of Sacrifice — Four Acts of Worship
Stone Aqaba · Sacrifice · Halq/Taqsir · Tawaf al-Ifādah + Saʿi. Order is preferred but not essential.
Mina → Jamarat al-Aqaba — 7 pebbles, takbeer with each
Sacrifice (handled by proxy via Nusuk / adahi.org — wait for email)
Halq (shave, men) / Taqsir (trim) — exit minor ihram after any 3
Bus to Hilton Suites — Tawaf al-Ifādah + Saʿi
Return to Mina before midnight
The Four Rites — Order Preferred Not Essential
Stone Jamrat al-ʿAqaba (Ramy)
Sacrifice an animal (Hady)
Shave or trim hair (Halq / Taqsir)
Tawaf al-Ifādah + Saʿi
Two stages of exit
After completing any 3 of 4 → enter the minor exit (ḥill al-aṣghar). Almost all ihram restrictions lifted — only marital relations remain prohibited.
Note on "any 3": most opinions don't count the sacrifice toward the 3 (since it's done by proxy and you can't control timing). Practically that means you need stoning + halq/taqsir + tawaf done for the minor exit. Sacrifice happens regardless.
After all 4 → full exit (ḥill al-akbar). All restrictions lifted.
1 · Stone Jamrat al-ʿAqaba Only
Pick up stones from Mina or Jamarat if you didn't gather them in Muzdalifah
Stone only Jamrat al-ʿAqaba (largest pillar, closest to Makkah) — not the other two today
Throw 7 pebbles, one at a time. With each: say "Allāhu Akbar" then throw
Stop reciting Talbiyah after the last stone — start the Takbeer of Eid
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, there is no god but Allah; Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, and to Allah belongs all praise.
Allāhu Akbar kabīrā, wal-ḥamdu lillāhi kathīrā, wa subḥān-Allāhi bukratan wa aṣīlā
Allah is the Greatest, immensely Great. All praise is for Allah, abundantly. Glory be to Allah, morning and evening.
Timing
Stoning can be done anytime after Fajr, up to Maghrib if needed due to crowd.
Jamarat layout · Sughra (smallest) → Wusta (middle) → ʿAqaba (largest, closest to Makkah) · only ʿAqaba is stoned on 10 DH
2 · Sacrifice (Hady)
Most pilgrims do not perform the sacrifice themselves — a proxy does it on your behalf
For most, this is included in the Hajj package via Nusuk
If not included, purchase a hady voucher at adahi.org
You will receive a confirmation email when the sacrifice is completed (~9 am)
3 · Halq / Taqsir
Men: shave the head completely (preferred · more reward) or cut hair shorter
Women: cut a fingertip's length from the ends of the hair
Barbers near Jamarat in Mina
4 · Tawaf al-Ifādah + Saʿi
This is a pillar of Hajj — like Arafah, it cannot be missed or made up with sacrifice
Go to Makkah · 7 rounds around the Kaʿbah (same as Umrah tawaf)
Difference: No idtibaa' (right shoulder out) and no raml (brisk walk) during Ifādah
2 rakah behind Maqam Ibrahim · drink Zamzam
Saʿi between Safa and Marwah (same as Umrah)
May be delayed to 11 / 12 / 13 DH to avoid extreme crowds — but Eid day crowds are actually lightest
Wudu broken mid-tawaf
Same rule as Umrah: don't leave the masjid. Walk to a Zamzam station, renew wudu, return, continue from where you stopped. Tawaf requires wudu · Saʿi does not.
Upper-roof tawaf trick
On peak days, the ground floor is brutal. The roof / 3rd floor is far less crowded — one circuit ≈ 10–11 minutes. Doing tawaf around Fajr time on the roof can complete in ~1 hour. The further out you are, the longer per circuit, but lighter crowds often beat ground-floor congestion.
Return to Mina
If you completed Jamarat al-ʿAqaba on 10 DH → return to Mina before midnight.
If you skipped Jamarat on 10 DH → you must return to Mina before Maghrib on the 10th. Plan transport accordingly.
Step 05
Tashreeq 1
أَيَّامُ التَّشْرِيق
11 Dhul-Hijjah · Thu 28 May
Day 4 · Tashreeq
Stone All Three Jamarat · In Order
After Dhuhr, stone all three pillars in order — Sughra → Wusta → ʿAqaba — 7 pebbles each. Must finish before Maghrib.
Fajr & Dhuhr at Mina · meals at Mina
After Dhuhr: stone Sughra (7) → Wusta (7) → ʿAqaba (7) — 21 total
Du'a after Sughra and Wusta · NOT after ʿAqaba
Spend most of the night at Mina
The Day's Rhythm
Spend most of the nights of 11 & 12 DH at Mina (more than half the night)
Stone all three jamarat each day after Dhuhr (after the sun has passed its zenith)
Order matters: Sughra → Wusta → ʿAqaba
7 pebbles per pillar · takbeer with each throw
At Each Jamrah
Jamrat al-Sughra (smallest, farthest from Makkah) — 7 pebbles with takbeer. Then move forward, face Qiblah, make du'a.
Jamrat al-Wusta (middle) — 7 pebbles with takbeer. Then move forward, face Qiblah, make du'a.
Jamrat al-ʿAqaba (largest, closest to Makkah) — 7 pebbles with takbeer. No du'a after this one. Return to Mina.
Etiquette per pebble1. Say "Allāhu Akbar"2. Throw 3. Repeat 7 times.
Majority of the night
Calculate the midpoint between Maghrib and Fajr. Being at Mina past that midpoint satisfies the obligation. Coordinate with your group leader on bus timing.
If Jamarat closes for crowd / heat
In recent years (2024) Saudi authorities have closed Jamarat between Asr and Maghrib due to heat and crowds. If this happens on your day, some opinions permit stoning after Fajr instead of after Dhuhr. Group leader will coordinate · don't go alone if access is blocked.
Image needed
Pilgrims making du'a after stoning — hands raised toward Qiblah, group of hujjaj at one of the smaller jamarat with the structure visible.
Step 06
Tashreeq 2
أَيَّامُ التَّشْرِيق
12 Dhul-Hijjah · Fri 29 May
Day 5 · Optional Departure
Stone All Three Again · Return to Makkah
Repeat 11 DH stoning. After this, you may leave Mina (must depart before Maghrib) or stay for 13 DH.
Fajr & Dhuhr at Mina · meals at Mina
After Dhuhr: stone Sughra → Wusta → ʿAqaba (21 pebbles) before Maghrib
Leaving today? Depart Mina before Maghrib
Otherwise stay for 13 DH and stone again
Same stoning procedure as 11 DH
Jumu'ah is not obligatory for hujjaj at Mina (you are a traveler)
If leaving today: depart Mina before Maghrib · gather all belongings · do not leave anything behind
Otherwise: stay for one more day and stone again on 13 DH
Lawful to visit the Kaʿbah and tawaf during Mina nights — the Prophet ﷺ did so — as long as you stay more than half the night at Mina
Most groups leave today
The majority of pilgrims depart on 12 DH. Speak to your group leader if you wish to stay for 13 DH.
Step 07
Tashreeq 3
أَيَّامُ التَّشْرِيق
13 Dhul-Hijjah · Sat 30 May · Optional
Day 6 · Optional
Final Stoning · Depart Mina
Only for those who chose to stay an extra day. Stone all three a final time, then depart anytime.
Same stoning procedure as 11 / 12 DH
Depart anytime after stoning
Repeat stoning of all three jamarat — 21 pebbles, in order
You can depart anytime after stoning
Some scholars consider staying for 13 DH preferable when itinerary allows
Step 08
Wadāʿ
طَوَافُ الْوَدَاع
Before leaving Makkah
Final · Farewell
Tawaf al-Wadāʿ — The Farewell Tawaf
Your last act in Makkah. Do not delay it. No ihram needed, no Saʿi.
7 circuits around the Kaʿbah · last act before departure
No ihram, no Saʿi · normal clothes fine
2 rakah behind Maqam Ibrahim after the 7 circuits (same as any tawaf)
Best time: after Isha or right after Fajr (less crowded)
Exit masjid left foot first (not walking backward — no basis) · recite the dua of exiting a masjid
Performed when you have completed all Hajj rites and are ready to leave Makkah
This must be your last rite before departing
Does not require ihram clothes
Does not include Saʿi
2 rakah behind Maqam Ibrahim after the 7 circuits — same as any tawaf · drink Zamzam if accessible
Take Zamzam — act on the sunnah
The Prophet ﷺ used to carry whatever Zamzam he could back from his travels. Times have changed since the year 600 — to enact this sunnah personally, fill a regular water bottle with Zamzam on your final visit to the Haram and bring it home. The airport provides a sealed 5L bottle separately — useful, but not the same as acting on the sunnah yourself.
After Wadāʿ — what's allowed
Wadāʿ should be your last Hajj rite — no further tawaf, no Sa'i, no stoning after.
Salah is fine — if a prayer time falls before you leave, pray it. Necessities (food, water, last-minute essentials) are fine. Fashion / leisure shopping is disliked between Wadāʿ and departure — keep the seal of the farewell intact. Best practice: do Wadāʿ as close to your departure as possible.
Sisters in menses
A sister whose period has not cleared by departure is exempt from Tawaf al-Wadāʿ entirely (per the rule of ḥaiḍ). She leaves Makkah without performing it · no fidya owed.
Tawaf al-Ifādah (the pillar) cannot be skipped — it must be completed. If your period doesn't clear in time, talk to the imam — there is an exception scholars have ruled on. A comprehensive scenarios chart is being prepared by the team.
Exiting the Masjid
When finished, leave like everyone else. Walking backward has no basis — don't do it. Step out with your left foot first (sunnah of exiting any masjid), saying:
In the name of Allah; prayers and peace upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, I ask You for Your bounty. O Allah, protect me from the accursed devil.
Hajj Mabroor"Keep on doing Hajj and Umrah, for they eliminate poverty and sin just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron, gold, and silver." — Tirmidhi
May Allah accept your Hajj and allow you to be His guest again. Ameen.
Final Recap — Hajj Mabroor!
Pillars · Wajibat · Sunan — may Allah accept from youحَجّ مَبْرُور
